You know you should ask customers for Google reviews, but you freeze when it comes to writing the message. Too salesy? Too casual? Too long? The issue isn't the principle — it's the wording. A well-structured message with a direct link, sent at the right time, converts 3× better than an improvised one (ReviewTrackers 2024). This guide gives you 15 review request templates ready to copy, sorted by channel (SMS, WhatsApp) and industry, to boost your local visibility through Google reviews without spending more than 30 seconds per customer.
Anatomy of an effective review request message
Before the templates, let's understand what makes a message convert. Across hundreds of thousands of review requests analysed (Podium 2024, BrightLocal 2024), four elements consistently appear in the highest-performing messages.
The 4 essential elements
- Personalisation — the customer's first name at the start. A message that opens with "Hi Sarah" converts 26% better than a generic "Hello".
- Context reminder — mention the service or visit ("following your haircut this morning", "after the boiler repair"). The customer knows why they're receiving the message.
- Direct link — not "go to Google and search for us". A clickable link that opens the review form directly. Without it, 90% of people drop off. Learn how to generate yours in our guide on the Google review link.
- Brevity — 2 to 4 sentences maximum. Every extra word reduces the read rate. On WhatsApp, a 3-line message is read in full 94% of the time. A 10-line message, only 61%.
What you should never write
- "If you're happy, leave us a review" — this is review gating, prohibited by Google's terms of service.
- "In exchange for your review, get 10% off" — incentivised reviews violate Google's policies and can be removed.
- "Give us 5 stars" — asking for a specific rating is not allowed. Let the customer rate freely.
- A 10-line wall of text — the message must fit on one smartphone screen without scrolling.
8 WhatsApp review request templates
WhatsApp has a 98% open rate and near-instant readership. It's the most effective channel to ask for a Google review, provided you have an existing conversation with the customer.
Template 1 — Universal (all industries)
Hi [First name], thank you for your visit today! Your feedback means a lot and helps others find us. If you have 30 seconds, you can leave it here: [LINK]. Thanks and see you soon!
Template 2 — Hairdresser / beautician
Hi [First name], I hope you love your new look! If you'd like to share your experience, a review here helps us hugely: [LINK]. Thank you!
Hair salons and beauty parlours have a natural advantage: the result is immediately visible. The customer is in a positive emotional state — the ideal moment to send the request.
Template 3 — Physiotherapist / osteopath
Hi [First name], thank you for trusting us with your session today. If you'd like to share your experience, your review here helps other patients find us: [LINK]. See you at your next appointment!
Physiotherapy practices that regularly collect reviews gain an average of 0.4 stars over 6 months compared to those that don't ask. Using "patient" and "session" language professionalises the request.
Template 4 — Garage / mechanic
Hi [First name], your vehicle is ready! I hope the work meets your expectations. If you have 30 seconds, a review here helps other drivers choose us with confidence: [LINK]. Safe travels!
Car garages often suffer from a trust deficit online. Google reviews are the number one decision factor for 67% of drivers searching for a mechanic (RepairPal 2024). A message sent when the customer picks up their car captures the relief moment.
Template 5 — Restaurant / caterer
Hi [First name], thank you for dining with us today! If you enjoyed the meal, a quick review here makes all the difference: [LINK]. Hope to see you again soon!
Template 6 — After a completed job (tradesperson)
Hi [First name], the work is finished and I hope the result meets your expectations. Your review helps other homeowners find a trusted tradesperson: [LINK]. Thank you for your trust!
Template 7 — Gentle nudge (48 hours, no response)
Hi [First name], no worries if you haven't had a chance! The link to leave your review is still active: [LINK]. It takes just 30 seconds. Thanks either way!
One nudge only, never two. Beyond that, you cross the line into harassment — and the customer will associate you with that annoyance, not with the quality of your service.
Template 8 — Thank-you after a review is posted
Hi [First name], thank you so much for your review! It really means a lot to us. See you soon!
This isn't a request — but it's essential. Thanking reinforces the relationship and increases the likelihood the customer will return and refer others.
5 SMS review request templates
SMS is less effective than WhatsApp (45% open rate vs 98%), but it reaches customers who don't use WhatsApp or with whom you don't have an existing WhatsApp conversation.
Template 9 — Short universal SMS
[BUSINESS NAME] Hi [First name], thanks for your visit! Your review helps us: [LINK]
Business name at the start is essential in SMS (the short code doesn't identify you). Keep under 160 characters to avoid splitting into 2 messages.
Template 10 — SMS for hairdressers
[SALON X] Hi [First name]! A quick review about your experience means a lot to us and helps future clients: [LINK] Thanks!
Template 11 — SMS for healthcare
[PRACTICE X] Hi [First name], thank you for your trust. A review here helps other patients find us: [LINK]
Template 12 — SMS for garages
[GARAGE X] Hi [First name], your vehicle is ready! A quick review here helps us enormously: [LINK] Safe travels!
Template 13 — SMS nudge
[BUSINESS NAME] Hi [First name], the link for your review is still active: [LINK] – 30 secs is all it takes. Thank you!
2 verbal request templates
The verbal request remains the most natural approach. It happens face to face, at the counter, at the end of a service. The WhatsApp or SMS message follows immediately to deliver the link.
Template 14 — Simple verbal request
"Thank you so much, [First name]. If you've been happy with the service, a quick Google review would help us enormously. I'll send you the link by [WhatsApp/text] in a moment."
Template 15 — Natural conversational request
"Glad you're happy with the result! More and more of our customers find us through Google reviews. If you have 30 seconds, shall I send you the link?"
A verbal request followed by a message with the link is the most effective combination: conversion rate between 50% and 70%, roughly double a message alone.
How to customise templates by industry
A generic template works. A customised one works better. Here are the industry-specific adjustments that make the difference.
| Industry | Vocabulary to use | Ideal send time | Detail to mention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hairdresser / beautician | haircut, colour, treatment, result | 30 min after leaving the salon | The service performed |
| Physiotherapist | session, care, trust, patient | 2 hours after the session | The type of treatment |
| Car garage | repair, service, vehicle, MOT | When the customer picks up the car | The type of work done |
| Restaurant | meal, lunch, dinner, dish, experience | 1 hour after the meal | The occasion (lunch/dinner) |
| Plumber / electrician | repair, emergency callout, installation | Same evening after the job | The type of work |
| Estate agent | guidance, sale, purchase, project | Day of completion/exchange | The transaction type |
WhatsApp vs SMS: which channel to choose
The choice depends on your relationship with the customer and your industry. Here's the objective comparison.
| Criterion | SMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Open rate | 98% | 45% |
| Conversion rate (review left) | 35–50% | 15–25% |
| Cost per message | Free (existing conversation) or €0.05–0.08 via API | £0.03–0.06 per SMS |
| Personalisation | Rich (emoji, formatting, images) | Text only, 160 characters |
| Clickable link | Yes, with visual preview | Yes, without preview |
| Customer perception | Natural (existing conversation) | More formal, sometimes perceived as spam |
| Best for | Tradespeople, local shops, freelancers | Larger practices, clinics, customers not on WhatsApp |
Recommendation: use WhatsApp first if you have an existing conversation with the customer. Reserve SMS for customers you don't have on WhatsApp or for bulk reminders (medical practices, for example).
Timing: when to send your message
The best template in the world sent at the wrong time won't convert. Here's what the data shows about optimal timing.
| Time after service | Estimated conversion rate | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 30 min to 2 hours | 50–70% | After verbal request + immediate link |
| 2 to 12 hours | 40–55% | Automated post-service send |
| 12 to 24 hours | 30–45% | Same evening or next morning |
| 24 to 72 hours | 15–30% | Still usable, but declining |
| After 72 hours | 5–15% | No longer worth the effort (except nudge) |
The 1–24 hour window is the same one detailed in our guide on how to ask for Google reviews. The message template is only one of three pillars: timing + wording + channel.
5 mistakes that kill your review requests
- Copy-pasting the same message without personalisation — "Hello, please leave a review" without a name or context. The customer feels like a number. Add at least their first name and the service performed.
- Forgetting the direct link — every extra click between the message and the Google review form halves the conversion rate. Generate your Google review link and include it in every message.
- Sending on day 7 or 15 — the customer has forgotten. Even the best template can't compensate for poor timing. Aim for the first 24 hours.
- Nudging three times — one gentle nudge at 48 hours, maximum. Beyond that, the customer blocks your number or associates you with spam.
- Never responding to reviews received — you ask for an effort and then radio silence. Responding to every review (positive and negative) is the natural counterpart to the request.
Manual vs automated method
The manual method
Save 2 or 3 templates as "quick replies" in WhatsApp Business (⚡ icon, shortcut /review or /review-physio). After each appointment, type the shortcut, replace the first name, send. It's free, functional, and sufficient for up to 3 to 5 customers a day.
Beyond that, you'll forget customers. And every forgotten customer is a lost review.
The automated method
An AI agent dedicated to Google reviews detects the end of an appointment and automatically sends the right template via WhatsApp — personalised with the customer's first name, service context and direct link. Timing is handled without any human intervention.
The agent also manages the single 48-hour nudge and tracking: if the customer has already left a review, no nudge is sent.
Automate your review requests with Reepli
Reepli.ai includes an AI agent dedicated to Google reviews that automates the sending of your review requests:
- Automatic personalisation — the agent adapts the message template to the context: customer's first name, type of service, business name. No generic copy-paste.
- Perfect timing — the request goes out in the optimal window (1 to 6 hours after service) via WhatsApp, with the direct link to your Google listing.
- Smart nudging — if the customer hasn't left a review after 48 hours, one gentle nudge. Never two.
- Response suggestions — when a review comes in, the AI drafts a response for you to approve before publishing.
- Centralised CRM — WhatsApp conversations, appointments, review requests and customer history in one place.
Result: businesses that automate review requests via WhatsApp go from 1–2 reviews per month to 8–12, without spending more than a few minutes a week.
The Reepli Essential plan starts at €79/month (WhatsApp Conversation agent + CRM). The Google Reviews agent is an add-on at €40/month. 7-day free trial, no credit card required.
Frequently asked questions
Should I vary my message templates or always use the same one?
Vary your templates. Google doesn't filter reviews based on the message received, but a single template becomes stale for repeat customers (they recognise the copy-paste). Rotate between 2 or 3 different wordings. The key is to keep the 4 essential elements: first name, context, direct link and brevity.
Can I use a URL shortener for the review link?
Yes, and it's recommended for SMS (the native Google Maps link exceeds 100 characters). Use a trusted shortener (bit.ly, your own domain). On WhatsApp, shortening is less necessary because the link displays an automatic preview.
What's the best time of day to send the request?
The time elapsed since the service matters more than the absolute time of day. Aim for 1 to 24 hours after the appointment. For deferred sends, studies show that 10am–12pm and 5pm–7pm deliver the best read rates.
Is an SMS or WhatsApp review request considered advertising?
No, provided you have an existing business relationship with the customer (they purchased a service from you). A review request isn't a promotional message under GDPR. However, the customer must be able to ask you to stop sending these messages — respect any opt-out request.
How many messages can I send per day at most?
On the Google side, the limit isn't messages but review influx: don't exceed 4–5 published reviews per day to avoid fraud detection filters. On the WhatsApp Business API side, the limit depends on your messaging tier (1,000, 10,000 or 100,000 conversations/month). The free app doesn't impose a technical limit, but only message customers with whom you have an existing conversation.