Average Testimonial Request Email Benchmarks
Testimonial and review request emails are a specialised campaign type focused on generating social proof content. These communications ask customers to provide feedback in the form of written testimonials, star ratings, case study participation, or review platform submissions. The primary objective is generating authentic user-generated content that can be used across marketing channels. These campaigns face unique challenges, including lower conversion rates and the need to make the submission process as frictionless as possible.
Review request emails achieve open rates of 15% to 25%, lower than many other transactional or triggered email types. This is because recipients perceive these emails as asking for something rather than providing value. Click-through rates range from 2% to 6%, with the highest rates achieved by emails that link directly to simple rating systems rather than lengthy written review forms. Review completion rates among those who click through range from 5% to 15%, making the overall conversion rate from email sent to review completed approximately 0.5% to 2%. Bounce rates are low at 1% to 3%.
Key Findings
- Open rates of 15% to 25% reflect the ask-oriented nature of review request emails, which offer less immediate value to the recipient.
- Click-through rates of 2% to 6% are lower than promotional emails but produce high-value content for marketing use.
- Review completion rates among clickers range from 5% to 15%, with simple star ratings achieving 2 to 3 times higher completion than written reviews.
- Emails sent within 24 hours of a positive customer interaction achieve 30% to 50% higher completion rates.
- Incentivised review requests, including discount offers or loyalty points, increase completion rates by 40% to 60%.
Open Rate Benchmarks
Testimonial and review request open rates range from 15% to 25%. The highest rates are achieved when emails are sent shortly after a positive customer experience, such as a purchase delivery or support resolution, with rates of 22% to 28%. Case study participation requests achieve lower rates of 15% to 20%. Subject lines that reference the customer's recent experience, including the product or service name, achieve 3 to 5 percentage points higher open rates than generic review request subject lines. Personalisation with the customer's name and specific purchase or interaction details improves performance.
Click-Through Rate Benchmarks
Click-through rates for review request emails range from 2% to 6%. Emails linking directly to a simple star rating or numeric scale system achieve the highest CTRs at 4% to 6%. Emails linking to longer written review forms achieve 2% to 3.5%. Emails asking for case study participation achieve 2% to 4%. The click-to-open rate averages 12% to 20%. Review completion rates among those who click range from 5% to 15%, meaning that for every 100 emails sent, approximately 1 to 2 complete reviews are generated. Incentivised emails using discount codes or loyalty points as rewards achieve 40% to 60% higher completion rates.
Best Practices
- Send review requests within 24 hours of a positive customer experience, such as product delivery, service completion, or positive support interaction.
- Start with the simplest possible ask, such as a single-click star rating, before requesting longer written testimonials.
- Offer a clear incentive for completing a review, such as a discount on the next purchase or loyalty programme points.
- Make the review submission process as frictionless as possible by linking directly to the rating form without requiring login.
- Follow up with non-responders once after 3 to 5 days, as a reminder email can recover 20% to 30% of potential reviews.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Review request emails ask the recipient to do something for the brand rather than offering immediate value. This ask-oriented nature naturally reduces engagement compared to transactional emails or promotional offers. Recipients perceive these as low-personal-benefit communications, making compelling subject lines and timing critical.
Within 24 hours of a positive customer interaction. The highest completion rates are achieved when the experience is still fresh in the customer's mind. For product deliveries, send after the delivery confirmation but within the first week. For services, send immediately after service completion or positive support interaction.
Offer a simple, low-friction rating process as the primary option. A single-click star rating system achieves 2 to 3 times higher completion rates than written review forms. Offering an incentive, such as a 10% discount or loyalty points, increases completion rates by 40% to 60%. Clear, specific subject lines referencing the recent experience also improve performance.
Customer reviews and testimonials significantly influence purchasing decisions. Products with reviews see 10% to 20% higher conversion rates. Email campaigns incorporating customer testimonials see 15% to 25% higher click-through rates. The value of a single high-quality testimonial extends across all marketing channels.
One to two emails per purchase or interaction is appropriate. An initial request followed by a single reminder after 3 to 5 days is the most common approach. More frequent requests risk annoying customers and damaging the relationship. Limit review requests to a maximum of once per quarter for repeat customers with frequent purchases.