Having a list of positive review response examples can help teams create a solid foundation on which to improve brand reputation and increase customer retention. However, some companies might find the process unnecessary. After all, positive reviews won’t drive your customers away like bad reviews do. So why respond to positive reviews?
The short answer: responding to a positive review directly translates to seizing an opportunity. It shows that the brand actively listens to all feedback and is willing to take the time to engage with real people that walk through the door.
That type of engagement can encourage more people to leave feedback after their great experience. Right now, customer reviews data shows that only 28% of consumers are likely to leave a review after a positive experience. If people know that brands will actually see and respond to their positive feedback, the chances of them turning into a loyal customer are high.
The Template for a Positive Review Response Example
Now that you know why it’s important, here’s how to respond to positive reviews. A great place to start is with this all-purpose template that you can use to respond to positive reviews:
Dear [NAME OF CUSTOMER], thanks for leaving us such a wonderful review. We are thrilled that you loved your experience; our staff will definitely be happy to read what you wrote. We put customer experience and satisfaction as our priority, and your review reaffirms the hard work we put in every day. So thanks for your kind words and we look forward to seeing you again.
If a customer paid you a compliment in person, the most natural response is to say thank you. The same goes for good online reviews.
But more than simply being the polite thing to do, the hallmark of a great positive review response example is that it supports your marketing efforts, creates buzz for your business, enforces the idea of knowing how to build customer loyalty, and calls more attention to the great parts of your customer experience.
Say Thank You
Show appreciation for the customer who took the time to share their positive experience. After all, great reviews and high ratings serve as powerful social proof for attracting new potential customers and influencing their decision-making process. Your customer just did you a solid.
Based on the ReviewTrackers data below, expressing gratitude to the reviewer is one of the most common threads tying together over 200,000 positive review responses.
When responding to positive reviews, do so publicly. Your response may be intended for one specific person, but on sites like Google, Facebook, Yelp, and Tripadvisor, thousands of other people will be reading what you write. Don’t limit yourself to sending private “thank you” messages to customers. Seize the opportunity to reinforce the positive and show the world how much you care about reviews (good or bad).
Some things you can say:
- “This review made our day!”
- “Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this amazing review.”
- “We are so grateful for your kind words. Thanks for sharing your review with us and the community.”
Reinforce the Positive
Often, positive reviews cite specific things that the customer liked best about their experience. Identify them — then mention them in your response. This lets you do some subtle reputation marketing and bring up a specific product, service, or feature (which is also great for your local SEO strategy).
For instance, in a response to a rave review about your cupcakes, explain that the delicious red velvet cupcakes they loved so much are actually from your mother’s old recipe. In other scenarios, maybe even let them in on how you grow your own rocket lettuce, or tell them that others have also commented on the amazing views from the cliffside swimming pool.
Pass Along the Compliment
When the reviewer mentions someone who works for your company by name, always pass along the compliment.
For example, if a reviewer wrote, “Our service technician, Mike, is always super helpful and clear,” reply by saying something along the lines of: “I’m so glad you like Mike’s work! We’ll pass along the kind words.”
Responding to positive reviews is a way for you to share the best feedback you get, but also make it a point to let your teams know when they’re doing great work and to call out your superstars.
Tell Customers You’d Love to See Them Again
Make happy customers feel welcome by extending an invitation for them to return. This does two things: first, it turns customers into repeat customers. And secondly, it shows other online users that yours is the kind of business that people come back to. Encouraging people to come back after a positive experience is a small, yet vital cog in any customer retention strategy.
Mention Other Products or Services
You have to be careful with this last step as you don’t want to come off as too sales-y.
That said, the savviest responses to positive reviews often include some mention of another product, service, or feature worth trying: a great way to do some cross-selling or upselling. These responses will have to be specific for the business, but here are some examples:
- “We’re glad you loved the gambas al ajillo! If you come by on Saturday, we think you’ll love the Spanish tapas buffet.”
- “We’re so glad you had a good experience. Next time you’re here, try the shi tao massage for your feet. It’s one of our newer offerings.”
Share the Review with Your Team
There’s nothing like anecdotal evidence to show your team exactly what makes customers happy. By sharing the review, you encourage more of that behavior. This also has the effect of boosting employee morale, so be sure to share the positive review (and your support) for your team’s success.
Share the Review with the World
If you consistently receive 5-star ratings and glowing reviews on business review sites, don’t hesitate to show them off. Handpick your best feedback and share these as social media reviews content.
There is a handful of review widgets such as Amplify that allow you to embed and syndicate reviews on your website, which should help drive conversions and even boost your site’s SEO performance.
Remember: the impact of user-generated content, such as that found in reviews, is more powerful and effective than loud sales messages or promotional brand content.
Positive Review Response Examples
Learning how to respond to positive reviews might seem easy, but what you say can mark the difference between a one-time satisfied customer or a loyal fan who can spread the word about your business. Learn how to respond to positive reviews by seeing how these brands go above and beyond the standard positive review response.
Responding to a Positive Hotel Review
Jessica Lavin of Hotel Monaco in Philadelphia saw a positive review as an opportunity to savvily pay the hotel guest a compliment.
Why it works: There are hundreds of ways you can say thank you, and this review response takes advantage of that. It’s simple, well-written, and personalized, and it shows genuine appreciation for the words the customer wrote. It highlights the sense of community that the hotel has.
Responding to a Positive Restaurant Review
Here’s another example of an appropriate positive review response, which paints a picture of a happy team of employees committed to customer satisfaction.
Why it works: A positive review is obviously great for your brand reputation. It’s also the perfect way to boost employee morale. Hard Rock Cafe’s German Crespi knows this and uses it to its full advantage. He promises to pass along the compliment to Jessica, which puts a human face on a big brand like Hard Rock Cafe. He also signs off by letting the customer know he’d love to see her again.
Responding to a Positive Review (with Mixed Feedback)
It’s not uncommon for some positive reviews to contain a bit of constructive criticism. Here’s a classic example of how to respond to TripAdvisor reviews, taken from the Fallowfields Country House Hotel profile.
Why it works: The reply begins and ends with an expression of gratitude. Anthony Lloyd, the owner of the hotel, also responded to the review in a way that takes constructive feedback on board, while also reassuring the reviewer (and other potential customers) that the issues are already being sorted out.
Using Positive Review Response Examples to Your Advantage
Getting an idea of how other brands handle positive feedback well can set up your review response plan for success. As important as it is to learn how to respond to negative reviews, it’s just as vital to take the time to acknowledge those who enjoyed their shopping experience. At the end of the day, their words can be more effective than a few marketing lines so let them know that their feedback is heard and that you appreciate their patronage.