How to ask for reviews (and how it benefits your website).

Reviews can make or break a buying decision. Whether you’re selling beauty products, accountancy services or luxury holidays, one thing’s for sure — potential customers want proof that you’re the real deal.

For that, they’ll look at your website, judging you by its design, user experience and the content you’ve got on there. But many people (around 93% by the latest estimates) also look at reviews. They seek out feedback from your existing customers before they make a purchasing decision.

In this guide, we’ll look at why reviews matter, how to ask for them without feeling awkward and how they benefit your business. Whether you’re B2B or B2C, product or service-based, here’s everything you need to know.

How to ask for reviews: best practices

Let’s start with the big one. How do you ask customers for reviews without feeling like a nuisance? The trick is timing, tone and making it as easy as possible.

Ask at the right moment

Timing is everything. Ask for a review too early and the customer may not have experienced the full value of your offer. Too late, and the moment (and their enthusiasm) might have passed.

The sweet spot is right after a great experience, when the value you’ve delivered is fresh in their mind. So send customers to your chosen review site when:

• A product has just been delivered and used
• A project wraps up successfully
• A customer has given positive verbal or written feedback

Be human

It’s easy for customers to ignore a message that feels templated or robotic. So make things feel more personal and human with the following tips:

• Personalise your message, addressing the customer by name and referencing the product or service they bought
• Keep it warm and friendly, writing as you would to a friend and explaining how much a review would mean to you and your business
• Sign off with a real person’s name, like that of your founder or customer success lead, and not the name of your business

Keep it short and include a link

Stick to a maximum of three or four sentences. Anything longer and your customers are unlikely to read what you’ve written.

Also, make it easy for customers to jump straight to your chosen review site with the help of a clickable link or (on printed materials) a QR code.

Follow up

Most people don’t mean to ignore your review request. Life just gets in the way. So don’t be afraid to follow up once or twice — with a friendly nudge and the same review link.

How to ask customers for reviews over email, SMS and in person

The way you choose to ask for customer reviews will depend on the methods of communication you tend to use for your business. Here are a couple of ideas.

How to ask for reviews by email

Most companies ask for reviews over email. It’s a reliable way to reach your customers and it’s easy to add a link — so users are only ever a click away from your reviews page.

You can choose to send review request emails manually or automatically. You can add personal details like the customer’s name and the product or service they bought. You can also segment your review request emails so they speak directly to each different sector of your audience.

To write an email asking for feedback, look at these templates for a little inspiration:

Review email template #1

Subject line: Got a sec to share your thoughts?

Hi [Name],

Thank you for your recent purchase. We hope you’re happy with your order.

We’d love to hear what you thought of the [your brand] experience. Reviews help us improve our service and products for customers.

If you have just 60 seconds, please leave a review for us here: [link to your chosen review site].

Thanks a bunch!

[Your name]

Review email template #2

Subject line: We’d love to hear your feedback

Hi [Name],

I just wanted to say a big thank you for choosing [company name] for your project. I hope the experience — and the end product — was everything you’d hoped for.

Your feedback makes a big difference to a small business like ours. So whether you want to sing our praises or offer some pointers, we’d really like to hear about it.

If you can spare a minute, please leave us a review by clicking the link below.

[Link to your chosen review site]

Thanks and all the best,

[Your name]

Review email template #3

Subject line: Loving your new [name of product]?

Hi [Name],

We hope you’ve already fallen in love with your [name of product]. And if it’s won you over, we want to hear all about it.

A quick review helps us out more than you know — and it helps other excellent humans find our store.

You can leave a review for us here: [link to your chosen review site]

Thanks for being part of the [company name] community!

[Your name]

How to ask for reviews over SMS

If you’re a small business owner and tend to communicate with your customers over SMS or WhatsApp, it makes sense to ask for feedback here, too.

You can ask for a review in the thread of your current conversation. If a customer asks you to send over an invoice or thanks you for the job you’ve done, follow up with a message like this one:

Really pleased you’re happy with the work. If you’ve got a minute, could you do me a favour?

It would be great if you could leave a review on Google. It takes just a couple of seconds and you can find our page here: [Link to review site].

It really does make such a big difference to us. Thanks in advance!

How to ask for a review in person or over the phone

When a customer thanks you while speaking to you in person or over the phone, this is the perfect time to ask for a review.

A real conversation sticks in a customer’s memory better than digital communication — and if they verbally agree to leave you a review, they’re likely to stay true to their word.

Asking for a review while talking to a customer might go something like this:

It’s so great to hear your feedback. Thanks for sharing that with me.

You know, if you have a few minutes, it would be amazing if you could write a few words to that effect over on [your chosen review site]. We really rely on reviews like yours to keep the company ticking over.

Would it be ok if I send over a link?

If your client or customer is open to the idea of leaving a review, follow up with a review link via email or text quickly.

Other ways to request client feedback and customer reviews

Want more ways to ask customers for reviews? Here are a few extra ideas:

Put a QR code on a thank you note. If you deliver physical products to your customers, include a thank you note in the package — with a QR code linking straight to your review page. A gesture like this is great for brand perception and loyalty, and it gives happy customers a simple way to share their feedback.

Put a QR code on a loyalty card. For brick-and-mortar businesses, a loyalty card is an ideal place to link to your chosen review site. These customers already like what you do. So asking them to leave a quick review is a natural next step.

Add review functionality to your website. Make it easy for customers to leave feedback directly on your site. Integrate a review form, a feedback widget, or a post-purchase pop-up to capture insights at the right time — no third-party platform needed.

Send requests on social media. Already chatting with customers in DMs? This is a great place to drop a friendly review request. You can also share occasional public posts asking for reviews from your community.

Where to collect customer reviews

There are lots of places you can send customers to post their reviews. But there are a couple of things to bear in mind when deciding on the best solution:

• Some platforms are better suited to certain industries than others
• Many charge for extras like review verification, analytics or the ability to display reviews on your own website
• You need to check who legally owns the reviews before using them on your own site

Caveats covered, here’s an overview of the major players.

Google. Google reviews appear alongside your Google Business Profile — right in search results and on Google Maps. That visibility makes them incredibly useful for local SEO and brand credibility. Google reviews are also free for you to use.

Trustpilot. People tend to look at Trustpilot when researching unfamiliar online retailers and B2C service businesses. The site is prominent in search results, and paid features include review request automation and on-site widgets.

Feefo. Feefo uses invitation-only reviews, which means all feedback comes from actual customers — not random internet users. Paid features include customisable widgets, integration with your email platform and access to analytics.

Facebook. Enable reviews from your company’s Facebook page and you can start gathering customer reviews on the social media platform. This site is best for local B2C businesses and service providers. It’s a good option if you haven’t invested in a website yet.

Industry-specific platforms. Depending on your industry, you may like to direct customers to one of the following review sites:

• G2 or Capterra — for software companies and tech brands
• TripAdvisor — for restaurants, cafes, hotels, bars and clubs
• LinkedIn — for professional services, coaches and consultants

Your website. You can also gather product and service reviews via your own website. These reviews may not feel as impartial to customers as those that appear on a third-party site. But the reviews you gather belong 100% to you and are free from platform fees.

Asking for reviews: why does it matter?

Asking for customer feedback can feel a little daunting. You open yourself up to the good, the bad, and the ugly of customer opinion.

But — in our experience — the vast majority of customers are actually pretty kind. And when you do get a less-than-glowing review, it’s a chance to improve or show your professionalism.

Most importantly, reviews can do big things for your business. Here’s how:

They improve your SEO

Search engines trust businesses that customers trust. So if you’re collecting a steady stream of reviews — especially on Google — it can help your site climb up search engine result pages (SERPs).

You’re more likely to show up in local search results. You can also use schema markup so reviews show up as rich snippets in search results — improving your visibility and increasing visitors to your website.

They build trust and credibility

You can write the most persuasive website copy in the world. But a positive review from a real customer tends to carry more weight. Customer reviews and client testimonials are a powerful trust signal. They help potential customers view your brand as a reliable and credible option.

They boost conversion rates

Reviews don’t just attract website traffic — they help turn browsers into buyers. Featuring star ratings, testimonials and review snippets on your homepage, product pages and checkout helps reduce friction and boost conversion rates. It reassures potential customers — because they see that other people have taken the plunge with your company and been happy with the results.

How to use customer reviews once you’ve got them

You’ve put all that effort into gathering customer reviews. Now, make the most of them. Here’s how to put customer reviews to work for your business.

Respond to reviews (especially the bad ones)

If you get a bad review, respond to it — politely, calmly and offering a solution (or a more in-depth chat off the review platform). This reassures other potential customers that you care about the customer experience.

But don’t save your responses for the negative reviews. Say thank you for the positive ones too. It’ll show that your business is active and responsive. And some SEOs think that responding to Google reviews can even improve your website’s ranking.

Embed reviews on your website

If you’ve got permission — or the review platform’s terms allow it — display customer reviews on your website.

Put a star rating on your homepage. Put product reviews on product pages and customer testimonials on service pages. Feature a reassuring review widget on your e-commerce checkout page. You’ll encourage customers to buy with confidence and nudge indecisive shoppers over the line.

Highlight positive reviews in your marketing

With your customer’s permission, you can highlight positive reviews across your marketing materials. Feature them in branded social media assets or on your marketing emails to showcase the value of your product or service and inspire new or repeat custom.

Get insights about your business

Reviews provide you with valuable customer feedback. So look for trends. Are lots of people complaining about a product feature? It could be time for an upgrade. Are they raving about your speedy delivery? Mention it more in your website copy.

Feedback gives insight into the customer experience. So you can tweak, improve and find new ways to attract and retain customers.

Let your customers do the talking: use reviews to sell your products and services

In a world where customers are used to weighing up their options and seeking out the opinions of others, reviews are a powerful tool. They help you build credibility, boost SEO and increase conversions.

So don’t be shy about it. Whether it’s over email, in person, via SMS or with a QR code on a thank-you card, make asking for reviews a fixture of your marketing strategy. You’ll find that many customers are happy to help — they just need a nudge and an easy way to share their opinions.

Once you’ve gathered all that lovely feedback, use it well. Learn from what customers say, add reviews to your marketing materials and share customer reviews on your website. Site not up to the task? If you want a trustworthy website that drives conversions, a web design and development company can help.

Here at Radical, our team can design and develop a new website, refresh an old one or add the review functionality you need to gather lots of useful customer feedback.

Get in touch to chat about your project today.