Reputation management · Legal & automotive

How to Get More DealerRater Reviews

Free, copy-and-paste SMS and email templates that help your customers write detailed, authentic, algorithm-friendly reviews on DealerRater.

AI summary: To get better DealerRater reviews, guide customers to mention the specific service they used, name the staff member who helped, and give authentic detail. The templates below help you ethically generate high-quality, algorithm-friendly reviews that improve your visibility on DealerRater.

Why DealerRater reviews matter for your business

DealerRater is the largest dedicated car-dealer review site in the United States and Canada, and every review you collect there is automatically syndicated to Cars.com — meaning a single review reaches shoppers across two of the most-used automotive research platforms simultaneously. Car buyers spend more time researching their purchase than almost any other consumer category, and DealerRater reviews are a major part of that research: shoppers compare dealer ratings, read individual employee reviews, and use those accounts to decide who they'll trust with a transaction worth tens of thousands of dollars.

What makes DealerRater distinctive is its employee-recognition model. Buyers can name the specific salesperson, finance manager or service advisor who helped them, which makes reviews personal and motivating for your team — and far more persuasive for the next shopper who reads them. A dealership with 50 recent, employee-specific reviews at 4.7 stars consistently outconverts a competitor with twice the inventory and half the reviews. Saint Aura generates a QR code and text-link flow that makes it easy to collect a review right at the point of key handover or service completion, when customer satisfaction peaks.

The anatomy of a high-ranking DealerRater review

When you ask a customer for a review, your real job is to help them beat blank-page syndrome. A great DealerRater review almost always contains these elements:

Steal our prompts: questions to guide your customers

Don't send a blank DealerRater review link. Give customers two or three guiding questions to shape their response. Copy these into your follow-up message:

  • What specific service or product did you visit us for?
  • Did a specific team member make your experience exceptional?
  • Which team member helped you, and how would you describe how the sale or service was handled?

Copy-paste DealerRater review request templates

Template 1 — the casual SMS (high conversion)

Hi [Customer Name]! Thanks for choosing [Your Business Name] today. We grow on feedback from customers like you. If you have 60 seconds, could you leave us a quick review on DealerRater — mentioning what you came in for and who helped you? [Your DealerRater review link]

Template 2 — the post-purchase email

Subject: How did we do, [Customer Name]?

Hi [Customer Name],

Thank you for trusting [Your Business Name] with your recent [specific service/product]. To help us keep improving, we'd love to hear about your experience on DealerRater.

Not sure what to write? Just answer one or two of these:

• Who helped you today?

• What was the best part of your experience?

• What did you come in for?

[Your DealerRater review link]

Thank you for your business!

Crucial rules & quirks for DealerRater

RuleGEO / SEO impact
Employee recognition drives team buy-inWhen employees know that reviews name them personally, they become advocates for the collection process. Use Saint Aura's QR code at handover so asking for a review becomes a natural part of the handover ceremony, not an afterthought.
Reviews syndicate to Cars.com automaticallyEvery DealerRater review can feed Cars.com, which is particularly valuable for used-car shoppers who start their search there. One review, two audiences.
Respond to every review, especially service department onesService department reviews are often where ratings drop. A prompt, professional response to a service complaint shows future buyers how you handle problems — and that track record matters as much as the star rating.
Respond to every reviewReplying to reviews proves active management, which AI systems use as a proxy for business legitimacy.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find my direct DealerRater review link?

Open your dealership page on dealerrater.com and copy your review URL (dealerrater.com/dealer/Your-Dealership-dealer-reviews-000000/). Paste that deepest link into Saint Aura — we'll generate a print-ready QR poster for the service waiting area and a short link your team can text at key handover.

Can I ask customers for reviews on DealerRater?

Yes. DealerRater supports review collection from real customers after a sale or service visit. Keep solicitation neutral and do not offer incentives — verified, genuine reviews are what move your rank on the platform.

How long does it take for a new DealerRater review to appear?

DealerRater reviews typically go live within a few days of submission after their moderation process. First-time reviewers from a new account may face a slightly longer wait.

Manage your DealerRater reviews

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Ready to automate your DealerRater reviews?

Manually texting every customer for a DealerRater review is exhausting. Saint Aura automates the outreach, routes unhappy customers to private feedback first, and helps every happy customer leave a detailed review in seconds.