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What Text Should a Fence Company Send to Ask for a Review?

By Ansh Singh · Updated November 8, 2026 · 8 min read

Short answer: A fence company should send a short, friendly text on the day the fence is finished, with its name, one line about the job and a direct Google review link. Ask every customer, not only happy ones, and do not offer a discount for a review. Google bans incentives and selective asking.

Key facts

Ask on walk-through day, the evening after the crew leaves, or about a week after a repair.
Google says customers must be signed in to a Google Account, and you can share a review link or QR code.
Google prohibits free or discounted work for reviews and selectively soliciting positive reviews, so send the same text to every customer.
Do not request specific words or a star count; say "tell us how it went."
If a customer does not answer, wait three or four days and send one reminder only.
Google asks that replies be short, polite and professional, and not used to offer deals.

A review request text is a short message to a customer asking them to rate you on Google. It takes ten seconds to send. For a fence company, it is the cheapest way to build the thing Google and AI tools weigh most when they pick a company to show.

Google says prominence is one of three local ranking factors and is based partly on how many reviews you have, and that positive reviews and helpful replies can help a business stand out (Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking (2026)). In the Zarla study of 1,851 local businesses that were already top-20 Google results for their trade and city, the ones confirmably named by ChatGPT or Google's AI Mode had a median of 444 Google reviews against 192 for the ones that were not named. The study covered ten trades, not fencing (Zarla: AI Visibility Index (2026)).

When is the best time to ask?

Ask when the customer is happiest and the job is fresh. For a fence, that is usually one of three moments:

Walk-through day. The gate swings right, the line is straight and the customer is looking at their new yard.
The evening after the crew leaves. The customer has seen the fence in the light and the dog is out in the yard.
A week after a repair or storm fix. It has held up through a few days of wind or rain.

Do not ask before the job is done and the customer has signed off. Google's policy says merchants should not require or pressure customers to leave reviews while on the premises (Google Maps contribution policy (2026)). A text sent after you leave is better than asking in the driveway.

How do you get the review link?

Google says you can ask customers to visit a link or scan a QR code, and that customers must be signed into a Google Account to post (Google Business Profile Help: Get reviews (2026)). Open your Business Profile, find the option to share a review form, and copy the link. Save it as a text shortcut on your phone so you can send it in two taps. For one-tap texting, keep the link short.

Copy-and-paste texts for fence companies

Replace the words in brackets. Keep each text short enough to read without scrolling.

After a new fence install

Hi [Name], it's [Your name] from [Company]. Thanks for letting us build your [privacy fence/vinyl fence/chain link fence]. If you have a minute, would you tell other homeowners how it went? Here is the link: [link]. Thank you!

After a repair or gate fix

Hi [Name], [Your name] from [Company]. Glad we got your [gate/fence section] fixed today. A quick Google review helps us a lot: [link]. Thanks again.

The next-day follow-up

Hi [Name], it's [Your name] at [Company]. How is the new fence looking after the first night? If anything needs a tweak, tell me and we will fix it. If you have a minute, a Google review would mean a lot: [link].

If they did not answer the first text

Wait three or four days. Send one reminder only.

Hi [Name], just a quick reminder from [Company]. If you have two minutes, here is the link to leave a review about your fence: [link]. No worries if you are busy. Thanks!

For a builder, HOA or property manager

Hi [Name], [Your name] from [Company]. Thanks for having us on the [property or job]. Would you leave a short Google review about the work? [link]. We appreciate working with you.

After a customer raised a problem

If someone told you about an issue, fix it first. Then send the same text you send everyone else. Do not leave them out. Google's policy bars businesses from selectively soliciting positive reviews (Google Maps contribution policy (2026)). A customer whose problem you solved well often writes the best review you will get.

Hi [Name], [Your name] from [Company]. Thanks for working with us on the [issue]. If you are willing, would you share your experience on Google? [link]

What makes a good request text?

Do	Skip
Use their first name	"Dear customer"
Say what you built	A vague "your recent service"
One link, one ask	Three links and a coupon
Sound like you talk	Long, formal paragraphs
Send it yourself or from your own number	A long list of people on a bulk blast
Thank them whether or not they post	Nagging every day

A line about the job helps people write a better review. A customer who remembers the "corner post we set in concrete by the pool" will often mention it. Specific reviews are more useful to the next homeowner and give search tools more to quote.

What can you not do?

No discounts, gifts or payment for reviews

Google says offering incentives, like free or discounted goods or services, in exchange for customers posting or changing reviews or removing negative reviews is considered fake and misleading content and is strictly prohibited (Google Business Profile Help: Get reviews (2026)). That includes "get $50 off your next repair if you leave five stars."

No picking only happy customers

Google's policy says merchants may not discourage or prohibit negative reviews, or selectively solicit positive reviews from customers. Send the same text to every customer you finish a job for.

No asking for specific words or a star count

Google's policy also says businesses should not request that specific content be included in a review. Do not write "please leave five stars." Say "tell us how it went."

No fake reviews

Posting reviews from staff, friends or made-up people breaks Google's rules, which say reviews must reflect a genuine experience. It is not worth the risk.

Is it legal to text customers for reviews?

A one-to-one text to a customer about their job is a different matter from a marketing campaign. The federal rule on calls made with an automatic dialer or a prerecorded voice requires prior express written consent for calls that include an advertisement or constitute telemarketing (Cornell LII: 47 CFR 64.1200 (2026)). Whether a review request counts as marketing can depend on how it is sent and worded. We are not lawyers, so if you plan to send review requests through software in bulk, ask a lawyer or the software company. A simple, personal text sent by you after a job is the safest version.

How do you reply to reviews?

Google says replies are public, and asks you to be professional and polite, keep them short and simple, and share a detail that reinforces the customer's experience. It also says to avoid using replies to offer deals or promotions (Google Business Profile Help: Get reviews (2026)).

For a fence company, a good reply uses a detail:

Thanks, Maria. The cedar privacy fence along the back was a fun one with that slope. Glad the dogs are staying in. Call us if the gate ever sticks.

For a bad review, keep it calm:

Sorry the gate was out of line when we left. I would like to fix it. Please call me at [number] so we can set a time this week.

Do not argue in public. Do not post the customer's address or job details.

How many requests should you send?

Ask after every job. Not every customer will post, and that is normal. Steady is better than a burst. If you have a backlog of past customers, text the last ten or twenty who were happy with the work and those who were not, then send new requests as you finish jobs. We cover goals in how many Google reviews a fence company needs.

How does this connect to the rest of your marketing?

Reviews work together with a complete profile and a good website. If your profile is thin, set it up first with Google Business Profile for fence companies. Show your best reviews on your site, next to job photos and your license number if your state issues one (see our Nevada page for one state that lists a fencing class). The hub guide on contractor review examples shows how to display them. For the wider plan, see how to get more fence jobs.

An example week: a crew in Spokane, Washington, finishes a cedar fence on Tuesday and a gate repair on Thursday. The owner texts the first customer the "after a new fence" message that evening and the second the "repair" message. On Monday he replies to any new review by name and detail. This is an example, not a customer story.

Common questions

What should I say in a review request text?

Say your name and company, thank them for the specific job, and give a direct review link. Keep it to two or three sentences. Do not ask for a star rating or offer anything in return.

Can I give a discount for a Google review?

No. Google treats free or discounted work in exchange for reviews as fake and misleading and prohibits it.

Should I text or email for reviews?

Text is simple for homeowners because the link opens right on their phone. Email works for builders and property managers. Whichever you use, send the same request to every customer.

What if the customer does not answer?

Send one reminder after three or four days, then stop. If you worked well together, they may post later on their own.

To see a fence site that shows reviews next to your work, see a free demo site.

Sources

About the author

Ansh Singh runs Contractor Websites. He builds websites for electricians, plumbers, roofers and other home service trades, and writes the guides on this site. More about Ansh Singh.

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