What Percentage of Customers Leave a Review When Asked?

Data current as of February 2026

The data is clear: asking for reviews works. BrightLocal’s 2024 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 69% of consumers recalled leaving a business review after being prompted—up from 60% in 2023. (BrightLocal | 2024) Even more striking, among consumers who are directly asked, 76% actually follow through and leave a review. (BrightLocal | 2025)

This represents one of the highest-leverage activities a local business can do to build their online reputation. The percentage of consumers who “always” leave a review when prompted jumped from 12% in 2023 to 19% in 2024—a 58% increase in consistent reviewers. (BrightLocal | 2024)

Yet despite these numbers, many businesses still don’t ask. Research shows 32% of consumers would write more reviews if businesses simply asked them to. (GatherUp | 2024) This gap between consumer willingness and business action represents significant lost opportunity for reputation building.

SMS vs. Email: Which Gets More Reviews?

The channel you use to request reviews matters significantly. SMS dramatically outperforms email for review generation:

The reason for this gap comes down to fundamental differences in how people interact with each channel:

The math is compelling: If you send 100 review requests via SMS, you can expect 12-15 reviews. Send the same 100 requests via email, and you’ll get 3-4 reviews. SMS generates 3-4x more reviews than email for the same effort.

Review Request Response Rates by Industry

Response rates vary significantly by industry. The average across all industries is 8.3%, but some sectors dramatically outperform this baseline. (Fera | 2024)

Consumer Willingness to Leave Reviews

BrightLocal’s 2025 research reveals that 96% of consumers are open to writing a business review. (BrightLocal | 2025) The gap between willingness and action comes down to whether businesses actually ask.

Requested Reviews Are More Positive

Here’s a finding that surprises many business owners: reviews generated from direct requests have a higher average rating than unprompted reviews.

That’s a 0.45-star difference—significant when you consider that a half-star improvement can increase revenue by 5-9%. (ReviewTrackers | 2024)

The reason is straightforward: unprompted reviews tend to come from customers with extreme experiences—either very positive or very negative. When you proactively ask all customers for reviews, you capture the “silent majority” of satisfied customers who wouldn’t have thought to leave feedback on their own.

Best Request Methods by Preference

When consumers were asked which method makes them most likely to leave a review: (BrightLocal | 2024)

Optimal Timing for Review Requests

Timing matters. BrightLocal’s research shows optimal windows vary by industry: (BrightLocal | 2025)

Key Takeaways for Local Businesses

Sources & Methodology