A review request email is a short note you send right after a job or visit. It asks the customer for an honest review and gives them one link that opens your Google review form. Keep it personal. Send it to every customer, including the ones who seemed less happy, and never offer anything in exchange. Below you'll find six templates by business type, a follow-up, subject lines, a timing table, and the Google, FTC, and Yelp rules that limit what you can say.
Key takeaways
- Send the ask once the customer has actually experienced the work. For a repair or visit, that means the same day or the next morning. For an install, it's a few days after completion.
- Link straight to your Google review form. Google lets you create a review link or QR code from your Business Profile.
- Offer no discount, gift, or drawing entry for a review. Google treats incentives as fake engagement, and the FTC's 2024 final rule bans buying reviews and suppressing honest ones.
- Don't screen customers first and then send only the happy ones to Google. Google's policy forbids selectively soliciting positive reviews.
- Leave Yelp out of your emails. Yelp tells businesses not to ask anyone for reviews, and its software may hide reviews that look requested.
Want someone to look at what you already send before you add a review ask? My email review is a paid, one-time look at your list and your tool. It includes rewrites of your last eight subject lines, a 90-day send calendar, and a 45-minute call.
What a review request email is (and what it is not)
A review request email is a one-purpose message to someone who just bought from you or hired you. It thanks them for a specific job and asks for an honest review on one platform. It hands them a single link. That's the whole email.
It is not a newsletter. If you drop a seasonal offer, a blog link, and three social icons around the ask, the ask gets lost. It also makes the email look more like an ad, which matters under CAN-SPAM (more on that below).
It is not a survey either. Some businesses send a "rate us 1 to 5" email and pass only the 4s and 5s on to Google. That's called review gating, and Google's own policy rules it out. A survey is fine for collecting feedback. Just don't use one to decide who gets the review ask.
It is not a trade. You may come across advice to offer discounts, loyalty points, or prize drawings in exchange for reviews. That may work on a store's own product pages. For Google reviews of a local business, it breaks Google's rules.
And it is not a script. You can ask for an honest review. You should not tell the customer what to say, which star rating to give, or which employee to mention. Google's Maps content policy allows asking for genuine reviews but bars incentives and selective asking, and Google says reviews must reflect a genuine experience. A scripted review doesn't.
For a local business, the job of this email is simple. People who are about to hire you read what past customers wrote, and you learn what went right and what didn't. One clean ask at the right moment does both.
The rules: what you can and cannot put in the email
Four sets of rules apply here. Each one shapes what goes in your email.
Google: ask everyone, offer nothing
Google's prohibited and restricted content policy for Maps says merchants may not offer incentives such as payment, discounts, or free goods or services in exchange for a review. It also says merchants may not discourage or prohibit negative reviews, or selectively solicit positive ones. Reviews posted because of an incentive are treated as rating manipulation and removed. Google's help page on review links says the same thing in plain terms: incentives in exchange for reviews are considered fake engagement and strictly prohibited.
The FTC rule on fake reviews and review suppression
On August 14, 2024, the FTC announced a final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials, which lets the agency seek civil penalties against knowing violators. The rule took effect on October 21, 2024. It covers insider reviews, suppression of negative reviews, and paying for reviews that express a particular sentiment. That same law firm summary put the maximum penalty at $51,744 per violation when the rule took effect. The cap is adjusted for inflation, so check the current figure.
Suppression is broader than deleting reviews. It includes using threats to block or remove a negative review. It also includes misrepresenting that the reviews you display are all or most of the reviews you received. One nuance: according to the same summary, the FTC rule does not ban every incentive. It allows one if it doesn't ask for a particular sentiment and is properly disclosed. Google is stricter, though. For Google reviews, offer nothing at all.
Yelp: do not send Yelp review requests
Yelp's support page is titled "Don't Ask for Reviews". It tells business owners not to ask anyone to review them, including customers and mailing list subscribers. It warns that its recommendation software may not recommend reviews that seem to have been prompted by the business. It also says not to ask for reviews after collecting feedback through surveys or contact forms. So keep Yelp links out of your review emails entirely.
CAN-SPAM: is a review request commercial?
This one is easy to miss. The FTC's CAN-SPAM compliance guide lists five kinds of transactional or relationship messages, such as confirming a purchase or giving warranty or safety information. It says the law reads those categories narrowly. A review ask doesn't clearly fit any of the five. My advice is to treat it as a commercial email and follow all CAN-SPAM requirements: honest from-name and subject line, your postal address in the footer, and a working opt-out you honor. Some email tools add the footer for you. Check whether yours does.
| Rule source | What it allows | What it bans | What it means for your email |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Maps content policy | Asking for genuine reviews | Incentives, discouraging negative reviews, selectively asking happy customers | Same ask to everyone, no reward, no screening |
| FTC final rule (2024) | Honest requests | Fake reviews, sentiment-based incentives, undisclosed insider reviews, suppression | Don't ask staff or family to post reviews without disclosure, and never threaten a reviewer |
| Yelp support | Letting people know you're on Yelp | Asking anyone for reviews | No Yelp links in review emails |
| FTC CAN-SPAM guide | Transactional messages, read narrowly | Misleading headers and subjects in commercial email | Treat the ask as commercial: honest subject, address, opt-out |
How to get your Google review link
Every extra click is one more chance for the customer to put it off. Google's help page lays out how to create a link or QR code to request reviews:
- Go to your Business Profile.
- Select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews.
- Select Copy to copy the review link. To get the QR code instead, right-click it and choose Save image as. Google notes that QR codes can only be generated in a computer browser, not on a phone.
- Paste the link behind a plain text link or button in your email, then send yourself a test and tap it on your phone.
Google's page lists thank-you emails and receipts among the places to share the link. Keep one Google link per email. Several platform choices just give the reader a reason to put it off.
When to send: a timing table
An online store can time the ask to package delivery. A local job ends differently: the truck pulls away, the patient walks out, the client signs. Below are my starting points. They're judgment calls, not research findings, so test them on your own list.
| Business type | First email | One follow-up | Why this window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home repair (HVAC, plumbing, electrical) | Same evening or next morning | 5 to 7 days later | The fix is fresh and the house is comfortable again |
| Flooring, epoxy, remodel installs | 3 to 7 days after the final walk-through | 7 days later | They've lived on the finished work for a few days |
| Clinics, dental, med spas | Same day, a few hours after the visit | 5 days later | The visit is easy to remember |
| Specialty retail | 1 to 3 days after purchase | 7 days later | Long enough to use the item, short enough to remember the store |
| Professional firms (accounting, legal, insurance) | Right after a milestone closes | 7 days later | Ask when the work is done, not in the middle of it |
| Auto repair and detailing | Next day | 5 days later | They've driven the car and know it's right |
One follow-up is enough. Send it only to people who didn't click the first time, then stop. If you also send a regular newsletter, keep the review ask out of it so the two don't blur. My email marketing calendar guide shows how to lay out your sends.
What goes in a review request email
- From-name: a real person at the business, like "Dana at Northland Heating." A name the customer recognizes looks less like an ad. More on that in my owner-voice email guide.
- Subject line: short, plain, and about their job. No discount language, no tricks.
- First line: name the actual job and the day you did it.
- The ask: one sentence asking for an honest review, good or bad.
- One link: your Google review link, as text or a simple button.
- A way to reach you: invite them to reply if something isn't right. Offer that to everyone, not as a gate before the review link.
- Sign-off: a first name and a phone number.
Subject lines for review request emails
- How did the [job] turn out?
- Quick favor about [day]'s visit
- Your [service] on [day]
- Would you share how it went?
- A note from [owner first name]
- Following up on your [item] from [store]
Keep the subject line honest about what's inside. That's good manners, and it's also a CAN-SPAM requirement for commercial email.
Review request email templates by business type
Swap in your details. Each review request email template asks for an honest review, gives one link, and offers nothing in return. None of them tell the customer what to write.
Template 1: Home repair (HVAC, plumbing, electrical)
Subject: How is the [furnace/water heater] running?
Hi [First name],
Thanks for having us out on [day] to work on your [system]. If you have a minute, would you leave an honest review of how it went? It helps neighbors decide who to call.
If anything isn't right, just reply here or call me at [phone]. I'll follow up.
[Owner first name], [Business name]
Template 2: Flooring, epoxy, or remodel install
Subject: Your new [floor] after a few days
Hi [First name],
You've had a few days on the new [garage floor/kitchen floor]. I hope it's holding up the way you pictured. Would you write a short, honest review of the job? Good or bad, I read every one.
Questions about care or cure time? Reply and I'll answer.
[Owner first name]
Template 3: Clinic, dental office, or med spa
Subject: Thanks for coming in today
Hi [First name],
Thank you for visiting [Practice name] today. If you'd share an honest review of your visit, it helps other people in [neighborhood] find a practice they're comfortable with.
If you have questions about your visit, please call us at [phone] instead of writing them in a review.
[Name], [Practice name]
Note: keep clinic emails generic. Don't mention the treatment in the email, and talk to whoever handles your privacy compliance before sending.
Template 4: Specialty retail
Subject: Following up on your [item] from [store]
Hi [First name],
Thanks for stopping in on [day]. I hope the [item] is everything you wanted. If you have a minute, would you share an honest review of the shop?
Something not right? Bring it back or reply here.
[Owner first name], [Store name]
Template 5: Professional firm (accounting, legal, insurance)
Subject: Now that your [return is filed/matter is closed]
Hi [First name],
Thank you for trusting us with your [work]. Now that it's wrapped up, would you consider writing an honest review of working with our office?
Please leave out account numbers or case details. If you need anything else, reply here.
[Name], [Firm name]
Template 6: Auto repair or detailing
Subject: How's the [car] driving?
Hi [First name],
Thanks for bringing your [car] in on [day]. Once you've had a chance to drive it, would you leave an honest review of the visit?
If anything feels off, call [phone] and we'll take another look.
[Name], [Shop name]
Follow-up email (one only)
Subject: One more note about [job]
Hi [First name],
I sent a note last week about your [job]. If you haven't had a chance, here's the link to leave an honest review. If you'd rather not, no problem at all. This is the last I'll ask.
[Owner first name]
What to do when a bad review comes in
If you ask everyone, some reviews will sting. That's what makes the good ones believable. Google says helpful replies to reviews show you're responsive. Reply once, calmly, and take the details offline. Don't threaten the reviewer, don't offer something in exchange for changing the review, and don't pressure them to remove it. The FTC rule bars threats against reviewers, and Google bars incentives for posting, changing, or removing reviews.
How to measure your review requests
Opens are a weak signal now. Apple often counts an open when nobody read the email. My open rates guide explains why. Watch clicks and actual reviews instead.
| Metric | Where to find it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Emails delivered | Your email tool's send report | Whether your list is clean enough to reach people |
| Clicks on the review link | Your email tool's click report | Whether the subject and ask are working |
| New Google reviews within 14 days | Your Business Profile reviews | The result you actually care about |
| Replies | Your inbox | Problems to fix before they become reviews |
| Unsubscribes and complaints | Your email tool's send report | Whether you're asking too often |
Simple math works fine. New reviews in the window, divided by emails delivered, times 100, gives you reviews per 100 sends. Track it month to month, change one thing at a time, and see what moves. If the list itself is the problem, start with my email list guide.
Common mistakes to skip
- Adding a discount, gift card drawing, or loyalty points to a Google review ask.
- Sending a 1-to-5 survey first and passing only high scores to Google.
- Including a Yelp link.
- Asking staff, friends, or family to post reviews without disclosing the connection.
- Asking customers to name a specific employee or use certain words.
- Stuffing the ask into a promotional newsletter.
- Sending three or four reminders.
How I put this together
I read the top three Google US results for "review request email" on October 18, 2026, then built this guide to cover what they cover, correct what they get wrong, and add what they leave out. Every outside fact links to its source.
I wrote this guide for local businesses rather than online stores, because much of the advice you'll find on this topic assumes an online store. I checked the rules against primary sources: Google's Business Profile help and Maps content policy, the FTC's announcement of its final rule on reviews, the FTC's CAN-SPAM guide, and Yelp's support center. Two law firm summaries filled in the effective date, penalty amount, and suppression details. I didn't run a test or survey for this guide, and the timing table is my judgment, labeled as such. The templates are examples I wrote for this page.
Related guides
- Email Marketing for Real Estate: What to Send, to Whom, and How Often
- Welcome Email Examples for Local Small Businesses, Plus a Simple Welcome Series
- Email Segmentation for Small Business Lists: What to Split and How
- Email Marketing Calendar: A 2027 Plan for Kansas City Small Businesses
- How Long Should a Newsletter Be? Word Counts, Reading Time, and Proof
Frequently asked questions
How soon after a job should I send a review request email?
Send it once the customer has actually experienced the work: the same day or next morning for a repair or visit, and a few days after completion for an install. Earlier than that and they have nothing to say. Much later and the details fade.
What should a review request email say?
Thank them for the specific job, ask for an honest review in one sentence, and give one link that opens your Google review form. Sign it with a real name. Do not tell them what to write and do not offer anything in return.
How many times should I follow up?
Once is enough for most local businesses. Send one short reminder about five to seven days later to people who did not click, then stop. A second reminder starts to feel like pressure.
What happens if I offer a discount for a Google review?
Google's own Business Profile help calls incentives in exchange for reviews fake engagement and says they are strictly prohibited. Reviews posted because of an incentive can be removed. Offer nothing and keep the ask clean.
How do I get the direct link to my Google review form?
Open your Business Profile, select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews, and copy the link. Google also offers a QR code there, which can only be generated in a computer browser. Paste the link behind a plain button or text link in your email.
What is review gating, and why is it a problem?
Review gating means screening customers first, then sending only the happy ones to Google. Google's policy says businesses may not selectively solicit positive reviews. Send the same ask to everyone.
Can I ask for Yelp reviews by email?
No. Yelp's support page tells business owners not to ask anyone for reviews, including mailing list subscribers, and says its software may not recommend reviews that look requested. Leave Yelp out of your review emails.
Does a review request email need an unsubscribe link?
The FTC says the transactional category is read narrowly, and a review ask does not clearly fit any of its five types. The safe move is to treat it as a commercial email and follow all CAN-SPAM requirements, including a working opt-out.
Get a second pair of eyes on your emails
A review ask is one small email in a bigger picture. I write and send owner-voice emails for Kansas City businesses that already have customers. I can't promise any number of reviews. In the email review, I look at your list and your tool, rewrite your last eight subject lines, and build a 90-day send calendar. It also includes a 45-minute call, and you're welcome to ask there where a review ask fits. You can request the email review or call (816) 300-1791. If you already know you want ongoing sends, the plans are on the pricing page.
Fit check: if a standard marketing investment is a line item for your business, the pilot makes sense. If you are still running a smaller operation, wait until it is.