Responding to Google reviews and proactively keeping an eye on your Google business profile listing is a great way to learn from your customers and market your product. It also shows your customers that you’re open to customer feedback and take your online reputation seriously as a business.
You might be wondering, “But how do I respond to a Google review without bothering the customer?” Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place.
The Importance of Responding to Google Reviews
One of the main things users appreciate about online reviews is the responses they see from owners. When you take the time to leave a reply, it shows past and potential customers that you’re open to hearing feedback.
How To Respond To a Google Review: General Tips
There are a few general guidelines you can follow if you’re not sure how to respond to a review on your Google business profile. Here are a few tips for responding to positive, negative feedback, and neutral reviews.
How To Respond To Positive Google Reviews
You don’t need to spend a lot of time responding to positive online reviews, but you should take the time to leave a “thank you.” Here are a few tips to keep in mind for longer responses.
Use Keywords
Customer reviews are an excellent opportunity to boost your Google ranking because you can include a few keywords in your response. Specifically, you can add name, product, and service information to give your business more visibility in search results.
Use the Reviewer’s Name
Using your reviewer’s name is a way to add a personal touch to your Google review reply. This can show the customer that you’re taking the time to notice who they are and demonstrate that you aren’t leaving form responses.
Mention Your Products
If you know how to respond to a good review effectively, you can use it as an opportunity to market your other products. For example, if you own a bakery, you could mention a customer’s potential return trip for a different type of pastry or coffee drink. Also, if a customer mentions a specific product, repeat that product in your response.
Highlight Your Values
Potential customers will use your reviewers to understand what your business is all about. If you know how to respond to good reviews effectively, you’ll be able to communicate your business’s core values to anyone who comes across your business page.
Show Gratitude
You should also show your gratitude when you respond to a 5-star review. Thank the customer for both their business and for writing a review. Most customers likely won’t leave a review, so it’s important for the ones who do know it’s appreciated.
Positive Review Response Examples
Here are some great examples of how to respond to a positive review on Google. It’s always a great idea to acknowledge the people that believe that you are doing a great job.
Example 1
Hi, [Customer Name]!
We’re so excited you enjoyed your experience at [Business Name]. Your review truly means the world to us.
Our staff works hard to make each customer’s experience enjoyable, so I’ll be sure to share your positive feedback with them.
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
[Your Name]
Example 2
We’re so grateful you took the time to leave such wonderful feedback! I’ll make sure to pass on your kind words to the staff. I promise it’ll make their day!
Example 3
Hi, [Name],
We’re thrilled you had such a wonderful experience at [Business Name]. We’d love to connect with you to hear a bit more about your experience. You can reach out to us at [email/phone] if you’d like to share more about why you loved your time with us!
Thanks,
[Your Name]
How To Respond To a Negative Google Review
Learning how to respond to a negative review can be tough. Negative reviews take a bit more time to get right. Knowing how to respond to bad reviews in a way that’s both effective and can help bring a customer back is an essential skill for all businesses. Keep the following in mind:
- Be professional
- Keep emotion out of it
- Be productive
- Apologize for the customer’s frustration
- Don’t admit guilt
- Don’t make accusations or speculate
Negative Review Response Examples
Here are some great examples of how to respond to a negative review on Google.
Example 1
Hi, [Customer Name],
Thank you for your review. I’m sorry to hear you had a negative experience at [Business Name]. However, I appreciate you bringing it to my attention so I can address the issue with my staff. Hopefully, this experience won’t prevent you from giving us a second chance.
All the best,
[Your Name]
Example 2
Dear [Customer Name],
We set incredibly high standards for our staff, so I’m disappointed to hear we couldn’t meet your expectations. I’d love to connect so we can discuss how [Business Name] can make this right. Please contact us at [email/phone number] at your convenience.
I look forward to hearing from you soon,
[Your Name]
Example 3
Dear [Customer Name],
Our goal at [Business Name] is to deliver top-tier service. Unfortunately, it seems we missed the mark with this. We appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback and would love to connect to discuss how we can improve going forward. Feel free to contact us at [email/phone number].
[Your Name]
How To Respond to a Neutral Google Review
Neutral reviews can be tricky because some might lean toward positive or negative, while others are balanced. Fortunately, you can combine a few of the same steps you use in responding to positive and negative reviews.
Thank the Customer
Start your reply to a Google review by thanking the customer for taking the time to leave feedback. Showing appreciation is an excellent way to start things off on the right foot.
Be Positive
Highlight and respond to the positive aspects of the review. For example, if the customer raves about your coffee before negatively reviewing your donuts, acknowledge the rave first. A simple “we’re thrilled you enjoyed our coffee!” can suffice.
Apologize for the Negatives
Once you’ve acknowledged the positive aspect, it’s time to touch on the negative. Apologize for the inconvenience and, if appropriate, leave a reason for why the negative aspect is unavoidable. For example, if the complaint is about birds flocking toward the outside patio, mention the outdoor seating is “at your own risk.”
Welcome Them Back
Finally, you want to invite the customer to come back and give your business a second chance. You could leave things with a simple “We hope you’ll come back soon and give us a second chance!” Or you can offer to have a one-on-one conversation to discuss rectifying a situation.
Neutral Review Response Example
Here are some great examples of how to respond to a neutral review on Google.
Example 1
Hi, [Customer Name],
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review for [Business Name]. We’re thrilled you enjoyed your [product/service]. We’re sorry to hear the rest of your visit didn’t live up to your expectations. We’d love to discuss how we can make this better going forward. If you have a few minutes, please contact our team at [email/phone number].
All the best,
[Your Name]
Example 2
Hi, [Customer Name],
Thanks so much for taking the time to review [Business Name]. I’m happy to hear about your enjoyable experience with us, and I’d love to hear a bit more about your visit. Hopefully this won’t deter you from paying us a visit in the future.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
Example 3
Dear [Customer Name],
Let me start by thanking you for your detailed review. We take all feedback to heart and use it to better ourselves going forward.
We’re happy to hear you enjoyed [experience] and hope you’ll come back again in the future. If there’s anything you’d like to discuss with me or one of our staff, feel free to contact us at [email/phone number].
Thanks again!
[Your Name]
How To Reply to a Google Review From Your Computer Desktop in 3 Simple Steps
Replying to Google reviews from your computer desktop is pretty simple if you have a Google Business page. To make things easier, though, you should consider setting up Google My Business notifications so you'll know as soon as a customer leaves an online review.
Step 1: Sign Into Google My Business
The first thing you'll need to do to reply to a review on Google is to sign in to your business page. You can find the signup and login information at business.google.com. If you haven't already signed up, you can do so now.
Step 2: Read Your Reviews
Once you're signed in, navigate to the "Reviews" section on the left sidebar. This is where you'll be able to read and respond to reviews.
Step 3: Reply
Finally, find the review you'd like to reply to and click "Reply." A prompt will pop up where you can write your response. After you have it written out, you can click "Post Reply."
How To Reply to Google Reviews From Your Mobile Phone in 4 Simple Steps
The other way to reply to reviews on Google is through the mobile app. Using the app is convenient because you’ll be able to quickly respond to a Google review from your phone or tablet.
Step 1: Download the Google My Business App
To respond to reviews on Google, you’ll need to download the Google My Business app. You can get it in the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Step 2: Set Up Your Account
If you don’t already have a business account, you can create one for free through the app.
Step 3: Find Your Reviews
Once your account is set up, scroll down to your Review section and click “Manage Reviews.” Then, look through the reviews and find one you want to reply to.
Step 4: Reply
Click “Reply,” then write out your response. When you’re done, click “Post Reply.”
How To Respond to Reviews on Google: Customizable Google Review Response Template
When you have a lot of reviews to respond to, having a template on hand can be a big help. This will allow you to respond promptly, and it’s easy to customize a template as needed. Here are two examples of templates you can draw inspiration from.
Response Template for a Positive Review
Hi, [Customer Name],
Thanks so much for taking the time to provide feedback. We’re thrilled to hear you had an enjoyable experience at [Business Name].
Our [service/product mentioned] is something we take great pride in. The knowledge that it meets our clients’ standards means the world to us.
We look forward to seeing you again soon!
[Your Name, Position]
Response Template for a Negative Review
Hi, [Customer Name],
Thank you for taking the time to leave valuable feedback. We’re so sorry to hear about your negative experience at [Business Name].
[This is where you’ll mention what steps you’ve taken or can take to help rectify the situation. For example, “I’ve spoken to the manager on shift to clarify our return policy”].
We’d like to do our best to make this right. [Suggest a one-to-one discussion to go over credits, replacements, or a do-over].
Again, we appreciate the feedback, and I look forward to discussing how we can make this right.
[Your Name]
[Contact Information]
How ReviewsOnMyWebsite Can Help You Respond to Your Google Reviews
As your business grows, the number of reviews you'll need to manage and reply to will increase. ReviewsOnMyWebsite can help you manage your reviews and turn them into a powerful marketing tool.
In addition, they'll help you gather new reviews, provide templates for review responses, and send out automated review requests. In addition, you'll be able to display reviews on your website, instilling trust in potential customers and keeping them on your page.
Reviews are not only a great way to promote the word of your happy customers, but it also has an impact on Google Maps and local search, i.e. being found in Google’s results.
Key Takeaways on How To Respond To Google Reviews
So, how do you respond to a Google review?
With honesty, finesse, and compassion. Whether the review is positive, negative, or neutral, it's essential to be mindful of the customer and not let your emotions take hold.
To make things easier, using review maintenance services such as ReviewsOnMyWebsite can make monitoring and responding to Google reviews quick and easy.
FAQs
Here are some of the most common questions regarding how to respond to Google reviews.
Can you respond to Google reviews?
Responding to Google reviews is quick and easy. You can use the Google Business mobile app or the desktop site to access your reviews. From there, you'll be able to leave your replies.
Can you reply to a reply on Google review?
Unfortunately, there's no way to continue a back-and-forth discussion on a review. If you want to have a more in-depth conversation with a reviewer, your best bet is to do so in a private message.
How to respond to a Google review response?
Since you can't add further responses to a review, your only option is to edit your initial response with a request for the customer to reach out to you. Although there are some circumstances where it would be acceptable to reach out to the customer yourself, you're likely better off letting it go in many cases.
How to reply to a Google review as a customer?
Unfortunately, customers can't reply to Google reviews. However, if you're a customer and feel you have valuable information for the business owner regarding a specific review, you can reach out to them directly.
Can you ask a customer to delete a negative Google review?
Although you can ask a customer to delete a negative review, it could reflect poorly on your business if you do. However, if what they stated can be proven false, you can report the review to Google. Unfortunately, Google does not always respond or delete negative or even fake reviews which can occur - that’s why it’s important to have a strategy in place to mitigate these risks.
Why can't I reply to a Google review?
To be able to reply to your Google Business reviews, you'll need to claim your business profile. If you're unable to answer, it's likely because you need to claim your page. To do this, you can request ownership of the profile through Google. Once you've claimed the page, you'll be able to respond to reviews.
