How to Reply to Google Reviews: A Guide with Sample Replies

Google reviews are among the first things a new customer looks at when deciding whether to choose you. Customers read not only the reviews but also the replies the business gives to them. Google also recommends that businesses reply to reviews: a reply shows that you listen to your customers. In this guide you'll find how to reply to a review, what makes a good reply and examples you can adapt.

How do you reply to a Google review?

1. Sign in with the Google account that manages your business profile.
2. Search for your business's name on Google or open your profile on Google Maps.
3. Go to the "Reviews" section and tap "Reply" under the review you want to answer.
4. Write your reply and send it.

Your reply shows publicly on your profile, and a notification goes to the person who wrote the review. You can edit or delete the reply afterwards. Google also checks replies against its own rules; a reply found in violation may not be published.

Five qualities of a good reply

• It's personal. Use the customer's name and mention a detail from the review. Pasting the same sentence into every review looks careless.
• It's short. Three or four sentences are usually enough. Long defenses don't get read.
• It's written on time. Aim to reply to reviews within a few days; be even faster with negative reviews.
• It contains no personal information. Don't write an order number, phone number, address, appointment or health information. In fields like health and law, you shouldn't even confirm whether the person has been to you.
• It doesn't turn into an ad. Don't add a campaign announcement, a link or a long promotion to the reply. The aim is to talk to the customer.

Examples of replies to positive reviews

Replying to a positive review is the easiest way to thank a happy customer and invite them back.

Cafe or restaurant: "Hi Emily, thank you so much for your kind review. We're glad you enjoyed our breakfast; we look forward to welcoming you again."

Service business: "Michael, thank you on behalf of our team. Finishing the job on time mattered to us too; if you need anything again, we're here."

A rating with no review text: "Thank you for your rating, we'd love to see you again."

How should you reply to negative reviews?

A negative review is annoying, but a good reply tells the other customers who read it a lot. A four-step structure makes it easier:

1. Say thank you. The customer took the time to write; thank them for their feedback.
2. Show that you understand. Acknowledge the problem without belittling it and apologize if needed.
3. Explain briefly. If there really is an explanation, say it in one sentence; don't blame the customer.
4. Invite them to talk about a solution. Ask the customer to get in touch with you. Discuss the details one on one, not in a public reply.

Complaint about a delay: "Hi Daniel, thank you for your feedback. Your order arriving late is something we don't want either, and we apologize. We didn't manage the rush that evening well and we've taken steps because of it. We'd like to welcome you again; we'd be glad if you reached us at our business phone."

Dissatisfaction with the service: "Sophie, we're sorry for the experience you had. We understand we didn't meet your expectations. We'd like to hear the matter in detail and make it right; please get in touch."

A misunderstanding: "Thank you for your review. Our current prices are shown at our location and on our website; if you came across a different amount, let's look into what happened together. We kindly ask you to contact us."

Wait a few minutes before writing the reply. A reply written in anger does more harm than the negative review.

What you shouldn't do

• Arguing with the customer in public or trying to disprove the review
• Sharing the customer's personal information or service details
• Offering a discount, a gift or money in exchange for removing the review
• Asking for reviews only from customers you think will be satisfied; Google also prohibits selective collection of reviews
• Writing reviews for your own business or having your employees write them

If a review is fake or clearly breaks the rules, you can report it to Google instead of stopping at a reply. We explained how in our guide to removing a bad or fake Google review.

How do you keep up with a large number of reviews?

For a business that gets a few reviews a day, writing a careful reply to each takes time; if you have more than one location, the work multiplies. BadePlus does this work for you: for each review it writes a reply that fits the details in the review and your business's tone. If automatic replies are on, suitable replies are published on their own; a draft with low confidence, or one that contains something that shouldn't be written, comes to you for approval first. If you like, you can make replies to negative reviews, or to all reviews, subject to your approval. Start your 3-day free trial.