How to Reply to a Google Review From Your Google Business Profile
By Clay Lawrence, Review Harvest · · 2 min video
The short version
Open your Google Business Profile while signed in with the email that manages it, click Read reviews, click the review, click Reply and type your response. Each review can have only one reply, so replying again just edits the first one. If you are stuck on what to say, paste the review into ChatGPT and ask it for a response.
Do this, in order
- 1
Sign in to Google with the email that manages your profile
You will only see the controls for your Google Business Profile when you are logged in with that account.
- 2
Open your Google Business Profile
Type the name of your business into the Google search bar. Or click the nine dots and then Business Profile Manager.
- 3
Click Read reviews
This lists your reviews so you can go into each one.
- 4
Click the review, then click Reply
Type your response in the box that opens.
- 5
Use ChatGPT if you want a draft
Copy the review, paste it into ChatGPT and ask it for a response. A good reply uses the reviewer's name and picks up context from what they wrote.
- 6
Click Edit to change a reply you already posted
A review has one reply. To say something different, click Edit on the existing response and change it.
Where do you reply to a Google review?
You reply from your Google Business Profile, under Read reviews. There are two ways to get there, and both need you to be signed in to Google with the email that manages the profile:
- Type the name of your business into the Google search bar.
- Or click the nine dots on Google, then click Business Profile Manager.
Once your profile is open:
- Click Read reviews.
- Click the review you want to answer.
- Click Reply.
- Type your response and post it.
What should the reply say?
A good reply uses the name of the person who left the review and refers to something they wrote.
If you would prefer not to start from a blank box, copy the review, paste it into ChatGPT and ask it for a response. Review Harvest replies to reviews this way automatically, using AI that pulls in the reviewer’s name and the context of the review.
Can you reply more than once, or change a reply?
No to the first, yes to the second. A Google review can have only one response from the business. If you go back and try to respond again, you are editing your earlier response, not adding a new one.
To change what you said, click Edit on your existing reply and rewrite it.
Why does an old reply sit under a recent review?
Because the customer updated their review after you replied. You will sometimes see a review marked as left 18 hours ago with a business response from two years ago.
Here is what happened. When a customer who has already reviewed you clicks your review link while logged in to the same account, Google fills in their previous star rating and any text they wrote before. If they click submit again, the review is updated. It does not count as another review. It shows as a recent one, but the reply attached to it is still the one from the first time.
Why does each new review matter?
A new review helps you rank higher on Google, and consistently getting five-star reviews is one of the easiest things you can do to get more customers.
Common questions
How do I reply to a Google review?
Sign in to Google with the email that manages your Google Business Profile and search for your business name, or click the nine dots and choose Business Profile Manager. Click Read reviews, click the review, click Reply and type your response.
Can a business reply to a Google review more than once?
No. There can be only one response to each Google review. If you try to respond again, you are editing the response you already wrote. To change it, click Edit on that response.
Why is the owner's reply older than the review it is under?
The customer updated their review. An updated review keeps its place as the same review but shows as recent, so it can read as posted 18 hours ago while the business's reply is still the one written two years ago.
Does an updated Google review count as a new review?
No. When someone who has already reviewed your business clicks your review link while logged in to the same account, Google fills in their previous star rating and text. When they submit again, it updates that review. It looks like a recent review, but your review count does not go up.
Can I use ChatGPT to write replies to Google reviews?
Yes. Copy the review, paste it into ChatGPT and ask for a response, then post it under Reply. Aim for a reply that uses the reviewer's name and refers to what they actually said.
