Google hotel reviews are an impactful force in today’s hospitality industry. In fact, in 2018, Google surpassed Booking.com as the site with the most number of hotel reviews. With over 30 million hotel reviews on Google, there are simply too many for hoteliers to ignore. Hoteliers must know how to maneuver Google reviews so that they can provide guest services, encourage return guests and influence travelers to book and stay.

In 2018, Google surpassed Booking.com as the site with the most number of hotel reviews.

In this post, we provide an understanding of how hoteliers should manage Google reviews by answering some frequently asked questions about Google hotel reviews.

Can I Remove Bad Reviews from Google?

We know bad Google reviews can be very scary for hoteliers because they have an effect on your overall reputation. However, there are only four means in which one can have a Google review removed. To submit a review for removal, it must fit one of the following categories:

• Hateful, violent, or inappropriate content is contained within the post
• Advertising or spam is present in the post
• The post is off-topic and completely unrelated to the hotel
• The post expresses conflicts of interest

It is up to Google to decide whether your review will be removed. If it is not taken down within 48 hours, then there is a good chance that it will not be removed at all. If the review genuinely falls within those four categories and has not been removed after the 48 hours, you can try to contact Google and they will likely reexamine your issue and follow up with a final decision after further reviewing the issue.

As for negative Google reviews, you cannot have them removed. They can only be removed if they fall under those four categories.

Which Google Hotel Reviews Should I Respond to?

To start, responding to rating-only reviews is not necessary. If a guest leaves a star rating and no comment, then there’s nothing to respond to. If so, you would be responding with the same message to each rating. You should avoid this practice because you should not publish cookie-cutter responses.

In the event that you get a positive review, you should respond and be courteous to those who left the good note about your hotel. Responding to positive reviews shows your appreciation for your guest. It’s also a great opportunity to recognize the amenities and service you provide and share that information with potential future guests.

As for bad Google hotel reviews, you should always respond to them quickly and with a professional tone. Next, we share additional details on best practices for responding to negative hotel reviews on Google.

How do I Respond to a Negative Review on Google?

First, you must always represent your hotel in a composed and positive manner when managing your Google hotel reviews. Acknowledge the traveler’s concerns and analyze what you can do to make it better. While you may feel inclined to back up your hotel and not address their concerns, your response may come off as defensive. This can lead to future guests turning away to other hotels. When responding to bad Google hotel reviews, you should do the following:

1. Whenever possible, address the guest by name to personalize the response
2. Determine whether the bad review has a few positive, negative or neutral points to identify the tone
3. Show appreciation for guest feedback and let them know their voice has been heard
4. If there are positive remarks, address those first, and then approach the negative ones
5. Deliver understanding, express compassion, and provide empathy

Managing Google hotel reviews the right way can boost your bookings and increase guest satisfaction. As a whole, you should respond to reviews within 24-48 hours from the review post time. By following these tips, you’ll start seeing changes in no time.

Learn more about how our Respond & Resolve™ solution can provide professional responses to your reviews and help you save time to focus on your property.