Prado Digital · Guide

How to respond to Google reviews: a guide for tradies

Reply to every Google review, the good, the mixed and the bad. It takes a couple of minutes from your phone, and every reply gets read by the next homeowner scrolling your profile, deciding whether to ring you or the next tradie down the list.

Business.gov.au, the Australian Government's site for business owners, says you should "acknowledge and respond to every review", positive and negative (read 30 Oct 2026).

Below you'll find how to reply on your phone, what to say to each kind of review, and replies you can copy and change to suit. And if you'd like more reviews coming in to reply to, that's what our Google review requests after every job, done for you are for.

Should you respond to Google reviews?

Yes. A reply shows the next customer you still look after people once the job's done, and they can't see that from your photos.

Google's own help pages say: "When you reply to customer reviews, it shows that you value their feedback." In BrightLocal's 2026 survey of US consumers, 80% said they're more likely to use a business that responds to all its reviews. That survey is American, and we couldn't find a recent Australian one that asks the same question, but anyone who's picked a sparky off Google knows the feeling. A profile full of unanswered reviews looks like nobody's minding the shop.

Google's tips page does say you don't need to thank every reviewer publicly. business.gov.au goes further and says to respond to every one. Replying to all of them is the safer habit, because a five-star review with a short thank-you underneath looks like a business that's paying attention, and it only takes a minute.

Can business owners respond to Google reviews?

Yes, once your Google Business Profile is verified. Owners and managers on the profile can reply, and the reply shows up under the review as a response from your business. Your personal name isn't shown.

Who can reply: owners and managers

Anyone you add to your profile as an owner or a manager can reply to reviews.

So if your partner does the books, or you've got a leading hand who's good with words, add them as a manager and they can reply from their own Google account, without you handing over your password. Owners can do everything a manager can, plus add and remove people, so keep the owner role for yourself.

How to reply to a Google review on your MOBILE phone

Replying from the ute between jobs is quickest on your phone, so start there.

Open the Google Maps app, signed in with the Google account that manages your Business Profile
Tap your profile picture, then Your business profile. On some phones there's a Business tab at the bottom of the screen instead
Go to Reviews
Tap Reply under the review
Type your reply and send it

You can also search your business name in the Google app or on Google Search, and your profile tools show up at the top of the results.

Google moves these buttons around from time to time, so if a label looks a bit different on your phone, look for Reviews and Reply.

How to reply to a Google review on a computer

Google says checking a report usually takes several days. You can see where it's up to in the Reviews Management Tool

Go to your Business Profile on Google
Select Read reviews
Next to the review, select Reply
Type your reply, then select Reply again to post it

Google checks every reply against its content rules before it goes up. It usually takes up to 10 minutes, and Google says it can sometimes take up to 30 days. If your reply isn't approved, Google asks you to edit it.

What happens after you reply

The customer gets a notification that you've replied, and your reply sits publicly under their review for anyone to read.

You can change your reply any time. Open the review, select Edit under your reply, make your changes and update it, or select Delete to remove it.

Can a customer reply to your reply?

Google's help pages don't describe any way for a customer to reply underneath your reply. What the customer can do is change their review. They can edit it or delete it any time, and if they edit it, the review shows the date of the latest change as its post date.

That's why a calm reply to a bad review matters so much. If you sort the problem out, the customer might come back and lift their star rating or add a line about how you fixed it, and the review then shows a fresh date. business.gov.au suggests following up with the customer once you've fixed the issue, because "they may be willing to update their review". Just don't tie anything to it. You can't offer a discount, a refund or free work in exchange for them changing or removing a review, because that breaks Google's rules.

What makes a good reply

Google's own tips boil down to a few things, and they fit a tradie's way of talking anyway

Keep it short. Two or three sentences is plenty. Google says long replies can overwhelm people.
Use their name and the job. "Thanks Sarah, glad the new hot water system is sorted" sounds like a real person who remembers the job, and anyone can tell "Thank you for your valuable feedback" came off a template.
Be polite, even when they weren't. The next customer is reading your reply, and you want them to see someone calm.
Never share private details. Don't mention their address, what they paid or anything about the job they didn't bring up first.
Leave out the sales pitch. Google says there's no need to offer deals or promotions in a reply.
Sign it. Google suggests signing with your name or initials, so "Cheers, Dave" at the end is perfect.

The same BrightLocal survey found 50% of US consumers are put off by generic replies, the kind that could sit under any review for any business. So write each one fresh, even if you start from one of the examples below.

How to reply to positive Google reviews

A good review deserves a quick, genuine thank-you. business.gov.au says to "post a message promptly and thank the customer". Mention something specific from what they wrote, so it's clear you actually read it.

Example: five stars with a few words

“Thanks heaps, Michelle. Glad the deck came up the way you pictured it, and say hi to the dog for us. Cheers, Dave”

Example: five stars, a longer review that names a worker

Thanks for taking the time to write this, Greg. I'll pass it on to Josh, he'll be stoked. Good to hear the switchboard upgrade went smoothly and the power was back on before lunch. Cheers, Karen

Example: a returning customer

Good to see you again, Tony, and thanks for the review. Third job together now, so we must be doing something right. See you next time the gutters need a hand. Cheers, Lee

How to reply to a mixed review

Three or four stars, with a "but" somewhere in the middle. These are worth the most care, because the customer is mostly happy and the next reader can see you listened to the "but".

Thank them, own the part that went wrong without making excuses, and say what you're doing about it.

Example: good work, but late

Thanks Rachel, and you're right, we were an hour late on the second day and should've called you before you had to chase us. Sorry about that. Glad you're happy with how the bathroom turned out. Cheers, Sam

Example: happy with the job, unhappy with the price

Thanks for the review, Mark. Glad the tree's down safely and the yard's cleaned up. Sorry the price was more than you were expecting. If you'd like to go through the quote together, give me a ring on the office number. Cheers, Ben

How to reply to a bad Google review

A one-star review stings, especially when you think it isn't fair. business.gov.au says to respond promptly but "take the time to draft a carefully written response", stay professional and "give an explanation and a solution (where possible)". It also says not to get into a public argument, because it could hurt your reputation.

So write it, walk away, have a cuppa, then read it again before you post it.

How to respond to a bad Google review, with examples gives you many suggestions and guides on how to reply.

A good reply to a bad review should include these things...

Thanks them for the feedback, even if it hurts
Owns anything that did go wrong. Google's tip is to admit mistakes but not to take the blame for things outside your control
Says what you've done or will do about it
Takes it offline, with your business phone number or email
Stays short. Save the details for the phone call

Example: a real problem

Sorry Jason, a leak a week after we finished isn't good enough, and I understand why you're frustrated. I'd like to come back and fix it at no cost. Please ring me on the office number so we can book a time this week. Dave

Example: a review you don't agree with

Thanks for the feedback, Linda. I'm sorry you weren't happy with how the job went. I see it a bit differently, and I'd rather talk it through with you than go back and forth here, so please call me on the office number and we'll work out what we can do. Karen

Neither one argues over who said what, or mentions anything about the job the customer didn't bring up themselves.

If the review breaks one of Google's rules, like a fake review from someone who was never your customer, one from a competitor, or abuse, you can also report it. Our guide on how to remove a Google review covers what Google takes down and how to report it. Reply to it anyway while you wait, because the report can take days and the next customer is reading now.

Old reviews you never answered

If you've got a pile of reviews from the last few years with no replies, it's worth going back and answering them. A reply on an old review still shows the next reader you look after your customers, and the customer gets a notification, which is a nice surprise from a tradie they used two years ago.

Start with the bad and mixed reviews, because those are the ones a new customer reads most carefully. Then work through the good ones from newest to oldest. Ten a night gets through a decent pile in a week, and you don't need to apologise for the delay. A simple "Thanks again for this, Pete, we still talk about that retaining wall" works fine on a review from 2024.

On a bad review that's years old, keep it short and say what's changed since, if something has. "Sorry we let you down back then, Mel. We've since put on a second crew so we're not running late like that any more" tells the next reader the problem's been dealt with.

Google review response templates

These are starting points. Swap in their name, the job, and one detail from their review, so no two replies read the same.

Five stars

Thanks [name], really glad [the job] came up so well. [One detail from their review]. Cheers, [your name]

Four stars

Thanks for the review, [name]. Glad you're happy with [the job]. [Own the small thing they mentioned, and say what you'll do differently]. Cheers, [your name]

Mixed review

Thanks [name], and fair point about [what went wrong]. Sorry about that. [What you've done about it]. Glad [the part they were happy with] turned out well. Cheers, [your name]

One or two stars

Sorry [name], [what went wrong] shouldn't have happened. [What you'll do to fix it]. Please call me on [business phone] so we can sort it out. [your name]

Stars only, no words

Thanks for the five stars, [name], we really appreciate it. Cheers, [your name]

A review you can't match to a job

Hi [name], thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I can't find a job under your name in our records, so if we've worked for you, please give me a call on [business phone] so I can follow it up. [your name]

COMMON QUESTIONS

Should I respond to every Google review?

Yes. business.gov.au says to respond to every review, positive and negative. A short thank-you on a good review takes a minute, and a calm reply on a bad one is the part the next customer reads.

Can business owners respond to Google reviews?

Yes. Once your Business Profile is verified, owners and managers can reply to reviews. The reply shows as a response from your business.

Does replying to reviews help my Google ranking?

Google says replying to reviews shows you value customer feedback, and that more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking. It doesn't say a reply on its own moves you up.

How long does a reply take to show on Google?

Google checks every reply first. It usually takes up to 10 minutes, and sometimes up to 30 days.

Can I edit or delete my reply?

Yes. Open the review in your Business Profile and select Edit or Delete under your reply.

More reviews to reply to

Replying is the easy part once the reviews are coming in. The hard part for most tradies is remembering to ask every customer once the job's done, when you're already packing up and thinking about the next one.

We send the request for you after every job, to every customer, and each new review gets a reply written for you. You just get on with the work. That's Google review requests after every job, done for you, for less than one small job a month.