MadeIT Reviews

Installation and your first reviews

MadeIT Reviews collects and shows customer reviews on your own site. It does not need WooCommerce and works with any theme. Nothing is sold, filtered by rating or paid for.

1. Install and activate the plugin. A "Leave a review" page with the form is created.
2. In MadeIT Reviews → Invitations enter a customer's email address and send an invitation with a single-use link.
3. The link leads the customer to the form. The review lands in moderation in MadeIT Reviews → Reviews.
4. Place the list of reviews on a page with the [madeit_reviews] shortcode.

Email invitations Free

The Invitations screen sends a single invitation to the address you enter. The message holds a single-use link tied to the customer's address.

• Fields: email address (required) and first name (optional). The invitation goes out right away.
• The invitation list shows the address, the state and the date. You can send an invitation again or delete it (the link stops working).
• You can also pass a link from the list through your own channel (SMS, invoice footer). Every link works once.
• A review left with the link gets the "Verified review" badge.

Collect addresses and send invitations in line with data protection and electronic communication law, on the basis of consent or another legal ground.

The open review form Free

The form can be placed with the <code>[madeit_review_form]</code> shortcode (or <code>[madeit_reviews form="yes"]</code> together with the list). A visitor enters a name, a rating from 1 to 5, the text and the consent to publish.

• The form is protected by a honeypot field and a rate limit, and you can require the consent to publish in the settings.
• Reviews from the open form are accepted if you allow them in the settings, but they are labelled as not tied to a purchase.

Moderation and replies Free

Every review passes your moderation (the "Require moderation" option). On the Reviews screen you can <strong>publish</strong> it, <strong>reject</strong> it or move it back to pending. The search looks in the name, email and text, and the filters work by status and source (invitation or form).

• For every new review you can get an email notification.
• The owner reply is shown publicly under the review. An empty field removes the reply.
• The plugin explains to visitors how reviews are verified ("How do we verify reviews?").

Do not delete reviews just because they are negative.

Displaying reviews Free

The Display tab sets the number of reviews per page (1–50), whether the summary and the "Verified review" badge are shown, with a preview. The background and fonts follow your theme.

Schema.org markup Free

Optional AggregateRating markup for the average rating: choose the type of the rated object (Organization, LocalBusiness, Product or Service) and its name.

Google does not show stars in search results for reviews of your own business (Organization, LocalBusiness) placed on its own site. The markup mostly makes sense for products and services.

Scope settings Free

Bulk invitations and reminders PRO

• On the Invitations screen paste a list of addresses (one per line, optionally a name after a comma) or upload a CSV file. The plugin sends up to 25 invitations at a time and the rest in the background.
• The Reminders tab sets whether, and after how many days (1–60), one reminder goes out to customers who did not answer.

Importing reviews from CSV PRO

MadeIT Reviews → Import. The CSV needs a rating (1–5) and a text column, with an optional author and date. Rows with errors are skipped and listed after the import. Imported reviews are not marked as verified.

Do not import or publish reviews you do not have the right to publish.

Colour and wording PRO

The Appearance tab sets the accent colour. The Texts tab edits the form texts, the consent, the badge, the verification note and the invitation subject and body. Placeholders in the invitation: <code>{name}</code>, <code>{site}</code>, <code>{link}</code>. An empty field restores the default.

Pro license and updates PRO

1. Download the add-on from your customer account and upload it in Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin.
2. Activate it. It needs the MadeIT Reviews plugin to be active.
3. In MadeIT Reviews → License paste the 32-character key and click "Save and activate".

Troubleshooting

• Invitations do not go out: check WordPress email (wp_mail), set up SMTP and make sure WP-Cron works.
• The Pro tabs and the Import screen do not appear: the free plugin must be active and the add-on activated.
• An invitation link does not work: it is single-use or the invitation was deleted.
• A review is not visible: it waits for moderation or was rejected.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the free plugin as well?

Yes. MadeIT Reviews Pro is an add-on and needs the free MadeIT Reviews plugin from WordPress.org to be installed and active. The free plugin stores and shows the reviews.

Is anything in the free plugin locked until I buy Pro?

No. The free plugin is complete: invitations one customer at a time, the verified badge, moderation, replies, summary, shortcodes and Schema.org markup. Pro adds bulk invitations, reminders, CSV import, the accent colour and editable wording.

What does "Verified review" mean?

The review was left using a single-use link we sent to the customer. The link shows that the author received the invitation, not that they bought a specific product, so you can adjust the verification note in the Pro texts.

Can I delete negative reviews?

Technically you can reject any review, but selectively removing negative reviews misleads customers and can be an unfair practice. Moderation is for spam and unlawful content.

Does it automatically pull reviews from Google?

No. Pro imports reviews from a CSV file. A Google API import would need a key and is subject to Google's terms, so it is not included.

What happens if I deactivate Pro?

Reviews, invitations and their history stay in the free plugin. Reminders stop, the Import screen and the Pro tabs disappear, and the free defaults apply to colour and texts until you reactivate Pro.

What happens when the license expires?

The installed version keeps working without limits. Only new versions and support are paused until you renew.

How many sites can I use one license on?

One license covers one site. You can detach the site in your customer account and activate the license somewhere else.

Changelog

MadeIT Reviews

MadeIT Reviews Pro

Support

The free plugin is supported on its WordPress.org support forum. With an active Pro license you can open a support ticket in your customer account.