Google Lets Businesses React to Reviews With Emojis — Here's How to Use Them
What happened
Google has rolled out emoji reactions for business owners responding to reviews on Google Maps. Instead of only writing a text reply, businesses can now react to any review with one of five emojis: ❤️ (heart), 🙏 (thank you), 🔥 (fire), 🤯 (mind blown), or 😋 (tasty).
The feature went live in April 2026 and is available through the Google Maps mobile app. To use it, open your Business Profile in Google Maps, go to the Reviews tab, press and hold on a review, and select your reaction from the pop-up. The emoji appears inline with the review, visible to the reviewer and anyone browsing your profile.
Desktop support is expanding but not yet universal. For now, the mobile app is the reliable route.
What this means for tradespeople
This is a small feature with a useful practical application: acknowledging reviews when you don't have time to write a full reply.
If you're a plumber between emergency callouts or an electrician on a ladder, you probably aren't drafting personalised responses to every "Great work, thanks!" review. A quick ❤️ or 🙏 reaction takes two seconds and shows the customer — and every future customer reading your reviews — that you noticed and appreciated it.
Google is likely using engagement signals from reactions as a freshness and activity indicator. That means reacting to reviews may help keep your profile looking active, which matters for local search rankings.
That said, emoji reactions should complement written replies, not replace them. For detailed reviews, complaints, or anything mentioning specific work, a proper written response is still important. Use emojis for the short, positive reviews where a full reply would feel forced.
What to do about it
- Open the Google Maps app on your phone and try reacting to your most recent positive review
- Use emojis for short reviews like "Great job!" or "Highly recommend" — save written replies for detailed or negative reviews
- Don't overthink the emoji choice: ❤️ and 🙏 work for almost any positive review from a customer
For more on responding effectively, see our guide on how to respond to Google reviews and responding to positive reviews as a tradesperson.
Source: Birdeye