How to Respond to Negative Google Reviews
So, you’ve received a dreaded 1-star review on your Google Business Profile. You love your company and the services and products you offer, so it feels like quite a punch in the gut.
However, getting negative Google reviews is an issue that every business will eventually face. How you respond to the bad review on Google will determine whether the negative review will sour your company’s reputation or create a positive re-enforcing customer experience for potential customers to appreciate.
I’ve created this quick guide based on my extensive experience working with small businesses in 24 states and personally analyzing tens of thousands of reviews for our clients and my own company.
Table of Contents
Recognize Negative Reviews Are a Part of Life and They Can Have Benefits Too
The first step is to take a breath and realize negative reviews are a part of life. Earning a negative review doesn’t actually even mean you did anything truly “wrong.” Some customers are impossible to please no matter how perfectly you perform, others may have simply had a bad day and you are the proverbial punching bag.
And in other cases, yes, you may have an area of improvement to address.
Responding to Negative Reviews Showcases Your Dedication to Every Customer
Negative reviews can shed light on areas of your business which truly do need improvement. In that case, the reviewer has just done you a favor by pointing out an area in your business that, if improved, can increase your business’ chance for long-term success and profitability. Keep in mind that more visitors could be having the same negative experience, but instead of boldly voicing their opinion, they are simply taking their business elsewhere and likely influencing their friends and family to do the same.
How you respond to that customer’s feedback can show whether you are dedicated to hearing out and fixing issues, or you’d rather deny or ignore potential issues.
When I vet a business, I personally search out their negative reviews first and focus on both the reviewer’s complaint and also how the company responded to the reviewer. This helps me know how the company will react in the off chance that I have a negative experience with them. I doubt I’m the only odd-ball that takes this approach.
Instead, view negative reviews as a way you can show that you will always make things fair for your customer and you truly do care about every customer experience.
A 5.0 Average Star Rating Is Not Always Seen as Trustworthy
Keep in mind, there are numerous studies that show consumers often trust businesses more when they have an average rating that is not 5.0 stars, since a 5.0-star rating can feel too good to be true. Here are a couple key points of those studies:
- A study by Northwestern University shows that consumers were most influenced by reviews with an average star rating between 4.2 and 4.5
- Additionally, according to BrightLocal’s research, “88% of consumers would use a business that responds to both positive and negative reviews, compared to just 47% that said they would consider using a business that doesn’t respond to any reviews…” – even if it has a high average star rating!
The goal we tell our clients is to ideally shoot for 4.2-4.9 stars. This makes you eligible for search queries that include “best” (e.g. best coffee shops near me) and still have a high-enough rating to encourage conversions. Additionally, it gives you a buffer if you have a sudden influx of negative reviews due to an isolated incident.
How to Respond to Negative Reviews
Posting a review response is easy; crafting the right response is difficult.
Technical Steps to Respond to a Review
From a literal perspective, you can respond to any review on your Google Business Profile by following the instructions below:
- Ensure you are logged into a Google Account that has access to manage your Google Business Profile.
- Visit your Google Business Profile by searching your company name on Google or by visiting https://business.google.com/ (the direct link is helpful for multi-location businesses)
- Navigate to the reviews section and scroll to the specific review you’d like to address.
- Click the Reply button.
- This will pull up a box where you can type your review and hit “Reply” when you’re done.
Note that when you reply, Google will send a notification to the recipient that you replied to the review. Additionally, your response will be public for anyone to see. As such, ensure you’ve double checked and re-read your response multiple times before posting a reply.
Best Practices for Responding to Negative Reviews
Formulating what to say to a negative review is the much more difficult part.
First, you need to consider the reviewer’s state of mind. Are they in a place where they will be receptive to customer service and a follow-up conversation would help ease their troubles or come to a solution?
For illustration purposes, We’ll call this Person “Disappointed Dan.”
Or are they in a place where they are inconsolable, and at this point you are focusing on damage control.
Conversely, let’s call this Person the “Inconsolable Ivan.”
While you could certainly take the same approach with both reviewer types, you will have more success customizing your approach to the mental state of the reviewer.
The Disappointed Reviewer (Disappointed Dan)
Disappointed Dan is clearly upset because something did not turn out the way he expected. Likely, there is still a part of Disappointed Dan that wants things to be made right so trust can be restored.
As such, the best way to respond is to first empathize with the reviewer in your response. Acknowledge the issue and how frustrating it truly is.
Additionally, offer a direct way to chat with management so that you all can make it right. Include the exact person’s name and contact info (e.g. phone or email) of who Disappointed Dan should contact. As a bonus point, this could be the same person responding to the review, as that personal touch can create a felt connection vs. having to go through the taxing hurdle of re-explaining themselves to a “new,” second person.
If you have enough info in the review itself to propose a solution, you can certainly do so directly within the response. However, be careful of this, as other reviewers may immediately seek an identical remedy, even if it’s not practical for every case.
The Inconsolable Reviewer (Inconsolable Ivan)
Tread lightly.
If the reviewer is inconsolable and not looking for an actual resolution, we recommend responding with empathy, but also not overpromising/over-offering. Simply address their concern or complaint, acknowledge how the situation is frustrating, and vaguely state how it will be addressed internally (e.g. discussed with management, reported to customer service department, etc.).
Overpromising here triggers more online venting for Inconsolable Ivan.
Caution: if you offer Inconsolable Ivan a chance to chat with your management/customer service team, this could make them even more irate, especially if you do not come to the table with any potential solutions.
What If the Customer Is Wrong?
You should still analyze whether the reviewer is Disappointed Dan or Inconsolable Ivan.
If they are inconsolable, they will not likely be receptive to logic even if you try to have a good, respectable conversation.
If they are the “Disappointed Dan,” a follow-up, offline conversation may help them understand where the miscommunication occurred, but you still need to find a way to bend a bit to help restore their faith in your company, even if they were the one to blame.
When handled correctly, Disappointed Dan’s can actually be come promoters of your company. We’ve even seen where reviewers have gone back and updated their original review after a favorable customer service solution.
Can I Delete a Google Review?
The short answer is no. Only the reviewer can delete their own review. That said, if the content of the review violates Google’s policies or is spam/fake/malicious, you can report the Google review, and Google support may delete the review altogether.
Check out our comprehensive guide on How to Remove a Google Review from a Google Business Profile.
Don’t attempt to report legitimate negative reviews! You’re just asking for trouble. Keep in mind, there’s a pretty wide net of who is allowed to leave a Google review.
Playing Offense with Google Reviews
As the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense. This is quite true with Google reviews. People who are truly and deeply upset are more likely to leave a review. In fact, they might even have their sister, cousin, and cousin’s fiancée all leave reviews too. Yes, I’ve seen this scenario happen to a local small business before!
If you want to negate the effects of bad reviews, implement a good offense:
1. Proactively Collect Reviews from Your Customers
We have found that using a reputation management system to ask for reviews, make the review process easier for customers, and send timely follow-ups drastically increases the chance of getting positive Google reviews in the door.
We have a solid reputation management system to make this process easier. Additionally, the team over at Whitespark has an awesome reputation management builder too. Either of those systems can make the process a lot easier.
2. Constantly Evaluate Customer Service
Have a formal process in place to routinely evaluate your customer service. Note that this is not just for current customers. Even potential leads (who never even buy from you) can leave a bad review just for their interactions with your receptionist or business developer. We’ve seen a reviewer leave a bad review because they never heard back from a company, and another reviewer write a negative review because the answering service agent was unhelpful.
To combat this, consider implementing a robust phone call and form tracking system that allows you to track leads and randomly audit results (e.g., list to call recordings, view customer service chats, check on form response times, etc.).
Look for ways to constantly improve your service/product quality and creating an unmatched customer service experience.
3. Keep Educating Yourself About Reputation Management
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