How to Get More Care Home Reviews: 10 Ways to Ask

Last updated: 9 July 2026 · By Baz Jobson, founder, Care Home Marketing Co.

The fastest way to get more care home reviews is to make leaving one effortless and to ask at the moment a family shows they are happy. Nail the timing and the channel, and reviews stop being something you chase and start being something that arrives.

Most homes do not have a review problem, they have an asking problem. Families are usually glad to help, they simply are never invited, or they are invited three weeks too late. Here is how to fix both.

The golden rule: ask when the feeling is fresh

A warm word at the end of a visit, a lovely email after an event, a relative saying “we can’t thank you enough”, these are your moments. Ask then, gently, and your success rate climbs dramatically. Wait a fortnight and the impulse has gone.

10 ways to ask

• WhatsApp message: a quick, personal link to families you already message. Best for homes with an engaged relatives group.
• Review cards: the classic card at reception or handed over after a good visit. Best for face-to-face moments.
• QR code poster: framed in the cafe, cinema room or entrance. Best for capturing visitors while they are with you.
• Email footer: a subtle review link on every message to relatives. Best for homes with regular email contact.
• Email invitation: a direct, friendly ask sent to a specific family. Best just after a positive interaction.
• Newsletter mention: a line in your relatives’ newsletter. Best for a gentle, ongoing nudge.
• Tablet in reception: a tablet ready on your review page. Best for the “would you mind, while you’re here?” moment.
• Social media: when a relative praises you in a comment, invite them to say it as a review. Best for socially active homes.
• Review certificate: your score certificate on the wall with a QR code. Best as passive, always-on prompting.
• Website widget: a review prompt on your own site. Best for capturing engaged visitors.

What to actually say

The ask should be short, warm and specific. Two examples you can adapt:

WhatsApp or email: “Hi Sarah, it was lovely to see you and your mum at the summer fete. If you have two minutes, it would mean a great deal to us if you left a short review here [link]. It really helps other families who are where you were a few months ago.”

In person: “That’s so kind of you to say. If you ever had a moment to pop that in a review, it genuinely helps other families find us.”

Consistency beats a one-off blitz

It is tempting to send one big push and collect thirty reviews in a week. Resist it. A steady one or two new reviews a month is worth far more, because families look at the date first and a wall of reviews all dated last March quietly ages. Build the ask into your routine, not your to-do list.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to ask for a care home review?

Ask a specific person, at the moment they have expressed happiness, through a channel they already use, with a direct link that makes it effortless. Personal and timely beats mass and generic every time.

Can care staff ask families for reviews?

Staff can absolutely invite families to leave a review. What they must not do is write or submit the review themselves, or help a resident write one. The words have to come from the reviewer.

How often should we ask for reviews?

Little and often. Aim for one or two fresh reviews a month rather than an annual surge. Recency keeps your profile looking alive and protects your score over time.

Want these prompts set up and running quietly in the background? Care Home Marketing Co. builds review-collection systems that keep the reviews coming. Talk to us.