How to reply to Google reviews (including the bad ones)

People looking for a local service read the reviews before they call. And they read the replies too: a bad review answered well builds more trust than a profile with no replies at all.

Google lets you reply to reviews from your Business Profile, on desktop or mobile. The reply is public, right below the review.

Three rules before you write

1. Reply fast. Ideally the same day. The person who complained is still waiting, and readers see that the business is present.
2. Write for the next reader. The reply is for the next customer, not only for the reviewer.
3. Never expose customer data. No full names, diagnoses, amounts paid or details of the service.

Good review

Thank them, mention something they said and invite them back.

Thank you, Ana! We’re glad the cleaning went smoothly. The team loved your message. See you at the next appointment!

Neutral review

Thank them, acknowledge the point to improve and say what changed.

Thanks for the feedback, Carlos. You’re right about the wait at reception: we adjusted the schedule to reduce delays. We hope to see you again.

Bad review

Stay calm, don’t argue in public and take the conversation to a private channel.

We’re very sorry about your experience, Juliana. That’s not the service we want to offer. Could you message us on WhatsApp so we can understand what happened and fix it?

If the review is fake, offensive or from someone who was never a customer, reply politely and request removal through the Business Profile itself, using the option to report the review.

Care for clinics and practices

Health professionals follow the advertising rules of their professional boards. In your reply, don’t confirm the person is a patient, don’t comment on procedures or results and don’t promise anything. A short, polite reply with an invitation to talk privately is the safest path.

Redação UNACORD. Fact-checked. Informational content; results vary by business.