What it is
A simple text message routine you send after every job. Three short texts. No apps, no fuss.
It checks the customer is happy first. Then it asks for a review. Then it sends one polite reminder if they forget.
That’s it. Do this consistently and reviews build up on their own.
Why it matters
Google cares more about recent reviews than old ones. 40 recent reviews beat 200 old ones sitting there from three years ago.
Reply to every review within 72 hours. It shows Google, and your next customer, that you’re active.
Here’s the catch. Google removed over 292 million fake or rule-breaking reviews in 2025. Its AI filter is aggressive. It now deletes genuine reviews too, not just fake ones. Trade businesses lost around 15% of their reviews on average.
So how you ask for reviews now matters as much as asking at all.
How to do it
Send these three texts in order. Fill in the placeholders each time.
1. The check-in. Send this right after the job. No link, no ask.
“Hey [Name], this is [Your name] from [Business]. Just checking in to make sure everything looks good with the work we did today.”
If something’s wrong, you hear about it here. Not in a one-star review.
2. The request. Send this once they reply, or a couple of hours later.
“Hi [Name], [Your name] here from [Business]. Thanks again for the work. If you have 30 seconds, would you mind sharing your experience in a quick Google review? It helps other customers know they can trust us. [Link]”
Send the same link to every customer. Every single one. You can copy your review link from your Google Business Profile.
3. The nudge. Send this a few days later, only if they haven’t left a review yet.
“Just a quick follow-up. If you haven’t had a chance yet, we’d really appreciate a quick Google review. [Link]”
Send this once and stop. It’s the message that brings in the most reviews of the three.
Reactivate old customers too. Text your past customer list the request message. Spread it out. 2 or 3 texts every 20 minutes during working hours. Never blast the whole list at once. Done slowly, years of old customers can turn into 40 to 75 reviews in the first few weeks.
Mistakes to avoid
- Don’t send a batch of review requests all in one week. A cluster like that is one of Google’s deletion triggers.
- Don’t leave or ask for reviews from your own phone or office tablet. Google flags this.
- Don’t send the review link only to happy customers. That’s called gating. It breaks Google policy and UK consumer rules.
- Don’t blast your whole customer list at once. Spread every batch out.
Do this now
Pick your last three customers. Send them the check-in text today.
This routine is being built into Brixels, the website builder Dab Labs uses, so it can run without you lifting a finger.
Updated July 2026 · All lessons