How to Respond to a 3 Star Review Without Comments

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 manufacture-specific review sites. Employ these techniques to impress your customers, encourage more Google reviews, and rank higher in local search results.

Every fundamental technique Widewail's review response squad have perfected over 500,000+ responses is explained beneath.

If you run a multi-location business organization, we've helped thousands of clients improve operational efficiency with our review monitoring and human-led response managed services. If you need a response program to scale, but also wait like a human is responding, nosotros recommend yous read The Pros and Cons of Google My Business concern Review Response Automation Software.

Bottom line:If you want to learn how to respond to bothpositive and negative Google reviews, and why online review management is integral to any digital marketing strategy in 2022 - you'll beloved this guide.

Why are reviews important?

Consider your future client

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

Allow's say that you're a consumer searching for a local car dealership. You head to Google, type in a few keywords, and are faced with the following two options.

Clearly, you're going to choose #i.

And you lot're not alone.

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

  57% of consumers volition only consider a business organisation if it is rated 4 stars or college.

This terminal statistic is especially of import to continue in listen. Did you lot know that in that location are certain search situations in which Google only displays businesses with ratings above 4.0?

See the example beneath:

While this might be frustrating for businesses rated three.9 or lower, it makes sense. Google'south best interest is to show searchers the results that are virtually likely to offer a proven expert experience. That ways businesses with higher ratings get a boost.

If your business doesn't have many reviews, potential customers will accept less information to assistance them brand a decision virtually where to shop. Even worse, they are less likely to notice your concern in the first identify.

"The prominence of reviews isn't peculiarly shocking, equally information technology's a way for Google to crowdsource ranking factors, it's hard to spam, and the nearly problematic blazon of abuse is illegal."

Source: Local SEO Guide

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

Reviews dominate local SEO

In traditional SEO, reviews have a relatively pocket-size impact on ranking. Just local search is a dissimilar story. Reviews play an outsized function in local search rankings (specifically the Local Pack).

According to Moz, reviews are the 2nd most important ranking gene in 2020, moving up from third, surpassing proximity. This change means the expected quality of experience (reviews) is more of import than where the searcher is physically (inside reason). Considering of this, review direction should exist a cadre part of your business organisation'south SEO strategy.

A great way to explicate this is what nosotros telephone call the "cafeteria example" (illustrated below).

Say yous are in a new city, information technology's lunchtime, and you lot would like to find a skilful deli nearby. You search "cafeteria near me". Historically, Google would recommend the closest deli first. In the case of this example, Deli A. Today, if Deli B has more than reviews and college ratings, Google will recommend Deli B first, in spite of the fact that the searcher will have to walk a few more than blocks.

A meaning change, the local business concern tin now proactively influence search visibility for a wider geographic expanse, While the business has no control over where a search comes from, managing reputation data to influence search ranking is well within the business organisation'southward control.

If yous think about it from Google's perspective, it makes full sense. Its business relies upon searchers being satisfied with the businesses Google recommends. How does it pick the best businesses to recommend? Reviews.

Always exist listening

Reviews are an excellent source of feedback. Satisfied customers will rave about the products they love, while unhappy guests will explicate what went wrong during their visit.That'southward correct, even negative reviews can exist beneficial.

Client feedback is a slap-up style to better your business offerings and monitor customer experience trends over fourth dimension.

Tin can you answer to Google reviews?

Aye. Equally a business owner with admin access to your Google Business concern Profile (formerly Google My Business concern/GMB) you are able to monitor and respond to customer reviews.

Here's how you Reply to Google Reviews

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

2. Select "Reviews" on left-side navigation

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

If y'all would like to get a direct link to your review page that you can share, get to business.google.com, and from your dwelling house page notice "Get more than reviews" and select "Share review form" to access the link.

Why reply to reviews?

At present that we understand why reviews thing, permit's talk over why responses matter just equally much.

Review response is all about taking control of your business organization's public-facing content. While the internet can sometimes feel similar a ane-way conversation, responding to reviews gives your business a voice.

Significant SEO Touch

Hither are the review factors that influence SEO:

• Volume

• Rating

• Keywords

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

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

Book

More than reviews will enable your customers to get a meliorate understanding of the feel they can expect to take at your shop. Responding tin boost this upshot, the Harvard Business organisation Review finding in arecent studythat businesses who respond consistently get 12% more than reviews.

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

Review volume also keeps your data current. Co-ordinate to BrightLocal,40% of customers only take into account reviews written in the prior two weeks. Because that this statistic increased 18% from the year prior, we think this trend will continue.

An even more reliable way to go more reviews is through our review generation productInvite. Yous can employ Invite to request reviews from private customers via text, or you tin sync it up with your point of auction organization to reach all of your customers automatically.

Rating

Your online business rating is probable the first quality indicator your potential customers will see. At a minimum, a rating higher up four.0 should be your target.

This volition get you past the first round of cuts. More often than not, iv.0-iv.5 is good and iv.5-5.0 is the top of the pack.

Keywords

This is whereGoogle review managementactually comes into play. Yeah, your customers' reviews will sometimes incorporate keywords, but responding gives you the chance to ensure Google knows exactly what your business is about.

Relevant keywords to consider in your review responses:

• Business organisation name

• Location

• Products

• Services

Compare these two responses. Which ane has a better SEO value?

Both are pleasant, only number two also provides Google with helpful information. The second response lists the accurate name of the business organisation and the full product name. The customer mentioned "Prime Toyota", simply the complete business name is "Prime Toyota Boston." By responding, Google at present has access to the proper proper name.

Unique, up-to-engagement, and ongoing content

To Google, a stiff indicator of a healthy and active business is new content on a consistent footing. Responding to reviews will effectively 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, yous are likely to see a drib in brusque, negative reviews. If a customer know that the manager is likely to read and respond to their review, they volition be less probable to leave a trivial negative review. The remaining negative reviews will provide feedback for your squad or an opportunity to remedy a poor situation.

Place and Solve Issues Early

Conventional wisdom says addressing a trouble is better than letting it fester. Reviews are no different.

In our experience, dealing with a customer frustration head-on as quickly as possible is nigh likely to lead to a positive outcome.

Furthermore, responding to reviews demonstrates to future customers that if they patronize your business and have a problem they can look prompt client service.

Ameliorate customer service = happier customers!

8 Types of Review Responses

Types of Review Responses:

• No response

• Negative-negative response

• Barely-there response

• Spellcheck response

• Robo response

• Eager-beaver response

• Keyword-less response

• Widewail response

1. No Response

Coming in dead last: 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 it await like the company doesn't care about its guests or its reputation.

ii. The Negative-Negative Response

The positive reviews get the attention they deserve, just negatives go overlooked.

This might exist the worst message to ship potential customers: that guests without complaints will be treated with kindness just those looking for help will be ignored.

Even across customer service,negative reviews provide valuable information to businesses about how they can improve. The only affair worse than ignoring negatives is responding to them in acrimony. No matter what the review says, answering in an ambitious tone makes the company seem piffling and will invite a very public customer service fire.

3. The Barely-There Response

One step higher up ignoring reviews is responding with as lilliputian effort every bit possible. Each positive review receives the aforementioned "Cheers," while unhappy customers are provided a general email accost where they can ship their feedback. At least there is an answer, but no ane believes that anyone from the company is really concerned well-nigh resolving their patrons' problems.

4. The Spellcheck Response

Even a response that contains slap-up content can be ruined with grammar issues, incorrect spelling, and awkward prose. Mistakes like these, especially ones that would be fixed with a simple proofread, paint the company in a very unprofessional light.

If the business doesn't care virtually the details when it comes to communicating with their clients, will their care almost the details when it comes to their service?

5. The Robo Response

It's obvious that these responses are copied and pasted from a template, or otherwise written past a machine. While detached responses might seem similar the about professional person pick, they may further upset unhappy customers.

These dissatisfied guests are looking for answers and they want to speak to a real human, not an automated bulletin.

Time to come customers might be turned off besides, believing that the service they tin can look in person volition be as common cold as the interactions they viewed online.

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

half-dozen. The Eager-Beaver Response

We know that businesses are enthusiastic about their customers, merely it's possible to go 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 exist 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, only it'south missing a huge opportunity: SEO keywords.

Terms like the dealership name, machine makes and models, and services offeredassist increase the company's rank in local GMB searches. While not necessarily bad in terms of customer services, these responses aren't doing anything for SEO optimization.

8. The Widewail Response

Finally, the best option: aresponse written past experts.

Easy to read,professional person with a personal impact, packed full of SEO terms without being clunky. This is the response which will give thanks current customers properly, boost the company site'southward ranking with the GMB, and encourage potential clients to requite the business a chance. Nosotros likewise 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 intendance of even after they exit the store.

Read more than almost the tactics used by 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

• Employ the customer's name

• If a customer mentions a production, repeat information technology in your response

• Mention boosted products you sell

• Share your company values

No big surprise here - your business should be responding to all positive reviews. A common mistake is to respond simply to unhappy customers. Operationally this makes sense, just because Google tends to favor reviews that are engaged with, by just responding to negative reviews y'all run the gamble of pushing that content to the top of your page. Avert this by 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 get out a adept impression on the customer, leading to a higher probability of echo concern.

Piece of work keywords into your positive review responses

Every bit mentioned in a higher place, a positive review response is an obstruction-free opportunity to add together relevant keywords to your GMB (without keyword stuffing). Local concern keywords are more often than not business proper noun, location, products, and services.

Use the customer's name

Adding the reviewer's name to the response is an like shooting fish in a barrel personal touch.

If a client mentions a product, repeat it in the response

If the client mentioned the brand 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 guess!

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

Mention other products

Some other manner to make the most out of your review response is to mention other products the customer could potentially purchase in the future.

Warning: it tin can exist piece of cake to go overboard when calculation keywords. Brand sure you are confident that the additional product you are recommending is useful to the reviewer.

Share your company values

Identify some of your business's core values. For example, your business may pride itself on offer a transparent and stress-free shopping feel. Apply the review response as an opportunity to communicate that to future customers - the people reading your reviews!

Other tips

• Avert repetition whenever possible. While it's challenging to come up up with different ways to say essentially the aforementioned affair, multifariousness is key to providing personalized service to your customers.

• I simple manner to vary review responses is to switch between "I" and "we." For instance, "I am glad to hear that yous had a good experience" vs. "we thanks for sharing your positive experience."

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

• Positive review responses should always be conversational. Anyone reading the response should be able to tell it was written by a real person. This is especially important to remember when including keywords. While you want to get the most SEO benefits possible, make sure that your responses are tasteful above all else.

xi Positive Review Response Examples

We've collected a scattering 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 diverseness of scenarios.

Why it works

This response checks the boxes for near all of the positive review response tactics:

• It's personal, repeating the name of the employee listed in the review

• It reiterates the company values mentioned by the reviewer, such every bit timely communication and professionalism

• It includes the store proper noun and a prompt for the reviewer to come dorsum for another service.

Finally, an emphasis is placed on saying thank y'all.

Remember, customers with positive experiences take limited motivation to post a review, and so it is important to show your appreciation.

What y'all should steal: The line "cheers so much for sharing" is an awesome way to admit the extra effort this client put along on the business organization'south behalf.

Why it works

As you can see in this response, commenting on how a positive review "makes our day" is a nice personal touch.

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

Almost importantly, all the nuts are covered: the customer name, the shop proper name, and the product proper noun are all mentioned.

Why it works

When customers make a successful buy, especially a big purchase such as a car, they often have a sense of accomplishment.

Engage with this emotion by offer your congratulations.

If a customer offers praise of a specific employee, use information technology as an opportunity to repeat their compliments and reinforce that, aye, this person is great. Information technology'south not a stretch to assume future customers will look at Luis as an example of the customer service they can expect from this business.

Why it works

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

This is an first-class way to reinforce that future customers tin can expect a like experience, no thing when they choose to patronize the business.

What you should steal: "Validating" is a great discussion to advise that positive reviews are more than a sign of financial success; they are a personal success likewise.

Why it works

Starting your response with a quote from the original review is a bully mode to highlight the nigh flattering piece of the review.

Because this business answers reviews on a consistent ground, they can conclude with the annotation "this vacation season."

What y'all should steal: fourth dimension-specific sign-offs are a adept way to personalize responses.

Why it works

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

Why it works

The phrase "earning your business concern" helps to portray the business organisation as humble. Nobody wants to deal with arrogance.

Why information technology works

This response does a skilful job of communicating the business concern'southward "bang-up prices," but doesn't come up off overly salesy. Ending with a personal statement of well-wishes adds a overnice impact.

Why information technology works

The most mutual Google reviews are five-star, no-comment.

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

They update the template with the reviewer'southward name and the business'southward name before publishing.

Why it works

The client mentions a specific trouble the business solved: addressing a flat tire.

This information forms the footing of the response.

Why it works

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

Even simple word changes like these brand responses seem more unique and human.

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

Best practices for responding to negative reviews

How to respond to negative reviews:

• Stay professional

• Don't speculate

• Minimize emotion

• Present the facts

• Apologize for the customer'southward frustration just

• Do not publicly admit guilt for the material issue

• Avert public accusations of review fraud

• Provide a productive next pace

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

Offer to resolve the state of affairs via phone or email and then follow-up with the customer quickly. Google reviews is non the place to get into a debate.

Professionalism is key

Do your best to avoid being defensive, overly emotional, or sarcastic. Go out out personal opinions about politics, ideals, organized religion, or social issues. Review responses should remain professional and neutral.

Avert public accusations of review fraud

Fake reviews practice happen, merely you should answer to them in the same way as whatsoever other negative review. If you believe a review is fraudulent,report it through the proper channels.

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

Apologize for the client'south frustration merely

While at that place are certain situations that require an apology, don't say pitiful if it isn't necessary. Focus on apologizing for the fact that the customer is upset and save addressing the material consequence for a direct telephone call or e-mail.

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

Provide a productive side by side step

When it makes sense, let the customer know you program to have action immediately. This will prepare the customer 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 exercise you lot exercise? Don't speculate. Simply admit that the customer is upset and kindly ask them to share more information almost their experience with y'all over the phone.

8 Negative Review Response Examples

Why it works

Reviewer A feels as if they were treated in an unprofessional fashion throughout the duration of their feel. They've also admitted to taking their business organization elsewhere, so at that place is likely no opportunity to win back the deal.

In cases similar this ane, the business organization should use this shopper'due south experience as a learning opportunity.

The response starts off by firmly establishing that professionalism is important to their concern and they regret having lost Reviewer A's concern. Note the response does non explicitly repent for the cited unprofessional behavior, just only acknowledges the reviewer's frustration. The response is completed by offering the reviewer an opportunity to hash out their experience further.

If the shopper follows up, great!

The business will have the chance to address their concerns. If not, future shoppers volition come across that they are open to customer feedback.

Widewail Tip: If you are unable to locate the customer's contact information, politely asking they requite you a call, leaving a straight telephone number at the end of the response.

Why it works

Although what Reviewer B has written is a bit confusing, it'southward like shooting fish in a barrel to sympathize that they are unsatisfied with the service they received and the filibuster in their repairs. This perspective may or may non be authentic, but every bit responders, it's not our task to get to the truth. Our goal is to empathise with the customer's frustration, which is undeniably true, and then asking the conversation move offline.

The response begins by acknowledging the client'southward frustration and acknowledge that this treatment is not adequate by the standards of the business. It's important to identify the negative scenario as an isolated outcome so that future readers will understand the situation described in the review is not the concern's normal operating procedure.

Use of the phrase "apropos details" demonstrates that the business organisation is taking the review seriously, but at the same fourth dimension, is purposefully vague. It'southward best to avoid repeating details from the review, as this provides Google with content that is detrimental to your reputation. The review ends by offering the client an opportunity to share more about their situation along with providing contact information.

Widewail Tip: If the business organization has Reviewer B's phone number, a more proactive arroyo would be to say "I'm going to give y'all a call" in place of "please consider giving me a call."

Why information technology works

The dreaded i-star no comment. On one hand, future customers won't take much data to appraise the business organization and they may fifty-fifty question the validity of the review. On the other hand, they may speculate why this customer is upset.

First, we recommend whomever handles review responses expect upwardly the customer's name in their database and check in with their team. They may glean enough data to reach out to the customer directly or provide a specific response. If after researching they are notwithstanding left in the dark, the best selection is to investigate.

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

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

Why it works

Although this is a iv-star review, it contains a healthy amount of negative data. This is a cracking opportunity for the business organization to engage with Reviewer D in a positive style. If they can do that, they might encourage Reviewer D to give them another shot.

Right away, the response acknowledges Reviewer D's feelings and apologizes for their less-than-perfect visit. The business doesn't make a promise to improve their facilities, but they do recognize the feedback. As always, a expert movement is to open a communication channel in the upshot that the reviewer would like to share more details. Shifting the perspective, the last sentence expresses that the concern hopes to work with this client again and provide a better experience in the future.

Widewail Tip: While one complaint about facilities shouldn't crusade business organisation, a blueprint of similar feedback could prompt upgrades.

Why it works

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

The response to Reviewer Due east acknowledges the customer's frustration and then offers to review the situation in more detail. Although information technology may not exist possible for the Service Manager to observe a solution that satisfies Reviewer E, at the very least she may provide information that could help them arroyo a similar situation differently in the future.

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

Why it works

Reviewer F'southward situation certainly sounds frustrating. At the same time, information technology'south understandable that staff turnover could lead to mistakes and miscommunications. This response benefits from a gracious perspective - "appreciate y'all sharing" - and an amends.

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

Why it works

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

Why it works

When a customer leaves a negative no-comment review, Widewail recommends that businesses request boosted information. The kickoff line in the response above is one approach, while something similar "I'thousand lamentable you lot were non completely satisfied with your visit" is also appropriate.

This response is a great template to take readily available equally a reference for negative no-annotate reviews.

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

At Widewail we offering a detailed performance study every bit a component of our services. Using our reporting your team is able to clarify performance by location, review site, turn a profit center, and time period.

Is your sales department underperforming your service department? When responding to reviews our squad tags each review with the relevant profit center. As a result, we can compile a study that shares insights into specific profit center operation.

For example, we see below that Location 1 has a combined rating of four.5, but turn a profit centre 1 is scoring a 4.8 and turn a profit centre 3 is scoring a 3.nine. This segmentation helps y'all to identify specific customer service issues.

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

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

Widewail client reduces negative reviews by 64% in 9 months.

Bonus: Case of a "Widewail Salvage"

When all the techniques are properly implemented sometimes an unhappy customer tin can turn into a happy customer. This is what we want!

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

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