How to See Reviews You Wrote on Google

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

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

Every central technique Widewail's review response team take perfected over 500,000+ responses is explained below.

If you run a multi-location business, we've helped thousands of clients improve operational efficiency with our review monitoring and human-led response managed services. If yous need a response programme to scale, but also expect like a human is responding, we recommend yous read The Pros and Cons of Google My Business concern Review Response Automation Software.

Bottom line:If you want to learn how to respond to bothpositive and negative Google reviews, and why online review direction is integral to any 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 equally much as a personal recommendation.

Let's say that you're a consumer searching for a local car dealership. Y'all head to Google, type in a few keywords, and are faced with the following two options.

Clearly, you're going to choose #1.

And you're non solitary.

• Consumers read an average of 10 reviews before they experience they can trust a local business concern (Brightlocal).

  57% of consumers will merely consider a business if it is rated 4 stars or college.

This last statistic is peculiarly important to keep in mind. Did you know that there are certain search situations in which Google only displays businesses with ratings to a higher place 4.0?

Encounter the example below:

While this might be frustrating for businesses rated 3.9 or lower, it makes sense. Google's best interest is to show searchers the results that are most likely to offer a proven good experience. That means businesses with college ratings go a boost.

If your business doesn't accept many reviews, potential customers will have less information to help them make a decision about where to shop. Even worse, they are less likely to notice your business in the showtime place.

"The prominence of reviews isn't particularly shocking, as it's a way for Google to crowdsource ranking factors, it's hard to spam, and the most problematic type of abuse is illegal."

Source: Local SEO Guide

Meet these techniques in activity. We found xix unique review response scenarios from around the web to demonstrate review response techniques. Download the real-earth examples guide.

Reviews dominate local SEO

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

According to Moz, reviews are the second almost of import ranking factor in 2020, moving up from third, surpassing proximity. This change means the expected quality of experience (reviews) is more than important than where the searcher is physically (within reason). Because of this, review management should be a core function of your business'southward SEO strategy.

A great fashion to explicate this is what nosotros telephone call the "cafeteria instance" (illustrated below).

Say you are in a new city, it's lunchtime, and yous would like to discover a good cafeteria nearby. You search "deli near me". Historically, Google would recommend the closest cafeteria first. In the instance of this example, Deli A. Today, if Cafeteria B has more reviews and higher ratings, Google will recommend Deli B starting time, in spite of the fact that the searcher will take to walk a few more than blocks.

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

If y'all think nigh it from Google'south perspective, it makes total sense. Its business relies upon searchers existence satisfied with the businesses Google recommends. How does it pick the best businesses to recommend? Reviews.

Always be listening

Reviews are an first-class source of feedback. Satisfied customers volition rave about the products they dearest, while unhappy guests will explain what went wrong during their visit.That'southward right, fifty-fifty negative reviews can be benign.

Customer feedback is a corking way to improve your business concern offerings and monitor customer experience trends over fourth dimension.

Can yous respond to Google reviews?

Yep. Equally a business owner with admin admission to your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business organization/GMB) you are able to monitor and respond to customer reviews.

Hither's how you Reply to Google Reviews

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

2. Select "Reviews" on left-side navigation

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

If you would like to get a direct link to your review page that you tin can share, go to concern.google.com, and from your abode page find "Thousandet more than reviews" and select "Share review form" to access the link.

Why respond to reviews?

Now that we empathize why reviews matter, let's talk over why responses matter but every bit much.

Review response is all near taking control of your business's public-facing content. While the internet tin sometimes feel similar a one-way conversation, responding to reviews gives your business a voice.

Significant SEO Impact

Here are the review factors that influence SEO:

• Volume

• Rating

• Keywords

• Unique, upwards-to-date, and ongoing content

If you are interested in earthworks into this topic in more detail, bank check out our guide:How Reviews Touch on Local SEO.

Volume

More reviews will enable your customers to go a ameliorate understanding of the experience they can expect to have at your store. Responding can boost this consequence, the Harvard Business Review finding in arecent written reportthat businesses who respond consistently go 12% more reviews.

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

Review volume likewise keeps your information current. According to BrightLocal,xl% of customers only accept into account reviews written in the prior two weeks. Considering that this statistic increased xviii% from the twelvemonth prior, we recollect this tendency will continue.

An even more reliable mode to become more reviews is through our review generation productInvite. You tin use Invite to request reviews from private customers via text, or you can sync it up with your indicate of auction system to reach all of your customers automatically.

Rating

Your online business concern rating is likely the first quality indicator your potential customers volition see. At a minimum, a rating higher up four.0 should be your target.

This will get you past the get-go round of cuts. Generally, 4.0-4.5 is proficient and 4.5-five.0 is the elevation of the pack.

Keywords

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

Relevant keywords to consider in your review responses:

• Business name

• Location

• Products

• Services

Compare these ii responses. Which one has a ameliorate SEO value?

Both are pleasant, simply number two also provides Google with helpful information. The second response lists the accurate name of the business and the total production name. The customer mentioned "Prime Toyota", just the complete business concern proper name is "Prime Toyota Boston." By responding, Google now has access to the proper name.

Unique, up-to-date, and ongoing content

To Google, a potent indicator of a healthy and active business organization is new content on a consistent basis. Responding to reviews will 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'due south review conversation, yous are probable to run into a drop in brusque, negative reviews. If a customer know that the director is likely to read and reply to their review, they will exist less probable to leave a trivial negative review. The remaining negative reviews will provide feedback for your team or an opportunity to remedy a poor situation.

Place and Solve Bug Early

Conventional wisdom says addressing a trouble is better than letting it fester. Reviews are no different.

In our experience, dealing with a customer frustration head-on as quickly as possible is most likely to lead to a positive outcome.

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

Better client service = happier customers!

eight Types of Review Responses

Types of Review Responses:

• No response

• Negative-negative response

• Barely-at that place response

• Spellcheck response

• Robo response

• Eager-beaver response

• Keyword-less response

• Widewail response

one. No Response

Coming in dead last: no response at all.

Reviews stack up without acknowledgment. Hundreds of customers go unthanked. Rude language and misinformation remain online. All in all, ignoring reviews makes information technology await similar the company doesn't intendance about its guests or its reputation.

2. The Negative-Negative Response

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

This might be the worst bulletin to transport potential customers: that guests without complaints will be treated with kindness but those looking for help will be ignored.

Even beyond customer service,negative reviews provide valuable data to businesses almost how they can improve. The only matter worse than ignoring negatives is responding to them in acrimony. No matter what the review says, answering in an ambitious tone makes the company seem petty and will invite a very public customer service fire.

three. The Barely-There Response

One stride above ignoring reviews is responding with as little endeavor as possible. Each positive review receives the same "Thank you," while unhappy customers are provided a general email address where they can send their feedback. At least at that place is an reply, but no ane believes that anyone from the company is actually concerned nigh resolving their patrons' issues.

4. The Spellcheck Response

Fifty-fifty a response that contains great content can exist ruined with grammar bug, incorrect spelling, and bad-mannered prose. Mistakes like these, specially ones that would be stock-still with a simple proofread, paint the company in a very unprofessional lite.

If the business organization doesn't care well-nigh the details when it comes to communicating with their clients, will their intendance about the details when it comes to their service?

5. The Robo Response

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

These dissatisfied guests are looking for answers and they desire to speak to a real human, non an automated bulletin.

Future customers might be turned off as well, believing that the service they can wait in person will be as cold as the interactions they viewed online.

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

six. The Eager-Beaver Response

We know that businesses are enthusiastic about their customers, but it's 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 assertion points all will be overwhelming to the reviewer. Customers should exist treated with respect, not pandered to.

seven. The Keyword-Less Response

This response meets all the basic requirements, only it's missing a huge opportunity: SEO keywords.

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

8. The Widewail Response

Finally, the best pick: aresponse written by experts.

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

Best of all, it requires no additional attempt from the team profitable guests in person. They can focus on their job, knowing that their clients will be well taken care of even after they leave the shop.

Read more than 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:

• Work keywords into your positive review responses

• Use the customer's name

• If a customer mentions a product, repeat information technology in your response

• Mention additional products you sell

• Share your company values

No big surprise hither - your business should be responding to all positive reviews. A mutual error is to answer 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 you run the risk of pushing that content to the superlative of your page. Avert this by responding to all of your customers.

Positive reviews are a way to engage with happy customers and go along the conversation going afterwards the sale. A positive response to a positive review will leave a good impression on the customer, leading to a higher probability of echo concern.

Work keywords into your positive review responses

Equally mentioned to a higher place, a positive review response is an obstruction-costless opportunity to add relevant keywords to your GMB (without keyword stuffing). Local business concern keywords are generally business proper noun, location, products, and services.

Use the customer's proper name

Adding the reviewer'southward name to the response is an easy personal touch.

If a client mentions a product, echo information technology in the response

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

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

Mention other products

Some other way to make the almost out of your review response is to mention other products the customer could potentially buy in the future.

Alarm: it tin exist easy to go overboard when calculation keywords. Make sure you are confident that the additional production you are recommending is useful to the reviewer.

Share your company values

Place some of your business organization'due south core values. For instance, your business may pride itself on offering a transparent and stress-costless shopping experience. Employ the review response equally an opportunity to communicate that to future customers - the people reading your reviews!

Other tips

• Avoid repetition whenever possible. While it's challenging to come up up with different ways to say essentially the same thing, variety is central to providing personalized service to your customers.

• One simple way to vary review responses is to switch between "I" and "we." For example, "I am glad to hear that you had a good experience" vs. "we thanks for sharing your positive feel."

• If a customer indicates loyalty or repeat business in their review, acknowledge that in your response.

• Positive review responses should e'er exist conversational. Anyone reading the response should be able to tell it was written by a real person. This is specially important to remember when including keywords. While you lot want to get the most 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 customer 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'southward personal, repeating the proper noun of the employee listed in the review

• It reiterates the company values mentioned by the reviewer, such equally timely communication and professionalism

• It includes the shop name and a prompt for the reviewer to come back for another service.

Finally, an emphasis is placed on saying thank y'all.

Think, customers with positive experiences have limited motivation to post a review, so it is important to show your appreciation.

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

Why information technology works

As you can come across in this response, commenting on how a positive review "makes our twenty-four hour period" is a nice personal impact.

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

Most importantly, all the nuts are covered: the client proper noun, the store proper noun, and the product name are all mentioned.

Why it works

When customers make a successful buy, peculiarly a large purchase such as a car, they often have a sense of accomplishment.

Engage with this emotion by offering your congratulations.

If a customer offers praise of a specific employee, use it equally an opportunity to echo their compliments and reinforce that, aye, this person is neat. Information technology'due south non a stretch to assume future customers volition 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 style to reinforce that future customers can await a similar experience, no affair when they choose to patronize the business.

What you should steal: "Validating" is a great word to suggest that positive reviews are more than a sign of financial success; they are a personal success every bit well.

Why it works

Starting your response with a quote from the original review is a peachy style to highlight the near flattering piece of the review.

Because this business answers reviews on a consistent footing, they tin conclude with the annotation "this holiday season."

What y'all should steal: time-specific sign-offs are a skilful way to personalize responses.

Why it works

This customer mentions they traveled a long altitude to visit the dealership and the response acknowledges their additional effort.

Why it works

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

Why it works

This response does a expert job of communicating the business organisation's "great prices," but doesn't come off overly salesy. Catastrophe with a personal argument of well-wishes adds a nice touch on.

Why it works

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

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

They update the template with the reviewer'due south name and the business'south name before publishing.

Why it works

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

This information forms the ground of the response.

Why it works

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

Even elementary discussion changes similar these brand responses seem more unique and homo.

Widewail Tip: Switching up perspectives, like swapping "nosotros" 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'due south frustration only

• Do non publicly admit guilt for the textile issue

• Avoid public accusations of review fraud

• Provide a productive next stride

When responding to bad reviews, the #1 goal is to motion the chat offline.

Offer to resolve the situation via phone or email and and so follow-up with the customer quickly. Google reviews is not the place to get into a debate.

Professionalism is key

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

Avert public accusations of review fraud

Simulated reviews do happen, simply you should respond to them in the same fashion as any other negative review. If you lot believe a review is fraudulent,report it through the proper channels.

Is information technology possible to remove negative reviews? Yes, merely only if the content violatesGoogle'south Review Policyguidelines.

Apologize for the customer'due south frustration only

While there are certain situations that require an apology, don't say sorry if information technology isn't necessary. Focus on apologizing for the fact that the customer is upset and relieve addressing the fabric upshot for a direct phone telephone call or electronic mail.

Ideally, y'all'll demonstrate compassion for your customers without making a public admission of guilt. The next reader knows there are two sides to every story.

Provide a productive next stride

When it makes sense, allow the customer know yous plan to take activity immediately. This will prepare the customer for your telephone call and show futurity customers your willingness to take activity.

Don't speculate

When the customer says that they're frustrated but doesn't say why, what practise y'all practise? Don't speculate. Simply admit that the customer is upset and kindly enquire them to share more than information virtually their experience with you over the phone.

8 Negative Review Response Examples

Why information technology works

Reviewer A feels equally if they were treated in an unprofessional fashion throughout the elapsing of their experience. They've as well admitted to taking their business elsewhere, and then there is likely no opportunity to win back the deal.

In cases similar this 1, the business should use this shopper'due south experience as a learning opportunity.

The response starts off by firmly establishing that professionalism is important to their business and they regret having lost Reviewer A's business organization. Note the response does not explicitly apologize for the cited unprofessional behavior, but merely acknowledges the reviewer's frustration. The response is completed past offer the reviewer an opportunity to discuss their feel farther.

If the shopper follows upwards, great!

The business concern will accept the chance to address their concerns. If not, future shoppers will see that they are open to customer feedback.

Widewail Tip: If you lot are unable to locate the client's contact information, politely request they give you a call, leaving a direct telephone number at the end of the response.

Why it works

Although what Reviewer B has written is a chip confusing, it'due south like shooting fish in a barrel to empathize that they are unsatisfied with the service they received and the filibuster in their repairs. This perspective may or may non be accurate, but as responders, it's not our job to get to the truth. Our goal is to sympathize with the customer's frustration, which is undeniably true, and and so request the conversation motion offline.

The response begins by acknowledging the customer'due south frustration and acknowledge that this treatment is not acceptable by the standards of the business. It's important to identify the negative scenario as an isolated effect and then that hereafter readers will understand the situation described in the review is not the business concern'due south normal operating procedure.

Use of the phrase "apropos details" demonstrates that the business organization is taking the review seriously, but at the same time, is purposefully vague. It's best to avoid repeating details from the review, every bit this provides Google with content that is detrimental to your reputation. The review ends by offering the customer an opportunity to share more well-nigh their state of affairs along with providing contact information.

Widewail Tip: If the business has Reviewer B'due south phone number, a more than proactive approach would be to say "I'thousand going to give you a call" in place of "please consider giving me a call."

Why it works

The dreaded i-star no comment. On 1 hand, hereafter customers won't have much information to assess the business and they may even 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 up the client'southward proper noun in their database and cheque in with their team. They may glean enough data to reach out to the customer direct or provide a specific response. If later on researching they are still left in the dark, the best option is to investigate.

The response starts past recognizing that a 1-star experience is unacceptable. What follows is an offer to address the reviewer'south concerns. The business provides contact information for their Full general Sales Manager in hopes that Reviewer C will requite them another hazard.

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 4-star review, information technology contains a healthy amount of negative information. This is a great opportunity for the business to engage with Reviewer D in a positive style. If they tin practice that, they might encourage Reviewer D to requite them some other shot.

Right away, the response acknowledges Reviewer D's feelings and apologizes for their less-than-perfect visit. The business organization doesn't make a promise to meliorate their facilities, simply they practice recognize the feedback. Equally always, a good motion is to open a communication channel in the event that the reviewer would like to share more details. Shifting the perspective, the terminal sentence expresses that the business hopes to work with this customer again and provide a improve feel in the time to come.

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

Why information technology works

Online requests for refunds tin can be tricky. While businesses may be eager to demonstrate that they do right by their customers, each state of affairs needs to exist considered on a case-by-instance basis.

The response to Reviewer E acknowledges the customer's frustration and and so offers to review the situation in more than detail. Although it may not be possible for the Service Manager to find a solution that satisfies Reviewer E, at the very least she may provide information that could aid them approach a like 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 lead to mistakes and miscommunications. This response benefits from a gracious perspective - "appreciate yous sharing" - and an apology.

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

Why it works

Always be polite when speaking for your business online, but don't be afraid to hold your ground if the information presented does not align with your experience. In this case, a house and straightforward response clearly communicates parts of this state of affairs are not explained in the review.

Why information technology works

When a customer leaves a negative no-comment review, Widewail recommends that businesses asking additional data. The commencement line in the response above is i approach, while something similar "I'g sorry you were non completely satisfied with your visit" is also appropriate.

This response is a great template to have readily available as a reference for negative no-comment reviews.

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

At Widewail we offer a detailed functioning study equally a component of our services. Using our reporting your team is able to analyze performance past location, review site, turn a profit center, and time flow.

Is your sales section underperforming your service section? When responding to reviews our team tags each review with the relevant profit eye. As a outcome, nosotros can compile a written report that shares insights into specific profit center performance.

For example, we see below that Location 1 has a combined rating of iv.v, but profit center i is scoring a four.eight and profit eye 3 is scoring a three.9. This segmentation helps you lot to identify specific customer service issues.

While Google's star rating is a lifetime aggregate, Widewail'southward reporting enables customizable, date-specific, trending performance analysis.

Service ratings trending sharply down? Our reporting gives you the specific data needed to solve issues early.

Widewail client reduces negative reviews by 64% in ix months.

Bonus: Example of a "Widewail Salvage"

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

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

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