If your clinic is already collecting reviews on Google — that’s a great start. But are you truly leveraging their full potential? For most local businesses, responses to client reviews are still underutilised. What should be a strategic tool for local visibility and organic SEO often becomes a series of generic phrases like “Thank you for your feedback!” or “We appreciate your trust!”. These responses offer no added value.
Replying to reviews is not just a courtesy. Every client comment is an opportunity to reinforce — to both users and Google’s algorithm — the services your clinic provides and your geographic location. These replies can and should be written with the clear intent of enhancing your Google Maps ranking, naturally including keywords that matter.
In a competitive Local SEO landscape like Portugal’s, clinic owners and managers — whether dental, aesthetic, physiotherapy, or wellness-based — must understand the direct impact that properly written review replies can have. Google reads, interprets, and uses this data to decide which clinics appear first in local search results.
This article, brought to you by The Key SEO — an international SEO agency with strong presence in Portugal, Spain and the UK — will walk you through how to write replies that increase your authority, improve your local visibility, and help you attract more patients. With practical examples for different types of clinics.
✖️ The Local SEO Mistake Most Clinics Still Make
Too many clinics, regardless of their specialisation, still reply to Google reviews using overly generic and interchangeable messages. These responses, while polite, provide no context about your services or your clinic’s location — which are precisely the elements that Google needs to understand and rank your business locally.
Here are some real-world examples of what not to do:
❌ “Thank you so much for choosing us and trusting us!”
❌ “Thank you for your feedback, it means a lot to us!”
❌ “We are very happy to help and satisfy the needs of our patients.”
❌ “Your feedback was a real sparkle to our day.”
These replies could come from a dentist, osteopath, cosmetic surgeon, therapist, or even a locksmith. That’s the problem — they’re so vague they could be used by any business. From an SEO perspective, they’re ineffective and wasted opportunities.
If you want to make every review count, your replies should include specific references to the treatment, the patient’s feedback, or the city where your clinic operates. This helps Google connect your GMB profile with relevant local search queries like “osteopath in Porto” or “aesthetic clinic in Lisbon”.
Concerned about GDPR? That’s a valid point — we cover what you can and can’t do further down in this article.
👀 What Google Wants to See in Your Review Replies
Google doesn’t just index your website — it also reads and processes the content of your Google Business Profile, including reviews and your replies to them. That’s why generic responses are not only unhelpful but also a missed chance to provide valuable signals to the algorithm.
To improve your clinic’s local visibility, your replies should help Google identify:
- What specific treatments or services you provide (e.g., “teeth whitening”, “lower back pain relief”, “dermal fillers”)
- Where your clinic is located (e.g., “in Porto”, “near Lisbon city centre”)
- Key expressions used by the patient (echoing their words shows relevance and natural keyword use)
For example, if a patient writes about how your team helped them with jaw pain using a same-day treatment, your reply could reinforce that by including terms like “jaw pain treatment in Faro” or “same-day dental care”. These references tell Google what your business is really about and where it serves — which directly supports your local SEO rankings.
Remember: your replies should sound natural, but they should also be strategically written to contain contextually relevant keywords. It’s a subtle but powerful way to strengthen your presence on Google Maps and attract more qualified traffic.
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✅ Real-World Examples of Good Review Replies
Let’s now look at how to structure SEO-optimised replies based on the type of clinic you manage. These real examples show how to naturally include keywords, treatment names, and locations in a way that helps your clinic rank better on Google — without sounding forced or robotic.
Dental Clinic
✅ “Thank you! We’re pleased we could help with your emergency dental filling. If you ever need a dentist in Porto, we’re just one call away.”
Plastic Surgery Clinic
✅ “We’re grateful you chose our team for your rhinoplasty and facial consultation. At our plastic surgery clinic in Lisbon, we focus on results aligned with your natural beauty and comfort.”
Aesthetic Clinic
✅ “Thank you for trusting us with your botox and skin rejuvenation needs. Our aesthetic clinic in Cascais is always here to offer personalised care tailored to you.”
Osteopathy Clinic
✅ “It’s wonderful to hear your lower back pain eased after your session. At our osteopathy clinic in Faro, our goal is to help you move freely and pain-free.”
Physiotherapy Clinic
✅ “Thank you for your feedback! We’re happy that your post-surgery physiotherapy sessions are bringing progress. Our physiotherapy clinic in Coimbra is here to guide your recovery with care.”
Mental Health Clinic
✅ “We appreciate your kind words. Supporting your therapy process at our mental health clinic in Madrid is a privilege for our entire team.”
Paediatric Clinic
✅ “We’re so glad your child had a positive first paediatric check-up. Our family clinic in Barcelona always aims to make little ones feel safe and welcomed.”
Generic Review Reply (SEO-Optimised)
✅ “Thank you for your feedback! At XYZ Clinic in London, we’re committed to providing high-quality care tailored to your needs. We look forward to seeing you again!”
Each of these replies shows how to personalise the message while weaving in relevant keywords and local signals. This reinforces your expertise in your niche and improves your clinic’s visibility in local searches.
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🫤 Concerned About GDPR?
If you’re wondering whether mentioning treatments in your review replies might conflict with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you’re not alone. This is an important consideration for any clinic handling patient feedback in a public space like Google Business.
The key point is this: if the patient voluntarily mentions the treatment in their review, you are allowed to refer to it in your response — as long as you don’t reveal any additional personal or clinical information that they did not share themselves.
✅ What you can do:
- Reiterate the treatment mentioned by the patient (e.g., “Thank you for trusting us with your teeth whitening.”)
- Use general terms like “your treatment,” “your experience,” or “your visit” if you’re unsure
- Maintain a professional, non-identifying tone — especially if the reviewer uses only a first name or anonymous profile
❌ What you must avoid:
- Never introduce new clinical details (e.g., diagnosis, outcome, images)
- Do not identify the patient more clearly than they identified themselves
- Avoid overly personal or revealing language that could compromise privacy
In short, you’re safe to reinforce what the patient has already made public — and that can still offer strong SEO benefits. When in doubt, use neutral language and focus on service quality and location keywords.
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✏️ How to Write SEO-Friendly Review Replies for Your Clinic
Once you understand the value of replying with purpose, the next step is knowing how to do it effectively. A well-written review reply should sound natural, but still contain enough semantic and geographic signals to boost your clinic’s visibility in local search results.
Here are five key principles to follow:
- Mirror the client’s language: Acknowledge the exact treatment or experience they mentioned. If they wrote about a “wisdom tooth removal,” include that phrase in your reply — don’t just call it “the treatment.”
- Include relevant service keywords: Use precise terms that describe your services, such as “osteopathy for migraines,” “botox injection,” or “sports physiotherapy.” This reinforces your clinic’s expertise.
- Mention your location clearly: Geographic keywords are crucial for Local SEO. Phrases like “at our clinic in Lisbon” or “in central London” help your profile show up in map-based searches.
- Keep it concise, but specific: Two or three well-crafted sentences are better than long, vague paragraphs. Every word should serve a purpose.
- Avoid filler and vague compliments: While appreciation is good, avoid clichés like “You made our day!” unless they’re tied to real, context-rich language.
By following these guidelines, your replies will not only enhance your online reputation but also actively support your clinic’s local rankings in a strategic, scalable way.
📝 Templates to Adapt for Your Own Clinic
To help you save time while maintaining a high standard of communication, here are two adaptable templates for replying to Google reviews. These are designed with local SEO best practices in mind — including treatment keywords, location, and a tone that feels both human and professional.
Template 1: General Medical or Wellness Clinic
✅ “Thank you for your feedback! We’re happy to hear that your experience with our [specific treatment] met your expectations. At [Clinic Name] in [City], we’re committed to offering personalised care that supports your health and wellbeing.”
Template 2: Dental, Aesthetic or Physiotherapy Clinic
✅ “It’s great to hear that you felt comfortable during your [specific procedure]. Our team at [Clinic Name], located in [City], combines advanced care with individual attention to ensure the best results for each patient.”
Feel free to tweak these templates by inserting the service mentioned in the review, the client’s city, or any relevant term that strengthens your clinic’s online authority.
⚠️ Remember: as mentioned above, you should only mention a treatment if the client has already shared it publicly in their review. The more specific and natural your reply feels, the more valuable it becomes — both for potential patients and for search engines.
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🚀 Ready to Improve Your Local Visibility?
Most clinics are sitting on a powerful, underused SEO tool — their own Google reviews. By crafting replies that include the right keywords, treatments and local signals, you’re telling both your future patients and Google exactly who you help, where you are, and what makes your clinic trustworthy.
Whether you’re a dentist in Algarve, a plastic surgeon in Madrid or a physiotherapist in Berlin, strategic review replies are one of the simplest — yet most effective — actions you can take to improve your Google Maps rankings.
If you’re unsure how to implement these changes or want a team that can manage your entire Local SEO strategy, we’re here to help.
Let’s review your clinic’s profile and help you attract more qualified local traffic starting this month.
