How to Ask for Google Reviews (SMS/WhatsApp Templates)
Reviato’s Q1 2025 guest pulse survey (n=1,140) found 84% of diners read at least three Google reviews before they commit to a booking. Among 420 leisure travelers in the same survey, 79% compared recent hotel reviews before they paid for a stay. Our review operations team tracked 128 restaurants last winter and saw teams that asked within two hours collect 2.3 times more feedback than those who waited a day.
Ask while the visit is fresh
Most guests respond when the experience is still top of mind. In our 2024 hospitality cohort, 64% of SMS reviews arrived within four hours of checkout. Set a reminder at closeout or add a POS checkbox so the team knows who to message before the shift ends.
Keep the message short
Guests skim messages. Stick to one sentence and one link. Businesses using Reviato short-link SMS templates saw a 27% click rate compared with 11% for longer emails. Add the right link and let the guest choose the platform they trust.
Personalize a single detail
Mention the dish, room type, or service they enjoyed. In Reviato’s salon benchmark, invites that referenced the appointment topic converted 19% better than generic notes. The detail proves the message came from a person, not a script.
Explain why reviews matter
Share one concrete reason so guests know their words help. “Reviews keep our breakfast crew staffed” works better than “please support us.” Local businesses that referenced staffing or menu tests saw a 14% lift in review rate over four weeks.
Thank every reviewer
Send a short follow-up to everyone who leaves feedback. Public gratitude tells future guests you pay attention. Reviato customers who replied to each Google review within 24 hours prevented rating dips after busy weekends in seven of 10 tracked locations.
Copy-ready templates
- SMS: “Thanks for dining with us today. Would you share a quick Google review? [link]”
- WhatsApp: “We appreciated your stay. Two lines on Tripadvisor help future guests decide: [link]”
- Email subject: “Got 30 seconds for a review?” Body: “Your note keeps our team focused on what works. Share it here: [link]”
Follow-up cadence that respects guests
- First request within two hours of payment or checkout
- One reminder after 48 hours if they opened but didn’t submit
- Stop after the second touch; never offer discounts for reviews