How to Reply to Reviews on Google Maps

Google Reviews: How to Respond 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. Utilize these techniques to impress your customers, encourage more Google reviews, and rank higher in local search results.

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

If yous 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 yous demand a response plan to calibration, just also look like a homo is responding, we recommend you read The Pros and Cons of Google My Business Review Response Automation Software.

Bottom line:If you want to learn 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 hereafter customer

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

Permit'south say that yous'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 2 options.

Conspicuously, y'all're going to cull #1.

And you're not lone.

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

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

This last statistic is especially important to keep in mind. Did you know that there are certain search situations in which Google only displays businesses with ratings to a higher place 4.0?

See the case beneath:

While this might be frustrating for businesses rated 3.9 or lower, it makes sense. Google'due south best interest is to bear witness searchers the results that are most probable to offer a proven good experience. That means businesses with higher ratings go a boost.

If your business organisation doesn't have many reviews, potential customers will take less data to assist them make a conclusion most where to shop. Even worse, they are less likely to find your concern in the first place.

"The prominence of reviews isn't particularly shocking, equally it's a manner for Google to crowdsource ranking factors, it's hard to spam, and the most problematic type of abuse is illegal."

Source: Local SEO Guide

See 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 dominate local SEO

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

According to Moz, reviews are the 2d most important ranking factor in 2020, moving upwardly from third, surpassing proximity. This change means the expected quality of experience (reviews) is more important than where the searcher is physically (within reason). Because of this, review management should be a core part of your business's SEO strategy.

A not bad mode to explain this is what nosotros call the "deli example" (illustrated beneath).

Say you are in a new city, it's lunchtime, and yous would like to observe a good deli nearby. You lot search "cafeteria near me". Historically, Google would recommend the closest deli first. In the case of this example, Cafeteria A. Today, if Deli B has more reviews and higher ratings, Google will recommend Deli B starting time, in spite of the fact that the searcher will have to walk a few more blocks.

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

If you lot think nearly information technology from Google's perspective, it makes full sense. Its business organisation relies upon searchers being satisfied with the businesses Google recommends. How does information technology pick the all-time businesses to recommend? Reviews.

Always be listening

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

Customer feedback is a great mode to meliorate your business organization offerings and monitor customer experience trends over fourth dimension.

Tin can yous answer to Google reviews?

Aye. As a business owner with admin access to your Google Concern Profile (formerly Google My Business/GMB) you are able to monitor and respond to customer reviews.

Here's how you lot Reply to Google Reviews

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

2. Select "Reviews" on left-side navigation

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

If you would like to get a straight link to your review page that you can share, go to business.google.com, and from your dwelling page detect "1000et more reviews" and select "Share review form" to access the link.

Why respond to reviews?

At present that we sympathise why reviews matter, let's discuss why responses matter just as much.

Review response is all near taking control of your business'southward public-facing content. While the net tin sometimes feel like a i-style chat, responding to reviews gives your business concern a voice.

Meaning SEO Bear on

Here are the review factors that influence SEO:

• Volume

• Rating

• Keywords

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

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

Volume

More reviews volition enable your customers to get a amend understanding of the experience they can expect to accept at your store. Responding can boost this consequence, the Harvard Concern Review finding in arecent studythat businesses who answer consistently get 12% more than reviews.

Worried near 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 individual situations.

Review volume as well keeps your information current. According to BrightLocal,xl% of customers simply take into business relationship reviews written in the prior two weeks. Considering that this statistic increased xviii% from the year prior, we remember this trend volition continue.

An even more than reliable fashion to get more reviews is through our review generation productionInvite. You tin utilize Invite to request reviews from individual customers via text, or you can sync it upward with your point of auction system to accomplish all of your customers automatically.

Rating

Your online business concern rating is likely the first quality indicator your potential customers will meet. At a minimum, a rating above iv.0 should be your target.

This will become you by the outset round of cuts. Mostly, iv.0-iv.5 is good and 4.5-5.0 is the top of the pack.

Keywords

This is whereGoogle review managementreally comes into play. Yes, your customers' reviews will sometimes contain keywords, but responding gives you the chance to ensure Google knows exactly what your business organization is nearly.

Relevant keywords to consider in your review responses:

• Business proper noun

• Location

• Products

• Services

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

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

Unique, up-to-engagement, and ongoing content

To Google, a strong indicator of a salubrious and agile business is new content on a consequent ground. Responding to reviews will effectively double your GMB content activeness.

"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 organisation'south review chat, y'all are probable to run into a drop in short, negative reviews. If a customer know that the manager is probable to read and respond to their review, they will be less likely to get out 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 problem is better than letting information technology fester. Reviews are no dissimilar.

In our feel, dealing with a customer frustration head-on as apace as possible is most likely to pb to a positive event.

Furthermore, responding to reviews demonstrates to future customers that if they patronize your business and have a problem they can await prompt customer service.

Better customer service = happier customers!

8 Types of Review Responses

Types of Review Responses:

• No response

• Negative-negative response

• Barely-there response

• Spellcheck response

• Robo response

• Eager-beaver response

• Keyword-less response

• Widewail response

1. No Response

Coming in expressionless concluding: no response at all.

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

2. The Negative-Negative Response

The positive reviews get the attention they deserve, merely negatives go overlooked.

This might be the worst message to transport potential customers: that guests without complaints volition exist treated with kindness but those looking for aid volition be ignored.

Even beyond customer service,negative reviews provide valuable data to businesses nearly how they tin improve. The only thing worse than ignoring negatives is responding to them in anger. No matter what the review says, answering in an aggressive tone makes the company seem fiddling and will invite a very public customer service fire.

3. The Barely-There Response

1 step above ignoring reviews is responding with as little effort as possible. Each positive review receives the aforementioned "Thanks," while unhappy customers are provided a full general e-mail address where they tin can send their feedback. At to the lowest degree in that location is an answer, but no one believes that anyone from the company is actually concerned nearly resolving their patrons' problems.

4. The Spellcheck Response

Even a response that contains great content tin can exist ruined with grammar bug, wrong spelling, and awkward prose. Mistakes like these, especially ones that would exist stock-still with a simple proofread, paint the visitor in a very unprofessional light.

If the business doesn't intendance about the details when it comes to communicating with their clients, will their care about the details when information technology comes to their service?

5. The Robo Response

It'southward obvious that these responses are copied and pasted from a template, or otherwise written by a automobile. While detached responses might seem like the nearly professional person option, they may further upset unhappy customers.

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

Future customers might be turned off likewise, believing that the service they can expect in person volition be as 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 y'all, excessive emojis and exclamation points all will be overwhelming to the reviewer. Customers should be treated with respect, non pandered to.

seven. The Keyword-Less Response

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

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

8. The Widewail Response

Finally, the best selection: aresponse written by experts.

Easy to read,professional with a personal affect, packed full of SEO terms without being clunky. This is the response which will thank current customers properly, heave the company site'south ranking with the GMB, and encourage potential clients to requite the business organization a chance. We too know whatnot to do.

Best of all, it requires no additional effort from the team profitable guests in person. They tin focus on their job, knowing that their clients will be well taken care of fifty-fifty later on they leave the store.

Read more most the tactics used past 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:

• Work keywords into your positive review responses

• Use the customer's proper name

• If a customer mentions a product, echo information technology in your response

• Mention additional products y'all sell

• Share your visitor values

No big surprise hither - your business should be responding to all positive reviews. A common mistake is to answer just to unhappy customers. Operationally this makes sense, but because Google tends to favor reviews that are engaged with, by only responding to negative reviews you run the risk of pushing that content to the height of your page. Avoid this by responding to all of your customers.

Positive reviews are a fashion to engage with happy customers and proceed the chat going afterward the auction. A positive response to a positive review will leave a skillful impression on the customer, leading to a higher probability of repeat concern.

Work keywords into your positive review responses

As mentioned higher up, a positive review response is an obstacle-free opportunity to add relevant keywords to your GMB (without keyword stuffing). Local business organisation keywords are by and large business name, location, products, and services.

Use the customer's proper name

Calculation the reviewer's name to the response is an easy personal touch.

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

If the client mentioned the make or model of the vehicle they purchased, exist sure to include it in your review response. If yous aren't sure which vehicle the customer purchased, don't approximate!

*Annotation - Information technology is mutual for reviewers to use autograph versions of the model they purchased (i.due east. "2019 Borough"). Your response is an opportunity to include the full keyword set, "2019 Honda Civic."

Mention other products

Another way to make the near out of your review response is to mention other products the customer could potentially purchase in the futurity.

Warning: it can be easy to become overboard when adding keywords. Make sure y'all are confident that the boosted product you are recommending is useful to the reviewer.

Share your company values

Identify some of your business'south core values. For example, your business may pride itself on offering a transparent and stress-free shopping experience. Apply the review response as an opportunity to communicate that to future customers - the people reading your reviews!

Other tips

• Avoid repetition whenever possible. While it's challenging to come up with dissimilar ways to say substantially the same matter, variety is key to providing personalized service to your customers.

• 1 simple way to vary review responses is to switch betwixt "I" and "we." For example, "I am glad to hear that y'all had a good experience" vs. "we thank you for sharing your positive experience."

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

• Positive review responses should always be conversational. Anyone reading the response should be able to tell it was written past a real person. This is peculiarly important to think when including keywords. While you want to go the most SEO benefits possible, make sure that your responses are tasteful above all else.

xi 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 diversity of scenarios.

Why it works

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

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

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

• It includes the store name and a prompt for the reviewer to come up dorsum for another service.

Finally, an emphasis is placed on proverb thank you lot.

Call up, customers with positive experiences take limited motivation to mail a review, so it is of import to testify your appreciation.

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

Why it works

As y'all tin encounter in this response, commenting on how a positive review "makes our day" is a squeamish personal touch on.

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

Most chiefly, all the nuts are covered: the customer name, the store proper noun, and the product name are all mentioned.

Why it works

When customers brand a successful purchase, peculiarly a large purchase such as a car, they often accept a sense of accomplishment.

Engage with this emotion by offering your congratulations.

If a customer offers praise of a specific employee, use information technology equally an opportunity to echo their compliments and reinforce that, aye, this person is bully. It's non a stretch to assume futurity customers will look at Luis as an case of the customer service they can expect from this business.

Why it works

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

This is an excellent manner to reinforce that future customers can expect a similar feel, no matter when they cull to patronize the business organisation.

What you should steal: "Validating" is a great word to suggest that positive reviews are more than than a sign of financial success; they are a personal success also.

Why it works

Starting your response with a quote from the original review is a peachy manner to highlight the nearly flattering piece of the review.

Because this business answers reviews on a consistent basis, they can conclude with the annotation "this vacation season."

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

Why information technology works

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

Why it works

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

Why it works

This response does a good task of communicating the business'southward "great prices," simply doesn't come off overly salesy. Catastrophe with a personal statement of well-wishes adds a nice impact.

Why it works

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

To make responding easy and ensure a multifariousness of answers, this business organization has created a list of response templates.

They update the template with the reviewer's name and the business'south proper noun before publishing.

Why it works

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

This information forms the basis of the response.

Why it works

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

Even uncomplicated word changes like these make responses seem more unique and human.

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

Best practices for responding to negative reviews

How to reply to negative reviews:

• Stay professional

• Don't speculate

• Minimize emotion

• Present the facts

• Repent for the customer's frustration only

• Practice not publicly admit guilt for the material issue

• Avoid public accusations of review fraud

• Provide a productive next pace

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

Offer to resolve the situation via phone or email and and so follow-upwardly with the customer quickly. Google reviews is not the place to get into a debate.

Professionalism is key

Do your best to avoid beingness defensive, overly emotional, or sarcastic. Leave out personal opinions near politics, ethics, religion, or social bug. Review responses should remain professional person and neutral.

Avoid public accusations of review fraud

Faux reviews do happen, just you should reply to them in the same manner every bit any other negative review. If you believe a review is fraudulent,study it through the proper channels.

Is information technology possible to remove negative reviews? Aye, simply simply if the content violatesGoogle's Review Policyguidelines.

Repent for the customer'southward frustration just

While there are certain situations that require 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 cloth outcome for a direct phone call or email.

Ideally, you'll demonstrate compassion for your customers without making a public admission of guilt. The next reader knows there are ii sides to every story.

Provide a productive adjacent step

When it makes sense, permit the customer know you lot plan to take action immediately. This will set the customer for your phone call and show future customers your willingness to take action.

Don't speculate

When the client says that they're frustrated but doesn't say why, what exercise you do? Don't speculate. Simply acknowledge that the customer is upset and kindly ask them to share more information virtually their feel with yous over the phone.

8 Negative Review Response Examples

Why it works

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

In cases like this one, the business concern should use this shopper's experience as a learning opportunity.

The response starts off past firmly establishing that professionalism is important to their business organization and they regret having lost Reviewer A's business concern. Annotation the response does not explicitly apologize for the cited unprofessional behavior, but simply acknowledges the reviewer's frustration. The response is completed past offering the reviewer an opportunity to discuss their experience farther.

If the shopper follows up, great!

The business organisation will accept the chance to address their concerns. If not, hereafter shoppers will run across that they are open to customer feedback.

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

Why it works

Although what Reviewer B has written is a flake confusing, it'south easy to understand that they are unsatisfied with the service they received and the delay in their repairs. This perspective may or may non be accurate, simply every bit responders, it's not our job to go to the truth. Our goal is to empathize with the customer'due south frustration, which is undeniably true, and and then request the chat move offline.

The response begins by acknowledging the customer's frustration and admit that this treatment is non adequate by the standards of the concern. Information technology'south of import to identify the negative scenario equally an isolated consequence so that future readers will understand the situation described in the review is not the business'due south normal operating procedure.

Use of the phrase "concerning details" demonstrates that the business is taking the review seriously, only at the same fourth dimension, is purposefully vague. It's all-time to avoid repeating details from the review, every bit this provides Google with content that is detrimental to your reputation. The review ends by offering the customer an opportunity to share more than about their situation along with providing contact information.

Widewail Tip: If the business has Reviewer B's telephone number, a more proactive approach would exist to say "I'm going to give yous a phone call" in place of "please consider giving me a telephone call."

Why information technology works

The dreaded 1-star no annotate. On one hand, future customers won't have much information to appraise the business and they may fifty-fifty question the validity of the review. On the other manus, they may speculate why this customer is upset.

First, we recommend whomever handles review responses look up the customer'southward name in their database and cheque in with their team. They may glean plenty data to attain out to the customer directly or provide a specific response. If after researching they are still left in the nighttime, the best selection is to investigate.

The response starts by recognizing that a 1-star experience is unacceptable. What follows is an offer to address the reviewer's concerns. The business concern provides contact data for their General Sales Director in hopes that Reviewer C will give them another chance.

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

Why information technology works

Although this is a iv-star review, it contains a good for you amount of negative information. This is a great opportunity for the business to engage with Reviewer D in a positive style. If they can practise that, they might encourage Reviewer D to give them another shot.

Right away, the response acknowledges Reviewer D'due south feelings and apologizes for their less-than-perfect visit. The business doesn't make a promise to improve their facilities, just they do recognize the feedback. As always, a good move is to open a communication channel in the event that the reviewer would like to share more details. Shifting the perspective, the last sentence expresses that the business hopes to work with this customer again and provide a better feel in the future.

Widewail Tip: While i complaint about facilities shouldn't cause business organization, a pattern of similar feedback could prompt upgrades.

Why it works

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

The response to Reviewer E acknowledges the customer's frustration and so offers to review the situation in more particular. Although it may not exist possible for the Service Manager to notice a solution that satisfies Reviewer E, at the very to the lowest degree 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 organisation monitors their feedback and communicates with their customers.

Why it works

Reviewer F's situation certainly sounds frustrating. At the same time, information technology'due south understandable that staff turnover could lead to mistakes and miscommunications. This response benefits from a gracious perspective - "appreciate you lot sharing" - and an amends.

Widewail Tip: The phrase "training opportunity" demonstrates that your business organization takes feedback seriously and proactively addresses customer concerns.

Why it works

Always exist polite when speaking for your business online, but don't exist afraid to agree your footing if the data presented does non align with your experience. In this example, a firm and straightforward response conspicuously communicates parts of this situation are non explained in the review.

Why information technology works

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

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

How do you lot know if your review management strategy is working?

At Widewail we offer a detailed performance report every bit a component of our services. Using our reporting your team is able to analyze performance by location, review site, profit center, and fourth dimension period.

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

For case, nosotros see below that Location 1 has a combined rating of 4.v, only turn a profit center 1 is scoring a 4.8 and profit center three is scoring a 3.nine. This partition helps y'all to identify specific customer service problems.

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

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

Widewail client reduces negative reviews by 64% in 9 months.

Bonus: Case of a "Widewail Save"

When all the techniques are properly implemented sometimes an unhappy client tin can turn into a happy customer. This is what we desire!

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

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