Guide. For local business owners.

How to respond to Google reviews with templates for every situation

Your replies are read by the next customer deciding whether to call you. Here is how to reply, what a good reply does, and short templates for the reviews you actually get: the glowing one, the fair complaint, the unfair one, and the one from someone who was never a customer.

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Where to reply

  1. Sign in with the Google account that manages your Business Profile.
  2. Find your reviews: search your business name on Google, or open it in Google Maps, and go to Reviews.
  3. Press Reply under the review, write, and post. You can edit or delete a reply later.

What a good reply does

  • Is short. Two to four sentences.
  • Is specific. Mention what they mentioned, so it is clearly not a copy-and-paste.
  • Stays calm. You are writing for the next customer, not to win the argument.
  • Offers a next step on a bad review: a name, and a phone number or email.
  • Comes soon. Within a day or two, while the reviewer still cares.

Templates by situation

Replace everything in [brackets]. Use the reviewer's first name only if it is shown on the review.

A positive review

Thanks, [first name]! Glad [the specific thing they liked] worked out. We'll see you next time. — [your name], [business]

A positive review with no text (stars only)

Thank you for the five stars. We appreciate you choosing [business].

A mixed review

Thank you for the honest feedback, [first name]. Glad you liked [the good part]. You're right about [the problem], and we've [what you changed]. Next time, ask for me directly. — [your name]

A fair negative review

[First name], I'm sorry. [The specific problem] isn't the standard we hold ourselves to. I'd like to make it right: please call me at [phone] or email [email]. — [your name], [title]

A negative review you believe is unfair

Thank you for the feedback. Our records show [the fact, stated neutrally, with no customer details]. I'd still like to understand what went wrong; please call me at [phone]. — [your name]

A review from someone who was never a customer

Thank you for taking the time to write. We can't find a record of your visit and would like to look into this. Please contact us at [phone or email].

Then report the review to Google from your Business Profile. Do not accuse the reviewer in public. Google removes reviews that break its policies, not reviews that are simply negative.

Medical, dental, legal and other confidential practices

Thank you for your feedback. We take every comment seriously. Please call our office at [phone] so we can talk directly.

Never confirm that the reviewer is a patient or client, and never mention a visit, treatment or case, even to defend yourself.

What not to do

  • Don't offer anything for a better review. Google's policies prohibit incentives for reviews or for changing one.
  • Don't argue in public, or share details of their visit.
  • Don't paste the same reply everywhere. Readers notice.

Don't miss the ones that need a reply

The hard part is noticing new reviews before they sit unanswered for weeks. Our brief lists the new Google reviews on your listing from the last two weeks that still have no reply, each with a suggested reply written from the full review, ready to copy, edit and post. We never post anything for you. It also shows how your rating and review count compare with each competitor's, and on a paid plan what their customers keep complaining about; see competitor reviews.

Common questions

How do I respond to a Google review?

Sign in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile, search your business name on Google or open it in Google Maps, go to Reviews, and press Reply under the review. Your reply is public and appears under the review with your business name. You can edit or delete it later.

Should I reply to every Google review?

Reply to every negative or mixed review, and to as many positive ones as you can. A short, specific thank-you is enough for a good review; the people reading your replies are future customers deciding whether to call you.

How do I respond to a negative review?

Thank them, acknowledge the specific problem without arguing, say what you have done or will do about it, and offer a way to talk offline with a name and a phone number or email. Keep it short and calm; you are writing for the next customer, not to win the argument.

What if the review is fake or from someone who was never a customer?

Do not accuse the reviewer in your reply. Reply politely that you can't find a record of their visit and invite them to contact you, then report the review to Google from your Business Profile. Google removes reviews that break its policies; it does not remove a review just because it is negative.

Can I offer a discount for a better review?

No. Google's policies prohibit offering incentives in exchange for reviews or for changing one. Fix the problem for the customer; if they choose to update their review, that is up to them.

I run a medical, dental or legal practice. Can I reply?

Yes, but never confirm that the reviewer is a patient or client, and never mention their visit, treatment or case. Thank them for the feedback and invite them to call the office directly.

More on keeping up with competitors

See your reviews next to your competitors'

Type your business name for a free look at the competitors around you, their ratings and reviews, and what they changed recently: no signup, about 2 minutes.

Look up my competitors → See a sample brief