Reply to reviews on Google Places

Tuesday, August 24, 2010 | 1:40 PM

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Whether consumers are looking for a great lounge to hang out with their friends or a trusty shop to repair a bicycle, the web is a great place to discover and learn about local businesses and services. Some of the listings on Google Maps showcase reviews to help prospective customers make informed decisions and find the places that are just right for them. Reviews on Google Maps are assembled from a variety of sources on the web to give you the best possible overview of what people are saying about a specific place. We also encourage users to share their opinions by writing reviews directly on the Place Page of any place they’ve visited, be it a local business, tourist attraction or the like.

If your clients are verified Google Places business owners, they can publicly respond to reviews written by Google Maps users on the Place Page for their business. Engaging with the people who have shared thoughts about their business is a great way to get to know their customers and find out more. Both positive and negative feedback can be good for a business and help it grow (even though it’s sometimes hard to hear). By responding, your clients can build stronger relationships with existing and prospective customers. For example, a thoughtful response acknowledging a problem and offering a solution can often turn a customer who had an initially negative experience into a raving supporter. A simple thank you or a personal message can further reinforce a positive experience. Ultimately, replying to reviews provides business owners the opportunity to learn what they do well, what they can do better, and show their customers they are listening.



Before writing a response, we recommend reading our handy tips on how to respond to reviewers. You can also follow these instructions. If your client has not yet verified ownership for their business on Google, please direct them to Google Places to claim their listing.

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