Email and SMS Review Requests: What Works Best
You sent forty review request emails last month and got two reviews back. Someone in the same trade tells you he texts his customers and gets one most days.
If you want get 5 Star Google Reviews in Australia, the channel matters, and so does the order you use them in. For most local businesses, a text on the day works best, with one email reminder a week later. Email comes first only when that’s how the customer has dealt with you all along.
We send both for Australian businesses at BuyReviews. Here’s how they compare, why each one gets ignored, and a three-step plan that uses both.
Is SMS or email better for review requests?
Neither wins everywhere. Each suits a different customer and a different moment.
| SMS | ||
| Best for | Trades, clinics, salons, local services | Professional services, business clients |
| Ideal length | Two or three sentences | Four or five short lines |
| When to send | Within an hour of the job | Same day, or as the reminder |
| Main risk | Looks like a scam if you don’t name yourself | Gets lost among other emails |
In our experience, the text does better for customers you met in person that day. It lands on the phone they’ll use to write the review.
Why do review request emails get ignored?
Three reasons come up again and again. The email arrives days after the job. The subject line reads like marketing. Or the link is buried under paragraphs of thanks.
Each one has a simple fix. Send it the same day. Use a plain subject, such as “Thanks from” and your business name. Keep it to a few lines and put the link on a line of its own.
Why do review request texts get ignored?
A text from an unknown number with a link in it looks like a scam. That’s the first hurdle, and it’s why your name and business name should come first.
Timing is the second. A text at 9:30pm feels intrusive. A text a fortnight later feels random. The ones that work follow a spoken request, on the same day, during normal hours.
What’s the best order to use them in?
We use three steps, and we don’t go past them.
- Ask in person. At the end of the job, say: “Would you mind leaving us a Google review? Can I text you the link?” This gets a yes and the customer’s permission.
- Text within the hour. Name yourself, name the job, give the link, and include “Reply STOP to opt out”.
- Email one reminder a week later. Only to customers who haven’t reviewed, and only once.
Changing channel for the reminder is deliberate. A customer who missed the text may well see the email, and it doesn’t feel like the same message twice.
How do you choose for each customer?
Follow the customer’s own habits. If they booked by text or phone, text them. If they’ve emailed you quotes and questions for weeks, email them.
Business clients nearly always prefer email, because the request often needs to reach a particular person at their desk. And if you only have one contact detail, that settles it.
What should each message look like?
Here’s a text you can copy.
Hi [First name], [Your name] from [Business name]. Thanks for having us out to [job] today. If you have a minute, we’d appreciate an honest Google review: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out.
And here’s a short review request email template for the reminder.
Subject: Thanks from [Business name]
Hi [First name],
Thanks again for choosing us for [job]. If you have a minute this week, would you leave us an honest review on Google?
[Your Google review link]
No pressure at all, and thank you either way.
[Your name]
To stop emails from us, reply with “unsubscribe”.
To get the link, open your Business Profile on a computer, select Read reviews, then Get more reviews, then Copy. Google provides it, so you don’t need a Google review link generator.
What rules apply to both in Australia?
Australia’s spam laws cover commercial texts and emails, and the ACMA enforces them. We treat every review request as covered. Check each message against this list.
- You have the customer’s consent. A single purchase doesn’t count as inferred consent for marketing, which is why the spoken ask matters.
- The message clearly names your business.
- There’s a clear, free way to opt out.
- Opt-out requests are actioned within 5 working days.
- If someone else sends for you, you still hold the consent and the responsibility.
How do you know which one is working?
Track it for a month. In a simple spreadsheet, note each customer, the channel you used, and if a review followed.
After thirty or forty requests you’ll see your own pattern. It’s worth more than any figure from a blog, because it’s your customers. If texts are clearly ahead, lead with them. If email does better for one type of job, use it there.
What should neither message include?
No rewards. Google bans discounts, gifts and prize draws in exchange for reviews.
No request for five stars, and no suggested wording. Ask for an honest review and leave the rest to the customer. Send the request to everyone you serve, not a hand-picked few.
When reviews come in, reply to them. If one is critical, respond to negative Google reviews within a day. If one is from someone who was never a customer, select the three dots and Report review, which is how you remove fake Google reviews.
Can someone send them for you?
Yes. Your team asks in person, and BuyReviews handles the rest. You share your customer list, and we send the text and the email reminder, each with your business named and an opt-out included.
It’s how we help clients get Google reviews week after week and improve Google reviews across the year. Choosing the right channel is a practical piece of how to get more Google reviews, and of online reputation management in Australia.
Frequently asked questions
Should I send a review request by text or email first?
Text first for most local businesses. A text sent within an hour of the job reaches the customer on the phone they’ll use to write the review. Use email first when the customer has dealt with you by email all along, or when you only have an email address for them.
Why are my review request emails not working?
Usually for one of three reasons: they’re sent days after the job, the subject line looks like marketing, or the link is buried in a long message. Send on the day, use a plain subject like ‘Thanks from’ and your business name, keep it to four or five lines, and put the link on its own line.
Can I send both a text and an email to the same customer?
Yes, as long as it’s one of each and they’re spaced out. We send a text on the day and one email reminder about a week later, then stop. Two messages through two channels feels like a nudge. Three or four starts to feel like chasing, and customers are entitled to opt out.
Do review request texts look like spam?
They can, if the customer doesn’t know who it’s from. Start with your first name and business name, mention the job you did today, and keep it short. A text that follows a spoken request is expected, so it doesn’t feel like spam. Always include a way to opt out, such as ‘Reply STOP’.
Can I use a messaging tool to send review requests in bulk?
Yes, but the responsibility stays with you. The ACMA says you need consent from each recipient even when another business sends messages for you, and you must be able to show it. Make sure every message names your business and has a working opt-out. Personalise each one with the customer’s name and job.
What should you do next?
Save the text template on your phone with your review link in it, and use the three steps with your next customer.
If you’d like the messages sent for you, share your customer list with BuyReviews and we’ll help you get Google reviews by text and email, in the right order.
