Review response rate.In plain English.

Replies show customers how you handle problems, and a reply that mentions the job adds useful detail to the page.

On Google, an approved reply is public and appears under your business name. Google checks replies against its content policies first, which usually takes a few minutes and can take up to 30 days, and you can edit or delete a reply later.

Google says positive reviews and helpful replies can help a business stand out. Its local ranking guidance credits more reviews and positive ratings, but it doesn't say replies change rankings, so treat a high response rate as good service rather than a ranking trick.

Yelp lets you reply in public, by private message, or both, and recommends starting with a public reply.

Health practices should reply without confirming the reviewer is a patient or mentioning their care. HHS's Office for Civil Rights has settled with practices that disclosed patient information in review replies, including a $30,000 agreement with a New Jersey provider announced in June 2023.

Example: 42 replies to 50 reviews in the last 90 days is a response rate of 84%.