The essentials
- Respond to all of them, within 48 hours: readers judge your responses as much as the reviews, and Google sees a signal of activity in them.
- Structure: thank, personalise, deal with the point raised, open up (an invitation, a contact).
- A negative review: acknowledge without justifying yourself, offer a concrete solution, continue offline, stay courteous.
- Never: attack the author, reveal personal information, respond in the heat of the moment, copy and paste the same response.
Responding to Google reviews is the least expensive and most neglected part of managing a listing. Every response is read by dozens or hundreds of prospects: it shows how you treat your customers, satisfied or not. Google, for its part, counts the response rate among the signals of an active listing. Here is the method, with examples for each case.
The basic rules
- Respond to every review, including ratings with no comment (one sentence is enough).
- Within 48 hours : turn on the listing's notifications.
- Personalise : a first name or surname if the review allows, the service, the date, the place. A copy-pasted response is obvious and devalues the review.
- Sign it with a first name and a role: readers prefer a person to a company.
- Stay brief : three to six sentences.
- Think of the readers, not only the author: the response is a public message to your future customers.
The four-step structure
| Time | A positive review | A negative review |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Thank | For the review and for the trust | For the feedback, sincerely |
| 2. Personalise | Pick up a detail from the review (the service, the situation) | Show you have identified the case |
| 3. Address | Add something useful (a service, a tip) | Acknowledge the problem, explain briefly without justifying yourself, offer a solution |
| 4. Open up | Invite them back, invite a recommendation | Offer a direct contact (phone, email) to resolve it |
Example responses
A detailed positive review (5 stars)
"Thank you very much, Mrs Martin, for this feedback. We're delighted you're pleased with your bathroom renovation; the team appreciated your welcome during the week of work. Do get in touch for your boiler service this autumn. See you soon, Julien, Dupont Plumbing."
A positive rating with no comment
"Thank you for these five stars! We look forward to seeing you again. Julien, Dupont Plumbing."
A mixed review (3 stars)
"Thank you for your feedback, Mr Durand. We're glad the work met your expectations, and sorry about the 45-minute delay that morning, caused by an emergency on a neighbouring job; we should have let you know sooner. We've revised how we handle calls so it doesn't happen again. Julien, Dupont Plumbing."
A justified negative review (1 or 2 stars)
"Hello Mrs Petit, thank you for taking the time to write, and our sincere apologies: a leak persisting after our visit isn't acceptable. I called you this morning without success; could you reach me on 06 xx xx xx xx or by email? We will come out at no charge to put it right. Julien, owner, Dupont Plumbing."
An unfair review or one from a non-customer
"Hello, we can't find any job under this name or on this date in our records. This may be a mix-up with another company. We're at your disposal on 06 xx xx xx xx to clear it up. Julien, Dupont Plumbing." Then report the review to Google if it breaks the rules (non-customer, off-topic, abusive).
What you should never do
- Respond in the heat of the moment : wait a few hours, have it read by someone else.
- Attack or rebut point by point : readers take the customer's side.
- Reveal information about the person (amounts, address, medical details, a dispute).
- Systematically deny : a negative review acknowledged and dealt with beats a denial.
- Promise compensation publicly ("we'll offer you…"): it encourages self-interested negative reviews.
- Stuff it with keywords : the response isn't an SEO page.
When a negative review reveals a real problem
The public response is only the first step. If several reviews point to the same failing (waiting, welcome, finish, lead times), the problem isn't communication but organisation. Deal with it internally, then go back to the reviews concerned to say what has changed: "since March, we confirm every appointment by SMS the day before". Readers see a company that learns; Google sees a living listing. It is also the best way to lift the rating without asking anyone for anything.
Organising responses across a network
For several locations, define who responds (the local manager, with head office approval for negative reviews), a deadline, a tone guide and the templates above. A tool centralising the reviews of every listing makes tracking easier; see tools for monitoring reviews and multi-location local SEO. Responses are part of the wider management of your online reputation, and regular review collection is in our collection method.
How GreenRed helps
Rather than juggling several tools, GreenRed's Google Business Profile module brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time and tells you which actions come first. You can try it free, with no card, from the Pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Should you respond to positive reviews?
Yes, to all of them. A personalised response thanks the customer, shows readers an attentive business and encourages others to leave a review. One sentence is enough for a rating with no comment; three to six sentences for a detailed review, picking up something concrete from it.
How do you respond to a fake review or one from a non-customer?
Respond publicly and calmly, saying you can't find that person in your records and offering a direct contact. Then report the review to Google from the listing (reason: conflict of interest or off-topic). Google reviews it within days to weeks, with no guarantee of removal.
Can you edit a response to a review?
Yes, at any time from the listing. That is useful for updating a response after a problem is resolved ("we've been able to talk and fix the fault, thank you for your understanding"), which shows readers the situation was sorted.
Do review responses improve local search performance?
Google says responding to reviews is part of the good practice of an active listing and counts among the prominence signals. The direct effect on ranking is modest; the effect on click-through rate and on prospects' trust is significant, and it encourages new reviews, which do weigh clearly.