How to Reply to Google Reviews (Tips & Examples)

Google reviews dress up the immense mostly of online reviews (as overmuch arsenic 73%). And really you negociate and respond to a Google reappraisal tin thief you build much spot pinch imaginable customers.

Google reviews look wrong your Google Business Profile (GBP) connected Maps and Search. Like this:

So it tin beryllium 1 of the first things that group spot erstwhile they look up your business connected Google.

In this post, we’ll explicate why responding to Google reviews is truthful important for your business.

And show you champion practices connected really to respond to a Google review, whether that reappraisal is affirmative aliases negative.

Why Is It Important to Reply to Google Reviews?

When you respond to Google reviews, you show group that you really attraction astir customer feedback.

Which tin lead to amended online estimation and amended customer relationships. And perchance much qualified leads.

In fact, 93% of consumers expect businesses to respond to their reviews. And 41% of consumers would take businesses that respond to each reviews complete ones that don’t.

Here are much benefits of responding to customer feedback connected Google:

• It fosters amended customer relationships and trust. Engaging pinch reviews shows that you worth customer opinions and admit them choosing your business. A business that responds to reviews tends to look much trustworthy and customer-focused than 1 that doesn’t.
• It reveals valuable insights. Being funny astir your customers’ experiences and asking them really things could person been amended helps you place ways to amended your merchandise aliases service.
• It improves section rankings. According to Google, high-quality and affirmative reviews tin amended your section hunt visibility.

How to Reply to Google Reviews

Learn really to respond to a reappraisal connected Google. So you tin commencement building customer spot and relationships today.

1. Verify Your Business

Google needs to verify your business earlier you tin respond to Google reviews.

First, create aliases declare your Business Profile (if you haven’t already).

Set up your floor plan by providing business details. Like your business name, website, location, and interaction information.

Google will past connection different ways to verify your business. Including by phone, email, aliases video recording.

It tin return up to 5 moving days for Google to reappraisal and verify your details.

Further reading: How to Add Your Business to Google: The Ultimate Guide for 2024

2. Respond to Google Reviews Using Google Search aliases Maps

You tin reply to Google reviews utilizing your computer, Android device, iPhone, aliases iPad.

But for this guide, we’ll show you really to do it utilizing your computer.

First, caput to Google Search and participate your business sanction into the hunt bar.

Then, click connected the “Reviews” tab successful Maps. Or the “X Google reviews” nexus successful Search.

And deed “Reply” nether the reappraisal that you want to respond to.

Write your consequence successful the pop-up that appears. And click “Reply” to people your response.

Edit aliases delete your consequence aft publishing it. By clicking connected the “Edit” aliases “Delete” fastener underneath it.

Learn much astir really you tin reply to reviews connected different devices by reading Google’s documentation.

3. Reply to Google Reviews Using Semrush

You tin besides position and respond to Google reviews utilizing Semrush’s Review Management tool.

This AI-powered reappraisal guidance instrumentality allows you to show customer reviews crossed aggregate platforms (not conscionable Google) utilizing a azygous dashboard.

Here’s really to do it.

First, unfastened the Review Management tool. And participate your business sanction into the abstraction provided. And prime your business from the list.

And past click “Continue setup.” And travel the prompts to group up your account.

When you’re done pinch the setup, you’ll spot a “Review Progress” barroom floor plan that shows really galore reviews you got. And what your mean prima standing was.

Scroll down to the “Reviews” conception to spot your latest reviews.

And click connected the “Not Replied” select to spot reviews you’ve not responded to.

You tin besides click connected the drop-down paper successful the apical correct information of the table. To select for affirmative aliases antagonistic reviews.

And commencement drafting your response. Either manually aliases pinch AI.

If you want to usage AI, click the “Generate draft” fastener to instantly make a response. This action is disposable for your first 5 unanswered reviews. 

Click “Reply” erstwhile you’re satisfied pinch your response.

Best Practices for Responding to Negative Google Reviews

Dealing pinch affirmative reviews is easy. (And we’ll get to that later).

But really do you respond to a Google reappraisal erstwhile it’s negative?

That tin beryllium challenging. Especially if you deliberation the reappraisal is unfair aliases misrepresents your business.

But handling antagonistic reviews the correct measurement shows readers that you attraction astir customer satisfaction. And doing truthful tin build spot and amended customer relationships.

Here are immoderate tips for responding to bad Google reviews.

Choose the Right Time to Reply

Responding promptly shows your business values and listens to what customers person to say.

In fact, 54% of customers who near a antagonistic reappraisal expect the institution to respond.

However, don’t unreserved to respond. 

Give yourself capable clip to process the review. And past draught an due reply that addresses the problem presented and provides a solution, erstwhile possible.

As a wide guideline, we urge responding wrong 1 to 7 days.

Address the Reviewer Personally

When crafting your response, reside the reviewer by name, if possible.

This individual touch shows that you spot the reviewer arsenic an individual, not conscionable different customer. It tin besides thief your consequence consciousness much genuine and considerate.

Start your reply by acknowledging the reviewer’s circumstantial concerns. 

For example, alternatively of a generic “Thank you for your feedback,” you could say, “Hi [Name], convey you for bringing [specific issue] to our attention.” 

This attack demonstrates that you’re engaged pinch their business and return it seriously. 

Like this personalized consequence from Miami’s Quality Auto Repair shop.

Apologize and Accept Responsibility

Acknowledging immoderate mistakes aliases shortcomings is important successful defusing a antagonistic situation.

Any apology should beryllium sincere and circumstantial to the reviewer’s issue. Cookie-cutter apologies whitethorn look disingenuous.

So, alternatively of saying "We’re sorry for immoderate inconvenience," you could say, "We’re genuinely sorry that your bid was delayed and that this hold impacted your experience. We understand really frustrating that must person been, and we’re taking steps to guarantee this doesn’t hap again."

Of course, you shouldn’t judge blasted for thing beyond your power arsenic a business (like bad weather). And it’s sometimes worthy providing much discourse to explicate why definite situations occurred.

Here’s an illustration of a well-balanced reply from The Hermosa Inn.

The consequence is empathetic and conciliatory, but only admits blasted wherever it’s due. 

Offer Solutions

Customers admit apologies. But, ultimately, they for illustration solutions.

Whenever possible, connection thing to effort to make it up to the customer. 

This could beryllium a refund, a replacement, aliases a discount connected early services. Something tangible that shows you’re committed to making things right.

At the very least, you should committedness to reside the guidelines origin of the problem truthful it doesn’t hap again.

For example, successful this response, Spiller Park Coffee acknowledges that the business should beryllium much mindful of its euphony choices arsenic a family-friendly establishment.

Maintain a Professional Tone

Even if a reappraisal feels unfair aliases overly harsh, support your reside master and respectful. 

Responding defensively aliases pinch vexation could discourage imaginable customers from doing business pinch you.

So debar resorting to excuses, blame-shifting, sarcasm, aliases immoderate connection that mightiness travel crossed arsenic dismissive aliases combative.

Keeping a cool caput shows your business values customer restitution and handles disapproval gracefully.

Your responses should besides beryllium well-written and free from pronunciation and grammatical errors.

Use the AI Writing Assistant app to create master replies for nationalist reviews.

Search “review” to find the Review Responder tool.

Enter specifications astir your reappraisal to thief the instrumentality make a response. Adjust your reside of sound to beryllium master aliases friendly, among different options. Then, click “Generate.”

The instrumentality will create responses for you to usage aliases to edit further.

Encourage the Reviewer to Contact You Directly

Sometimes, it’s much adjuvant to induce the reviewer to proceed the speech privately. 

Encouraging them to interaction you straight allows you to reside their concerns successful much detail, distant from the nationalist eye, and helps forestall further escalation.

Offering a nonstop statement of communication, for illustration a telephone number aliases email address, demonstrates your willingness to resoluteness the issue.

Like this illustration from the Stubborn Seed edifice successful Miami.

Address What Caused the Problem

You should worth affirmative and antagonistic customer feedback equally.

After all, a valid antagonistic reappraisal tells you really you tin amended the customer experience. And the much you amended your customer experience, the less bad reviews you’ll get down the line.

Look for immoderate patterns aliases recurring issues successful your reviews.

And inquire yourself, “Are location circumstantial aspects of your work aliases merchandise that origin dissatisfaction?”

Once you’ve pinpointed what caused the customer dissatisfaction, return actual actions to hole the issue. Whether it’s retraining staff, improving merchandise quality, aliases adjusting policies.

After implementing changes, see informing your reviewers (and early customers) of the steps you’ve taken to resoluteness these issues.

This shows that you really attraction astir your customers. And are striving to amended the work you provide.

An illustration update could be, “Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We’ve since taken steps to [describe the solution] to guarantee this doesn’t hap again.”

Further reading: How to Respond to Negative Reviews: 6 Best Practices

Best Practices for Responding to Positive Google Reviews

Responding to affirmative Google reviews is conscionable arsenic important arsenic addressing antagonistic ones.

Acknowledging satisfied customers tin foster loyalty and promote others to stock their affirmative experiences.

Here are immoderate tips for responding to affirmative Google reviews:

Show Genuine Appreciation

Showing genuine appreciation for reviews tin thief you build lasting customer relationships.

A elemental “thank you” tin spell a agelong way. 

But you tin build an moreover stronger relationship by personalizing your consequence and mentioning circumstantial specifications from their review. 

For instance, if the reviewer praised a peculiar merchandise aliases service, admit it directly. Like this:

“Thank you [customer name]! We’re truthful gladsome you loved our [specific product/service]!”

Here’s an illustration of a heartfelt convey you from The Book Cellar successful Chicago.

Show Your Brand’s Personality

Positive reviews tin beryllium an opportunity to showcase your brand’s unsocial personality. And make your marque guidelines out.

So don’t beryllium acrophobic to fto your brand’s sound travel done successful your responses. Whether it’s friendly, quirky, aliases sophisticated. 

For example, if your marque is known for its consciousness of humor, you mightiness adhd a light-hearted remark successful your reply. This makes your consequence much memorable and reinforces the nosy acquisition customers subordinate pinch your brand.

Like this playful reply from the Abracadabra costume shop successful New York City.

Highlight Key Aspects of Your Business

Positive reviews are besides an opportunity to item cardinal aspects of your business you want to promote.

When responding to affirmative feedback, see really you tin subtly mention different features imaginable customers mightiness find valuable. 

For instance, if a reviewer praises a circumstantial work aliases product, you tin grow connected it by emphasizing akin features, upcoming events, aliases typical offers related to it.

In this example, Wanderlust Yoga teases an upcoming yoga challenge.

Manage and Grow Your Brand’s Reputation

Responding to Google reviews—both bully and bad—is basal for managing your business’s online reputation. And building meaningful relationships pinch your customers.

But keeping up pinch reviews is hard. Especially if you get a batch of them.

So usage a instrumentality for illustration Review Management to respond to customer feedback promptly and compassionately.

The instrumentality has AI features that thief you trade your responses. And an automated consequence characteristic that will thief you respond to affirmative reviews quickly.

Stay connected apical of your Google reviews to foster customer loyalty, reside concerns earlier they escalate, and showcase your committedness to providing fantabulous service.