Review Prompt
Definition
A review prompt is the specific language used to ask a customer for a review — verbally, in SMS, on a receipt, or in an email — and the wording materially affects both conversion rate and policy compliance with platforms like Google.
The wording of the prompt matters more than the channel. Three principles separate effective, compliant prompts from ineffective or risky ones:
Ask for honest feedback, not 5 stars. Google's Conflict of Interest policy explicitly prohibits asking for specific rating levels. "Would love your honest review" is compliant; "Please leave us 5 stars" is a policy violation that can get reviews removed and profiles flagged.
Make it transactional, not emotional. "If you have 30 seconds" beats "If you loved it, please review us." The first sets a reasonable cost (30 seconds) and is universal; the second filters for happy customers and can be interpreted as review-gating.
Surface the path, don't demand the action. "Here's a QR code on the bill — feel free to scan if you have a minute" beats "Please review us." The first is an offer; the second is a request that creates social pressure and lower-quality reviews.
Cultural calibration matters. The same prompt that works for US customers reads as cold in India. The Hinglish version with "अगर समय हो तो" (if you have time) and warmer register produces materially better conversion in Indian markets. ReplyWithCare's prompt suggestions vary by detected market.
Related terms
Review Acquisition
Review acquisition is the systematic process of asking customers for honest reviews through platform-compliant channels, with the goal of producing steady review velocity rather than one-off review bursts.
Review Velocity
Review velocity is the rate at which a business accumulates new reviews over time, measured in reviews per week or month, and is widely understood to be a Local Pack ranking signal independent of total review count.
Review Gating
Review gating is the practice of privately asking customers how satisfied they were before directing only the happy ones to leave a public review, and is explicitly prohibited by Google's review policy as well as Yelp and Facebook's.