How to reply to Google reviews, with examples
Updated 11 October 2026
The short answer
Reply to every review, ideally within a day. Thank the customer by name, mention something specific from their review, and for a complaint, apologise for their experience, address the issue plainly and offer a way to sort it out offline. Keep it short and never argue.
Five-star reviews
Thank them, mention what they liked, and invite them back. Specific beats generic: it shows a person read the review.
Example: "Thank you, Priya! We are glad the bed fitted your room perfectly. See you when you are ready for the wardrobe."
Mixed reviews (three or four stars)
Thank them for the good parts, acknowledge what fell short without excuses, and say what you are doing about it.
Example: "Thank you for the kind words about the haircut, Rahul. You are right that the wait was too long on Saturday; we have added a second stylist for weekend mornings."
One- and two-star reviews
Stay calm and short. Apologise for their experience, address the specific problem, and give a way to continue privately, such as a phone number or asking them to visit. Do not argue, share their personal details, or blame them in public.
Example: "We are sorry the delivery was late, Amit. That is not the service we aim for. Please call us on the number on our profile and we will make it right."
Mistakes to avoid
- Copy-pasting the same reply on every review
- Arguing with the customer or questioning whether they visited
- Sharing order details, phone numbers or names the customer did not post
- Leaving complaints unanswered for weeks
How Sweep Growth helps
Sweep Growth checks for new reviews every fifteen minutes and writes a reply for each one, reading the review, using your business name, matching the language the customer wrote in, and following the tone you choose. You decide which star ratings publish automatically and which wait for you; out of the box, low ratings are held for your approval.
Common questions
- How quickly should I reply to a Google review?
- Within a day is a good standard. A fast reply to a complaint can stop it from putting off other customers.
- Can I delete a bad Google review?
- Owners cannot delete reviews. You can reply publicly, and you can report a review to Google if it breaks Google's content policies, for example if it is fake or off-topic.
- Should I reply to reviews in Hindi if the customer wrote in Hindi?
- Yes. Reply in the language the customer used; it reads as more personal.