6 tips for a successful GreatSchools review campaign

GreatSchools reviews play a powerful role in how families understand schools, compare options, and build trust in what they see online. While Community Reviews do not factor into GreatSchools’ 1–10 ratings, a strong review presence helps provide context to published data and ensure your school profile reflects real experiences.

1. Start with the “why”

Families are far more likely to participate when they understand the purpose behind the request. The most effective review campaigns position feedback as a way to help other families, not as a promotional effort for the school. Framing matters because it directly impacts both participation and credibility.

Position reviews as a service to families, not marketing:

• “Help new families understand what it’s like day-to-day.”
• “Share what you value, what’s improving, and what you wish you’d known.”

2. Make it easy: one link, two clicks

Families are more likely to leave a review when the process feels fast and effortless, especially on mobile. Remove extra steps and link directly to your school’s GreatSchools review page.

Use:

• A single direct GreatSchools review link, or
• A QR code that goes directly to your school’s review landing page

3. Ask at the right moments

When you ask is just as important as how often you ask. Families are most likely to respond when they already feel emotionally connected, reflective, or proud of their school experience. Aligning your ask with these moments significantly increases response rates.

High-response moments tend to be:

• After fall conferences or family-teacher meetings
• After showcases, concerts, exhibitions, sports nights
• At the end of a semester or trimester
• After key milestones like graduations, promotions, or awards

4. Make a district-wide “Parent Voice Week”

For districts, coordinated timing and shared messaging amplify participation and reduce confusion. A unified push also signals that parent voice is valued across the entire system, not just at individual schools.

For districts, coordination helps:

• One district note paired with school-level follow-ups
• Shared creative assets like QR posters, email copy, and newsletter blocks
• A consistent cadence over 10 to 14 days

5. Don’t just collect reviews — respond to them

It is tempting to treat reviews like a one-way asset: collect them, display them, move on. But families do not experience them that way. To parents, reviews are a conversation, and how a school shows up in that conversation can be just as influential as what is written.

To respond to reviews, your school profile must be claimed. Claiming your profile allows you to thank families, address concerns, and show how your school listens and follows through. Even a simple weekly or biweekly response cadence helps you stay consistent without becoming reactive.

Strong review responses typically:

• Thank the reviewer
• Acknowledge the concern or feedback
• Share what you are doing or how to get help
• Invite offline follow-up when appropriate

When handled well, responses signal leadership, care, and accountability to every family reading along.

6. Protect your reputation

Negative reviews happen. The goal is not to erase them. It’s to respond in a way that signals leadership and builds confidence.
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A simple response framework:

• Acknowledge: “I’m sorry this was your experience.”
• Align: “We want every family to feel supported.”
• Act: “Here’s what we’re doing / reviewing.”
• Take it offline: “Please contact [role/email] so we can follow up.”

Avoid defensiveness, personal details, or point-by-point arguments. A calm response often reassures the silent majority reading along.

Most importantly: consistent review volume and recency reduce the chance that one extreme experience becomes the “headline” for your school.

If you’re looking for guidance, our resource "How to respond to negative reviews" can help.