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How to Reply to Negative Online Reviews

Bad reviews are the worst.

No business likes to receive negative feedback, but we can’t deny the rest of us love to read them. In fact, about 97% of people will read local business reviews, according to a consumer study from BIA/Kelsey.

But humans aren’t the only ones who love customer feedback. Google and other search engines do too. In fact, one important ranking signal for local SEO on Google is customer experience, measured by online customer reviews. What this fact means is that, all other factors being equal, Google will push a local business higher than its competitor in local results if it has more positive and relevant reviews.

That’s why it’s so important for business owners to not only respond in a timely manner to negative reviews when they do pop up, but to also reply to negative reviews in the right way. After all, potential customers are reading your responses too!

Getting Started: Where Can Reviews Show Up?

Let’s start at the beginning. Where do search engines pull reviews from, and where do human readers see them, good and bad alike?

There are a few primary review sites that businesses should prioritize in terms of reputation management and local SEO value, including the following.

Google Business Profile (GBP)/Google My Business (GMB)

Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly Google My Business (GMB), collects Google reviews for your business. These reviews can then appear in both Maps and search results.

For example, if someone searches organically for your business’s name, your GBP listing will often appear on the right hand side of the SERP on desktop. The searcher will be able to see your review/star rating and even select reviews that appear at the bottom of the Google listing. While you can’t manipulate which reviews Google shows at the bottom of your listing, you can properly respond (more on that in a moment).

In the chance you come across spam reviews, you can report those to Google to review for removal.

Yelp

Yelp uses an automated process to choose which reviews to recommend and which to hide from a profile. Since this is an automated process, Yelp’s support team will not be able to help you unhide a review. However, you can flag a review if it goes against Yelp’s regulations. 

Have questions about using Yelp? Visit their support center to learn more.

Facebook

Visitors can recommend and review your business from your social media page. While Facebook does give you the option to turn off reviews all together, we advise against it; this practice can lead to mistrust.

Remember: The rules for leaving reviews, asking for reviews, and reporting reviews for offensive content differ drastically from site to site. Make sure to read each platform’s rules before taking action against negative reviews or before asking customers to leave reviews.

Tripadvisor

Users can find and leave reviews for hotels, restaurants, and other large and small businesses alike on Tripadvisor. Its brand reputation/ranking system is based on the volume of reviews, whether the reviews are positive or not, and if the reviews are recent.

What to Know Before Responding to Negative Reviews

Before responding or reporting any negative review, make sure to do the following:

1. Read the review thoroughly. It sounds simple, but it can be easy to get swept up by the first few lines or headline of a negative review. Make sure to read the review completely, especially if it is detailed. Completely reading the review not only prevents you from giving an ill-informed reply, but there’s a good chance that there is valuable insight to be gained by reading the entire review— no matter how uncomfortable it may be.

2. Put yourself in the reviewer’s shoes. No one likes to have a bad experience, especially if the experience was something they were looking forward to doing. Now think of a time when you’ve been an unhappy customer and when you’ve left a review because of it. Did the business respond to your review? If so, did it make a difference in how you perceive them and boost (or hinder) customer loyalty? Remember that this reviewer will likely read your response (as will hundreds of other potential customers) and make a further judgement of your business based on how you handle their feedback.

3. Think before you write. It’s easy to give a cookie-cutter response to reviews, but don’t just think about the short-term gain of saving time. Think of the long-term consequences and the bottom line. Consider how you want customers to perceive you—both the reviewer and those silently reading the reviews.

How to Respond To Negative Reviews: 6 Tips

Is there a right or wrong way to respond to bad reviews? Absolutely. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when crafting your response.

1. Respond in less than 24 hours. Don’t allow negative reviews to linger unanswered. A timely response shows the customer that you are engaged with the business and care about what your clients think. You can set up notifications to alert you when a new review has been submitted. This way you aren’t having to proactively check all your location directories daily for new reviews.

2. Let them know you’ve heard their concern. Acknowledge that you’ve not only received their message, but that you are sorry that they had a less than ideal time. Be sure to include specifically the customer’s name and the specific customer complaints.

3. Call out specific issues. If they are frustrated they were unable to get a hold of the manager or customer service team when they called, mention this problem in your response. It shows that you took the time to really read their review. A generic response can come across as disingenuous, leading to reduced customer satisfaction... and a poorer online reputation.

4. Offer a solution. Provide the customer with a solution to their problem. For example, if they were unsatisfied with their service, provide a phone number to call and talk with a representative.

5. Keep it professional. Don’t take the review personally, and definitely don’t attack the customer. Remember your brand image and how you want customers to remember your business.

6. Follow up with everyone. Respond to both negative comments and positive feedback alike. Responding to dissatisfied customers is important to help them feel hears and potentially turn their negative experience into a positive one—or at least a neutral one. Responding to positive experiences can help keep happy customers just that—happy and loyal customers.

Review Examples

Negative Review Response Examples

tripadvisor empire state building

steves hot dogs

Positive Review Response Examples

also tripadvisor empire state building

also steves hot dogs

Negative Review Response Template

Remember: the following are merely templates. Customize your own responses with the customer’s name, specific complaints, and offer a solution/way to get into direct contact with customer support or a manager (offering contact information like a phone number).

Thank you for responding, [Customer Name]. We are sorry to hear about your experience at [Company Name] where you experienced [insert Customer Complaint]. We strive to offer the best experience and excellent customer service. We would love to make things right with you. Please contact [insert Manager Name] at [insert Contact Information].

Don’t run from bad reviews again. Instead, use the tips above to reply to negative reviews and make a real impact.

Want to learn more about review platforms, local SEO, local listings, and practical digital marketing solutions available to you? Contact our team today.