How to Write a Response to a Good Review (and Why It's a Smart Reputation Management Call)

Handling reviews is an important part of reputation management. However, many companies focus solely on responding to negative reviews.

I’ve written about responding to negative reviews in the past. Now, let’s turn our attention to answering good reviews.

Why Should You Respond to Good Reviews?

Your customers aren’t required to share their good feelings with the community. Instead, they took the time to cue up a site, write a review, and post it. By responding, you’re thanking them for their work. It’s good manners—and it can be good for business.

A well-crafted response could turn a happy customer into a loyal fan that’s willing to come back for more. If you’ve been struggling to retain repeat business, every touchpoint matters.

Your response can also help curious people understand how you operate. By demonstrating how much you care about the customer experience, you could entice them to stop shopping and start spending money with you.

Responding to good reviews also means reading them. You could surface the names of employees who are going above and beyond for customers. These are staffers who deserve praise, raises, or both.

What Should Go in Your Response?

You’re not required to write a novel in your review response, but it should include some core elements. They are as follows.

1. Greet the Person by Name

Start your response by citing the name used within the review. This simple step builds intimacy and demonstrates that you’re writing an actual response (instead of copy/pasting a canned series of words).

2. Acknowledgement of the Compliment

Use a sentence or two to demonstrate that you understand what the person is thankful for. That could mean talking about the specific product the review mentions, the date of the visit, or a person who helped.

3. Explain How it Happened

Here’s the moment for conversion. Be brief, but explain that the compliment came from careful planning and not a happy accident. Highlight how you’ve made products or hired your staff with customer satisfaction in mind.

4. Offer a Perk

If it’s possible, ask your happy reviewer to send you an email for a special discount on the next order. You can also ask them to give you a shout when they visit you in person the next time. This simple step is uncommon, and it could be delightful for your potential customers.

Reputation Management Reviews at Work

Now that we’ve highlighted why it’s important to respond to reviews and how to do it, let’s tap into a few examples to show you how this might work.

Example 1: Restaurant

Written review: My coworkers kept telling me the sandwiches here were awesome, but I figured they were exaggerating. They were not! I had the ham and cheese on Thursday, and it was life-changing. The bread was so spongy, and the ham was perfectly sliced. Thank you! I just found my favorite lunch spot. -Mary

Response: Thank you for the amazing review, Mary! We specialize in a ham and cheese, and it’s a perfect sandwich to try on a first visit. We make our bread here onsite, and we’re glad you could taste the difference! Feel free to introduce yourself the next time you visit for a surprise!

Example 2: Accountant

Written review: I came to Reed for help with my 2024 tax returns, and he did an amazing job. He helped me find several of deductions I didn’t even know I was eligible for. It was such a nice surprise! I’ll use your office for my taxes from now on. -PrettyKitty

Response: Hello, PrettyKitty! We’re so glad that Reed could help with your taxes. He’s one of our best accountants, and we’ll be sure to share this note with him. We’re always here to help with taxes and any other accounting tasks you need. Please send us an email for a special discount to thank you for your time.

Example 3: Clothing Shop

Written review: I’ve walked by your shop for months, but I stopped in for the first time today. I walked out with the perfect dress to wear to my sister’s wedding. Your staff helped me find it and even found matching shoes to complete the outfit. Thank you! I’ll be back. -Christy

Response: Thank you for your note, Christy! Our staff had the best time helping you find a dress and shoes for your sister’s wedding. The big smile on your face when you left made us so happy. We strive to give every customer exceptional service. Please stop in and say hello the next time you walk by!

Final Thoughts

Reading and responding to every review is time-consuming, but it’s an important part of running a successful business. If you need help with this or any other reputation management task, reach out! I’d love to help.