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Google Reviews: How to Respond to Positive and Negative Google Reviews (+19 Examples)

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

Every central technique Widewail'south review response squad have perfected over 500,000+ responses is explained below.

If you lot run a multi-location business, we've helped thousands of clients improve operational efficiency with our review monitoring and homo-led response managed services. If y'all need a response program to calibration, simply also wait similar a man is responding, we recommend you read The Pros and Cons of Google My Business concern Review Response Automation Software.

Bottom line:If you lot desire to learn how to respond to bothpositive and negative Google reviews, and why online review management is integral to whatsoever digital marketing strategy in 2022 - you'll dear this guide.

Why are reviews important?

Consider your future customer

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

Let's say that yous're a consumer searching for a local automobile dealership. You head to Google, type in a few keywords, and are faced with the following 2 options.

Clearly, y'all're going to choose #1.

And you lot're non alone.

• Consumers read an average of ten reviews earlier they feel they can trust a local business organization (Brightlocal).

  57% of consumers will only consider a business organisation if information technology is rated 4 stars or college.

This last statistic is especially important to keep in heed. Did yous know that at that place are certain search situations in which Google merely displays businesses with ratings above 4.0?

Encounter the case below:

While this might exist frustrating for businesses rated 3.9 or lower, information technology makes sense. Google'southward all-time interest is to show searchers the results that are most likely to offering a proven good feel. That means businesses with higher ratings get a boost.

If your business doesn't have many reviews, potential customers will have less information to help them make a decision nearly where to shop. Fifty-fifty worse, they are less probable to detect your business in the commencement identify.

"The prominence of reviews isn't specially shocking, as information technology'southward a mode for Google to crowdsource ranking factors, it's difficult to spam, and the most problematic type of abuse is illegal."

Source: Local SEO Guide

Meet these techniques in action. We found 19 unique review response scenarios from effectually the spider web to demonstrate review response techniques. Download the real-world examples guide.

Reviews dominate local SEO

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

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

A great way to explain this is what we phone call the "cafeteria example" (illustrated below).

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

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

If yous call up 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 selection the best businesses to recommend? Reviews.

Always exist listening

Reviews are an excellent source of feedback. Satisfied customers will rave almost the products they beloved, while unhappy guests will explicate what went incorrect during their visit.That'south right, even negative reviews can be beneficial.

Customer feedback is a great style to improve your business offerings and monitor client experience trends over fourth dimension.

Can y'all answer to Google reviews?

Yep. As a business owner with admin access to your Google Business concern Profile (formerly Google My Concern/GMB) y'all are able to monitor and reply to customer reviews.

Hither'due south how you Reply to Google Reviews

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

2. Select "Reviews" on left-side navigation

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

If you would like to go a direct link to your review folio that you tin can share, become to business.google.com, and from your habitation folio notice "One thousandet more than reviews" and select "Share review form" to access the link.

Why respond to reviews?

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

Review response is all about taking control of your business organization'due south public-facing content. While the internet can sometimes feel similar a ane-way chat, responding to reviews gives your business concern a vocalisation.

Significant SEO Affect

Here are the review factors that influence SEO:

• Volume

• Rating

• Keywords

• Unique, upward-to-engagement, and ongoing content

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

Volume

More reviews volition enable your customers to become a amend agreement of the experience they can look to have at your store. Responding can boost this effect, the Harvard Business Review finding in arecent studythat businesses who reply consistently get 12% more reviews.

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

Review volume also keeps your information electric current. According to BrightLocal,40% of customers only take into account reviews written in the prior two weeks. Considering that this statistic increased 18% from the year prior, nosotros think this tendency will continue.

An even more reliable fashion to get more reviews is through our review generation productInvite. You lot can use Invite to request reviews from private customers via text, or yous can sync information technology up with your betoken of auction system to reach all of your customers automatically.

Rating

Your online business organisation rating is probable the commencement quality indicator your potential customers will run into. At a minimum, a rating above 4.0 should be your target.

This will go you past the get-go round of cuts. More often than not, four.0-4.5 is good and 4.5-five.0 is the top of the pack.

Keywords

This is whereGoogle review managementreally comes into play. Yeah, your customers' reviews will sometimes incorporate keywords, but responding gives you the chance to ensure Google knows exactly what your business concern is most.

Relevant keywords to consider in your review responses:

• Business name

• Location

• Products

• Services

Compare these ii responses. Which ane has a better SEO value?

Both are pleasant, but number ii also provides Google with helpful information. The 2d response lists the accurate proper name of the business organisation and the full product proper name. The client mentioned "Prime number Toyota", just the complete business proper name is "Prime number Toyota Boston." Past responding, Google now has admission to the proper name.

Unique, up-to-date, and ongoing content

To Google, a strong indicator of a good for you and active business organisation is new content on a consistent basis. Responding to reviews volition 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's review chat, you are likely to see a drop in short, negative reviews. If a customer know that the director is likely to read and respond to their review, they volition be less likely to leave a trivial negative review. The remaining negative reviews will provide feedback for your team or an opportunity to remedy a poor situation.

Identify and Solve Problems Early

Conventional wisdom says addressing a problem is better than letting it fester. Reviews are no dissimilar.

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

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

Better client service = happier customers!

eight 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 dead concluding: no response at all.

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

ii. The Negative-Negative Response

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

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

Fifty-fifty beyond customer service,negative reviews provide valuable data to businesses nigh how they tin can improve. The simply 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 footling and will invite a very public customer service burn.

3. The Barely-At that place Response

Ane pace higher up ignoring reviews is responding with as piffling effort as possible. Each positive review receives the same "Thank you," while unhappy customers are provided a general e-mail address where they can transport their feedback. At least there is an answer, but no i believes that anyone from the company is actually concerned virtually resolving their patrons' problems.

4. The Spellcheck Response

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

If the business organisation doesn't care virtually the details when it comes to communicating with their clients, volition their care about the details when it comes to their service?

five. The Robo Response

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

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

Time to come customers might be turned off equally well, assertive that the service they tin wait in person will exist every bit common cold as the interactions they viewed online.

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

6. The Eager-Beaver Response

Nosotros know that businesses are enthusiastic virtually their customers, merely it'south possible to go overboard when information technology comes to answering online review.

All-caps paragraphs running longer than the review itself, multiple thank you, excessive emojis and exclamation points all will exist overwhelming to the reviewer. Customers should be treated with respect, non pandered to.

7. The Keyword-Less Response

This response meets all the bones requirements, but information technology'due south missing a huge opportunity: SEO keywords.

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

viii. The Widewail Response

Finally, the all-time option: aresponse written past experts.

Piece of cake to read,professional with a personal touch, packed total of SEO terms without being clunky. This is the response which will give thanks current customers properly, boost the company site's ranking with the GMB, and encourage potential clients to requite the business a chance. We also know whatnot to do.

All-time of all, it requires no additional effort from the team assisting guests in person. They can focus on their job, knowing that their clients will exist well taken care of even after they leave the shop.

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

Best practices for responding to positive reviews

How to respond to positive reviews:

• Piece of work keywords into your positive review responses

• Use the client's name

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

• Mention additional products you sell

• Share your company values

No big surprise here - your business should be responding to all positive reviews. A mutual error is to respond only to unhappy customers. Operationally this makes sense, but because Google tends to favor reviews that are engaged with, by only responding to negative reviews y'all run the hazard of pushing that content to the pinnacle of your page. Avoid this by responding to all of your customers.

Positive reviews are a way to appoint with happy customers and keep the conversation going subsequently the sale. A positive response to a positive review volition leave a expert impression on the client, leading to a college probability of repeat business.

Work keywords into your positive review responses

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

Apply the client'due south name

Adding the reviewer's proper noun to the response is an easy personal touch.

If a client mentions a product, repeat it in the response

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

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

Mention other products

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

Warning: information technology can exist like shooting fish in a barrel to go overboard when adding keywords. Make certain you are confident that the additional production you are recommending is useful to the reviewer.

Share your visitor values

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

Other tips

• Avert repetition whenever possible. While it'due south challenging to come up with dissimilar ways to say essentially the same matter, diverseness is key to providing personalized service to your customers.

• One simple way to vary review responses is to switch between "I" and "nosotros." For instance, "I am glad to hear that you had a good experience" vs. "nosotros thanks 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 ever be conversational. Anyone reading the response should exist able to tell information technology was written by a real person. This is peculiarly important to remember when including keywords. While you want to get the almost SEO benefits possible, make sure that your responses are tasteful above all else.

11 Positive Review Response Examples

We've nerveless a handful of examples on how to respond to positive Google reviews. These examples are real client reviews and responses sourced from Google.

We've tried to select a variety of scenarios.

Why it works

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

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

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

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

Finally, an emphasis is placed on maxim thanks.

Remember, customers with positive experiences take limited motivation to postal service a review, so it is important to bear witness your appreciation.

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

Why information technology works

As you can run into in this response, commenting on how a positive review "makes our mean solar day" is a nice personal bear upon.

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

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

Why it works

When customers make a successful purchase, especially a large purchase such equally a car, they often have a sense of achievement.

Engage with this emotion by offering your congratulations.

If a customer offers praise of a specific employee, use it every bit an opportunity to echo their compliments and reinforce that, yes, this person is great. It's not a stretch to assume future customers will look at Luis as an example of the customer service they can expect from this business.

Why it works

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

This is an excellent manner to reinforce that future customers tin expect a similar experience, no thing when they choose to patronize the business.

What you should steal: "Validating" is a dandy word to suggest that positive reviews are more than than a sign of fiscal success; they are a personal success as well.

Why information technology works

Starting your response with a quote from the original review is a great way to highlight the about flattering piece of the review.

Because this business organisation answers reviews on a consistent basis, they can conclude with the notation "this holiday season."

What you should steal: time-specific sign-offs are a skillful 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 effort.

Why information technology works

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

Why it works

This response does a good job of communicating the concern's "great prices," merely doesn't come off overly salesy. Ending with a personal statement of well-wishes adds a prissy touch.

Why it works

The most mutual Google reviews are five-star, no-annotate.

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

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

Why information technology works

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

This information forms the footing of the response.

Why it works

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

Fifty-fifty elementary word changes like these brand responses seem more than unique and human.

Widewail Tip: Switching up perspectives, like swapping "we" with "I," adds variety 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'south frustration only

• Do not publicly admit guilt for the material effect

• Avoid public accusations of review fraud

• Provide a productive next step

When responding to bad reviews, the #1 goal is to move the conversation offline.

Offering to resolve the situation via phone or electronic mail and so follow-up with the client quickly. Google reviews is not the place to become into a debate.

Professionalism is key

Do your best to avoid being defensive, overly emotional, or sarcastic. Leave out personal opinions about politics, ethics, faith, or social problems. Review responses should remain professional person and neutral.

Avoid public accusations of review fraud

Fake reviews do happen, only you should respond to them in the same manner as any other negative review. If y'all believe a review is fraudulent,report it through the proper channels.

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

Apologize for the client's frustration just

While at that place are certain situations that crave an apology, don't say sorry if it isn't necessary. Focus on apologizing for the fact that the customer is upset and salve addressing the textile issue 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 next footstep

When it makes sense, let the customer know you plan to take action immediately. This will prepare the customer for your telephone call and show future customers your willingness to take action.

Don't speculate

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

viii Negative Review Response Examples

Why it works

Reviewer A feels equally if they were treated in an unprofessional style throughout the elapsing of their experience. They've also admitted to taking their business elsewhere, so there is likely no opportunity to win dorsum the deal.

In cases like this one, the business should utilise this shopper's experience equally a learning opportunity.

The response starts off by firmly establishing that professionalism is of import to their business organization and they regret having lost Reviewer A'southward concern. Note the response does non explicitly repent for the cited unprofessional behavior, but simply acknowledges the reviewer's frustration. The response is completed by offer the reviewer an opportunity to discuss their experience further.

If the shopper follows up, bang-up!

The business will have the chance to address their concerns. If non, futurity shoppers will run across that they are open to customer feedback.

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

Why it works

Although what Reviewer B has written is a bit confusing, it's like shooting fish in a barrel 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 as responders, it's non our job to go to the truth. Our goal is to sympathize with the client's frustration, which is undeniably true, and so request the conversation move offline.

The response begins past acknowledging the customer's frustration and acknowledge that this treatment is non acceptable by the standards of the business. It'southward important to identify the negative scenario equally an isolated event and then that future readers volition sympathise the situation described in the review is not the concern's normal operating procedure.

Use of the phrase "concerning details" demonstrates that the business is taking the review seriously, just at the aforementioned time, is purposefully vague. It's best to avoid repeating details from the review, as this provides Google with content that is detrimental to your reputation. The review ends by offering the client an opportunity to share more than about their situation along with providing contact information.

Widewail Tip: If the business organisation has Reviewer B'south telephone number, a more proactive approach would be to say "I'm going to requite you lot a call" in place of "please consider giving me a call."

Why it works

The dreaded 1-star no annotate. On ane paw, time to come customers won't have much data to appraise the business concern and they may fifty-fifty question the validity of the review. On the other hand, they may speculate why this customer is upset.

First, we recommend whomever handles review responses look upward the customer'southward proper name in their database and cheque in with their team. They may glean plenty information to reach out to the customer directly or provide a specific response. If subsequently researching they are still left in the nighttime, the all-time pick 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 provides contact information for their General Sales Managing director in hopes that Reviewer C will give them another take chances.

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 four-star review, it contains a good for you amount of negative data. This is a great opportunity for the concern to engage with Reviewer D in a positive mode. If they can practise that, they might encourage Reviewer D to give them some other shot.

Right away, the response acknowledges Reviewer D's feelings and apologizes for their less-than-perfect visit. The business doesn't make a promise to improve their facilities, but they do recognize the feedback. Every bit e'er, a good motility is to open a communication channel in the upshot that the reviewer would like to share more details. Shifting the perspective, the last sentence expresses that the business organisation hopes to work with this client once more and provide a better feel in the time to come.

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

Why it works

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

The response to Reviewer E acknowledges the client'southward frustration and so offers to review the situation in more item. Although it may not exist possible for the Service Director to find 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 future.

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 situation certainly sounds frustrating. At the same time, it's understandable that staff turnover could atomic number 82 to mistakes and miscommunications. This response benefits from a gracious perspective - "capeesh you sharing" - and an amends.

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

Why it works

Ever be polite when speaking for your business online, but don't be afraid to concur your ground if the information presented does not marshal with your feel. In this instance, a firm and straightforward response conspicuously communicates parts of this state of affairs are not explained in the review.

Why it works

When a client leaves a negative no-comment review, Widewail recommends that businesses request additional information. The first line in the response in a higher place is one approach, while something like "I'grand sorry you lot were non completely satisfied with your visit" is also appropriate.

This response is a nifty template to have readily available every bit a reference for negative no-comment reviews.

How practise you know if your review direction strategy is working?

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

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

For example, we see beneath that Location 1 has a combined rating of 4.five, but profit center one is scoring a four.viii and profit center 3 is scoring a 3.ix. This partition helps you to identify specific customer service issues.

While Google'south star rating is a lifetime aggregate, Widewail'due south reporting enables customizable, date-specific, trending functioning assay.

Service ratings trending sharply down? Our reporting gives y'all the specific data needed to solve bug early.

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

Bonus: Example of a "Widewail Salvage"

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

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

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