Best Practices
Tips for maximizing your Google review collection rate
Timing
When to Send the First Message
The best time to ask for a review is within 24 hours of completing a job. The customer’s experience is fresh, and their satisfaction is at its peak.
- Same day for quick jobs (repairs, installations)
- Next morning for larger projects
- Never more than 48 hours after completion
When to Follow Up
Space your follow-ups so they feel helpful, not pushy:
- First follow-up: 3 days after the initial message
- Final follow-up: 7 days after the initial message
- Maximum: 3 total messages per customer
Time of Day
Send messages during business hours in the customer’s time zone:
- Best: 10 AM - 12 PM (morning check-in)
- Good: 5 PM - 7 PM (after work)
- Avoid: Before 9 AM, after 8 PM, weekends
Message Tone
Keep It Personal
Messages that sound like they came from a person convert better than messages that sound like they came from a system.
Good:
“Hi Sarah, this is Mike from ABC Plumbing. Thanks for having us out today! If you have a minute, we’d really appreciate a Google review: {review_link}”
Less effective:
“Dear Customer, please rate your recent service experience by clicking the link below.”
Keep It Short
For SMS especially, brevity wins. Get to the point in 2-3 sentences:
- Thank them
- Ask for the review
- Include the link
Vary Your Follow-Ups
Don’t send the same message twice. Each follow-up should feel like a natural reminder, not a repeated broadcast.
- Message 1 (SMS): Thank-you + ask
- Message 2 (Email): Slightly different angle, maybe mention how reviews help your small business
- Message 3 (SMS): Brief, low-pressure final nudge
Campaign Design
Start Simple
Your first campaign should be straightforward:
SMS → Wait 3 days → Email → Wait 4 days → SMS → Report
Optimize from there based on your results. Don’t over-engineer it upfront.
Use Both SMS and Email
SMS has higher open rates (~98%), but email lets you include more context. The combination outperforms either channel alone.
Always End with a Report Block
Report blocks email you a summary of campaign activity. This keeps you informed without having to check the dashboard constantly.
Compliance
Always Include Opt-Outs
ReviewMe handles this automatically, but make sure you never circumvent it. Every SMS includes STOP instructions, and every email includes an unsubscribe link.
Don’t Gate Reviews
Never pre-screen customers before asking for a review. Google prohibits asking only happy customers to leave reviews. Send your campaign to everyone — the authentic mix of reviews builds more trust anyway.
Respect Opt-Outs Permanently
If a customer opts out, they should never receive another review request. ReviewMe enforces this automatically across all campaigns.
Measuring Success
Key Metrics
- Review conversion rate: Percentage of contacts who leave a review (aim for 15-25%)
- Click-through rate: Percentage of contacts who click the tracking link
- Opt-out rate: Should stay below 3% (if higher, review your message frequency and tone)
What Good Looks Like
For a home service business completing 40 jobs per month:
| Metric | Starting Out | Optimized |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly reviews | 4-6 | 8-12 |
| Conversion rate | 10-15% | 20-30% |
| Opt-out rate | < 3% | < 1% |
Next Steps
- Campaigns — Set up your campaign
- Messaging — Write effective messages
- CRM Integrations — Automate contact import