How to Respond to Google Reviews (With Examples)

Every Google review is a conversation that your future customers can read. How you reply tells them how you treat people, often before they’ve spoken to you. A thoughtful reply to a bad review can win more trust than a page of five-star ratings.

This guide covers how to reply to Google reviews, what to say to good, mixed and bad reviews, and the UK rules every small business needs to know. It’s based on Google’s guidance and UK law as checked in October 2026.

The Short Answer

Reply to every review, good or bad, within a day or two if you can. Thank the person by name, mention something specific from their review, keep it short, and never argue. For a negative review, acknowledge the problem, apologise for their experience, and offer to sort it out offline. Never include a customer’s personal details, and never offer anything in exchange for a review.

Why Replying to Reviews Pays Off

Google recommends it. Responding to reviews is one of the steps Google lists in its own advice on improving your local ranking.
Customers expect it. BrightLocal’s 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey of US consumers found that 32% expect a reply by the following day, up from 18% the year before.
Reviewers can change their minds. Google notifies the reviewer when you reply, and they may update their review.
Everyone else is reading. Your replies are public, so each one is a small advert for how you treat customers.

How to Reply to a Google Review

Make sure your Business Profile is verified. Only verified businesses can reply.
Search for your business name on Google while signed in, or open Google Maps, and select Reviews.
Choose Reply under the review, write your response and post it.

Your reply appears publicly as your business, and your personal name isn’t shown. You can edit or delete your reply later. Google checks replies against its policies, which usually takes a few minutes but can take up to 30 days.

Your reply isn’t only for the reviewer. Write it for the next customer who reads it.

How to Reply to Positive Reviews

A positive review deserves more than “Thanks!”. A short, personal reply shows you read it.

Thank them by name.
Mention something specific from their review.
Keep it to two or three sentences.
Invite them back, without turning it into a sales pitch.

For example, imagine you run a dog grooming business in Horsham and get a glowing review from Sarah about her nervous spaniel:

“Thank you, Sarah. It was lovely to see Bramble settle in so quickly this time, and we’re glad she went home looking her best. See you both next month.”

How to Reply to Mixed Reviews

A three-star review often contains both praise and a problem. Thank them for the positives, address the problem directly, and say what you’ve done or will do about it.

“Thanks for your feedback, Tom. We’re pleased you were happy with the finish, and you’re right that we should have kept you updated when the job overran. We’ve changed how we let customers know about delays, so thank you for raising it.”

Diner holding a phone over plates of food at a restaurant table

How to Reply to Negative Reviews

A bad review stings, especially when you feel it’s unfair. Wait until you’re calm before you reply. These are the principles we follow:

Thank them and acknowledge the problem. Don’t open with a defence.
Apologise for their experience. You can say sorry they were disappointed without admitting every detail.
Don’t argue or share private details. Never mention order numbers, addresses or anything personal. Google advises never sharing a reviewer’s private information in a reply.
Take it offline. Offer a name and a way to contact you to put things right.
Keep it short. A long reply looks defensive.

For example:

“We’re sorry to hear about your experience, James, and thank you for letting us know. This isn’t the standard we aim for. Please call Helen on [your number] so we can look into it and put things right.”

If you’ve already resolved the issue privately, you can add a short line to say so, as long as the customer is happy for you to mention it.

What About Fake or Unfair Reviews?

If a review breaks Google’s policies, for example because it’s spam, comes from a competitor or a former employee, or contains offensive content, you can report it to Google for review. Disliking a review isn’t grounds for removal, so if it’s a customer’s own opinion, a calm, professional reply is your best response.

The Rules Every UK Business Must Follow

Asking for reviews is encouraged, but there are firm rules, and some of them are now law.

Google’s Rules

No incentives. You can’t offer discounts, free products or anything else in exchange for a review.
No review gating. You must not ask only your happy customers. Ask everyone.
No pressure. Don’t pressure customers to leave a review while they’re on your premises, and don’t set staff targets for review numbers or content.
No conflicts of interest. Reviews from staff, former staff, contractors or competitors break Google’s rules.
No promotions in replies. Keep replies short and don’t use them to advertise offers.

UK Law

Since 6 April 2025, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 has banned fake reviews in the UK. Businesses must not write, commission or post fake reviews, and must not present reviews in a misleading way, such as hiding negative ones. The Competition and Markets Authority can now fine businesses directly.

The CMA’s guidance says incentivised reviews can be allowed if they are prominently labelled as incentivised and still reflect the reviewer’s own experience. Google’s policy is stricter and bans incentives altogether, so on Google, the simple rule is never to offer anything in exchange for a review.

The safest way to get more reviews is to ask every customer, every time, with a direct link.

Reviews and AI Search

More customers now ask AI tools who to use. BrightLocal’s 2026 survey of US consumers found that 45% had used ChatGPT or a similar AI tool for local business recommendations, up from 6% the year before. These tools build their answers from public information about your business, and your reviews, along with the way you reply to them, are some of the most visible information there is. A steady flow of recent reviews with thoughtful replies gives both customers and AI tools a clear picture of how you treat people. Our guide to how to appear in AI search explains what else helps.

Should You Use AI to Write Your Replies?

AI tools can help you draft a reply when you’re short of time or unsure how to word a difficult one. Always edit the result. Customers can spot a generic reply, and an AI tool doesn’t know what happened on the job. Add the person’s name and one detail that only you would know.

A Simple Routine for Busy Business Owners

Turn on review notifications in your Business Profile so you see new reviews quickly.
Reply to positive reviews the same day if you can.
Give yourself an hour before replying to a negative review, but reply within a day or two.
Keep a few short reply outlines that you adapt each time, rather than copying the same words.
Share your review link with every customer after each job.

Get Help With Your Reviews

Reviews are one of the biggest influences on whether you appear in the map pack and whether people choose you when they find you. Building a steady flow of reviews is a core part of our local SEO services for small businesses.

If you’re not yet on Google, start with our guide to getting your business on Google and Google Maps.

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How to Respond to Google Reviews: Examples and UK Rules