Reacting to Google reviews with emojis: A new way to connect with customers in 2025

Google has quietly rolled out a fresh feature inside Google Maps: the ability for businesses to react to Google reviews with emojis in 2025. Instead of just “liking” a review, businesses can now leave a visual reaction such as ❤️, 🔥, 🙏, 🤯, or 😋 that instantly adds personality to customer interactions. 

For now, the feature works exclusively on the Google Maps mobile app and hasn’t rolled out to desktop. This update transforms how businesses can engage with customers on their Google Business Profiles (GBP), making responses feel faster, more fun, and more human.

Why emojis in Google review replies matter

At first glance, emojis may seem informal, but in today’s world, they are a universal language. For short reviews like “Great service!” or “Loved it,” an emoji reply communicates warmth instantly, without requiring a complete sentence.

Here’s why businesses should consider using emojis:

• Clearly express emotions: A 👍 or 😊 shows gratitude instantly.
• Humanize your brand: Emojis make replies feel more conversational and approachable.
• Save time: Sometimes a single emoji can say more than a three-line reply.
• Show personality: Emojis let your brand lean into humor, creativity, and connection.

Think of emojis as a handshake in digital form: quick, personal, and memorable.

How to reply to Google reviews with emojis

Currently, the feature to react with emojis is available only in the Google Maps mobile app. Here’s how it works:

1. Open the Google Maps app and go to your Google Business Profile.
2. Tap the Reviews tab.
3. Choose the review you want to respond to.
4. Press and hold the review until the emoji pop-up appears.
5. Select your emoji reaction (❤️, 🔥, 🙏, 🤯, or 😋).

That’s it, the emoji will appear inline with the Google review, visible to the reviewer and anyone browsing your reviews.

Note: On desktop, you can still only “like” a review. Full emoji reactions are mobile-only (for now).

Best practices for businesses using emojis in reviews

While this feature adds fun, businesses should strike a balance between creativity and professionalism. Here are some guidelines:

• Match the emoji to the context: Use 😋 for food photos, 🙏 to show gratitude, or ❤️ for a positive review.
• Keep it professional: Emojis are fun, but don’t replace text replies for detailed feedback.
• Avoid overuse: One emoji is enough. Too many can feel cluttered or unprofessional.
• Reserve for positive reviews: If a review is critical, respond with a thoughtful text reply instead of just an emoji.

A restaurant reacting with 😋 to a customer’s food photo feels natural. A dental clinic replying with 🙏 to a “Thanks for the great care” Google review feels heartfelt. Context is everything.

What it means for customer engagement on Google

Google’s emoji reactions may seem like a minor feature, but they mark a significant shift in how businesses and customers interact. Reviews are no longer just static positive or negative feedback sitting on a profile; they’re becoming part of an ongoing conversation.

Traditionally, customers would leave a review and wait days, sometimes weeks, for a business to respond with a written reply.

Now, with just a single tap, businesses can acknowledge a customer instantly. A ❤️, 🔥, or 🙏 reaction takes only seconds but signals something powerful: we see you, we appreciate you, and we value your time.

For customers, this real-time acknowledgment feels validating. When a favorite brand reacts with a heart or smile, it mirrors the casual yet meaningful way people communicate with friends online.

That simple gesture turns what might have felt like a transactional review into a shared social moment.

In essence, online reviews are no longer just customer feedback; they are evolving into a two-way exchange that builds loyalty, humanizes the brand, and strengthens long-term relationships.

How Birdeye helps you scale professional replies across locations

Emoji reactions are a fun way to connect with customers in the moment, but managing reviews across dozens or even hundreds of locations requires more than just quick interactions. Businesses need structure, speed, and brand consistency. That’s exactly what Birdeye delivers.

With Birdeye Reviews AI, multi-location businesses can:

• Automate responses across platforms: Reply seamlessly to reviews on Google, Facebook, and more than 200 other sites without drowning your teams in manual work.
• Personalize at scale: Birdeye’s AI adapts every response to your brand voice, ensuring replies sound authentic and on-brand, no matter how many reviews you receive.
• Prioritize what matters most: Intelligent sentiment analysis highlights negative or urgent reviews first, so teams can respond quickly where it counts.
• Stay compliant and consistent: Built-in controls keep every response professional and aligned with corporate standards across all locations.

Chris Meola, Marketing Director at Afton Properties, puts it best:

We chose Birdeye because it offered an all-in-one easy-to-use dashboard, and the pricing is unbelievably reasonable.”

That combination of power, simplicity, and affordability is why thousands of brands trust Birdeye to scale their online reputation management.

By pairing Google’s new emoji reactions with Birdeye’s AI-assisted professional replies, businesses can strike the perfect balance: fun, human interactions for quick engagement and thoughtful, structured responses that protect and elevate brand reputation.

Final thought: Pair fun with professionalism for stronger reputation management

Google’s emoji reactions may seem like a minor feature, but they signal a significant shift: reviews are becoming more social, engaging, and personal. For businesses, it’s a chance to add warmth and personality to customer interactions.

But emojis alone aren’t enough. To truly win at reputation management, businesses need a strategy that blends speed with professionalism, something Birdeye makes seamless for multi-location brands.

Ready to see how Birdeye can help you manage reviews smarter while engaging customers authentically? Watch a demo now.