Review sites playbook: G2, Capterra, Trustpilot and Product Hunt

Review sites sit in an unusual spot. Buyers use them to compare products side by side, and AI assistants cite them for the same reason, especially for "best X for Y" and "X alternatives" questions. A product with a complete profile and a steady stream of honest reviews looks like a safe choice. A product with an empty profile, or none at all, rarely makes the shortlist.

This playbook covers the four sites founders ask us about most: G2, Capterra, Trustpilot and Product Hunt. It includes a profile checklist, when and how to ask customers for reviews, email templates, and reply templates for good, mixed and bad reviews.

Which sites to focus on

You don't need to be everywhere. Start with the site that's cited most for your buyers' questions, then add a second.

The table is a rough guide, not a rule. The way to decide is to look at which review sites appear among the cited sources for your own buyer questions. If one site comes up again and again, that's your first profile to fix. Citemark groups cited sources by type, so review sites are easy to pick out; the free check shows cited sources for 5 questions.

The complete profile checklist

Before asking anyone for a review, make sure the profile they'll land on is complete and accurate. A half-finished profile wastes the reviews you get.

• Claim the profile. Many products have a listing created by someone else. Claim it so you can edit it and reply to reviews.
• The right category. Choose the most specific category that fits. A narrow category where you can rank well beats a broad one where you're one of hundreds.
• One clear description. The same one or two sentences you use on your homepage: what you do and who it's for, in buyers' words.
• A longer description. Who it's for, the problems it solves, and what makes it different, in plain language. No superlatives.
• Pricing in numbers. Plan names, prices and what each includes, matching your pricing page exactly. Mention a free plan or trial if you have one.
• Screenshots. Five or more, of the real product, each showing a specific task. Add captions where the site allows.
• A short video, if the site supports it. A two-minute walkthrough is enough.
• Features list. Fill in every feature field honestly. These often power filters and comparison tables.
• Integrations. List every integration you actually support.
• Company details. Founding year, location, website, support contact.
• Target customer. Company sizes, industries and roles you serve.
• Alternatives and comparisons. Where the site lets you, check how you're compared with rivals and that the facts are right.
• Links back. Link from your site to your profile, so buyers and crawlers can find it.
• A named owner. Someone on the team who checks the profile monthly and replies to reviews.

When to ask for a review

Timing matters more than wording. Ask when the customer has just had a good experience with your product, not when it's convenient for you.

• After a clear success. They sent their first invoice, closed their first project, ran their first report.
• After a support ticket is solved well. Especially if they said thank you.
• After a milestone. 30 days of active use, a renewal, an upgrade.
• When they praise you unprompted. In an email, a chat, a call or on social media.

Avoid asking during onboarding before they've seen value, right after a bug or outage, or in the same email as a billing notice.

Ask everyone, not just the happiest

It's tempting to ask only customers you know are delighted. Several review sites ask businesses not to do this, and it makes your reviews less useful to buyers. A better approach is to ask all customers who reach a success moment, and accept that some reviews will mention flaws. A profile of only five-star reviews looks less believable than one with a few honest criticisms and good replies.

Incentives

Rules on incentives differ between sites and change over time. Some allow a small thank-you if it's disclosed and given whether or not the review is positive; some don't allow incentives at all. Read the current guidelines for each site before you offer anything, and never make a reward depend on the rating.

How to ask: templates

Email after a success moment

Subject: Quick favour?

"Hi [first name], I saw you sent your first [N] invoices with Acme this month. Glad it's working. Would you be willing to write a short, honest review on [site]? It helps other freelancers decide whether Acme fits them. It takes about five minutes: [link to your review page on the site]. Good or critical, all feedback helps us. Thanks, [your name], founder"

In-app prompt

"Has Acme been useful? An honest review on [site] helps other people like you find us. [Write a review] [Not now]"

Show it once at a success moment, and don't show it again for a long time if they click "Not now".

After a resolved support ticket

"Glad we got that sorted. If you have a minute, we'd appreciate an honest review on [site] about your experience with Acme, including support: [link]."

Keep every ask short, specific, and clear that honest feedback is welcome.

Replying to reviews: templates

Reply to every review within a few days. Buyers read replies to see how you treat customers, and a thoughtful reply to a critical review can be more persuasive than the review itself. Adapt these; don't paste them unchanged.

Positive review

"Thanks, [name]. Really glad the [specific feature they mentioned] has saved you time. If there's anything you'd like to see next, reply here or email me at [address]."

Mention something specific from their review, so it doesn't read as automated.

Mixed review

"Thanks for the honest review, [name]. You're right that [the criticism] isn't where it should be. [What you've done or are doing about it, in one sentence.] Glad [the positive part] is working well for you."

Negative review

"I'm sorry, [name]. That's not the experience we want anyone to have. [Acknowledge the specific problem.] [What happened, briefly, without blaming the customer.] I'd like to put it right: please email me at [address] and I'll handle it personally."

Then follow through. If the problem is fixed, the customer may choose to update their review. Don't ask them to.

Review with wrong facts

"Thanks for the feedback, [name]. One correction for other readers: [the fact], as of [date]. [Short, polite explanation.] Happy to help if you'd like to give it another try."

Never argue, never reveal private details about the customer, and never imply the review is fake unless you can show it to the site.

Product Hunt is different

Product Hunt is a launch platform more than an ongoing review site, though product pages and their discussions can keep being found long after launch day.

• Prepare the page properly: a clear tagline, a specific description, good screenshots, a short video, and a first comment from the maker explaining why you built it and who it's for.
• Be there all day. Reply to every comment and question on launch day, honestly, including criticism.
• Tell your audience, don't game the ranking. Let your users and followers know you've launched and invite honest feedback. Product Hunt has rules about how you can ask for support; read them before launch day.
• Keep the page current after launch. Update the description and pricing when they change.

A monthly routine

Measure the effect

Reviews take time to accumulate and longer to show up in answers. After two or three months, check whether review sites are cited for your questions, whether your profile is one of the pages cited, and whether you're named more often in the answers that cite it. Citemark tracks your buyer questions on a schedule, shows cited sources by type, and its fact check flags answers that state a wrong price or features for your product, which often points to an out-of-date profile somewhere.

For the full picture of where AI answers get their information, read which websites AI engines cite, and see where you stand today with the free AI visibility check.