Most businesses who fail at review collection do not fail because they forget to ask. They fail because the message they send is too long, too formal, or too transparently a marketing template. Customers know what a marketing blast looks like, and they delete it.
This post gives you six SMS templates you can copy today, organized by use case, plus the small rules that make the difference between 5% response rates and 25%.
Why most review-request texts fail
Read your last marketing email out loud. Now imagine receiving it as a text message. That is what happens when a business takes their email template and pastes it into SMS: too long, too many words, too formal, and the link is buried at the end.
A review-request text needs to fit on one phone screen, sound like a person, name the business, name the customer (when possible), and put the link near the top. Anything longer is fighting the medium.
Anatomy of a high-converting review-request text
The five things every effective review-request text has:
A greeting that uses the customer's first name. A one-line context that names what you did for them. A direct, specific ask. A clean, short link to the Google review prompt. A polite opt-out instruction.
That is the whole structure. Everything else is decoration.
Template 1: right after a service call (general use)
> Hi {{customerName}}, this is {{businessName}}. Thanks for letting us out today. If we did good work, we would really appreciate a quick Google review: {{reviewLink}} Reply STOP to opt out.
Use this for any service business sending a text within a few hours of finishing a job. The "thanks for letting us out today" line establishes context naturally, and the conditional "if we did good work" gives the customer a graceful out if they were not happy, reducing the risk of a negative review.
Template 2: appointment-based businesses
> Hi {{customerName}}, thanks for visiting {{businessName}} today. If you had a good time, a quick Google review would mean a lot: {{reviewLink}} Reply STOP to opt out.
For salons, dentists, clinics, fitness studios, and any business where customers come to you. The phrase "had a good time" reads warmer than "if the service met your expectations" and matches the tone of a relationship-driven business.
Template 3: after a high-ticket purchase or installation
> Hi {{customerName}}, this is {{ownerName}} at {{businessName}}. Thank you for trusting us with your {{projectType}}. If you are happy with how it turned out, a Google review would help future customers find us: {{reviewLink}} Reply STOP to opt out.
For roofers, HVAC installers, kitchen remodelers, auto body, and other high-ticket service businesses where the relationship is bigger than a single transaction. Naming the owner builds personal accountability, and naming the project type personalizes the message without making the customer do extra reading.
Template 4: the follow-up reminder
> Hi {{customerName}}, just a quick follow-up from {{businessName}}. If you have a minute, we would still love a Google review: {{reviewLink}} Reply STOP to opt out.
Send this 3 days after the first request if the customer did not click. Keep it shorter than the first message. The customer already knows the context, you are just nudging. Send only one follow-up. Two reminders feels like spam.
Template 5: for businesses with named technicians
> Hi {{customerName}}, this is {{businessName}}. {{techName}} hopes everything is working well after today's visit. If you have a moment, a quick Google review would help us a lot: {{reviewLink}} Reply STOP to opt out.
Use this when the customer met a specific person from your team. Mentioning the tech by name reactivates the personal connection from the visit and gives the review a natural focus.
Template 6: minimalist version
> Hi {{customerName}}, {{businessName}} here. Quick Google review? {{reviewLink}} Reply STOP to opt out.
For repeat customers or customers who already have a relationship with you. Sometimes the shortest message wins because it respects the customer's time.
What to avoid in review-request texts
Anything that feels like a marketing campaign will be ignored. Specifically: do not use "Dear valued customer" openings, do not write more than 4 short sentences, do not include emojis (they trigger spam filters in some carriers), do not use shortened URLs from generic shorteners (Google's review link is already short), and do not promise discounts in exchange for reviews — that violates Google's terms.
Also avoid sending the request more than once in a 24-hour period or more than twice total. The line between "polite reminder" and "harassing the customer" is thin.
Personalization that costs you nothing
The cheapest, highest-impact personalization is using the customer's first name. The second cheapest is naming what you did for them. The third is signing the message with a specific person's name when it makes sense.
Most SMS review tools let you template these variables and fill them in automatically per customer. If yours does not, switch tools.
What to expect from response rates
A well-written review-request text sent within a few hours of a completed job typically gets a 30% to 50% click rate and a 15% to 25% review-completion rate. Numbers below that usually mean the message is too long, sent too late, or the link does not go directly to the Google review prompt.
If you are getting under 5% review completion, the problem is almost always one of those three things, not your customers.
Make it a habit, not a campaign
The single biggest mistake businesses make with review requests is treating them like a marketing campaign instead of a daily habit. Customers leave the most reviews when the request is part of how every job ends, not when you remember to send a batch every few weeks.
Pick one of these templates, customize the variables, and use it after every completed job for the next 30 days. The review count will compound faster than you think.
Nudge handles the templating, personalization, and follow-ups automatically — so you can send the message without thinking about it after the job ends. Try it free for 14 days.