How Do You Respond to a Google Review

Google Reviews: How to Reply to Positive and Negative Google Reviews (+xix Examples)

The ultimate DIY guide for responding to reviews on Google, Facebook, Yelp, and industry-specific review sites. Apply these techniques to impress your customers, encourage more than Google reviews, and rank higher in local search results.

Every fundamental technique Widewail's review response team have perfected over 500,000+ responses is explained below.

If you run a multi-location business, we've helped thousands of clients improve operational efficiency with our review monitoring and human-led response managed services. If you need a response plan to calibration, but likewise look like a human is responding, we recommend you read The Pros and Cons of Google My Business concern Review Response Automation Software.

Lesser line:If you want to larn how to respond to bothpositive and negative Google reviews, and why online review management is integral to any digital marketing strategy in 2022 - you'll love this guide.

Why are reviews important?

Consider your future client

In today's marketplace, customers rely upon reviews to vet local businesses. In fact, 85% of customers trust online reviews equally much every bit a personal recommendation.

Let's say that you're a consumer searching for a local car dealership. You head to Google, type in a few keywords, and are faced with the post-obit ii options.

Conspicuously, y'all're going to choose #i.

And you lot're not alone.

• Consumers read an average of x reviews before they feel they can trust a local business (Brightlocal).

  57% of consumers will just consider a business if it is rated four stars or higher.

This final statistic is particularly important to keep in mind. Did you lot know that there are certain search situations in which Google simply displays businesses with ratings above iv.0?

See the example below:

While this might be frustrating for businesses rated iii.9 or lower, it makes sense. Google's best interest is to evidence searchers the results that are most likely to offer a proven expert experience. That means businesses with college ratings get a boost.

If your business doesn't accept many reviews, potential customers will accept less information to assistance them make a decision nearly where to store. Even worse, they are less probable to find your business concern in the first place.

"The prominence of reviews isn't particularly shocking, as it's a style for Google to crowdsource ranking factors, it's hard to spam, and the nigh problematic blazon of abuse is illegal."

Source: Local SEO Guide

Come across these techniques in action. Nosotros found 19 unique review response scenarios from around the web to demonstrate review response techniques. Download the real-world examples guide.

Reviews boss local SEO

In traditional SEO, reviews have a relatively modest impact on ranking. But local search is a different story. Reviews play an outsized role in local search rankings (specifically the Local Pack).

According to Moz, reviews are the second most important ranking factor in 2020, moving up from third, surpassing proximity. This change means the expected quality of experience (reviews) is more important than where the searcher is physically (within reason). Considering of this, review management should exist a core office of your business'due south SEO strategy.

A groovy manner to explicate this is what nosotros phone call the "cafeteria instance" (illustrated beneath).

Say you are in a new city, it's lunchtime, and y'all would like to detect a good cafeteria nearby. Y'all search "deli virtually me". Historically, Google would recommend the closest deli first. In the example of this example, Deli A. Today, if Cafeteria B has more reviews and higher ratings, Google will recommend Deli B offset, in spite of the fact that the searcher will have to walk a few more than blocks.

A significant change, the local business can at present proactively influence search visibility for a wider geographic area, While the business concern has no control over where a search comes from, managing reputation data to influence search ranking is well inside the business concern's control.

If y'all think about it from Google's perspective, it makes total sense. Its business relies upon searchers being satisfied with the businesses Google recommends. How does it choice the best businesses to recommend? Reviews.

E'er be listening

Reviews are an excellent source of feedback. Satisfied customers volition rave about the products they honey, while unhappy guests will explain what went wrong during their visit.That's right, even negative reviews can be beneficial.

Customer feedback is a great mode to improve your business offerings and monitor customer experience trends over time.

Can yous answer to Google reviews?

Yep. Equally a concern possessor with admin admission to your Google Business organization Profile (formerly Google My Business/GMB) you are able to monitor and answer to customer reviews.

Here'south how you Reply to Google Reviews

1. Sign in to Google My Business by navigating to business organization.google.com

2. Select "Reviews" on left-side navigation

3. To respond to a review select "View and answer"

If y'all would like to become a direct link to your review folio that you can share, go to business.google.com, and from your home page discover "Get more reviews" and select "Share review form" to admission the link.

Why respond to reviews?

Now that we sympathise why reviews matter, let's discuss why responses matter but as much.

Review response is all about taking control of your concern's public-facing content. While the internet can sometimes feel like a one-way conversation, responding to reviews gives your business organization a voice.

Significant SEO Affect

Here are the review factors that influence SEO:

• Volume

• Rating

• Keywords

• Unique, upwards-to-date, and ongoing content

If you are interested in digging into this topic in more detail, check out our guide:How Reviews Impact Local SEO.

Volume

More than reviews will enable your customers to become a ameliorate agreement of the experience they can expect to have at your store. Responding tin boost this effect, the Harvard Business Review finding in acontempo studythat businesses who reply consistently get 12% more reviews.

Worried nearly a negative review? A pile of new 5-star reviews will help drown out an isolated negative feel. Potential customers are looking for trends, not private situations.

Review volume too keeps your information current. According to BrightLocal,40% of customers but have into account reviews written in the prior 2 weeks. Because that this statistic increased eighteen% from the year prior, we remember this trend will proceed.

An even more than reliable manner to get more reviews is through our review generation productionInvite. Y'all can utilize Invite to request reviews from private customers via text, or you can sync it up with your point of sale system to reach all of your customers automatically.

Rating

Your online business rating is probable the start quality indicator your potential customers will run into. At a minimum, a rating to a higher place 4.0 should exist your target.

This will get you past the first round of cuts. More often than not, 4.0-four.v is good and 4.5-v.0 is the pinnacle of the pack.

Keywords

This is whereGoogle review managementreally comes into play. Yes, your customers' reviews volition sometimes comprise keywords, but responding gives you the take chances to ensure Google knows exactly what your concern is about.

Relevant keywords to consider in your review responses:

• Business name

• Location

• Products

• Services

Compare these two responses. Which one has a improve SEO value?

Both are pleasant, simply number 2 also provides Google with helpful information. The second response lists the accurate name of the business organisation and the full product proper noun. The customer mentioned "Prime number Toyota", but the complete business organization name is "Prime Toyota Boston." By responding, Google now has access to the proper name.

Unique, upward-to-appointment, and ongoing content

To Google, a strong indicator of a healthy and active business organization is new content on a consistent basis. Responding to reviews will effectively double your GMB content activity.

"Among consumers that read reviews, 97% read businesses' responses to reviews." Source: Brightlocal

The "Adult in the Room" Theory

By actively participating in your business'southward review conversation, you lot are likely to run into a drop in short, negative reviews. If a client know that the manager is likely to read and respond to their review, they volition be less probable to exit a trivial negative review. The remaining negative reviews will provide feedback for your team or an opportunity to remedy a poor situation.

Place and Solve Problems Early on

Conventional wisdom says addressing a trouble is better than letting it fester. Reviews are no different.

In our experience, dealing with a customer frustration head-on as chop-chop as possible is nearly probable to atomic number 82 to a positive outcome.

Furthermore, responding to reviews demonstrates to future customers that if they patronize your business and have a trouble they can look prompt client service.

Better customer service = happier customers!

8 Types of Review Responses

Types of Review Responses:

• No response

• Negative-negative response

• Barely-at that place response

• Spellcheck response

• Robo response

• Eager-beaver response

• Keyword-less response

• Widewail response

i. No Response

Coming in dead last: no response at all.

Reviews stack up without acknowledgment. Hundreds of customers go unthanked. Rude language and misinformation remain online. All in all, ignoring reviews makes it expect similar the company doesn't care nigh its guests or its reputation.

2. The Negative-Negative Response

The positive reviews get the attention they deserve, but negatives go disregarded.

This might be the worst message to ship potential customers: that guests without complaints will be treated with kindness only those looking for help volition be ignored.

Fifty-fifty across client service,negative reviews provide valuable information to businesses well-nigh how they can improve. The simply thing worse than ignoring negatives is responding to them in anger. No affair what the review says, answering in an aggressive tone makes the visitor seem petty and will invite a very public customer service burn down.

3. The Barely-There Response

I pace above ignoring reviews is responding with equally little effort every bit possible. Each positive review receives the same "Give thanks you," while unhappy customers are provided a full general e-mail address where they tin can send their feedback. At least there is an answer, just no 1 believes that anyone from the visitor is actually concerned about resolving their patrons' problems.

iv. The Spellcheck Response

Even a response that contains bully content can exist ruined with grammar issues, incorrect spelling, and awkward prose. Mistakes like these, especially ones that would exist fixed with a simple proofread, paint the company in a very unprofessional light.

If the business organisation doesn't care almost the details when it comes to communicating with their clients, will their care near the details when it comes to their service?

v. The Robo Response

It's obvious that these responses are copied and pasted from a template, or otherwise written by a auto. While detached responses might seem like the nigh professional pick, they may farther upset unhappy customers.

These dissatisfied guests are looking for answers and they want to speak to a real human, not an automated message.

Future customers might exist turned off every bit well, believing that the service they can expect in person will be every bit common cold as the interactions they viewed online.

Read the pros and cons of anautomated vs. managed servicereview response solution.

half dozen. The Eager-Beaver Response

We know that businesses are enthusiastic about their customers, only it's possible to go overboard when information technology comes to answering online review.

All-caps paragraphs running longer than the review itself, multiple thank yous, excessive emojis and exclamation points all will be overwhelming to the reviewer. Customers should be treated with respect, not pandered to.

7. The Keyword-Less Response

This response meets all the basic requirements, just it's missing a huge opportunity: SEO keywords.

Terms like the dealership proper name, car makes and models, and services offeredhelp increase the company's rank in local GMB searches. While non necessarily bad in terms of customer services, these responses aren't doing annihilation for SEO optimization.

eight. The Widewail Response

Finally, the best option: aresponse written by experts.

Easy to read,professional with a personal affect, packed total of SEO terms without being clunky. This is the response which volition thank electric current customers properly, boost the company site'due south ranking with the GMB, and encourage potential clients to give the business a take chances. Nosotros also know whatnot to practice.

Best of all, information technology requires no additional effort from the team profitable guests in person. They can focus on their job, knowing that their clients volition be well taken intendance of even later on they leave the store.

Read more about the tactics used by the Widewail team when responding to positive and negative reviews in the upcoming sections.

All-time practices for responding to positive reviews

How to respond to positive reviews:

• Piece of work keywords into your positive review responses

• Use the customer'southward name

• If a client mentions a product, echo it in your response

• Mention boosted products you sell

• Share your company values

No big surprise here - your business should be responding to all positive reviews. A common mistake is to respond only to unhappy customers. Operationally this makes sense, merely because Google tends to favor reviews that are engaged with, past simply responding to negative reviews you run the take chances of pushing that content to the peak of your page. Avert this by responding to all of your customers.

Positive reviews are a manner to engage with happy customers and keep the conversation going after the sale. A positive response to a positive review will leave a good impression on the client, leading to a college probability of repeat business organisation.

Work keywords into your positive review responses

As mentioned above, a positive review response is an obstacle-costless opportunity to add relevant keywords to your GMB (without keyword stuffing). Local business organization keywords are generally business organization name, location, products, and services.

Use the customer'due south name

Adding the reviewer's proper noun to the response is an like shooting fish in a barrel personal touch.

If a customer mentions a product, echo information technology in the response

If the customer mentioned the brand or model of the vehicle they purchased, exist certain to include it in your review response. If you lot aren't sure which vehicle the client purchased, don't guess!

*Note - Information technology is common for reviewers to use autograph versions of the model they purchased (i.e. "2019 Civic"). Your response is an opportunity to include the full keyword prepare, "2019 Honda Civic."

Mention other products

Another fashion to make the most out of your review response is to mention other products the client could potentially purchase in the future.

Warning: information technology can be piece of cake to go overboard when calculation keywords. Make certain you are confident that the additional production you are recommending is useful to the reviewer.

Share your company values

Identify some of your business'south cadre values. For example, your business may pride itself on offering a transparent and stress-free shopping feel. Use the review response every bit an opportunity to communicate that to futurity customers - the people reading your reviews!

Other tips

• Avoid repetition whenever possible. While it's challenging to come up up with different ways to say essentially the aforementioned thing, variety is primal to providing personalized service to your customers.

• One simple way to vary review responses is to switch between "I" and "we." For example, "I am glad to hear that you lot had a adept experience" vs. "nosotros thanks for sharing your positive experience."

• If a customer indicates loyalty or repeat business organisation in their review, acknowledge that in your response.

• Positive review responses should ever be conversational. Anyone reading the response should exist able to tell information technology was written by a existent person. This is especially of import to remember when including keywords. While you want to go the most SEO benefits possible, make certain that your responses are tasteful above all else.

eleven Positive Review Response Examples

We've collected a scattering of examples on how to respond to positive Google reviews. These examples are real customer reviews and responses sourced from Google.

We've tried to select a diverseness of scenarios.

Why information technology works

This response checks the boxes for most all of the positive review response tactics:

• It's personal, repeating the proper noun of the employee listed in the review

• It reiterates the company values mentioned past the reviewer, such equally timely communication and professionalism

• It includes the shop proper noun and a prompt for the reviewer to come back for another service.

Finally, an accent is placed on saying thank you.

Recollect, customers with positive experiences have limited motivation to post a review, and so it is important to evidence your appreciation.

What you should steal: The line "thank yous so much for sharing" is an awesome way to acknowledge the extra effort this customer put forth on the business'southward behalf.

Why information technology works

As you lot can run into in this response, commenting on how a positive review "makes our day" is a squeamish personal touch.

What you should steal: The words "fantastic" and "grateful" are descriptive adjectives to consider.

Nigh importantly, all the basics are covered: the customer proper noun, the store proper name, and the product name are all mentioned.

Why it works

When customers make a successful buy, especially a big purchase such as a car, they frequently have a sense of accomplishment.

Engage with this emotion by offering your congratulations.

If a customer offers praise of a specific employee, utilize it as an opportunity to repeat their compliments and reinforce that, aye, this person is great. It'due south non a stretch to presume future customers will look at Luis every bit an example of the customer service they tin can expect from this business organisation.

Why it works

In their response, the business suggests that they have a daily service goal.

This is an splendid manner to reinforce that time to come customers can expect a similar feel, no affair when they choose to patronize the business.

What you should steal: "Validating" is a dandy give-and-take to suggest that positive reviews are more a sign of financial success; they are a personal success as well.

Why it works

Starting your response with a quote from the original review is a great manner to highlight the well-nigh flattering slice of the review.

Because this business answers reviews on a consistent footing, they can conclude with the note "this holiday season."

What you should steal: fourth dimension-specific sign-offs are a good way to personalize responses.

Why it works

This customer mentions they traveled a long distance to visit the dealership and the response acknowledges their additional attempt.

Why it works

The phrase "earning your business" helps to portray the business every bit humble. Nobody wants to deal with arrogance.

Why it works

This response does a good chore of communicating the business's "cracking prices," just doesn't come off overly salesy. Ending with a personal statement of well-wishes adds a nice touch.

Why it works

The most common Google reviews are five-star, no-comment.

To brand responding like shooting fish in a barrel and ensure a multifariousness of answers, this business concern has created a list of response templates.

They update the template with the reviewer's name and the business organisation's proper noun earlier publishing.

Why information technology works

The customer mentions a specific problem the business solved: addressing a flat tire.

This data forms the basis of the response.

Why information technology works

Rather than repeating "thanks for the recommendation," this response employs a great alternative: "we appreciate your endorsement." A number of phrases are interchangeable: "we capeesh" and "give thanks you;" "recommendation" and "endorsement;" "rating" and "review;" "honored that" and grateful for."

Fifty-fifty elementary word changes like these make responses seem more unique and human being.

Widewail Tip: Switching upward perspectives, like swapping "nosotros" with "I," adds multifariousness to responses.

Best practices for responding to negative reviews

How to respond to negative reviews:

• Stay professional

• Don't speculate

• Minimize emotion

• Present the facts

• Apologize for the customer'southward frustration only

• Exercise non publicly acknowledge guilt for the textile consequence

• Avoid public accusations of review fraud

• Provide a productive next step

When responding to bad reviews, the #i goal is to movement the conversation offline.

Offer to resolve the situation via phone or email and and then follow-up with the customer chop-chop. Google reviews is not the place to get into a fence.

Professionalism is key

Do your best to avoid beingness defensive, overly emotional, or sarcastic. Go out out personal opinions almost politics, ethics, religion, or social issues. Review responses should remain professional and neutral.

Avoid public accusations of review fraud

False reviews practice happen, just y'all should respond to them in the same style as any other negative review. If you believe a review is fraudulent,report it through the proper channels.

Is it possible to remove negative reviews? Yes, but but if the content violatesGoogle's Review Policyguidelines.

Apologize for the customer's frustration only

While there are certain situations that crave an apology, don't say pitiful if it isn't necessary. Focus on apologizing for the fact that the customer is upset and save addressing the textile issue for a direct phone call or electronic mail.

Ideally, you lot'll demonstrate compassion for your customers without making a public admission of guilt. The side by side reader knows in that location are 2 sides to every story.

Provide a productive adjacent step

When it makes sense, let the client know y'all plan to take action immediately. This volition prepare the customer for your telephone call and show future customers your willingness to have activeness.

Don't speculate

When the customer says that they're frustrated only doesn't say why, what do you practise? Don't speculate. Simply acknowledge that the customer is upset and kindly ask them to share more than information most their experience with you over the phone.

8 Negative Review Response Examples

Why it works

Reviewer A feels equally if they were treated in an unprofessional manner throughout the elapsing of their feel. They've also admitted to taking their business elsewhere, so at that place is likely no opportunity to win back the bargain.

In cases like this ane, the business organisation should employ this shopper'south experience equally a learning opportunity.

The response starts off by firmly establishing that professionalism is important to their business and they regret having lost Reviewer A'south business. Note the response does not explicitly apologize for the cited unprofessional behavior, but just acknowledges the reviewer's frustration. The response is completed past offering the reviewer an opportunity to hash out their experience further.

If the shopper follows up, great!

The business will have the chance to address their concerns. If not, future shoppers volition come across that they are open up to client feedback.

Widewail Tip: If you are unable to locate the customer'due south contact information, politely request they requite yous a call, leaving a direct phone number at the stop of the response.

Why it works

Although what Reviewer B has written is a chip confusing, information technology's piece of cake to understand that they are unsatisfied with the service they received and the delay in their repairs. This perspective may or may not be authentic, but equally responders, information technology'due south not our job to go to the truth. Our goal is to empathize with the customer'southward frustration, which is undeniably true, and so request the chat move offline.

The response begins by acknowledging the client's frustration and admit that this handling is non adequate past the standards of the business. It's important to identify the negative scenario as an isolated event and so that future readers will sympathize the state of affairs described in the review is not the business'south normal operating procedure.

Use of the phrase "concerning details" demonstrates that the business is taking the review seriously, but at the same time, is purposefully vague. Information technology'south best to avert repeating details from the review, as this provides Google with content that is detrimental to your reputation. The review ends by offering the customer an opportunity to share more about their situation along with providing contact data.

Widewail Tip: If the business organisation has Reviewer B's telephone number, a more proactive approach would be to say "I'k going to give you a call" in identify of "please consider giving me a call."

Why information technology works

The dreaded 1-star no annotate. On one mitt, time to come customers won't have much information to assess the business organisation and they may even question the validity of the review. On the other hand, they may speculate why this customer is upset.

First, nosotros recommend whomever handles review responses expect upwards the client's name in their database and check in with their team. They may glean plenty information to reach out to the client directly or provide a specific response. If after researching they are still left in the dark, the best option is to investigate.

The response starts by recognizing that a ane-star experience is unacceptable. What follows is an offer to address the reviewer's concerns. The business provides contact information for their General Sales Manager in hopes that Reviewer C volition give them some other chance.

Widewail Tip: "Brand this right" is a proactive phrase that will come in handy when responding to negative reviews.

Why it works

Although this is a 4-star review, it contains a healthy amount of negative information. This is a great opportunity for the concern to appoint with Reviewer D in a positive manner. If they can practise that, they might encourage Reviewer D to give them another shot.

Right away, the response acknowledges Reviewer D's feelings and apologizes for their less-than-perfect visit. The business organisation doesn't make a hope to meliorate their facilities, but they do recognize the feedback. As ever, a adept move is to open up a communication channel in the event that the reviewer would similar to share more details. Shifting the perspective, the concluding sentence expresses that the business hopes to work with this client again and provide a meliorate experience in the future.

Widewail Tip: While one complaint about facilities shouldn't crusade business concern, a pattern of similar feedback could prompt upgrades.

Why it works

Online requests for refunds can be tricky. While businesses may be eager to demonstrate that they do right by their customers, each situation needs to exist considered on a instance-by-instance basis.

The response to Reviewer Eastward acknowledges the customer's frustration and and then offers to review the situation in more detail. Although it may non exist possible for the Service Manager to discover a solution that satisfies Reviewer E, at the very least she may provide information that could help them approach a similar situation differently in the futurity.

From the lens of reputation management, the response demonstrates that the business monitors their feedback and communicates with their customers.

Why it works

Reviewer F's state of affairs certainly sounds frustrating. At the same time, it'southward understandable that staff turnover could pb to mistakes and miscommunications. This response benefits from a gracious perspective - "appreciate you sharing" - and an amends.

Widewail Tip: The phrase "preparation opportunity" demonstrates that your concern takes feedback seriously and proactively addresses customer concerns.

Why it works

Always exist polite when speaking for your business concern online, but don't be agape to hold your basis if the information presented does not align with your experience. In this case, a firm and straightforward response clearly communicates parts of this state of affairs are not explained in the review.

Why it works

When a customer leaves a negative no-comment review, Widewail recommends that businesses request additional information. The first line in the response above is one arroyo, while something like "I'm sorry you were not completely satisfied with your visit" is also advisable.

This response is a great template to accept readily available as a reference for negative no-comment reviews.

How practice you know if your review management strategy is working?

At Widewail nosotros offer a detailed functioning report as a component of our services. Using our reporting your team is able to clarify performance by location, review site, profit center, and time catamenia.

Is your sales department underperforming your service department? When responding to reviews our team tags each review with the relevant profit center. As a event, we can compile a report that shares insights into specific profit middle performance.

For example, nosotros come across below that Location 1 has a combined rating of 4.5, but profit center 1 is scoring a 4.8 and profit heart iii is scoring a 3.9. This sectionalization helps you to place specific customer service issues.

While Google's star rating is a lifetime aggregate, Widewail'southward reporting enables customizable, date-specific, trending performance analysis.

Service ratings trending sharply downward? Our reporting gives you the specific information needed to solve issues early on.

Widewail customer reduces negative reviews by 64% in ix months.

Bonus: Example of a "Widewail Salve"

When all the techniques are properly implemented sometimes an unhappy client can turn into a happy client. This is what nosotros want!

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Source: https://www.widewail.com/guide-review-response

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