We often hear this question from clients:
“Is it really necessary to reply to old reviews, especially ones from 6 to 12 months ago?”
The short answer: Yes—absolutely.
Even if the review is no longer recent, replying still serves important strategic purposes.
💬 1. It Builds Trust & Enhances Your Brand Image
Responding to reviews—even old ones—demonstrates that you take customer feedback seriously. It shows that you’re attentive and engaged, which helps build trust with new visitors browsing your Google profile.
A thoughtful, respectful response can leave a positive impression, even if the original reviewer never sees it again.
🌐 2. It Strengthens Your E-Reputation
Your public response to a review contributes to your online reputation. When potential customers read your replies, they see how you handle feedback—positive or negative. Responding after several months may feel awkward, but silence can give the impression of indifference.
📈 3. It Improves Your SEO & Local Ranking
This is where the technical impact comes in. Google rewards businesses that regularly engage with their profile content. When you respond to reviews (even old ones):
You signal activity to Google’s algorithm
It can help improve your local map pack ranking
You increase keyword relevance for your business listing
Put simply: active profiles are more visible.
🔧 Common Concern: “Can We Clear the Notification Queue?”
A client recently asked:
“Is it possible to remove the 45 notifications from past unreplied reviews (following the import), so we can start fresh as I don't necessarily want to send a response to someone 8 months after their review?”
While we understand the hesitation, our recommended best practice is still to respond—even briefly. You can use a short, polite acknowledgment like:
“Thank you for your review and feedback! We appreciate your support.”
or
“We’re grateful for your patience—thank you for taking the time to share your experience!”
That said, if you'd prefer to clear your notification queue and start fresh, you can simply go to [Your Name] > Settings > Reviews > Review Start Date and enter the date from which you'd like to begin managing your reviews.
But from a long-term perspective, responding—even to older reviews—adds real value.
✅ Summary
Benefit | Why It Matters |
⭐ Reputation | Shows professionalism & care |
📊 SEO | Boosts local search ranking |
💬 Engagement | Builds trust with future customers |
Need Help?
If you’d like help drafting template responses or managing your review queue, feel free to contact our team—we’re happy to support you.