Does replying in Google reviews improve SEO?

I’ve heard that responding to Google reviews might help with SEO… but I’m not sure how true that is. Anyone have thoughts on this?

It doesn’t really affect SEO directly. But being active with replies shows potential customers that your business is engaged, which helps build trust.

Zack said:
It doesn’t really affect SEO directly. But being active with replies shows potential customers that your business is engaged, which helps build trust.

Exactly! I usually reply to both good and bad reviews. It may not boost rankings, but it definitely helps with customer retention.

@Umbrielle
How do you reply to negative reviews without making things worse?

Franklin said:
@Umbrielle
How do you reply to negative reviews without making things worse?

Keep it calm and professional. Acknowledge the issue and offer to resolve it privately. It shows others that you care about customer service.

I’ve seen it help with visibility in local search results. Reviews (and replies) are a small ranking factor for Google My Business.

Brock said:
I’ve seen it help with visibility in local search results. Reviews (and replies) are a small ranking factor for Google My Business.

Yeah, I heard Google uses reviews as a factor in local SEO. Not sure if replies count as much though.

It’s definitely good for social proof. Potential customers see that you’re active and responsive, which makes them more likely to choose your business.

Do you think replying to reviews increases traffic? Like, do people come back to see the reply?

Heath said:
Do you think replying to reviews increases traffic? Like, do people come back to see the reply?

Possibly! People do check if businesses care enough to respond, especially for negative reviews. That could lead to more clicks.