How clients see and reply to Google reviews in the portal

The portal's Google reviews tab shows a client the reviews on their Google Business Profile and the replies to them, read straight from Google. People you allow can reply from there too. It's handy for owners who like to answer their own reviews.

How to turn it on

1. Link the client's Business Profile (see Google Business Profile).
2. Open the client's Client → Settings tab. In Dashboard settings, under Local, tick Google reviews (portal tab when the Business Profile is linked, and the monthly email) and click Save dashboard settings. It's already on in the SEO Detail and Complete View layouts.
3. To let someone reply, click Edit access next to them and tick Reply to reviews (under Reviews). It's off by default for everyone, including new people.

The tab then shows as Google reviews on the portal dashboard and as a link at the top of every other portal page (Reviews on a phone).

What the client sees

• Google rating: the average star rating from Google.
• Reviews on Google: Google's total count.
• Answered: the share of reviews that have a reply.
• Filters: All, Without a reply, Replied, and one for each star rating (5★ to 1★). Each shows how many match.
• Each review shows the reviewer's name, stars, date, the text (or "(Rating only — no text)"), a No reply yet badge, and the reply under Your reply with its date.
• 20 reviews at a time, with Show more below.

How a client replies

1. On a review with no reply, click Reply.
2. Write the reply. The note under the box says "Your reply shows publicly on Google under this review."
3. Click Post reply to Google.

To change a reply, click Edit reply, change the text and click Save reply on Google. To remove it, click Delete reply, then Delete next to "Delete this reply from Google?" (Keep it cancels).

Replies go straight to Google. They aren't held for your approval, even when the client's Business Profile approvals are switched on, because the client is the business.

What your team sees

• On Local → Business Profile → Reviews, a client's reply shows "by" their name with "(client, from their portal)".
• It's added to the client's work done: one item a day per person, such as "Google review reply posted from the client portal" or "3 Google review replies posted from the client portal". New, edited and deleted replies all count.
• Clients never see Zeus's drafted replies. Those stay with your team.

Examples

• An owner who wants to thank every reviewer: give them Reply to reviews. They use Without a reply each week to catch new ones.
• A practice where only the manager answers: tick Reply to reviews for the manager only. Everyone else sees the reviews but no Reply button.
• A client who should only see the rating: leave Reply to reviews off for everyone.

Limits and what it can't do

• Replies can be up to 4,096 characters.
• The tab needs a linked Business Profile. It never shows reviews from public search data.
• Clients can't report, hide or delete a customer's review. They can only manage the business's reply.
• Clients don't get Zeus's suggested replies.
• If Google is still checking some reviews, or hid them, the tab says "Google counts N reviews; N of them aren't shown yet".

Who can use it

• Your team: the Clients tool to switch the tab on and give the permission.
• Client people: anyone can read the tab while it's on. Replying, editing and deleting need Reply to reviews.
• While you view as the client, the tab is read-only and says "You're viewing as your client — they can reply here; replies are off while you view as them."

Troubleshooting

• The tab doesn't show: the Business Profile isn't linked, or Google reviews is off in Dashboard settings. Both are needed.
• There's no Reply button: the person doesn't have Reply to reviews, or you're viewing as the client.
• "Couldn't load your reviews": Google didn't answer. Try again in a minute. If it keeps happening, check the client's Business Profile connection on your side.
• "No reviews on your Business Profile yet.": Google has no reviews for this profile.
• "No reviews match this filter.": pick All to see everything.
• "Write the reply first": the reply box is empty.
• "Too long for Google (max 4096 characters)": shorten the reply.
• "You don't have permission to reply to reviews": tick Reply to reviews for that person.
• "Google reviews aren't shared in your portal": the switch was turned off. Turn it back on in Dashboard settings.
• "Google needs reconnecting …": reconnect Google in Settings → Google Connection.