Unclaimed #12: The Accounting Firm's Guide to Google Reviews — How to Get Them, Respond to Them, and Fix the Damage

17 Jun, 2026

I audited an accounting firm with glowing five-star reviews spanning several years. Clients named the partner by name. Described relationships going back over a decade. Called the firm "worth their weight in gold." Not one of those reviews had a reply. The profile was unclaimed — they couldn't say thank you even if they wanted to.

That firm didn't have a review problem. They had an ownership problem. But I've audited hundreds of firms that do have a review problem — and it costs them clients every single day.

A poor rating sits unanswered for years. A glowing testimonial from a long-standing client gets ignored while the firm's competitors respond to every review within 24 hours. A negative complaint about communication — fair or unfair — defines the firm's Google presence because nobody ever wrote a response.

This guide is everything I've learned from auditing 300+ accounting firms about Google reviews. How to ask for them without violating policies. What to say when you get a bad one. What to say when you get a good one. And how to build a review system that doesn't depend on a partner remembering to ask.

The review problem in accounting is not what most firms think it is.

Most partners I speak to worry about getting more reviews. They look at the competitor with dozens of reviews at a high rating and think "we need to catch up." They're not wrong — review count matters, and I'll cover how to build it. But that's the second problem.

The first problem is what's already sitting on your profile right now.

I've seen firms with over 200 reviews at 5.0 — and the owner replies to every single one within days. Personal. Specific. Grateful. Those firms aren't just collecting stars. They're using reviews as a reputation engine. Every prospect who reads those replies sees a firm that pays attention.

I've also seen firms with two dozen glowing reviews and zero replies. Years of silence. Clients wrote paragraphs. Named the partner. Described the firm in superlatives. The firm never said thank you. Not once. To a prospect, that silence reads as indifference — even if the firm is genuinely grateful, even if the partner who received those reviews simply never logged into the profile.

I first wrote about one of these firms in Unclaimed #4 — glowing reviews spanning years, clients naming the partner, and the profile was unclaimed the entire time. They couldn't say thank you even if they wanted to.

And I've seen firms with a single negative review sitting at the top of their profile for years. The complaint might be fair. It might be completely unreasonable. Either way, there's no response. Just the accusation, visible to every person searching "accountant near me."

In one market town, I found a firm with a critical review sitting unanswered while a competitor with 33 reviews dominated local search. Full breakdown here.

Most of the firms I audit don't have a review-gathering problem. They have a review-neglect problem. Fixing the neglect is free and takes an afternoon. Building a system to gather new reviews takes a bit longer. This guide covers both.

What silence costs

Before I get into the how-to, let me show you the math.

91% of consumers read online reviews before contacting a business. For accounting firms, that number is arguably higher — you're asking someone to trust you with their finances, their business, their future. They're not choosing a coffee shop. They're choosing a fiduciary.

Now consider what a prospect sees when they search for your firm:

Scenario 1: Two dozen reviews, high rating, every review has a personal reply from the firm within a week. The prospect reads the replies. They see a firm that's attentive, professional, and engaged. They call.

Scenario 2: Two dozen reviews, high rating, zero replies. The most recent review is from several years ago. The prospect wonders if the firm is still active. They wonder why nobody says thank you. They keep scrolling. They call the competitor who replied.

Same review count. Same rating. Completely different outcome.

The firms losing clients to this pattern have no idea it's happening. They don't see the prospect who searched, read, hesitated, and moved on. There's no analytics dashboard for "prospects we lost because our profile looked abandoned."

The 5 review problems I find in almost every audit

After 300+ audits, I can tell you the review problems accounting firms have with near-perfect predictability. Here they are — and you almost certainly have at least one.

Problem 1: Unanswered positive reviews

This is the most common problem in my entire audit backlog. A client writes a detailed, personal review. They name the partner. They describe a relationship spanning more than a decade. They mention specific outcomes — "saved us thousands in tax" or "guided us through the sale of our business." And the firm says nothing.

To the client who wrote the review: they notice. They took 10 minutes to write something genuine and heard nothing back.

To the prospect reading the review: the silence reads as either indifference or absence. Neither is good.

The fix: Set aside one hour. Log into your GBP. Reply to every review — newest first, working backward. More on exactly what to say in the section on responding to positive reviews below.

Problem 2: Unanswered negative reviews

The negative review from several years ago. The complaint about communication. The client who left and told Google about it.

When a negative review sits unanswered, two things happen. First, Google's algorithm sees an unengaged profile — not a ranking disaster, but not ideal. Second, and more importantly, every prospect who reads that review sees a firm that either doesn't know about the complaint or doesn't care enough to respond.

A professional response doesn't erase the negative review. But it shows prospects that you listen, you take feedback seriously, and you conduct yourself professionally even when things go wrong.

The fix: Respond to every negative review using the framework in the next section. Even the ones from years ago. Especially those.

Problem 3: Review velocity dropped to zero

This is the pattern I call the "review cliff." A firm has reviews spread across a few years — a steady trickle, several per year. Then nothing. Zero reviews for years.

Google notices this. A profile with recent reviews signals an active, operating business. A profile where reviews stopped years ago raises questions. Is the firm still trading? Did they lose their client base? Are they winding down?

Most firms didn't stop getting happy clients. They just stopped asking.

The fix: Build a system for asking. The section on how to ask covers exactly how.

Problem 4: Reviews on the wrong location

Multi-office firms, this one is yours. You have several offices. One location has dozens of reviews — mostly from clients of another location. A third office has a handful. A fourth has almost none.

This happens when Google prompts a client to review the business after they visit the wrong location page, or when clients search the firm name and Google auto-selects the nearest office regardless of which one they actually use.

The result: review counts are misleading by location, and some offices look abandoned while others look inflated.

The fix: Audit your reviews by location. Identify cross-posted reviews. For future reviews, guide clients to the correct location page — covered in the multi-office section below.

Problem 5: Fear of Google's policies

More accounting firms than I can count have told me they don't ask for reviews because they're afraid of violating Google's terms. They've heard stories about reviews being removed, profiles being suspended, or penalties being applied.

Google's policy is actually straightforward: you can ask for reviews. You can't offer incentives. You can't gate reviews by only asking happy clients. You can't pay for reviews. You can't post fake reviews.

That's it. The fear is real but the policy is simple. The next section covers exactly how to ask — compliantly, professionally, and effectively.

How to ask for reviews without violating Google's policies

Here is the exact wording that works.

The compliant ask — in person

"Thank you for trusting us with your [accounts/tax planning/audit]. If you've been happy with our work, an honest Google review helps other business owners find us. No pressure at all — and please don't feel obligated."

What makes this compliant: you're asking for an honest review, not a positive one. You're not offering anything in return. You're not suggesting that only happy clients should leave reviews. You're giving them an easy out.

The compliant ask — by email

Subject: Thank you for working with [Firm Name]

Hi [Client Name],

Thank you for trusting us with your [recent accounts/tax return/business advice]. It's been a pleasure working with you.

If you have a moment, an honest Google review helps other [business owners/individuals] find us — and helps us understand what we're doing well and where we can improve.

You can leave a review here: [Direct GBP review link]

No pressure at all. And if there's anything we could have done better, please let me know directly — I'd genuinely like to hear it.

Best regards, [Your Name] [Firm Name]

What makes this compliant: you're asking for honest feedback, not a 5-star review. You're giving the client an off-ramp to give private feedback instead. You're not offering an incentive.

How to get your direct review link

Go to Google Business Profile Manager. Select your location. Click "Ask for reviews." Copy the link.

This link takes clients directly to the review form — no searching, no wrong locations, no friction. Put it in your email signature, your engagement letters, and your post-project follow-ups.

Multi-office: how to get the right review on the right location

If you have multiple offices, don't send the generic review link. Send the location-specific link for the office the client actually works with.

Go to GBP Manager → Select the specific location → "Ask for reviews" → Copy that link.

For the email template above, replace "[Direct GBP review link]" with the location-specific link.

How to respond to negative reviews

The negative review response is the highest-stakes writing most accounting firms will ever do. It's public. It's permanent. And it's the thing most firms get wrong.

Here is the framework.

The 3-part response

Part 1: Acknowledge the specific concern. Don't say "We take client feedback seriously." That's corporate filler and it makes things worse. Name the issue they raised.

Part 2: Take it offline. Give them a direct contact. A named person. An email address. A phone number. Show that you want to resolve it personally, not performatively.

Part 3: Close with professionalism. Brief. Dignified. No defensiveness.

Real examples from my audits (anonymised and adapted)

Example 1: Communication complaint

A client left a negative review: "Impossible to get hold of. Left three messages and nobody called back. Took my business elsewhere."

❌ Bad response: "We take all client feedback seriously and strive to provide the highest level of service. Please contact our office to discuss."

This says nothing. It's a non-response dressed as professionalism.

✅ Good response: "Thank you for letting us know about this. Three messages with no callback is not the standard we hold ourselves to, and I understand why you took your business elsewhere. I'd like to understand what went wrong so we can make sure it doesn't happen again. Please contact me directly — [Partner Name], [partner@firm.co.uk], [phone number]. I'll look into it personally."

This acknowledges the specific failure. Names a person. Gives direct contact. Shows accountability without grovelling. A prospect reading this sees a firm that takes complaints seriously.

Example 2: Fee dispute

A client left a negative review: "Charged me twice what they quoted. No explanation. Avoid."

❌ Bad response: "Our fees are clearly outlined in our engagement letter which all clients sign before work begins."

Defensive. Legalistic. Makes the firm look rigid and uncaring.

✅ Good response: "We take concerns about fees seriously. The figure on your invoice should never be a surprise, and I'm sorry if the final amount wasn't communicated clearly. I'd welcome the opportunity to review your account personally and discuss what happened. Please contact me directly — [Partner Name], [partner@firm.co.uk], [phone number]."

This shows willingness to review. Doesn't admit fault if there isn't any. Offers personal attention. A prospect reading this sees a firm that's reasonable and accountable.

The rules

• Never argue in public. The response is for the prospects reading it, not for the reviewer.
• Never disclose confidential information. Don't mention the client's tax situation, fees paid, or specific advice given.
• Never ignore a negative review. Silence confirms the complaint.
• Always use a real person's name. "The team at [Firm]" reads as anonymous and evasive.
• Always respond within 48 hours. Speed shows you're paying attention.

How to respond to positive reviews

Most firms say "Thank you for your kind review" and stop there. That's better than silence, but it's a missed opportunity.

A positive review reply should do three things:

1. Thank them personally. Use their name if they left it.
2. Reinforce your positioning. If they mentioned tax planning, your reply should mention tax planning — not just generic gratitude.
3. Signal to prospects what you value. Every reply is a small piece of marketing copy.

Before and after examples

❌ Generic reply: "Thank you for your kind review. We appreciate your feedback."

This could be automated. It says nothing about the firm.

✅ Positioned reply: "Thank you, Sarah. Helping you navigate the sale of your business was a privilege — transactions like yours are exactly why we built our corporate finance practice. We're glad the outcome exceeded your expectations."

This names the client. References the specific service. Reinforces the firm's corporate finance capability. A prospect reading this now knows the firm handles business sales — even if that wasn't mentioned anywhere else on the profile.

❌ Generic reply: "Thanks for the 5 stars!"

Lazy. Reads as automated.

✅ Positioned reply: "Thank you, James. We're proud that our tax planning work saved you significantly this year — that's exactly the outcome we aim for with every client. Looking forward to working together on future planning."

Names the client. Reinforces the tax planning specialism. Mentions a specific result. Signals to prospects that this firm delivers measurable outcomes.

The rule for positive reviews

Every reply is a mini-advertisement for your firm. Write it accordingly. Not salesy — but intentional. Every prospect who scrolls through your reviews is reading your replies as much as they're reading the original reviews.

Review velocity: why consistency beats volume

I've audited firms with dozens of reviews that look abandoned because the most recent one is years old. I've also audited firms with a modest number of reviews that look active and thriving because they get one every month.

Google's algorithm rewards consistency. More importantly, prospects reward recency. A review from last month says "this firm is active and serving clients." A review from several years ago says "this firm was active back then."

The target

Aim for 1-2 new reviews per month, per location. Not a burst and then nothing. One or two, every month, indefinitely.

For a multi-office firm, that's several reviews per month across all locations. It sounds like a lot. It isn't — not if you build a system.

The system

1. Identify review opportunities weekly. Every Friday, ask your team: who completed a project this week? Who received a thank-you from a client? Who had a positive outcome worth celebrating?

2. Send the ask within 48 hours of project completion. The client's satisfaction is at its peak. The relationship is fresh. The ask feels natural.

3. Use the email template from the section above. Adapt it. Personalise it. Send it.

4. Track who you've asked. A simple spreadsheet. Client name, date asked, date reviewed. Don't ask the same client twice. Don't let anyone slip through.

5. Respond within 48 hours of receiving a review. Every time. This closes the loop and builds the habit.

Multi-office review management

For firms with multiple offices, reviews create complexity that single-office firms never face.

The cross-location review problem

A client uses your main office. Google prompts them to review your firm after they visit a different location's GBP page — because they searched for your firm name and Google auto-selected the nearest location. They leave a glowing review. It appears on the wrong office's profile. The office they actually used stays empty.

Over years, this creates profiles with wildly mismatched review counts — and prospects notice.

The ghost office review problem

You acquired a firm. Their old GBP profile still exists — marked as "permanently closed" but still showing positive reviews from years ago. Those reviews reference the old firm name. They're invisible to prospects searching your current brand.

The fix

1. Audit reviews by location quarterly. Open each location in GBP Manager. Scroll through the reviews. Flag any that clearly belong to a different office.

2. For cross-location reviews: You can't move them — Google doesn't allow it. But you can reply with a gentle redirect: "Thank you. It was a pleasure working with you from our [correct office]. We'll share your kind words with the team there."

3. For ghost office reviews: Claim the old profile. Mark it as permanently closed if it isn't already. The reviews remain visible when prospects search the old name — but your current profile becomes the primary listing.

4. Prevent future cross-location reviews: Always send the location-specific review link. Never the generic firm-wide link. Train your team to use their office's specific link.

The 30-minute review audit

Before you do anything else, audit your current review situation. Here's the checklist:

This takes 30 minutes. It will tell you exactly where you stand — and exactly what to fix first.

The real pattern

The firms that win on Google reviews are not the firms with the most satisfied clients. They're the firms that built a system for capturing and responding to the satisfaction that already exists.

Every accounting firm I've audited has happy clients. Most of them have never been asked for a review. And most of the reviews they do have sit there unanswered — not because the firm doesn't care, but because nobody built the system.

The competitor with dozens of reviews at a high rating isn't necessarily a better accountant than you. They just made it easy for clients to say so, and they showed up to say thank you.

You can do both of those things starting today.

This is Unclaimed #12 — the definitive guide to Google reviews for accounting and bookkeeping firms. Based on 300+ audits and the specific review patterns documented across UK practices. Part of the Free GBP Masterclass for Accounting Firms.

Unclaimed is written by the founder of VindMyBusiness. I audit Google Business Profiles for accounting and bookkeeping firms. I find what's been left unclaimed — and write about what I discover. No firm names. Just patterns.

Ready for a personal audit? Get a free GBP Scorecard — I'll personally review your profile and show you exactly what's missing. No cost. No pitch. No obligation.

More from Unclaimed:

• Unclaimed #11: How to Claim and Verify Your Google Business Profile
• Unclaimed #10: The Market Town Pattern — 11 Firms, 10 With the Same Problem
• Unclaimed #9: The 7 Google Business Profile Problems Accounting Firms Must Fix Now