How Can I See All the Reviews Ive Written on Google

Google Reviews: How to Respond to Positive and Negative Google Reviews (+19 Examples)

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

Every primal technique Widewail'due south review response team have perfected over 500,000+ responses is explained below.

If you run a multi-location business, we've helped thousands of clients amend operational efficiency with our review monitoring and human-led response managed services. If you demand a response plan to calibration, but too wait like a human is responding, we recommend you read The Pros and Cons of Google My Business Review Response Automation Software.

Bottom line:If you desire to acquire how to answer to bothpositive and negative Google reviews, and why online review management is integral to whatsoever digital marketing strategy in 2022 - you'll love this guide.

Why are reviews important?

Consider your future customer

In today'southward marketplace, customers rely upon reviews to vet local businesses. In fact, 85% of customers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.

Permit's say that you're a consumer searching for a local car dealership. Yous head to Google, blazon in a few keywords, and are faced with the post-obit ii options.

Clearly, yous're going to choose #1.

And yous're not lonely.

• Consumers read an average of 10 reviews earlier they feel they can trust a local business (Brightlocal).

  57% of consumers will only consider a concern if information technology is rated 4 stars or higher.

This concluding statistic is especially important to keep in mind. Did you know that there are sure search situations in which Google but displays businesses with ratings above four.0?

See the instance below:

While this might be frustrating for businesses rated 3.9 or lower, it makes sense. Google's best involvement is to show searchers the results that are most probable to offering a proven skillful feel. That means businesses with higher ratings get a boost.

If your business doesn't have many reviews, potential customers volition accept less data to help them make a decision about where to shop. Even worse, they are less likely to discover your business organisation in the beginning place.

"The prominence of reviews isn't particularly shocking, as it'due south a style for Google to crowdsource ranking factors, information technology's difficult to spam, and the near problematic type of abuse is illegal."

Source: Local SEO Guide

See these techniques in action. We found 19 unique review response scenarios from effectually the web to demonstrate review response techniques. Download the existent-world examples guide.

Reviews dominate local SEO

In traditional SEO, reviews accept a relatively modest impact on ranking. But 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 cistron in 2020, moving up from third, surpassing proximity. This alter means the expected quality of experience (reviews) is more important than where the searcher is physically (within reason). Because of this, review management should exist a core part of your business concern's SEO strategy.

A peachy way to explicate this is what we call the "deli example" (illustrated below).

Say yous are in a new city, information technology'due south lunchtime, and you would similar to notice a good deli nearby. Yous search "deli near me". Historically, Google would recommend the closest deli first. In the case of this instance, Deli A. Today, if Deli B has more reviews and college ratings, Google volition recommend Deli B first, in spite of the fact that the searcher will accept to walk a few more blocks.

A pregnant change, the local business can now proactively influence search visibility for a wider geographic area, While the business organization has no control over where a search comes from, managing reputation information to influence search ranking is well inside the business's control.

If you think about information technology from Google's perspective, it makes total sense. Its business organization relies upon searchers being satisfied with the businesses Google recommends. How does it pick the all-time businesses to recommend? Reviews.

Always be listening

Reviews are an excellent source of feedback. Satisfied customers will rave most the products they love, while unhappy guests will explain what went incorrect during their visit.That's right, fifty-fifty negative reviews can be beneficial.

Customer feedback is a smashing fashion to better your business offerings and monitor customer experience trends over time.

Tin you respond to Google reviews?

Yes. As a business possessor with admin access to your Google Business concern Contour (formerly Google My Business/GMB) you are able to monitor and reply to client reviews.

Hither'due south how you Reply to Google Reviews

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

2. Select "Reviews" on left-side navigation

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

If you lot would similar to get a direct link to your review page that you can share, become to business.google.com, and from your home page observe "Get more reviews" and select "Share review form" to access the link.

Why reply to reviews?

Now that we understand why reviews matter, let'due south talk over why responses thing but as much.

Review response is all nearly taking command of your business'south public-facing content. While the internet tin can sometimes experience like a one-way chat, responding to reviews gives your business organisation a voice.

Significant SEO Touch on

Here are the review factors that influence SEO:

• Volume

• Rating

• Keywords

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

If you are interested in excavation into this topic in more item, check out our guide:How Reviews Impact Local SEO.

Volume

More than reviews volition enable your customers to become a better understanding of the feel they can expect to have at your store. Responding can heave this event, the Harvard Business Review finding in acontempo studythat businesses who respond consistently go 12% more than reviews.

Worried most a negative review? A pile of new five-star reviews volition aid drown out an isolated negative experience. Potential customers are looking for trends, not individual situations.

Review volume also keeps your information electric current. According to BrightLocal,40% of customers only take into account reviews written in the prior two weeks. Considering that this statistic increased eighteen% from the year prior, we think this trend will continue.

An fifty-fifty more reliable mode to get more reviews is through our review generation productInvite. You can use Invite to asking reviews from individual customers via text, or y'all can sync information technology up with your indicate of auction organization to achieve all of your customers automatically.

Rating

Your online business organization rating is likely the starting time quality indicator your potential customers volition see. At a minimum, a rating in a higher place four.0 should be your target.

This will get you past the first round of cuts. Generally, iv.0-4.v is good and 4.5-v.0 is the tiptop of the pack.

Keywords

This is whereGoogle review directionactually comes into play. Yes, your customers' reviews will sometimes contain keywords, but responding gives you the gamble to ensure Google knows exactly what your business organisation is virtually.

Relevant keywords to consider in your review responses:

• Business name

• Location

• Products

• Services

Compare these two responses. Which one has a meliorate SEO value?

Both are pleasant, but number two also provides Google with helpful information. The second response lists the accurate name of the concern and the full product proper noun. The customer mentioned "Prime number Toyota", but the complete business concern 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 strong indicator of a healthy and agile business is new content on a consistent basis. Responding to reviews will finer double your GMB content activity.

"Among consumers that read reviews, 97% read businesses' responses to reviews." Source: Brightlocal

The "Adult in the Room" Theory

Past actively participating in your business's review conversation, y'all are likely to see a drib in short, negative reviews. If a customer know that the manager is likely to read and answer to their review, they will exist less likely to leave a trivial negative review. The remaining negative reviews volition provide feedback for your team or an opportunity to remedy a poor state of affairs.

Place and Solve Bug Early

Conventional wisdom says addressing a problem is ameliorate than letting it fester. Reviews are no different.

In our experience, dealing with a customer frustration caput-on equally quickly equally possible is most likely to pb to a positive event.

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

Amend customer service = happier customers!

8 Types of Review Responses

Types of Review Responses:

• No response

• Negative-negative response

• Barely-in that location response

• Spellcheck response

• Robo response

• Eager-beaver response

• Keyword-less response

• Widewail response

one. No Response

Coming in dead concluding: no response at all.

Reviews stack up without acquittance. 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 care about its guests or its reputation.

2. The Negative-Negative Response

The positive reviews get the attending they deserve, simply negatives go overlooked.

This might be the worst message to send potential customers: that guests without complaints will be treated with kindness only those looking for assistance volition be ignored.

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

three. The Barely-There Response

One step to a higher place ignoring reviews is responding with as little effort as possible. Each positive review receives the same "Cheers," while unhappy customers are provided a general email address where they tin can send their feedback. At least at that place is an answer, but no one believes that anyone from the company is actually concerned about resolving their patrons' problems.

4. The Spellcheck Response

Even a response that contains cracking content tin can exist ruined with grammar issues, wrong spelling, and awkward prose. Mistakes like these, especially ones that would exist stock-still with a simple proofread, paint the company in a very unprofessional calorie-free.

If the concern doesn't care nearly the details when it comes to communicating with their clients, will their care about the details when information technology comes to their service?

5. The Robo Response

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

These dissatisfied guests are looking for answers and they desire to speak to a existent human, non an automatic message.

Future customers might exist turned off as well, assertive that the service they can expect in person will exist as cold every bit the interactions they viewed online.

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

6. The Eager-Beaver Response

We know that businesses are enthusiastic nearly their customers, but it'due south possible to get overboard when information technology comes to answering online review.

All-caps paragraphs running longer than the review itself, multiple thank yous, excessive emojis and assertion points all will be overwhelming to the reviewer. Customers should exist treated with respect, not pandered to.

7. The Keyword-Less Response

This response meets all the basic requirements, but information technology's missing a huge opportunity: SEO keywords.

Terms like the dealership name, auto makes and models, and services offeredhelp increase the visitor'south rank in local GMB searches. While not necessarily bad in terms of customer services, these responses aren't doing annihilation for SEO optimization.

8. The Widewail Response

Finally, the best option: aresponse written past experts.

Like shooting fish in a barrel to read,professional with a personal touch, packed full of SEO terms without existence clunky. This is the response which will give thanks electric current customers properly, heave the company site'due south ranking with the GMB, and encourage potential clients to give the business a take chances. We also know whatnot to do.

Best of all, information technology requires no additional effort from the team assisting guests in person. They can focus on their job, knowing that their clients will be well taken care of even later they get out the store.

Read more most the tactics used past 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

• Utilise the customer's name

• If a client mentions a product, echo it 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 common mistake is to respond merely to unhappy customers. Operationally this makes sense, but because Google tends to favor reviews that are engaged with, by but responding to negative reviews you run the risk of pushing that content to the superlative of your folio. Avert this past responding to all of your customers.

Positive reviews are a way to appoint with happy customers and keep the conversation going after the sale. A positive response to a positive review will exit a adept impression on the client, leading to a college probability of repeat business.

Work keywords into your positive review responses

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

Employ the customer'south proper noun

Adding the reviewer's proper noun to the response is an easy personal touch.

If a customer mentions a product, echo it in the response

If the customer mentioned the make or model of the vehicle they purchased, be sure to include it in your review response. If you aren't sure which vehicle the customer purchased, don't gauge!

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

Mention other products

Another way to make the most out of your review response is to mention other products the customer could potentially buy in the time to come.

Warning: it can exist easy to go overboard when adding keywords. Make sure you are confident that the boosted product you are recommending is useful to the reviewer.

Share your company values

Identify some of your business'south core values. For case, your business concern may pride itself on offering a transparent and stress-free shopping experience. Utilise the review response as an opportunity to communicate that to time to come customers - the people reading your reviews!

Other tips

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

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

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

• Positive review responses should e'er be conversational. Anyone reading the response should be able to tell it was written past a real person. This is especially of import to remember when including keywords. While you want to get the nigh SEO benefits possible, brand sure that your responses are tasteful above all else.

xi Positive Review Response Examples

We've collected a handful of examples on how to respond to positive Google reviews. These examples are real client 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 name of the employee listed in the review

• It reiterates the company values mentioned by the reviewer, such as timely advice and professionalism

• Information technology includes the store name and a prompt for the reviewer to come back for another service.

Finally, an emphasis is placed on saying thank yous.

Recollect, customers with positive experiences have limited motivation to post a review, so information technology is important to show your appreciation.

What you should steal: The line "thank yous and then much for sharing" is an crawly manner to acknowledge the actress effort this customer put forth on the business organization'due south behalf.

Why it works

Every bit you tin see in this response, commenting on how a positive review "makes our mean solar day" is a dainty personal affect.

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

Near chiefly, all the basics are covered: the customer name, the store name, and the product name are all mentioned.

Why it works

When customers brand a successful purchase, particularly a large purchase such as a car, they often have a sense of accomplishment.

Appoint with this emotion by offering your congratulations.

If a customer offers praise of a specific employee, utilize it as an opportunity to repeat their compliments and reinforce that, yes, this person is great. It's not a stretch to assume time to come customers will look at Luis as an example of the customer service they tin can expect from this business.

Why information technology works

In their response, the business suggests that they have a daily service goal.

This is an excellent fashion to reinforce that future customers can expect a like feel, no matter 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 fiscal success; they are a personal success also.

Why it works

Starting your response with a quote from the original review is a cracking manner to highlight the most flattering piece of the review.

Because this business answers reviews on a consistent basis, they can conclude with the note "this holiday flavour."

What you should steal: fourth dimension-specific sign-offs are a good style to personalize responses.

Why it works

This client mentions they traveled a long distance to visit the dealership and the response acknowledges their additional endeavour.

Why it works

The phrase "earning your business organization" helps to portray the business every bit humble. Nobody wants to deal with arrogance.

Why it works

This response does a good job of communicating the business's "great prices," just doesn't come off overly salesy. Catastrophe with a personal statement of well-wishes adds a nice touch.

Why information technology works

The most common Google reviews are 5-star, no-comment.

To make responding easy and ensure a diverseness of answers, this business has created a listing of response templates.

They update the template with the reviewer's name and the concern'due south name earlier publishing.

Why it works

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

This information forms the basis of the response.

Why information technology works

Rather than repeating "give thanks you for the recommendation," this response employs a keen alternative: "we capeesh your endorsement." A number of phrases are interchangeable: "nosotros appreciate" and "cheers;" "recommendation" and "endorsement;" "rating" and "review;" "honored that" and grateful for."

Even uncomplicated give-and-take changes like these make responses seem more unique and man.

Widewail Tip: Switching up perspectives, like swapping "we" with "I," adds variety to responses.

Best practices for responding to negative reviews

How to reply to negative reviews:

• Stay professional

• Don't speculate

• Minimize emotion

• Nowadays the facts

• Apologize for the client's frustration only

• Do not publicly admit guilt for the fabric issue

• Avoid public accusations of review fraud

• Provide a productive side by side stride

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

Offer to resolve the state of affairs via telephone or email then follow-up with the customer quickly. Google reviews is not the identify to become into a debate.

Professionalism is key

Practise your all-time to avoid existence defensive, overly emotional, or sarcastic. Go out out personal opinions about politics, ethics, religion, or social issues. Review responses should remain professional and neutral.

Avoid public accusations of review fraud

Simulated reviews practice happen, but yous should respond to them in the aforementioned manner as any other negative review. If you believe a review is fraudulent,report it through the proper channels.

Is it possible to remove negative reviews? Yes, but but if the content violatesGoogle's Review Policyguidelines.

Apologize for the customer's frustration but

While there are certain situations that require an apology, don't say sorry if it isn't necessary. Focus on apologizing for the fact that the customer is upset and save addressing the material issue for a direct phone call or email.

Ideally, you'll demonstrate pity for your customers without making a public admission of guilt. The adjacent reader knows there are two sides to every story.

Provide a productive next stride

When it makes sense, let the client know you programme to take action immediately. This will prepare the client for your call and show future customers your willingness to take action.

Don't speculate

When the customer says that they're frustrated but doesn't say why, what do yous do? Don't speculate. Merely acknowledge that the client is upset and kindly ask them to share more information virtually their feel with you over the phone.

8 Negative Review Response Examples

Why it works

Reviewer A feels equally if they were treated in an unprofessional style throughout the duration of their experience. They've also admitted to taking their business elsewhere, so there is likely no opportunity to win back the deal.

In cases like this one, the business should use this shopper'south experience every bit a learning opportunity.

The response starts off past firmly establishing that professionalism is of import to their business and they regret having lost Reviewer A'due south concern. Note the response does not explicitly apologize for the cited unprofessional behavior, but simply acknowledges the reviewer's frustration. The response is completed by offering the reviewer an opportunity to discuss their experience further.

If the shopper follows up, great!

The business volition have the take chances to address their concerns. If not, time to come shoppers will see that they are open to customer feedback.

Widewail Tip: If y'all are unable to locate the customer'due south contact information, politely asking they requite 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 flake confusing, it's easy to understand that they are unsatisfied with the service they received and the delay in their repairs. This perspective may or may not be authentic, but as responders, it's not our chore to get to the truth. Our goal is to empathize with the customer'due south frustration, which is undeniably truthful, and then request the conversation move offline.

The response begins by acknowledging the customer's frustration and acknowledge that this treatment is not acceptable past the standards of the business. Information technology's important to identify the negative scenario equally an isolated effect so that time to come readers will understand the situation described in the review is non the concern'south normal operating process.

Use of the phrase "concerning details" demonstrates that the business concern is taking the review seriously, but at the same time, is purposefully vague. It'south 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 offer the customer an opportunity to share more about their state of affairs along with providing contact information.

Widewail Tip: If the concern has Reviewer B'southward telephone number, a more than proactive arroyo would exist to say "I'm going to give you a telephone call" in place of "please consider giving me a telephone call."

Why it works

The dreaded 1-star no comment. On i hand, futurity customers won't take 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.

Beginning, we recommend whomever handles review responses expect up the customer's name in their database and check in with their team. They may glean plenty information to reach out to the client directly or provide a specific response. If afterward researching they are still left in the night, the best option is to investigate.

The response starts by recognizing that a 1-star experience is unacceptable. What follows is an offering to address the reviewer'south concerns. The business provides contact data for their General Sales Manager in hopes that Reviewer C volition requite them another chance.

Widewail Tip: "Make this right" is a proactive phrase that will come in handy when responding to negative reviews.

Why information technology works

Although this is a four-star review, information technology contains a healthy amount of negative information. This is a dandy opportunity for the business concern to engage with Reviewer D in a positive manner. If they can do that, they might encourage Reviewer D to give them another shot.

Right away, the response acknowledges Reviewer D'south feelings and apologizes for their less-than-perfect visit. The business doesn't make a hope to better their facilities, just they practise recognize the feedback. As always, a good motion is to open a communication aqueduct in the effect that the reviewer would like to share more details. Shifting the perspective, the terminal sentence expresses that the business hopes to piece of work with this customer again and provide a amend experience in the future.

Widewail Tip: While 1 complaint about facilities shouldn't crusade concern, a blueprint of like feedback could prompt upgrades.

Why it works

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

The response to Reviewer E acknowledges the customer'southward frustration and and then offers to review the situation in more item. Although information technology may not be possible for the Service Manager to notice a solution that satisfies Reviewer E, at the very least she may provide information that could help them approach a like situation differently in the future.

From the lens of reputation management, the response demonstrates that the business organization monitors their feedback and communicates with their customers.

Why it works

Reviewer F'due south situation certainly sounds frustrating. At the same time, it'southward understandable that staff turnover could atomic number 82 to mistakes and miscommunications. This response benefits from a gracious perspective - "appreciate you sharing" - and an apology.

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

Why it works

Always exist polite when speaking for your business online, but don't be agape to concord your ground if the information presented does non align with your feel. In this example, a business firm and straightforward response clearly communicates parts of this situation are not explained in the review.

Why it works

When a client leaves a negative no-annotate review, Widewail recommends that businesses request boosted information. The first line in the response to a higher place is i arroyo, while something similar "I'thou sorry you were not completely satisfied with your visit" is also appropriate.

This response is a great template to have readily available every bit a reference for negative no-annotate reviews.

How do you lot know if your review management strategy is working?

At Widewail we offer a detailed performance report every bit a component of our services. Using our reporting your team is able to analyze functioning by location, review site, profit center, and time period.

Is your sales section underperforming your service section? When responding to reviews our squad tags each review with the relevant profit middle. Equally a result, we can compile a report that shares insights into specific profit center performance.

For example, we see below that Location 1 has a combined rating of 4.5, but turn a profit centre ane is scoring a 4.viii and profit middle iii is scoring a 3.ix. This segmentation helps yous to identify specific customer service bug.

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

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

Widewail client reduces negative reviews past 64% in nine months.

Bonus: Case of a "Widewail Relieve"

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

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

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