For business owners · Launch League blog
How to reply to Google reviews, good and bad
By Nick Gonzalez, founder, U.S. Air Force veteranPublished
The short answer
Reply to every review, quickly, in your own voice. Thank people for something specific, not a generic line. For a bad review, stay calm, acknowledge what you can, never share the customer's details, and move the detail to a phone call or email. Write for the next stranger reading, not only the reviewer.
The two-reader reply
Every reply has two readers: the person who wrote the review and the stranger deciding whether to call you. You cannot always win the first reader. You can always be the business the second reader would trust, so write for them.
Do you really have to reply to every review?
Google's help recommends replying to all reviews, and it notes that replies are public and can help a business stand out. It also says a mix of positive and negative reviews often seems more trustworthy than a spotless record.
So yes, reply to all of them, including the five-star ones with no text. A reply costs a minute. What it tells the next reader is that someone is paying attention. A profile with reviews and no replies looks abandoned even when it is not.
How do you reply to a good review?
Thank the person for something specific. Google's help says to avoid sending the same generic thank-you to everyone and to reply where you can add a helpful update or answer a question. If someone mentions the quick turnaround, say you are glad that worked. If they mention a team member by name, pass it on and say so.
Keep it short and conversational. Do not use a review reply to run a promotion or push a deal; Google's help says to keep replies conversational and within its content policies. Sign with your name or initials.
- Use the reviewer's name.
- Mention one real detail from their review.
- Say thank you once, then stop.
- Do not paste the same reply under ten reviews.
How do you reply to a bad review?
Do not reply the minute you read it. Take a breath, then reply promptly, because Google's help lists responding promptly as part of a good response. Acknowledge what the reviewer experienced, apologize when an apology is honest, and say what you can and cannot do.
Google's help also says not to take responsibility for things outside your control, and never to share a reviewer's private information or make personal attacks. For anything complicated, ask them to contact you by phone or email so the detail does not play out in public.
- Name them, sign off with your name.
- Acknowledge the problem in one sentence.
- Say what you will do, or what you cannot do and why.
- Offer a phone number or email for the detail.
- Leave out account details, names of staff and anything private.
What does a good reply sound like?
A good reply to a good review: "Thanks, Sam. Glad the new furnace was in the same afternoon. I will tell Dave you said so." A good reply to a bad one: "Hi Jordan, I am sorry the quote took longer than we said. That is on us. I would like to hear more and put it right. Please call the office or email me and I will take it from there. Nick".
Notice what is missing: no argument, no defence of the process, no names of other customers, no offer of a discount to make the review go away. Google's help is clear that offering goods or services in exchange for changed or removed reviews is prohibited.
What if the review is fake or breaks the rules?
If a review violates Google's content policies you can flag it for Google to review. A review you simply disagree with is not a policy violation. Reply to it calmly, state the facts once, and let the record speak.
If you suspect a pattern, such as several reviews from accounts that never dealt with you, keep notes with dates and flag each review. Do not respond with fake reviews of your own, which would break the same rules.
How do you make replying a habit?
Set a fixed time. Five minutes on a Monday and a Thursday is enough for most small businesses. Turn on notifications for your Business Profile so you see new reviews quickly, and decide who is allowed to reply. A short reply from the owner beats a polished one that takes three weeks.
Questions
Quick answers
- How soon should I reply to a Google review?
- Promptly. Google's help lists responding promptly as part of a good response, especially to negative reviews. Within a day or two is a sensible target.
- Should I reply to a negative review at all?
- Yes. A calm, specific reply shows the next reader how you treat a customer who is unhappy, which is often more persuasive than the review itself.
- Can I offer a refund in the reply?
- Move the specifics to a phone call or email instead of settling them in public. And never offer something in exchange for a changed or removed review; Google prohibits it.
- Can I get a review removed?
- Only if it breaks Google's content policies. You can flag it for Google to review. Disagreeing with a review is not enough.
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Sources: Google Business Profile Help: Read and reply to reviews · Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking on Google. Coaching is not therapy, medical, legal or financial advice.