Review Prompt

Public reviews influence buying decisions more than almost any other marketing asset. 84% of consumers trust peer recommendations as the most credible form of advertising. Yet most satisfied customers never leave a review unless they are asked directly, at the right moment, in the right way.

A review prompt survey identifies customers who are likely to leave a positive review, asks them to do so, and routes unhappy customers to a private feedback channel instead. This is not about filtering out negative reviews. It is about timing your ask to reach customers when they have something genuinely positive to say.

When to deploy a review prompt survey

After a positive outcome. The best moment to ask for a review is immediately after a customer experiences success. They just completed a project, hit a milestone, or resolved a problem. Their positive feelings are at their peak.

After high satisfaction scores. If a customer gives you a 5 out of 5 on CSAT or a 9 or 10 on NPS, follow up with a review request. They have already told you they are happy. A review prompt is a natural next step.

At usage milestones. After a customer has been active for 30, 60, or 90 days, they have enough experience to write an informed review.

After a positive support interaction. A customer who just had a great support experience is in a generous mood. A gentle review prompt at this moment has higher conversion than a cold ask.

Review prompt survey questions

Step 1: Gauge readiness

1. How would you rate your experience with [product] so far? | 1-5 stars or emoji scale | Required

Step 2: Route based on response

For positive ratings (4-5 stars):

1. We are glad you are having a great experience. Would you be willing to share your feedback on [review platform]? | Yes, take me there / Not right now / I already left a review | Required
2. [If "Yes"] Here is a direct link: [link to review platform] | Link | CTA

For negative ratings (1-3 stars):

1. We are sorry to hear that. What could we do better? | Open text | Required
2. Would you like us to follow up on your feedback? | Yes / No | Optional

The two-step approach

The two-step structure (gauge satisfaction first, then route) is important for three reasons.

Respect for the customer. Asking an unhappy customer to leave a public review is tone-deaf. The two-step approach ensures you only ask customers who have signaled satisfaction.

Better reviews. Customers who self-select as satisfied write more detailed, more positive reviews. This is not manipulation. It is timing your ask for when the customer genuinely has something good to say.

Private feedback capture. Unhappy customers who might have left a negative review instead get a private channel to share their frustration. You can address their concerns directly, which sometimes converts a detractor into a promoter.

Choosing the right review platform

Where you direct reviews depends on your product and audience.

B2B SaaS: G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Product Hunt. Choose the platform where your target buyers are most likely to research products.

E-commerce: Google Reviews, Trustpilot, Amazon (for marketplace products). Prioritize platforms that appear in search results.

Mobile apps: App Store and Google Play ratings. These directly affect app store ranking and visibility.

Local businesses: Google Business Profile, Yelp. Local SEO depends heavily on review volume and quality.

Direct customers to one platform at a time. Splitting review volume across five platforms means none of them reaches a meaningful threshold. Focus on building depth on one or two platforms.

Maximizing review completion

Make it one click. The link should go directly to the review form on the chosen platform, pre-filled with as much context as possible. Every additional step between the prompt and the review form reduces completion.

Be specific about what to write. "Would you share what you like about [product] and how you use it?" produces better reviews than "Please leave us a review." Guiding the content helps the customer and produces more useful reviews for prospective buyers.

Timing over frequency. One well-timed ask is more effective than three generic ones. After a positive milestone is better than a random Tuesday.

Show appreciation. Whether they write a review or not, thank the customer for their time. If they do write a review, a personal follow-up ("Thank you for the review, we really appreciate it") encourages future engagement.

Common mistakes

Asking everyone at the same time. Mass review requests feel impersonal and reach customers at random satisfaction levels. Trigger-based requests reach customers at the right moment.

Incentivizing reviews. Most review platforms prohibit incentivized reviews. Offering discounts or rewards for reviews violates terms of service and undermines credibility.

Not routing unhappy customers. If you ask a frustrated customer for a public review, they will leave a negative one, and they will be annoyed that you asked. Always gauge satisfaction first.

Asking too often. Once a customer has left a review, do not ask again for at least 12 months. Repeated asks feel pushy and can prompt the customer to update their review negatively.

Set up this survey in Formbricks

Formbricks supports the two-step review prompt with conditional routing. The first question gauges satisfaction. Based on the response, the survey either shows a review link (for positive ratings) or an open-text feedback form (for lower ratings).

The template can be triggered based on custom events (project completion, support resolution, usage milestones) or NPS/CSAT scores. Positive respondents see a direct link to your chosen review platform.

You can configure different review platforms for different user segments and track how many users complete the full flow from prompt to review submission.