How to set up review request automation in GoHighLevel

Before you start

1. Connect Google Business Profile. Settings > Integrations > Google Business Profile > Connect, signed in with a Google account that's an owner or manager of the profile. The business has to be verified with Google.
2. Register your number for texting. Texts from a US local number need an approved A2P 10DLC campaign. Start under Settings > Phone System > Trust Center > Brand & Campaigns: the brand first, then the campaign with its use case, sample messages and how people opt in. Twilio blocks texts to US numbers from a local number that isn't on an approved campaign (error 30034). Toll-free numbers need toll-free verification instead.
3. Turn on the opt-out and sender lines. Settings > Phone System > Messaging. HighLevel can add opt-out wording such as Reply STOP to unsubscribe, and your business name, when a text doesn't already have them, and can add them again on a schedule in long conversations. A contact who replies STOP gets SMS DND turned on, and workflow texts skip them.

Set up review requests in Reputation

1. Set the review link. Reputation > Settings > Review Link. Choose Get Reviews on Google (needs the profile connected), Review Balancing to spread requests across platforms, or a Custom Link to one page.
2. Turn on SMS requests. Reputation > Settings > SMS Requests. Turn on Enable SMS Review Requests and pick the Default Sender Number, a registered one.
3. Set the timing. Set When to send SMS after check-in, Until clicked, repeat this every, and Maximum retries. Retries stop once the customer clicks the link. One or two retries is plenty.
4. Set the templates. Under Set SMS Templates, choose the Live template for the first send and Retry templates for the follow-ups. Put the Review Link custom value in each one so the right link goes in.
5. Do the same for email. Reputation > Settings > Email Requests: Enable Email Review Requests, the Default Sender Email, timing and templates.

Send a request after every job

1. Create the workflow. Automation > Workflows > Create Workflow, from scratch.
2. Trigger it when the job is done. For appointments, add the Appointment Status trigger with your calendar and the status Showed. If you track jobs in a pipeline, use Pipeline Stage Changed with the stage you move finished jobs to.
3. Wait a little. Add a Wait of a set period of time, such as two hours, so the request arrives after they've left, not while you're still in the driveway.
4. Add Send Review Request. Choose the channel, SMS or email. It uses the templates and review link from Reputation settings.
5. Stop when they click. If you add more steps after the request, put a Goal Event with the goal type Review Request Clicked ahead of them, set to End this workflow.
6. Publish. Set Allow Re-entry on if repeat customers should be asked after each job, then switch to Publish and save.

You can also send a request by hand from Reputation > Requests, or from Quick Actions, the shortcuts at the top left above the sidebar.

Ask everyone

Google's content policy says businesses must not discourage negative reviews or selectively ask happy customers for them, and must not offer discounts, free services or payment for a review. Asking for genuine reviews is fine.

• Send the request to every customer who finished a job, not only the ones who said nice things.
• Don't offer a discount or a prize for leaving a review.
• If a customer is unhappy, call them. Fix the problem because it's the right thing to do, not to change the review.

Message drafts

• Retry text: "Quick reminder from Clearview Windows: your review helps neighbors find us. [review link] Reply STOP to opt out."
• Email subject: "How did we do today?" Body: a thank-you, one line on why reviews matter to a small business, and the link.

1. Hi, it's Sam at Clearview Windows. Thanks for having us today. If you have a minute, would you leave us a review? [review link] Reply STOP to opt out.
2. Done! The crew was great.
3. Thank you, that means a lot to the team.

How to test it

1. Send yourself one by hand. From Reputation > Requests, send a request to a test contact with your own phone and email.
2. Check the status. Reputation > Requests shows Queued, Sent, Delivered (SMS only) or Failed. Failed usually means bad contact details.
3. Click the link. Make sure it opens your Google review form, not a search page, and that retries stop after the click.
4. Run the workflow. Book a test appointment and mark it Showed, or move a test opportunity to your done stage. The request should arrive after your wait. Check Enrollment History and Execution Logs.

What can go wrong

• Requests don't go out, or show Failed: requests aren't switched on, the link isn't set, or contact details are bad. See Review requests not sending.
• Reviews or the review link don't show up: the profile isn't connected by an owner or manager, or isn't verified. See Google Business Profile not syncing.
• SMS requests fail with 30034: the sender number isn't registered. See SMS error 30034.
• The workflow never sends: it's in Draft, or the status or stage filter doesn't match. See Workflow not triggering.

Our Follow-up, reviews & reactivation package connects your profile, writes the requests and sends one after every job, if you'd rather we set it up.