Direct answer
Reply briefly and specifically, in the clinic's name, and never mention anything about the patient that they did not write themselves. Google lists responding to reviews among its tips for local ranking, saying "positive reviews and helpful replies can help your business stand out", and its reply guidance tells businesses to "never share a reviewer's private information". For a negative review, acknowledge it, explain what you can, and move the detail to a phone call.
In our audit of Dubai clinic listings, of the 100 clinics we looked at most closely, chosen because they were busy and looked neglected online, 55 had not replied to any of their most recent reviews, while the median one had received 16 new reviews in the previous 90 days.
This is how to answer them, using what Google itself says.
Does replying actually matter?
Google puts it on its own list. Its page on local ranking tells businesses to respond to reviews, and says "positive reviews and helpful replies can help your business stand out". The same page lists the number of reviews and the rating under prominence: "More reviews and positive ratings can help your business's local ranking."
The reply is also read by the person who wrote the review. Google's review help says the reviewer "is notified when you reply", and that customers "can still change their review after reading your reply".
Two practical points from the same page. You can only reply once the profile is verified: "Before you can reply to reviews, you must verify your business." And the reply goes up in the clinic's name, not yours: "It will appear like your business replied, and your personal name won't be shown."
What to write in a reply
Google publishes tips for writing review replies. The ones that matter most for a clinic:
- Keep it short. Google: "Keep it short and simple", because "if a reply is too long, people might stop reading before they get to the main point".
- Do not paste the same thank-you everywhere. Google advises, "Instead of sending the same "thank you" to everyone, focus on reviews where you can share a helpful update or answer a question." If a reviewer asks about parking or whether you open on Fridays, the reply is the place to answer it.
- No offers. "Be conversational, not promotional". The reviewer is already a patient, so a reply is not the place for this month's package.
- Sign it. Google suggests a personal sign-off: "A personal sign-off with your name or initials shows that their experience matters to you." Since the reply is posted under the clinic's name, a doctor's or manager's initials tell the patient who actually read it.
The rule that matters most for a clinic: privacy
Google's guidance on negative reviews starts with this:
Never share a reviewer's private information or engage in personal attacks.
For a clinic, a reply should not confirm what treatment someone had, mention their appointment, refer to their results, or quote anything from their file. That applies even when the reviewer brought it up first. They chose to share it. The clinic did not.
A reply like "We're sorry your second filler session didn't meet expectations" confirms in public that this named person is a patient and what they were treated for. "We're sorry to hear about your experience. Please call us so we can look into it properly" says everything the clinic needs to say.
Replying to a negative review
Google's tips for negative reviews, in order:
- Protect privacy and move it offline. If a situation is complex, Google suggests you "politely request that the reviewer contact you via phone or email to resolve the issue privately".
- Be honest about limits. "Acknowledge if any mistakes were made, but don't take responsibility for things outside your control."
- Apologise where it is due. "A genuine apology can go a long way in rebuilding trust."
- Reply promptly. "A prompt response shows that you value your customers' feedback".
Google's own view of bad reviews: "Negative reviews aren't necessarily a sign of poor business practices." Elsewhere on the same page it says "a mix of positive and negative feedback often feels more trustworthy".
If the review breaks Google's rules, as opposed to being unfair, flag it rather than arguing in public. "If you believe that a review violates Google's content policies, you can flag it."
If someone demands money to remove bad reviews
Google has a page for this, and it describes the pattern as "a sudden increase in 1-star and 2-star reviews on your Google Business Profile, followed by someone demanding money, goods, or services in exchange for removing the negative reviews".
Its instruction: "Do not engage with or pay the malicious individuals." Take screenshots of every message and use the merchant extortion report Google links from that page.
Getting more reviews to reply to
Asking is fine. Paying is not. Google says offering incentives, "like free or discounted goods or services", in exchange for reviews "is considered fake & misleading content and is strictly prohibited". What it does recommend is a direct link or a QR code that takes the patient straight to the review form.
The reply is one part of a profile that works. The other parts, from services to photos to hours, are in the clinic Google profile checklist, and how reviews feed into local ranking as a whole is on our local SEO page.
Frequently asked questions
- Should a business reply to every Google review?
- Google recommends replying to reviews as best practice, but its guidance also says that instead of sending the same "thank you" to everyone, you should focus on reviews where you can share a helpful update or answer a question. Reply to every negative review and every review with a question in it. A short, specific reply to the rest is better than a pasted one.
- How do you reply to a negative Google review as a clinic?
- Acknowledge the experience, apologise where it is appropriate, say what the clinic can and cannot do, and ask the person to call or email so it can be resolved privately. Google's guidance is to never share a reviewer's private information. For a clinic that means no treatment details, appointment dates or anything from the patient's file, even if the reviewer mentioned them first.
- Can I get a bad Google review removed?
- Only if it breaks Google's content policies, in which case you can flag it. A review that is negative but genuine stays. Google's help states plainly: "If you believe that a review violates Google's content policies, you can flag it."
- Someone is threatening bad reviews unless we pay. What should we do?
- Do not pay or negotiate. Google calls these extortion scams and says "Do not engage with or pay the malicious individuals." Collect screenshots of every message and report it through Google's merchant extortion report form.
- Can we offer a discount for a Google review?
- No. Google says offering incentives such as free or discounted services in exchange for reviews "is considered fake & misleading content and is strictly prohibited." You can ask every patient for a review, with a link or a QR code, as long as nothing is offered in return.