How Solar Installers Get More Google Reviews (Text Templates Included)

Solar installers get more Google reviews by asking after the system is switched on, not on install day, because the customer cannot judge the job until it works. Ask every customer the same way with a short text and link, keep them informed through permit and utility waits, and offer nothing in return.

Solar reviews are different from most home-service reviews because the job unfolds over weeks or months. A customer can love the crew on install day and still be unhappy if the system sits unplugged for a month waiting on paperwork. The right review request fits that timeline.

Why does timing matter more in solar?

A solar project has natural milestones:

Milestone	Customer feeling	Good time to ask?
Contract signed	Hopeful, a bit nervous	No
Site survey	Curious	No
Install day	Excited, but not done	Not yet
Inspection and utility approval	Waiting	No, stay in touch
Switch-on	Relieved, system works	Yes
First full bill or monitoring check	Seeing results	Optional follow-up

Ask at switch-on. That is when the customer can say what they bought actually works. Ask everyone the same way. Google prohibits selectively soliciting only positive reviews or discouraging negative ones.

What should the text say?

Keep it brief and personal. Get your link as shown in our review link and QR code post.

At switch-on:

“ Hi [Name], it's [Your Name] at [Business]. Your system is on. If you've been happy with how the project went, a short Google review helps other homeowners find an installer they can trust: [link]. Thank you. “

A month later (optional):

“ Hi [Name], it's [Your Name] at [Business]. How is the monitoring app working for you? If you have a minute, a Google review about the experience helps neighbors who are comparing installers: [link]. And tell me if anything looks off. “

Commercial customer:

“ Hi [Name], thanks for working with us on [business name]'s system. If you were happy with the process and the install, a Google review helps other local businesses find us: [link]. “

Avoid mentioning savings in your request. You cannot know the result, and it can steer reviews toward claims you cannot back up.

How do you keep the wait from becoming a bad review?

Most complaints in this trade come from silence. Fix it with a simple update rhythm:

1. After the contract, send a one-page timeline with the steps and who handles each.
2. After the site survey, text what you found.
3. During permitting and utility review, send an update at least every week or two, even when nothing changed.
4. The day before install, confirm the time, the crew and where they will park.
5. At switch-on, send a short walkthrough on the monitoring app.

A customer who gets a short “still waiting, here is what I did today” message rarely posts an angry review. Our guide to handling difficult clients before bad reviews covers how to stay ahead of problems.

What about texting rules?

Rules on business texting change, so confirm current requirements for your setup. Practical controls: get consent when you collect the phone number, honor STOP right away, register your number where carriers require it, and keep messages useful.

How should you reply to a solar review?

Thank the customer, mention the project, and keep it short. For a complaint, avoid details of their system or account in public, acknowledge the frustration and offer to talk by phone. Do not make claims about energy production or savings in a reply. See the Google reviews guide for more on difficult reviews.

A quick hypothetical

Suppose an installer completes six systems in a quarter, and the owner texts all six customers at switch-on. If, for illustration, half leave a review, the profile gains three recent, specific reviews. The numbers are made up. The point is that the habit scales with the project count, which is lower in solar than in service trades, so every switch-on is a chance.

What does a weekly status message look like?

The most useful tool for solar reviews is a short status text during the wait. You can copy this one:

“ Hi [Name], it's [Your Name] at [Business]. Quick update on your system: [permit submitted / permit approved / inspection scheduled for (date) / waiting on the utility]. Nothing needed from you right now. Next update from me on [day]. Call or text anytime. “

Send it every week or two, even when the update is that nothing changed. Notice what it avoids: no promised dates you cannot control, no blame, and no sales talk.

What not to do: do not ask for a review while the system is still waiting on approval, do not offer a discount or gift for a review, and do not suggest the customer leave a good review before they have seen it work. Ask the same way, at switch-on, for everyone.

What should you do this week?

• List every system switched on in the last six months and check who was never asked.
• Send the switch-on template to those customers.
• Add a review step to your switch-on checklist.
• Write a weekly status message template for open projects.

See the solar trade page for more on this work. If you’d rather not run reviews by hand, automatic Google review requests are part of the Builders Presence plan, month to month.

Common questions

Why not ask for a review on install day?

On many solar jobs the system is installed but cannot run until inspection and utility approval. A customer looking at panels on the roof has not yet seen the result. Asking after switch-on, when the system produces and the monitoring works, lands on a real moment of satisfaction.

What if the utility delays approval and the customer is angry?

Call the customer before they call you. Explain where the file sits, what you have submitted, what you are waiting for, and the next date you will update them. Do not blame the utility in public. Review risk comes from silence, so a regular update schedule protects you.

Should I ask for reviews from commercial customers?

Yes, with the same approach, after the system is working. A business owner can describe the process from a different angle, such as scheduling around operations. Ask the right person at the business to post from their own account, and never write the review for them.

Can I show reviews on my website?

Yes. Display real reviews that you did not edit, with the reviewer’s name as it appears. Link to your Google profile so visitors can see the whole set. Do not cherry-pick only the positive ones in a way that misleads, and do not offer rewards for posting.