# Responsible Review Requests for Local Businesses > How to ask every customer for an honest review by text or email, with sample wording, texting consent basics, and the rules that differ by review site. Canonical: https://vassalmarketing.com/information/reviews-reputation/responsible-review-requests/ **Maintained by Vassal Marketing** · Last updated on September 26, 2026 Reviewed at least quarterly and whenever a platform or rule it cites changes. General information, not legal or professional advice. Check rules that affect your business with a qualified professional. Ask every customer who finished a job for an honest review, using the same short message for everyone. Do not offer rewards, suggest a star rating, or send the link only to the customers you expect to be happy. ## Why this matters Most customers will not leave a review unless you ask. A short, friendly request after the job makes it easy. But if you only ask happy customers, pay for reviews, or tell people what to write, your rating stops reflecting real experiences. That can break review-site rules and federal consumer-protection law. Each review site has its own rules. Google lets you ask customers for reviews and share a link or QR code, but bans rewards for reviews. Yelp's guidelines say businesses should never ask customers to write reviews. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) tells businesses not to ask only customers they expect to leave positive reviews. Check the rules for each site before you send anything. ## Responsible practices ### Ask after a real job Only ask people who actually bought from you or used your service. Never buy a list, ask strangers, or have staff post reviews. ### Use the same message for everyone Send the request to every customer who finished a job, not just the ones you think liked it. Screening out unhappy customers first is called review gating, and Google, Tripadvisor, and FTC guidance all warn against it. ### Keep the wording neutral Ask for honest feedback in the customer's own words. Do not mention five stars, give them text to copy, or suggest what to say. ### Never reward a review Do not offer discounts, gift cards, raffle entries, or free services for leaving, changing, or removing a review. Google bans rewards for reviews entirely. ### Get consent before texting Federal rules generally require the customer's prior consent before you send automated texts to a mobile phone, and marketing texts need written consent. Include a simple way to opt out, such as replying STOP, and honor any reasonable opt-out request. Whether a review request counts as marketing depends on your facts, so confirm your setup with a qualified attorney. ### Stay in charge of any review software Approve every message, list, and review site the tool uses. Keep the account in your business's name. Make sure the vendor cannot write reviews, pose as customers, or quietly filter out unhappy customers. ## Worked example: Sample review request wording Hypothetical example: a plumbing company sends one message to every customer the day a job is finished. Replace the bracketed parts with your own details. The same wording works for a salon, contractor, or restaurant. ### Text message Hi [first name], this is [your name] at [business name]. Thanks for having us out today. If you have a minute, we'd appreciate an honest review on Google: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out. ### Email Subject: How did we do? — Thank you for choosing [business name] for [job]. We read every review and use them to improve. If you're willing, you can share your honest experience on Google here: [link]. There's no obligation. If anything wasn't right, you can also reach me directly at [phone]. — [your name] ### What this wording avoids It does not ask for five stars, offer a reward, suggest what to write, or send only satisfied customers to the review link. Everyone gets the same message. ### Where not to send it Do not send a Yelp version. Yelp's guidelines say businesses should never ask customers to write reviews. Send the same neutral message to every customer who finished a job, whatever you expect them to say. More sample wording is in the review request templates resource. ## Review requests checklist ### What you can do yourself 1. Write down which review sites you ask customers to use. 2. Pick one moment to ask, such as the day the job is finished. 3. Send the same neutral message to every customer at that moment. 4. Test your review link or QR code on your own phone. 5. Include an opt-out in every text and stop when a customer asks. ### What to ask your provider or staff to handle 1. Show you every message template, customer list, and review site the software uses, and wait for your approval. 2. Confirm in writing that the tool does not filter customers by predicted rating or add any reward. 3. Keep text consent and opt-out records, and give you an export of them on request. ## Avoid these mistakes - Sending the review link only after a customer gives a high score on a private survey - Offering a discount, gift, or raffle entry for a review - Giving customers a five-star script or keywords to paste - Asking staff, relatives, or friends to post reviews - Letting a vendor send requests you have never seen Customers decide what they write and review sites decide what stays up, so ratings, review counts, and removals are not guaranteed. ## Questions business owners ask ### Can I ask customers for Google or Yelp reviews? Google says businesses may remind customers to leave reviews and share a Google link or QR code, as long as the review reflects a real experience and no reward is offered. Yelp is different: its guidelines say businesses should never ask customers to write reviews. ### Is it OK to ask only happy customers? No. The FTC advises businesses not to ask for reviews only from customers they think will leave positive ones, and Google does not allow selectively asking for positive reviews. Ask every customer at the same point, whatever you expect them to say. ### Can I text customers a review link? Often yes, but texting has its own rules. Federal rules generally require prior consent for automated texts to mobile phones, and customers can opt out in any reasonable way, such as replying STOP. Confirm your setup with a qualified attorney for your situation. ### Can review software guarantee more reviews or a higher rating? No. Customers decide whether to post and what to say, and review sites decide what gets published. ## Primary guidance - [Google Business Profile: Tips to get more reviews](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474122?hl=en) - [Google Maps: Prohibited and restricted content](https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114?hl=en) - [Yelp: Content Guidelines](https://www.yelp.com/guidelines) - [FTC: Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule Q&A](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/consumer-reviews-testimonials-rule-questions-answers) - [FTC: Soliciting and Paying for Online Reviews](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/soliciting-paying-online-reviews-guide-marketers) - [FCC: Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts](https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts) ## Connected guidance - [Review request templates](https://vassalmarketing.com/information/resources/review-request-templates.md): Ready-to-edit text and email wording for asking customers for honest reviews. - [Google profile reviews and responses](https://vassalmarketing.com/information/google-business-profile/reviews-and-responses.md): Google's own steps for review links, replies, and reports on your Business Profile. - [The FTC review rule explained](https://vassalmarketing.com/information/reviews-reputation/ftc-review-rule-explained.md): What the federal rule bans, including fake reviews, paid positive reviews, and undisclosed staff reviews. - [Review site rules compared](https://vassalmarketing.com/information/reviews-reputation/review-platform-policy-operations.md): Which review sites let you ask for reviews and which do not.