How to Reply to Google Reviews (25 Examples for Good and Bad Reviews)

Quick answer: To reply to a Google review, open your Business Profile, select Read reviews, then Reply next to the review. Keep replies short and personal. For good reviews, thank the customer and mention something specific. For bad reviews, stay calm, acknowledge the problem, apologise for the experience and invite them to continue the conversation offline. Never argue in public.

Below you'll find the exact steps, a simple formula for every type of review, and 25 copy-and-paste replies you can adapt for your business, including examples for plumbers, electricians, cleaners, salons and clinics.

Why replying to reviews matters

Your replies aren't just for the person who left the review. Every future customer who reads your reviews also reads your replies. A thoughtful reply to a 5-star review shows you care. A calm, helpful reply to a 1-star review often does more for your reputation than the review itself does damage, because it shows how you behave when something goes wrong.

Google itself says that helpful replies show customers you're responsive, and the reviewer gets a notification when you reply. Some customers even update their review afterwards.

How to reply to a Google review (step by step)

You can only reply once your Business Profile is verified. Then:

1. Sign in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile and go to your profile (search my business on Google, or go to business.google.com).

2. Select Read reviews.

3. Next to the review, select Reply.

4. Write your reply.

5. Select Reply to post it.

What happens next: Google checks every reply against its content policies before it goes live. According to Google's help page, this usually takes up to 10 minutes but can sometimes take up to 30 days. Your reply appears under the review as your business (your personal name isn't shown), and the customer is notified. You can edit or delete your reply later from the same place.

The simple formula for every reply

Positive reviews: Thank, Specific, Invite

1. Thank them by name.

2. Mention something specific from their review (the job, the team member, the result).

3. Invite them back or say you're there if they need you again.

Negative reviews: Acknowledge, Apologise, Take it offline

1. Acknowledge their experience without arguing.

2. Apologise that it fell short of what they expected (you can apologise for the experience without admitting fault).

3. Say what you'll do, and invite them to contact you directly with a name and a phone number or email.

Do's and don'ts at a glance

25 Google review reply examples

Replace anything in [brackets]. Change a few words so each reply sounds like you, not a template.

Replies to positive reviews

1. Short and warm

Thanks so much, [Name]! We really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. Glad we could help.

2. Mentioning the job

Thank you, [Name]! Great to hear the [job, e.g. new boiler] is working perfectly. If you ever need anything else, you know where we are.

3. Mentioning a team member

Thanks for the kind words, [Name]! I'll make sure [Team member] sees this. They'll be really pleased. We appreciate your business.

4. A repeat customer

[Name], thank you for trusting us again! It's always good to see a familiar face. See you next time.

5. Star rating with no text

Thank you for the 5-star rating, [Name]! We really appreciate it.

6. Plumber

Thanks, [Name]! A leak is never fun, so we're glad we could get to you quickly and sort it out. Give us a call any time you need us.

7. Electrician

Thank you, [Name]! Happy to hear the new [lighting/sockets/fuse box] is all working and that the team left everything tidy. We're here if you need us again.

8. Cleaning company

Thank you, [Name]! There's nothing like coming home to a spotless house. We'll pass your message on to the team.

9. Salon or barber

Thanks so much, [Name]! So glad you love the new [cut/colour]. We can't wait to see you at your next appointment.

10. Roofer or builder

Thank you, [Name]! A big job like this takes trust, and we appreciate you choosing us. Enjoy the new [roof/extension].

Replies to negative reviews

11. General complaint

Hi [Name], I'm sorry your experience wasn't what you expected. That's not the standard we aim for. I'd like to hear more and put it right. Please call me, [Your name], on [phone] or email [email].

12. Late arrival

Hi [Name], you're right, we should have arrived on time or let you know sooner that we were running late. I'm sorry for the wait. We're looking at how we keep customers updated so it doesn't happen again. If you'd like to talk it through, please call me on [phone].

13. Price complaint

Hi [Name], thanks for the feedback. We always aim to be clear about prices before any work starts, and I'm sorry it didn't feel that way here. I'd be happy to go through the invoice with you. Please call [Your name] on [phone].

14. Problem with the work

Hi [Name], I'm sorry to hear [the issue] isn't right. We stand behind our work and want to fix this. Please contact me directly on [phone] so we can arrange a time to come back and take a look.

15. Rude or unhelpful staff

Hi [Name], I'm sorry you felt you weren't treated well. That's not how we want anyone to feel. I'd really like to understand what happened. Could you email me at [email]?

16. 1-star with no text

Hi [Name], we're sorry to see you weren't happy with your experience. We'd like to understand what went wrong so we can improve. Please get in touch on [phone] or [email].

17. Mixed 3-star review

Thanks for the honest feedback, [Name]. We're glad [the good part] went well, and you're right about [the problem]. We're working on that. If there's anything we can still do for you, please call us on [phone].

18. After you've fixed the problem

Thanks for giving us the chance to put this right, [Name]. Glad [the issue] is now sorted. We appreciate your patience.

Replies to unfair or suspicious reviews

19. You can't find them as a customer

Hi [Name], we take every review seriously, but we can't find a record matching this. We'd still like to help if we can. Please contact us on [phone] with a few details so we can look into it.

20. The review is about a different business

Hi [Name], thanks for your review. We think this may be meant for another company, as we don't offer [service mentioned]. If we've got that wrong, please call us on [phone] and we'll be happy to help.

21. A clearly false or abusive review

We're sorry you feel this way. We can't find any record of this experience, and we've reported the review to Google for review. Anyone with a genuine concern is welcome to contact us directly on [phone].

Keep the reply short, then report the review to Google from your Business Profile. Google decides whether it breaks its policies; replying calmly in the meantime protects your reputation.

Replies for clinics, dentists and other healthcare businesses

Healthcare businesses need extra care. Never confirm that the reviewer is a patient or mention anything about their treatment, even if they described it themselves. In the US this can break HIPAA: in 2022, the US Department of Health and Human Services settled with a California dental practice for $23,000 after it disclosed patient information in replies to online reviews. In the UK and EU, data protection law means the same caution applies.

22. Positive review (privacy-safe)

Thank you for taking the time to leave such kind feedback. Our team works hard to make every visit as comfortable as possible.

23. Negative review (privacy-safe)

We take all feedback and patient privacy very seriously, so we can't discuss any details here. Please contact our practice manager, [Name], on [phone] so we can talk about your concerns directly.

Two more you'll need

24. Review in another language

Thank you for your review, [Name]! [Add one line in their language if you can.] We appreciate you choosing us.

25. Someone mentions a competitor

Thanks for choosing us, [Name]! We're glad we could help, and we appreciate you giving us the chance.

(Don't name or criticise the other company in your reply.)

7 mistakes to avoid

• Arguing in public. Even if you're right, future customers only see a business that argues.

• Copy-pasting the same reply everywhere. It looks automated and careless.

• Sharing private details. No invoices, addresses, job notes or health information.

• Offering a reward to change or remove a review. Google treats this as fake engagement.

• Asking the reviewer to delete their review. Fix the problem instead. Many customers update their review on their own.

• Replying when you're angry. Write the reply, wait an hour, then read it again before posting.

• Ignoring reviews for weeks. A late reply looks like you don't check, or don't care.

Short on time? Let AI handle the first draft

If you get a lot of reviews, replying to every one by hand adds up. With our Google review automation, AI writes a personal reply to each new review based on what the customer actually said, so it doesn't read like a template.

You choose how it works:

• Positive reviews: thank-you replies can go out automatically.

• Negative reviews: the reply waits as a draft for you to check, edit and approve before it's posted.

• Clinics and healthcare: keep every reply on approval, so nothing private is ever posted by mistake.

Every customer still gets a real answer, and you stay in control of the replies that matter most.

Make reviews part of your routine

Replying is easier when reviews don't pile up. Two habits help: ask every customer for a review right after the job (see how to find and share your Google review link), and check your reviews at the same time every day so replies take five minutes, not an afternoon.

With our Google review automation, review requests go out automatically after each job, and you can see and reply to your Google reviews from the same dashboard as your calls and messages. Every customer is asked the same way, so you stay within Google's rules.

Book a free call and we'll show you how it works for your business.

FAQ

Can you reply to Google reviews?

Yes. Once your Business Profile is verified, you can reply to any review from your profile: select Read reviews, then Reply.

Should I reply to every Google review?

Yes, ideally. Replying to positive reviews thanks your customers, and replying to negative ones shows future customers how you handle problems.

Why isn't my reply showing on Google?

Google checks replies before posting them. It usually takes up to 10 minutes, but it can take longer. If your reply breaks Google's content policies, you'll be asked to edit it.

Can I delete or edit my reply?

Yes. Go to Read reviews, find your reply and select Edit. You can update it or delete it there.

Can I get a bad review removed?

Only if it breaks Google's policies, for example if it's fake, spam, offensive or about a different business. You can report it from your Business Profile, and Google decides whether to remove it. A bad review that's simply negative won't be removed, so reply calmly instead.

Can I automate replies to Google reviews?

Yes. Tools like our review automation use AI to write a personal reply to each review. A safe setup is to let replies to positive reviews post automatically and keep replies to negative reviews as drafts you approve first. Every reply still has to follow Google's content policies.

How long should a review reply be?

Two to four sentences is usually enough. Short, specific and friendly beats long and formal.