Make it easy for customers to leave reviews with customized SMS and Email requests in GHL Customer Care. This article shows how to enable review requests, edit message templates, control cadence and retries, and set your Review Link.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What is Review Request Messaging?
• Key Benefits of Review Request Messaging
• Where You Can Send Review Requests
• Review Link (Balancing vs. Custom Link)
• SMS Requests
  • Create or Edit an SMS template
  • Select the Default Sender Number
• Email Requests
  • Create or Import an Email template
  • Select the Default Sender Email
  • Select the Live & Retry Templates (Sequence)
• How To Setup Review Request Messaging (Step‑by‑Step)
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Related Articles

What is Review Request Messaging?

Review Request messaging automates how your location asks customers for public reviews. GHL Customer Care can send personalized SMS and Email messages after check‑in, repeat them on a schedule until the customer clicks the review link, and direct traffic to the right review destination using your Review Link.

Key Benefits of Review Request Messaging

Understanding the benefits helps you configure requests in a way that fits your business goals.

• Brand consistency: Build templates that match your tone and branding across SMS and Email.
• Automation: Schedule when the first request sends and how often to retry until the customer clicks.
• Personalization: Use merge fields like contact and location variables for tailored messages.
• Flexibility: Point customers to Google Business Profile or a custom destination; add multiple links in emails.
• Control: Choose which templates are “Live” and which power each retry in your sequence.

Where You Can Send Review Requests

Once your templates and cadence are configured, you can request reviews from several places in GHL Customer Care. Use the method that best fits your team’s workflow.

• Reputation → Requests: Send and track requests in bulk or individually.

• Contact record: Open a contact and choose Send Review Request.

• Workflows: Use the Review Request action to automate sends based on triggers (e.g., after an appointment status change).

• Channels: SMS and Email are covered here; WhatsApp Requests are available in Reputation → Settings → WhatsApp Requests (configure separately if needed).

Review Link (Balancing vs. Custom Link)

The Review Link is the URL inserted into your requests. You can allow GHL Customer Care to balance reviews across supported platforms (e.g., Google) or override with a single destination using a custom URL.

Where to find it:Reputation → Settings → Review Link

Screenshot

Enable & Cadence Controls

• Review Balancing: Toggle on to automatically distribute review traffic across configured platforms.

• Get Reviews on Google: Connect Google Business Profile (GBP) to route traffic to your Google listing.

• Custom Link: Select and paste a specific URL if you want to send all customers to a single page.

Tip: If you use a Custom Link, confirm it opens directly to your review form. If you use Balancing, make sure your integrations are connected.

SMS Requests

SMS requests are quick and personal. Use the enable toggle to start sending, define when the first text goes out, set retry cadence, and create templates that include your review link and optional image.

Navigation:Reputation → Settings → SMS Requests

Screenshot

Enable & Cadence Controls

• Enable SMS Review Requests: Turn the top‑right toggle on.
• When to send SMS after check‑in?: Choose when the first text sends (e.g., Immediately).
• Until clicked, repeat this every: Pick an interval (supports Custom with number + Days).
• Maximum retries: Set how many follow‑ups can send if the review link isn’t clicked.

Screenshot

Create or Edit an SMS template

1. Click Create New (or Edit on an existing template).

2. Choose Create New from Scratch or Select from Pre‑Built Templates.

   In the builder, add a Template Name. Optionally enable Request with Image (or add an image URL).

3. Write your message and insert the review link token: {{reputation.review_link}}.

4. Click Save.

Cost note: If you enable Request with Image, the message may send as MMS and incur different carrier fees. Confirm with your provider.

Select the Default Sender Number

Use the default sender setting to choose the phone number used for SMS review requests.

1. Go to Reputation → Settings → SMS Requests.
2. Select the phone number you want to use as the default sender.
3. Configure the remaining timing, retry, and template settings.

The selected number is used as the default sender for SMS review requests.

Screenshot

Email Requests

Email requests allow richer branding, images, and multiple review destinations. Turn on the feature, set timing and retries, then create or import templates in the drag‑and‑drop editor.

Navigation:Reputation → Settings → Email Requests

Screenshot

Enable & Cadence Controls

• Enable Email Review Requests: Turn the top‑right toggle on.
• When to send Email after check‑in?: Choose the initial delay (e.g., 1 Hour).
• Until clicked, repeat this every: Set the repeat interval (supports Custom with number + Days).
• Maximum retries: Choose how many follow‑ups to send.

Note: “After check-in” refers to when the Send Review Request action is triggered either manually (from a contact record or Reputation → Requests) or automatically via a Workflow using the Review Request action. 
The timing you select here determines how long after that trigger the SMS will send.

Screenshot

Create or Import an Email template

1. Click Create New → Create new Template or Import from Template Library.

2. In the email builder, add your branding and content.

3. Drag the Review Link element into the email (or configure the primary CTA button to use the Review Link).

4. Save the template.

Select the Default Sender Email

Use Default sender email to choose the email address used for email review requests.

1. Go to Reputation → Settings → Email Requests.

2. Select an address from Default sender email.

3. Configure the remaining timing, retry, and template settings.

The selected address is used as the default sender for email review requests.

Screenshot

Select the Live & Retry Templates (Sequence)

Turning on SMS/Email requests isn’t enough, you must also tell GHL Customer Care which template to use for the initial send and for each retry slot. This selection controls exactly what customers receive at each step.

• For Email: Click Set Email Templates, select the Live template and assign templates to each Retry slot, then Save.

• For SMS: Click Set SMS Templates, then select your Live/Retry templates and Save.

How To Setup Review Request Messaging (Step‑by‑Step)

Step 1: Set Review Link

From the left sidebar, click Reputation, then open the Settings tab at the top. In Review Link, either enable the Review Balancing toggle or select the Custom Link radio and paste your URL in Setup your custom link.

Screenshot

Step 2: Enable SMS Requests

Open Reputation → Settings → SMS Requests and toggle the switch in the top-right to activate automated review texts.
Set When to send after check-in, choose the repeat interval and Maximum retries, then use Create New or Set SMS Templates to manage the messages shown below.

Screenshot

Step 3: Add SMS Template

Click Create New to build a new SMS review request, or use the pencil (edit) icon to modify the selected template. Templates you create or edit here will appear in the list and can be assigned to the live or retry sequence later.

Screenshot

Step 4: Choose Template Type

After clicking Create New, pick how you want to start: Create New from Scratch or Select from Pre-Built Templates. Click Select under your preferred option—start blank for full control or use a proven template to move faster.

Screenshot

Step 5: Choose Prebuilt

From the SMS Template Library, select a pre-built option such as Request a Review (note the visible character count for reference). Click Edit Template to open it for customization, where you can adjust copy and keep the {{reputation.review_link}} token.

Screenshot

Step 6: Customize SMS Template

Enter a Template Name, optionally enable Request with Image to upload or link an image, and write your message using {{reputation.review_link}}. Check the live phone preview on the right, then click Save to store the template.

Screenshot

Step 7: Enable Email Requests

Open Reputation → Settings → Email Requests and turn on the toggle in the top-right to activate automated review emails. Use the controls to set when to send after check-in, the repeat interval until clicked, and the maximum retries, then manage templates via Set Email Templates or Create New.

Screenshot

Step 8: Assign Email Sequence

Click Set Email Templates to choose which template sends first (Live) and which ones power each Retry slot from the left-side dropdowns. Review or edit the subjects on the right if needed, then click Save to apply the sequence.

Screenshot

Step 8: Create/Import Email

Use Create New (dropdown) to Create new Template or Import from Template Library for your email request. To modify an existing design, click the ⋯ menu on a template card and choose Edit Templates; you’ll assign these later via Set Email Templates.

Screenshot

Step 9: Design Email Content

Use the drag-and-drop email builder to add text, images, and buttons from the Elements panel on the left. Drag the Review Link element (bottom-left) into your layout so the CTA opens your configured review URL, then click Save in the top-right.

Screenshot

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happens after a customer clicks the review link?

The repeat schedule stops for that channel once the click is detected, preventing additional retries for that contact.

Q: What’s the difference between Review Balancing and a Custom Link?

Balancing distributes traffic across connected review sites (e.g., Google). Custom Link sends everyone to a single destination you choose.

Q: Which token should I use in SMS for the review URL?

Use {{reputation.review_link}}. It automatically uses the Review Link you configured under Reputation → Settings → Review Link.

Q: Can emails include more than one review destination?

Yes. In the Email builder, you can use the Review Link element and, in some templates, configure multiple review buttons if supported by your design.

Q: How many retries should I set?

Most teams start with 2–3 retries. The right number depends on engagement, industry norms, and compliance requirements.

Q: Does adding an image to an SMS change costs?

It may send as MMS, which can have different carrier pricing. Check your messaging provider’s rates.

Q: Do I need Google Business Profile connected?

Only if you want to route reviews to Google using Balancing. If you prefer another site or your own page, set a Custom Link instead.

Q: Can I automate requests without manual sending?

Yes. Add the Review Request action in a Workflow to trigger sends automatically (e.g., after “check‑in”).

Related Articles

• Reputation - Breaking Down the Reviews Tab
• Getting Started with Reviews AI Agents
• Reputation Management - Video Testimonials
• How to send Review Request via Whatsapp