Google reviews can be a great source of customer feedback – both for you as a business and for any potential customers looking for extra insight into your brand.

In fact, many people turn to review platforms before engaging with a business. So, it’s vital you respond to any reviews you receive - good or bad. This can show that you’re actively engaged with your customers, and you are willing to resolve any concerns or issues they have.

Not sure where to start? In this guide, we’ll provide you with some top tips and examples on how to respond to negative and positive Google reviews. Read on to learn more with Adobe Express.

Why should you respond to Google reviews?

Customers will often look to trusted sources like Google reviews before making a purchase or deciding whether to engage with a business. It can help them weigh up the pros and cons and get a better understanding of your business values in action.

Taking the time to respond to your Google reviews could therefore help you retain and attract more customers. Here are some other benefits of responding to Google reviews:

• Helps build trust with your customers. Responding to Google reviews shows your customers that you care about what they have to say and that you’re willing to resolve any issues they might have.
• Shows you appreciate customer feedback. Taking the time to respond to feedback shows customers that their opinion matters to you and that you value their input.
• Boosts your brand credibility to prospective customers. Responding to Google reviews can showcase you’re a reliable business to prospective customers.
• Helps to build conversions. Being actively engaged with your customers and regularly responding to their feedback can set you apart from the competition – and ultimately encourage people to buy with you in the future.
• Increases engagement. Responding to Google reviews can encourage further conversations and help deepen your customer relationships.

How to respond to Google reviews.

Now we understand why you should respond to Google reviews, it’s time to look at the logistics of how you actually do it.

Here’s a simple overview of how to respond from a desktop:

1. Head to https://www.google.com/business/ and sign into your Google My Business account.
2. Select ‘Reviews’.
3. You should now see a list of your most recent reviews.
4. Find a review to respond to and click the ‘reply’ button.
5. A message box should appear for you to write your response.
6. Once you’ve written your response, click ‘Post reply’.
7. Work your way through each review repeating these steps.

You can also reply to Google reviews on your phone via the Google My Business app.

Keep in mind, you’ll need to verify your business on Google before you can respond to any Google reviews. Your replies may not appear on Google straight away, but your customers should receive an alert to let them know you have responded.

Tips for responding to negative reviews on Google.

While receiving negative reviews can be disheartening, they can provide you with valuable insights into where your business may be going wrong. You can use this information to help inform your strategies going forward.

Responding to negative reviews also shows your customers that you’re doing your best to make things right for them. Here are some tips on how to respond to negative reviews on Google:

Evaluate the review internally before you respond.

Before you respond to a negative review, it may be worth taking the time to evaluate the feedback internally. For example, if you notice any recurring issues or patterns amongst your negative reviews on Google, speak to your team to see if it’s being mentioned on other channels too. You can then make a plan to tackle the issue, so it doesn’t keep happening.

Formulate pre-planned responses.

Some of the negative reviews you receive may fall under different categories. For example, some customer complaints may be centred around customer service, while others may be complaining about a product. To easily address each one of these concerns it may be worth formulating preplanned template responses for each category.

Thank them for the review – even if it’s negative.

Be sure to thank customers for their review – even if it’s negative. This can let them know that you have seen their complaint and value their feedback.

Avoid any arguments or retaliation.

It can be hard not to take negative reviews personally, especially if you’re running a small business. Sometimes you might feel that the negative review is unjustified. But it’s important to remain professional when responding to reviews. The last thing you want is to cause any unnecessary arguments that might create a negative image of your business across Google’s platforms.

Apologise and offer a solution.

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, offer a sincere apology to customers. This can show customers you’ve taken accountability of the situation and owned up to your mistakes.

You should also look to provide customers with a practical solution or next steps to help resolve the issue. For example, it may be best to take the conversation offline and resolve things over the phone. Just remember that your reviews on Google are public – so make it clear in your response that the issue is being resolved via phone or email.

Example of a reply to a negative Google review.

Here’s a typical example of how you might reply to a negative Google review:

“Hello [Insert name here], thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are truly sorry to hear that you have had a negative experience with [insert issue]. Your feedback is important to us, and we apologise for any inconvenience this has caused. If you could reach out to us via telephone or email [insert your details here], we’d be happy to look into this for you.”

Best practice responses to negative Google reviews.

Tips for replying to positive Google reviews.

Positive reviews can have a host of benefits for your business, from influencing purchasing decisions to fostering customer loyalty. Plus, it’s always nice to hear the good things people have to say about your business. Here are some tips for replying to a positive Google review:

Respond in a timely manner.

Whenever you receive a positive review, make sure to respond in a timely manner. This can help to create a positive experience with customers while your business is still fresh in their mind. It can also demonstrate your commitment to excellent customer service.

Show your gratitude.

Thank customers for taking the time to leave you a positive review. This shows your customers that you appreciate their feedback and can help to foster positive relationships.

Personalise your response.

Personalising your responses, for example including your customer’s name in your response, or referencing a product they mentioned, can help to humanise your brand and show that you value their business – and them as an individual.

Draw attention to the positives.

Positive reviews can act as great testimonials for your brand. Responding to positive reviews and mentioning specific things customers enjoyed about their experience can help to showcase the positive aspects of your business to a wider audience.

You could also ask permission to use these positive Google reviews on your website or social media platforms to improve trust signals across your business.

Pass on the feedback to your team.

Sharing positive feedback with your team is just as important as responding to reviews. It can help reinforce the importance of customer satisfaction and ensure everyone on your team is working towards the same goals.

Example of a reply to a positive Google review.

If you’ve just received a positive Google review, you could respond with something like:

“Hello [insert customer name], thank you for the positive words. We’re so happy you enjoyed your [product/service] experience with us. Your feedback is super important to us, and we look forward to seeing you soon.”

Editable samples of replies to Google reviews.

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Good to know.

Should you reply to a bad Google review?

Yes, you should reply to a bad Google review. Responding to negative Google reviews shows customers that your business isn’t afraid to own up to mistakes. It also provides you with an opportunity to apologise to customers and offer a practical solution to resolve any issues addressed.

Is it possible to remove a negative Google review?

It is possible to remove a negative review from Google. You can do this by asking Google to remove or delete the review from your Business Profile. However, this should only be done if the review is inappropriate and violates Google’s policies. You shouldn’t report a review because you don’t like or agree with it.

Is Adobe Express free?

Yes, our free plan offers many core features including thousands of templates, photo editing and effects, animation, and 2GB of storage. See our  pricing page for details and to compare plans.