Responding to Google business reviews, particularly negative or critical ones, has always been a tricky (read: humbling) task. Imagine having to graciously say "Thank You!" to a customer who has left a 1-star rating and asked others never to step foot in your shop. It’s simply disheartening, and not to mention, potentially damaging to your business reputation. In such a case, what do you do?

You may think the review is unfair or factually incorrect. You may even want to lash out at the reviewer. No matter what, please don’t respond like Mr. Piña here.
It’s unprofessional and rude (even if the customer is). And as long as the review stays in the public domain, your online reputation will take a hit. Instead, you should leave a well-timed, thoughtfully crafted response and seize the opportunity to show how much you care—and win back the customers once more.

Here’s how.

Is it worth responding to Google reviews? The power of feedback

Yes, responding to both negative and positive Google reviews is a way of acknowledging and thanking your customers. It shows you’re actively listening and paying attention to what customers want, helping you improve your brand reputation.

But most importantly, it’s also what your customers want. Remember, review replies done publicly are also seen by prospective customers, who decide whether to try a local business or not.

If you’ve been thoughtfully managing and responding to Google reviews, you’re already doing better than most businesses out there. Let’s discuss the benefits in detail.

It’s a way for customers to share feedback

Consider getting a Google business review like the one below. It's sure to ruin anyone’s good day.

But notice what the reviewer says: “Everything is great about this place, and always had a good experience. Just today, the server was very rude…” This customer, despite having had a good experience with the business previously, decided to leave a 1-star rating after a one-off bad experience. One.

Now, consider the following review.

Again, the customer wasn’t satisfied with the service and left less-than-stellar feedback. But they did share a reason why.

So, while you may not always get positive feedback from customers, you will always have something new to learn. This change in perspective will help you not take the bad reviews personally.

It offers social proof

There is no denying the power of word of mouth. As demonstrated by the data from Power Reviews, 90% of customers rely on reviews and ratings to make a purchase decision, while 73% trust recommendations from family and friends.

After all, nothing vouches for your business like customer reviews and testimonials. They provide social proof and convince people to give your business a chance.

It improves local rankings

According to Google’s support guide, while you can’t directly impact local SEO, you can optimize and boost your local rankings by responding to Google business reviews.

The search giant also highlights: “Google review count and review score [also] factor into local search ranking. More reviews and positive ratings can improve your business's local ranking.”

That’s probably why if two business profiles have the same ratings, the one with the higher number of ratings always comes out on top. So, encourage your customers to leave more reviews and respond to their feedback.

How to respond to negative Google reviews

You’ll likely come across three types of “negative” reviewers under your Google business profile:

🙅 The disappointed customer: “I usually have a good experience with the business, but not today.”

🙆 The first-time customer: “Reviews said they were good, but they didn’t meet the hype.”

🤦 The outright hater: “Had the worst experience ever! Please save your money and never come here.”

Or some version of the above three. It’s wise to take it in your stride since they are at the end of the day, customer feedback. And customer experiences can differ vastly. But no matter the review, try to always include the following in your response:

• Customer name

• Directly address the customer's concerns

• Acknowledge and apologize for the poor experience

• Suggest next steps (Like taking the conversation offline) or offer a solution

• Thank them for bringing the matter to your attention

This, however, only touches the surface. To craft a proper response to a negative review, simply follow the best practices below.

Find out if the reviewer is credible

First thing to check before you reply to a Google review? Is the reviewer even credible?

It's not uncommon for fraudulent or fake reviews to appear under your business profiles, aiming to deter interested customers with negative feedback. To keep such malpractices in check and centralize review management for contributors, Google has introduced a new profile feature for reviewers.
To check any reviewer’s profile and see their review history to attest to their credibility, you simply click on their profile name. This will display all the reviews, ratings, photos, etc., they've shared on Google Maps and Search. If their content seems legitimate, they're probably genuine customers.

As emphasized by the Search Engine Journal, “This feature adds a layer of transparency to the review ecosystem. Online marketers might use these profiles to assess the credibility and consistency of reviewers, which can inform their strategies for managing customer feedback.”

Respond timely but not eagerly

This should go without saying, but responding in a timely manner is as important as how you respond to negative feedback. We're living in a “quick commerce, consumerist world. Naturally, customers expect faster turnaround times for their deliveries and responses to their online reviews.

Nearly 34% of consumers want you to respond within 2-3 days of posting, while 87% are fine with two weeks or so.

Don’t use templated responses

Automated, cookie-cutter responses are the worst type of response to a Google review. They not only lack the human touch but also make the business appear clinical and indifferent to customer needs and pains.

The key (or keyword) to better Google review responses is personalization. It's difficult, but if you could remember the customer and their, you'll likely be able to:

• Tailor the reply to their unique experience instead of relying on a template

• Make the customer feel seen and heard by remembering the details

• Have a better chance of winning back the customer

Respond with empathy and gratitude

Please avoid the use of terse, cryptic, or backhanded language to get back at the customer.

A scathing review can feel infuriating, but you’ll do the same if put in the customer’s shoes. No matter how hard you try, you can't control how the customer feels. But responding in a thoughtful, empathetic manner shows you value their opinions, and gives you a second chance to win them over.

“I can understand how frustrating that must’ve been for you. We’re deeply sorry to disappoint you.”

Acknowledge you made a mistake

While you can't always control how customers feel and share their experiences online, you can acknowledge and take responsibility. It's a simple gesture, but it shows you don't hide behind good reviews and actually address the parts of your business that needs to improve.

Offer a solution to make things right or a next step

Depending on what ruined the experience for an unhappy customer, say rude behavior from a staff member or failing to exceed their expectations, you can offer a solution or a gift to make up for the poor experience.

You can also share a phone number or email and ask the customer to contact you to share their negative experience in more detail. This shows you're committed to customer care and encourages customers to give you a second chance.

“Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re committed to improving and would love to hear more about how we can do better. Please give us a call at xx"

But if there's nothing you can do, simply apologize and show gratitude for their business.

You can remove a Google Business review. But should you?

This is a frequent query on Google forums, often coming from small business owners distressed by fraudulent or fake reviews (as in the case above). Should you remove the Google review in such a scenario? Unfortunately, that’s not up to you. It’s up to Google.

If the review(s) violate Google’s content policy, you can report it and ask for removal. The removal process is available here.

Negative review response examples

Here are a couple of common customer reviews you'll encounter and effective ways to respond to them. 

1. Poor customer service

   What works

• They acknowledged the reviewer's frustrations and apologized for the poor experience without being dismissive.

• They offered their contact details along with whom to contact to take the conversation offline and make amends. It suggests they're proactive about customer concerns.

• They've used a compassionate tone to write the response, empathizing with the reviewer’s frustration.

• Besides apologizing, the response also highlights how they're implementing the feedback with additional team training. It demonstrates what they've mentioned: They take customer feedback seriously.

• Ending the review by showing gratitude for pointing out their mistakes exhibits humility, earns them a brownie point.

       2. Alleged difference in treatment

What works

• Addressing the issue head-on and apologizing for the mistake made shows accountability.

• Fixing the issue by urging the customer to come back for a visit and informing the staff about the issue offers a way to make things right.

• It's also short and not overly apologetic, so it doesn't make the business seem desperate.

3. Service could’ve been better

What works

• Though the response could use a bit of punctuation and pruning, it reads authentic. It showcases how the business values customer feedback.

• The owner's mention of giving the customer a car ride shows that they're willing to go the extra mile for their customers.

• Admitting to the mistake and apologizing, showing accountability.

4. Mismatched customer expectations

What works

• Though the reply may seem short, it does give what the reviewer asked for—an email address for further contact.

• Their reply empathized with the reviewer without sounding dismissive, even though it's short.

5. Accusation of unfair practice

What works

• This one's tricky because the reviewer is levelling a serious allegation. In such a case, you need to decide whether to appease the customer or let them go. Here, the business owner chose the latter, which made sense.

• By offering a detailed account of their inspection process, the business owner is refuting the reviewer's claims and standing their ground.

• They also highlight how much they stand by their process, which showcases their values.

• Despite the harsh critique, the owner graciously apologized for not meeting the customer's expectations. This humanizes the business in the eyes of existing and potential customers.

How to respond to positive Google reviews?

Responding to positive reviews seems simple. All you need to do is say thank you, right? While that's true, you also want to be concise, avoid overdoing gratitude, and find ways to pepper your response with the right keywords.

Here are some best practices to keep in mind.

Keep the reply short and grateful

For positive Google reviews, a simple note of thanks is usually sufficient. Keep your responses short and sweet unless the customer makes a suggestion or voices a concern. In that case, you can address the same in your reply.

Otherwise, only express how grateful you are for their kind words and encourage them to revisit.

Don’t go overboard with gratitude

Some businesses often overdo the gratitude part. While saying thanks is a good way to express gratitude, going excessively with an overly enthusiastic tone can backfire.

If you go overboard, you risk looking desperate. It's best to keep the reply simple and appreciative and match the tone of the reviewer.

Add keywords in the response

It’s a simple tactic. But if you add descriptive phrases and keywords relevant to your products or services in your responses as the owner, you can positively impact (albeit not much) your rankings.

Although, fair warning, there is only anecdotal evidence to back the claim.

However, given how Google considers ‘Relevance’ as one of the ranking factors, adding business details and service descriptions in responses is actually a good way to make your business more relevant to the related search queries.

Avoid responding to every review

If you've seen how online reviews are presented under your business listing, you'll probably refrain from responding to each and every positive review, especially if you're only going to reply with a generic “Thank you for the feedback!”

This will help you avoid cluttering the ‘Review’ space under your Google My Business profile. At the same time, do respond to positive reviews in the following cases:

• A first-time customer leaves it. Responding will be the cherry on top.

• The reviewer mentioned a product. Take the chance to recommend another product or offer an incentive (gift card) for their next visit.

• There's a suggestion for improvement. Acknowledging it will strengthen the relationship.

Now, if you've earned a good amount of positive reviews on Google—why not aggregate and display the praise on your website, Shopify, landing pages, and other digital services?

Positive review response examples

Below are a few real-world examples of how to respond to positive reviews. Let’s see why they work so well.

1. Encourage repeat business
What works

• The owner does a good job of matching the reviewer’s tone. It’s casual and friendly, which suggests the salon has a good atmosphere.

• Acknowledging and thanking the staff shows that the business values its employees, presenting the business in a positive light.

• Ending the response by encouraging the customer to visit again is a simple yet effective way to encourage repeat business.

2. Reinforce business values

What works

• Riding the reviewer's coattails, the business owner echoes their sentiment and takes the opportunity to highlight their business values.

• The owner's response exhibits confidence, which in turn gives potential customers confidence to check out the business.

• It's short and appreciative.

3. Address the suggestions for improvement

What works

• Takes a moment to address the reviewer’s concerns but doesn’t over-explain.

• “We’re sorry this didn’t…” shows empathy and understanding for the customer’s wishes, which shows how deeply the business cares.

• Offering to fulfill the customer’s wishes the next time they visit is a great way to encourage repeat business and boost loyalty.

4. Mention other products 

What works

• The casual, friendly tone makes the business approachable and amiable.

• Used the response to cleverly mention all the other products they offer: teas, herbs, and honey.

• “There are so many possibilities..” adds a nice touch of intrigue, making a potential customer wonder what they can find at the shop.

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