Title tag: How to Get Reviews for Self Storage: Practical Guide
Meta description: Learn how to get more self storage reviews with simple strategies that improve customer experience, boost visibility, and increase bookings.
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Research shows that 72% of consumers say positive reviews make them trust a business more, and self storage is no exception.
If a potential renter compares your facility with a competitor that has dozens of recent 5-star reviews, you already know who they’ll choose.
In other words, your online reviews can make or break a booking, and in the long run, your business.
This guide explains how to get reviews for self storage, why they matter for visibility and occupancy, and the most effective ways to collect, manage, and showcase them.
🧠 Learn more about self storage marketing. The experts behind Stora don’t just provide self storage software. We’re also facility owners ourselves. Our blog contains a host of guides based on this experience. If you like this article, then why not also read self storage marketing guides: |
Below are three main reasons why reviews are critical to self storage success.
Online reviews have become one of the strongest signals customers use to judge whether a self storage facility can be trusted.
Storage is a low-touch service, meaning there is very little direct interaction before booking. This means that the experiences of others are one of the best ways renters can gauge whether a facility is clean, safe, and well-run.
In fact, 85% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Strong reviews also help you stand out in a competitive market. The U.S. now has over 47,000 self storage facilities, and the UK has more than 2,900 sites.
With so many options available, customers often compare facilities based on rating, review volume, and how recent the feedback is. A competitor with a higher rating or more reviews will usually be seen as the safer choice.
Reviews also play a direct role in SEO performance. A recent study found that 75% of consumers say online reviews influence both their choices and local search visibility.
Google is more likely to rank businesses that receive consistent review activity higher in its results.
Reviews influence trust, visibility, and conversions on search engines. They should be a critical part of your wider SEO strategy.
For more on how search performance and reviews work together, see our Complete Guide To Self Storage SEO.
When building your reviews, it makes sense to focus on just a few platforms.
Let’s take a look at the most effective review platforms for self storage businesses.
Most people who need a storage unit start looking for one by searching online. Google is the world’s most popular search engine, accounting for 90-92% of all searches.
This makes it the most important place to collect reviews.
Recent data shows that 72% of U.S. consumers use Google Search and 51% use Google Maps to research local businesses. 76% of people who search for a local[b] on their mobile tend to visit a business within a day.
If you do a search for self storage on Google, you’ll probably be shown a map and some local options. This is known as the “Map Pack”.
Below is what came up when we typed “self storage Brunswick Maine”. Notice that each has a rating out of five and the number of reviews in brackets after.
Click a business, and a sidebar will appear, letting you explore its reviews in more detail.
To appear in the Map Pack and start generating reviews, you need to set up a Google Business Profile (GBP).
This is Google’s business directory. It shows customers tonnes of information about your business, including your:
A complete, accurate profile helps customers compare facilities quickly and increases the chance they’ll click on yours.
Here’s how to set up your Google Business Profile:
It’s essential to keep your profile updated, especially your hours and access information. This ensures customers have the correct information and therefore enjoy a better experience.
Uploading high-quality photos to your profile is also important. People are 42% more likely to ask Google for directions to facilities that add images than those that don’t. These profiles also receive 35% more website clicks.
A complete, high-quality profile with lots of reviews is more likely to appear in the Map Pack and attract customers.
Google will drive most traffic, but you shouldn’t ignore other review platforms.
Some people look up businesses directly on local or national business directories. Having a profile with positive reviews on these sites makes it more likely your facility will attract these customers. It can also help you rank higher in Google searches.
A recent study found that while 81% of consumers used Google to research local businesses, 44% also used Yelp, showing that a presence on secondary platforms is worthwhile.
Below, we’ve listed popular national review platforms and directories in the U.S. and UK.
Yelp is most commonly used in cities and larger towns, where people rely on it to compare local services.
If your facility is in or near an urban area, having good Yelp reviews can influence renters who start their search there.
Trustpilot is known for reviews across a wide range of service businesses. If a potential customer searches your business name plus “reviews,” your Trustpilot profile may appear alongside Google.
BBB isn’t about collecting lots of reviews. Instead, it reassures customers that your business is legitimate and operates to certain standards.
A BBB profile can help people feel more confident about storing their belongings with you, particularly older customers who are familiar with the accreditation system.
Yell is a popular UK-only directory. A complete profile with accurate details and a few reviews helps you appear more credible.
Feefo focuses on verified reviews, which can make your feedback appear more trustworthy. Some renters prefer this because they know the reviews are linked to real customers. It’s available in both the United States and the UK, but is far more popular in the latter.
Many states, counties, and cities maintain business directories.
For example, the Polk County Chamber of Commerce includes a directory of local businesses.
Directories like this won’t drive huge volumes of traffic, but it’s another place where local customers can discover your business and leave positive reviews about it.
There are several ways you can generate reviews. This section lists some of the most effective.
Customers are far more likely to leave a positive review if hiring a storage unit is quick, smooth, and stress-free.
Research shows that 73% of consumers will switch to a competitor after several bad service experiences, which means even small friction points, like a confusing move-in or unclear access instructions, can cost you reviews and business.
Cleanliness is another major trigger for reviews. In the U.S., 92% of customers say the cleanliness of a business influences whether they return, and in the UK, 90% say they think negatively of a business if its public areas are not clean.
This can be seen reflected in real-life reviews. One customer at Store & More Self Storage in the UK wrote: “Storage unit in excellent condition… clean and well-maintained. Easy, regular access.”
It’s a reminder that the basics, like clean units, clear signage, friendly staff, often drive the strongest feedback.
For deeper guidance on delivering great experiences, see 11 Self Storage Customer Service Best Practices.
Your onsite team directly impacts review volume. From the tone they use during move-ins to how they handle questions, staff behaviour shapes the impressions customers write about later.
Some facilities build this into their operations. For example, Superior Storage in the U.S. encouraged its location managers to be proactive in seeking Google reviews and referrals. It offered them incentives for consistently requesting reviews.
A simple incentive program like this can help generate more reviews.
Many operators offer:
Wilson Storage in the UK credits much of its 1,300+ Trustpilot reviews to staff training and consistent customer engagement. Their team routinely prompts customers to share feedback, which has helped them maintain a 4.9★ rating in a competitive market.
Once you’ve delivered a good experience, small prompts can dramatically increase how many customers leave a review.
77% of customers will leave a review if asked, so you don’t need to overthink this step; you just need to make it easy.
Here are the simplest and most effective methods:
Place a QR code at the payment counter or exit. Walk-in customers can scan it in seconds. This works best at staffed facilities where customers interact with team members.
A quick message 24 hours after a successful move-in is ideal. This is long enough for them to have settled in, but close enough that the experience is still fresh.
Your message might read:
“Thanks for choosing us! If you have 30 seconds, we’d really appreciate a quick Google review: [link]. Your feedback helps others find a safe and reliable unit.”
Add a simple line to the bottom of your invoices, booking confirmations, and move-in emails, saying something like:
“Had a good experience? We’d love your feedback.”
This works because customers often revisit these emails when checking payments or booking details.
Create a dedicated “reviews” page and add a “leave a review” button to your contact page or help page. This also gives you a place to showcase your best reviews.
If customers regularly comment on or engage with your posts, they’re more likely to leave a review. A gentle prompt in a DM or a follow-up comment can be effective.
Mention reviews to customers in passing, especially if they tell you that they are happy with your service. Don’t be pushy, and don't mention it more than once.
⚠️ Avoid offering incentives to customers Google prohibits incentives for reviews, so stick to genuine requests rather than rewards. |
Attracting reviews is only half of the job. Customers expect businesses to reply, address issues, and show that they genuinely care about their experience.
Good review management also helps you learn from feedback, attract even more customers, and improve your operations over time.
Here’s how to handle reviews to strengthen your reputation and support ongoing growth.
Customers notice when you reply to reviews. Research shows that 48% of consumers say they are more likely to buy from a brand that responds to reviews.
They also want a fast response, with 80% of reviewers saying they expect a reply within two weeks.
But most businesses don’t do this consistently. Only 5% of companies respond to online reviews at all, which means that simply taking the time to reply already puts you ahead of competitors.
A useful real-world example comes from The Storage Mall in the U.S. After improving their review management process and reducing their average response time from 9.8 days to 1.7 days, they saw stronger engagement and a 38% click-through rate on their review requests.
Responding shows active management and reassures potential customers that you care about their feedback.
You don’t need to overthink your reply. A simple structure works well:
Engaging with positive reviews helps highlight what you want future renters to notice.
Here’s a good example left for All American Self Storage. While not a glowing review, the owner manages to focus on the positives in their response.
Negative reviews can feel uncomfortable, but they’re an opportunity to show professionalism. Plus, it’s valuable feedback highlighting ways to improve your business.
The key is to:
Here’s another good example from All American Self Storage:
Once you collect good reviews, use them. Social proof improves trust and makes it more likely people will book your units, so make sure customers see it across your website, sales emails, and social media.
Where to showcase your reviews:
Admiral Self Storage uses a classic auto-revolving carousel to show its reviews on its homepage.
This strengthens credibility, helps reassure new renters, and supports the company’s wider marketing efforts.
By choosing to highlight specific reviews, you can also reinforce strengths that matter in self storage, like security or cleanliness.
Review management tools promise to make it easier to collect and respond to reviews, especially if you run multiple sites or receive a high volume of customer feedback.
They can streamline the process, but they’re not essential for everyone. This section will help you decide if they’re worth considering.
Review management software helps you stay on top of customer feedback by:
Using review management software can save you time and help you respond more quickly, especially if you operate multiple locations or have limited staff.
If your facility receives a steady flow of move-ins each week, these tools can help maintain a healthy review stream with less manual effort.
However, review management tools aren’t always necessary:
Whether you need review software depends on the size of your operation and how many customers you serve.
The easiest way to earn more positive reviews is to deliver a smooth, predictable customer experience from the very first interaction.
Automation plays a big role here. When everyday tasks run reliably in the background, customers notice and they talk about it in their reviews.
Stora is designed to support exactly that. It helps you remove the friction points that often lead to complaints and replace them with moments that feel effortless for the customer:
When these elements run reliably, customers experience your facility as clean, organised, and easy to use; precisely the kind of service that leads to more reviews and better ratings.
If you want to see how Stora can help you create a 5-star customer experience from day one, book a demo.
[a]jwimshurst@stora.co
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