How to Reply to Negative Reviews on Google: Examples and Tips

There’s no getting around it: Online reviews matter. When buyers seek new products, service providers, or goods, one of the most important factors influencing their purchasing decision is reviews from other customers. In fact, over 98% of consumers feel that reviews are an essential resource when making a purchase. And it’s inevitable that your business will eventually receive a negative review (or two). 

But negative reviews aren’t necessarily all bad. There are positive outcomes your business can achieve if you’re properly managing online reviews. In this article, we’ll tackle ways to productively respond to negative reviews and turn them into opportunities for growth. 

Table of Contents: 

• Why You Should Respond to Negative Reviews
• Benefits of Responding to Negative Reviews 
• How to Respond to Negative Reviews on Google: 10 Examples
• Best Practices for Responding to Negative Reviews 
• FAQs About Online Reviews

Why You Should Respond to Negative Reviews 

Research has shown that 96% of consumers specifically look for negative reviews when making purchasing decisions. Why? Primarily, consumers want to gain a holistic perspective of the business they’re researching. 

By responding to negative reviews, your business shows potential and current customers that you're committed to providing an excellent customer experience. Plus, replying to reviews often provides your business the opportunity to do damage control, de-escalate issues, and rebuild trust. 

Replying to negative reviews also provides an excellent chance to understand your customer experience and highlight areas for improvement, product innovation, and growth. 

Benefits of Responding to Negative Reviews 

Over 53% of consumers expect businesses will respond to negative feedback within one week. If you’re receiving hundreds of reviews on a weekly or even monthly basis, keeping up with review feedback can sound like a lot of work. But the benefits of monitoring and responding to negative reviews far outweigh the extra work. 

Let’s explore the key benefits of replying to negative reviews. 

Strengthen Brand Reputation

Responding to negative reviews demonstrates accountability, transparency, and a culture of customer satisfaction. When a business takes the time to address concerns publicly, it shows that customer feedback is valued and taken seriously, building trust as current and potential customers can see how the organization handles criticism. 

Over 78% of consumers say that they trust businesses that respond to reviews more than brands that don't. 

Improve Retention and Satisfaction 

When businesses acknowledge concerns and offer solutions, dissatisfied customers are more likely to feel heard and appreciated, increasing their chances of remaining loyal rather than switching to a competitor. 

Well-handled responses can turn negative customer experiences into positive ones, strengthening relationships and improving overall satisfaction rates. 

Identify Problems Early

Reading and responding to reviews, particularly negative ones, can be a valuable practice for identifying problems early on. For example, it’s easy to spot recurring issues in reviews if multiple customers mention the same problem. 

Plus, negative reviews often highlight specific pain points that your product or service may not be addressing. Identifying these issues quickly can allow your product, service, or processes team to make adjustments and prevent further reputation damage. 

Inspire Product Innovation 

Customer complaints often highlight usability issues, missing features, gaps in functionality, design flaws, or service inefficiencies that might not be apparent through internal assessment alone. 

Analyzing recurring themes in negative feedback allows your product department to identify areas for enhancement and also can inspire entirely new offerings that better serve the market. 

Boost SEO and Google Rankings 

Actively responding to customer feedback signals to search engines that your business values customer experience, which enhances online reputation. Plus, responses that include relevant keywords related to the business or industry can improve local search visibility. 

For search engines like Google, engaging with negative reviews increases user interaction on the business’ profile. User interaction is a positive ranking factor in Google’s algorithm and helps increase visibility and website traffic, leading to increased conversion rates. 

Humanize Your Brand 

Thoughtfully replying to reviews shows consumers that real people are behind your brand, actively listening and engaging with customers. In contrast to many brands that rely on automated, impersonal responses, addressing criticism with empathy, transparency, and willingness to improve demonstrates authenticity. 

How to Respond to Negative Reviews on Google: 10 Examples  

Developing an effective review response practice can set your team and business up for future review success. Let’s explore 10 different negative review scenarios and best practices for responding professionally. 

1. Poor In-Store Retail Customer Experience

Replying to negative in-store experience reviews shows your business is working toward actively improving your shopping experience. In a competitive retail space, being responsive to customer complaints and creating a positive in-store experience can differentiate your brand and foster customer loyalty. 

The following example illustrates an effective way to handle negative retail experience reviews. 

Sally’s response works because it acknowledges Kelly’s issue and thanks her for the feedback. The response doesn’t try to make an excuse or defend the experience but instead apologizes and attempts to move the conversation offline to a channel better suited for issue resolution. 

2. Software Product Doesn’t Meet Expectations

Addressing negative feedback to your software or digital product is essential to help retain customers and strengthen credibility. Promptly responding to complaints shows users that feedback is welcome and your brand is committed to continuous improvement. 

The example below shows an effective way to handle complaints when a product doesn’t meet customer expectations. 

NetWare’s response addresses Mark’s concerns and offers an actionable, offline solution to his issue. The reply is thoughtful, acknowledging the positive points of Mark’s review, and demonstrates a commitment to implementing user feedback.  

3. Long Tech Support Wait Time 

Frustration over long wait times can quickly turn into a negative review. Well-crafted responses are an opportunity to rebuild trust and demonstrate your brand’s customer-centric values to prospective customers who may encounter a negative review. 

Let’s look at an example of how to handle a negative review over long wait times. 

This response is effective because it fully acknowledges the complaint and provides transparency around the circumstances. The response encourages more offline communication and provides a solution the company is actively working toward implementing.  

4. Wrong Item Sent

Mistakes happen in ecommerce, and sending the wrong item to a customer can be frustrating for both the business and the buyer. However, a prompt, efficient response can swiftly resolve the issue and help avoid damage to a business’ reputation. 

In this example, we’ll look at ways to navigate a customer who’s dissatisfied because they received the wrong item. 

Light Foot’s response goes above and beyond to resolve the customer’s issue and provide a tangible solution. The response took accountability, acknowledged the mistake, and acted swiftly to create a resolution.

5. Restaurant Food Wasn’t Good 

Maintaining your restaurant’s reputation is key to ensuring long-term success. When potential diners see that feedback is taken seriously, they are more likely to trust that any issues are actively being addressed and that your restaurant values its guests. 

The following is an example of ways that restaurant owners can handle negative feedback about their food. 

This response is effective because it both addresses the issue and promises immediate action, signaling to current and future guests that this issue likely won’t happen again. Tony’s response accurately manages public perception of their brand by offering a free meal and emphasizing their commitment to ensuring each experience is a positive one. 

6. Equipment Not Working in Gym 

Gyms and fitness studios must be prepared for occasional equipment failure. While inevitable, out-of-service equipment can be frustrating to members. Responding to and addressing complaints quickly can show a commitment to maintenance and customer satisfaction. 

The following scenario can be used as a good example of handling negative reviews over malfunctioning equipment. 

 True Fit’s response effectively acknowledges the complaint, outlines core brand values, and provides transparency. The response offers a solution and provides a timeline for resolution while encouraging further communication. 

7. Hotel Room Wasn’t Cleaned Properly 

Good reviews are the lifeblood of the hospitality industry, offering valuable insights into guests’ experiences and shaping overall brand reputation. How a hotel engages with reviews can be the deciding factor in attracting or losing business. By addressing negative reviews, hospitality groups can resolve issues and show future guests they strive to provide the best possible experience. 

The following example highlights an appropriate hospitality response to a negative guest review. 

Coastal Inn’s response demonstrates the hotel’s willingness to address concerns and take immediate action to better train staff. 

8. Pricing Is Too Expensive on Plan Renewal 

Addressing pricing concerns can be a good opportunity to demonstrate added value while explaining the rationale for price increases. 

This example provides a way to handle negative price-related reviews. 

In Clean Sweep’s response, the company thoughtfully acknowledged the customer’s concern, explained the rationale behind the price increase, and offered a personalized solution. Even if the customer chooses to leave due to price, they will likely feel heard and appreciated, contributing to the company’s reputation in the long run. 

9. Fake or Made-Up Review 

Even when a review is fake or exaggerated, responding appropriately helps protect your brand and builds credibility. It’s also an opportunity to correct false information and clear up misunderstandings. 

Let’s look at an example of how to handle fake, misleading, or made-up reviews. 

In this example, responding to the review, though it may be fake or misleading, shows the company takes feedback seriously and gives GreenLeaf the chance to acknowledge a case of mistaken identity or confusion that may have occurred. 

10. Product Arrived Damaged 

Products can sometimes be damaged in transit and arrive in unexpected conditions. Even when it may not be your business’ fault that the item arrived damaged, it’s still important to acknowledge negative reviews and work to solve the customer’s issue. 

Design Plus ensured its response was short and sweet, encouraging the customer to take next steps and offering an immediate and actionable solution to their issue. 

Best Practices for Responding to Negative Reviews 

When it comes to handling negative feedback, how your brand responds can make all the difference. Your response has the power to transform frustration into loyalty and show your audience that your brand is committed to improvement. To help navigate the negative review response process, your business should always: 

• Respond quickly 
• Address the reviewer by name 
• Thank them for the feedback 
• Show empathy 
• Provide brief context for issues 
• Share improvements or solutions 
• Offer to take the conversation to a different channel 
• Encourage further feedback

Keeping your responses brief and positive will allow the core sentiment of your reply to remain clear to the reader. Concise reviews are more likely to be read in full while fostering a confident and professional brand image. 

What to Avoid When Replying to Negative Reviews 

It can be tempting to argue or disagree with negative reviewers, especially when their reviews may be hurting your business. But it’s crucial to keep a level head when replying to negative reviews and try to avoid: 

• Ignoring reviews
• Being defensive or rude
• Copying and pasting responses
• Boasting or advertising 
• Arguing with customer over details 
• Failing to offer a solution

Turn Negative Reviews into Growth with Textedly 

Negative reviews don’t have to hurt your brand; they can be opportunities to reinforce and demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction. With Textedly, you can manage and respond to Google reviews directly from your SMS inbox, ensuring quick, thoughtful replies that enhance your brand’s credibility. Plus, businesses can leverage Textedly to automatically send review requests via text, enabling easy review collection and seamless reputation management. 

Ready to turn negative reviews into positive results? Try Textedly’s review management platform with a free trial today. 

FAQs About Online Reviews

Let’s cover a few common questions surrounding online reviews. 

How Should You Respond to Neutral Reviews? 

Neutral reviews, usually a combination of positive and negative components, can indicate a customer who had an average experience — which means you still have an opportunity to turn them into a loyal customer. 

When responding to negative reviews, you should: 

• Thank them for the feedback
• Address any mentioned concerns 
• Reinforce the positives 
• Encourage future engagement 
• Offer a next step if applicable 

Can You Remove Negative Google Reviews? 

While businesses can’t directly delete negative Google reviews, certain reviews can be flagged for removal if they violate Google’s review policies or if the review is entirely false. Google will only remove reviews that directly violate their policies. 

Why Shouldn’t You Delete Negative Reviews? 

While it may be tempting to try and find a way to remove negative reviews and maintain a flawless online reputation, doing so can harm your brand in the long run. Customers value transparency and may question the authenticity of your business and reviews if there isn’t a mix of positive and negative reviews. 

Plus, negative reviews offer valuable insights for improvement and opportunities to show your community how you’ll handle issues should they arise. 

Should You Respond to Every Review?

It’s generally considered good practice to try and respond to every review. For businesses with hundreds or thousands of reviews, this may seem like a daunting task. But dedicating time to respond to each customer review, both negative and positive, can build loyalty, humanize your brand, and boost engagement and visibility on sites like Google and Yelp. Finally, responding to reviews encourages other customers to leave reviews if they know your business actively reads and responds to feedback.