Keeping your AI instructions clear and specific is the key to getting high-quality, on-brand review responses. This guide walks through how to write effective instructions, what to avoid, and tips for fine-tuning your results.

To get the most out of Suggested Review Responses, start by adding your custom AI prompt. You can find instructions for setting that up here. 

Why Clear Instructions Matter

Well-written instructions help your AI:

• Match your brand voice

• Respond appropriately to positive and negative feedback

• Boosts SEO: Search engines scan review text and owner responses to determine business relevance. By including specific keywords from the review in your AI prompts, you help verify your offerings to Google and improve your ranking for those specific terms.

• Reduce manual edits: Clearer prompts mean less time spent fixing AI drafts.

Key Rules for Writing Instructions

1. Use Separate Fields for Positive and Negative Feedback

Our AI is designed to handle different types of feedback using specific fields. This ensures the AI doesn't get "confused" between a thank-you note and a complaint.

• Custom Instructions (Positive Reviews): All instructions for 4- and 5-star reviews go here. 

• Negative Comment Instructions: This field is used specifically for responding to negative reviews. Use this space to include your contact email or phone number to move the conversation offline.

*Pro-Tip: If you have different contact information for different brands or locations, you can create separate prompts and assign them to specific locations to ensure the right contact details are always used.*

2. Include the Reviewer’s Name

Personalization goes a long way. Within your prompt settings, check the box labeled "Include reviewer name in reply (if available)." When checked, the AI will automatically address the reviewer by name in every response.

3. Always End Instructions with a Period

Each instruction must end with a period. This signals to the AI that one instruction has ended and another is beginning.

• Example: Use a genuine and conversational tone. Responses must not exceed 2 sentences.

4. Be Clear and Specific

Avoid subjective phrases like "sound better". Instead, explain exactly what you want the AI to include or avoid.

• Instead of: "I don't like upbeat words".

• Try: "Avoid overly enthusiastic language such as phrases like 'over the moon'" instead use more laid back language like “so happy to hear”. 

Adjusting Tone with Tone Selectors

If responses feel slightly off, try adjusting the Tone Selector dropdowns. You can select two tones for each review type (Positive, Neutral, and Negative).

Which settings should I use?

Depending on your brand, we recommend the following pairings:

• For a Professional tone: Select Professional and Polished.

  • How it sounds: "Thank you for your feedback regarding your recent experience. We appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns..."

• For a Casual tone: Select Casual and Friendly.

  • How it sounds: "Hey! Thanks so much for the kind words. We're really glad you loved the food—our chef will be pumped to hear it!"

Best Practices Checklist

Before saving your instructions, do a quick double-check to ensure:

• Punctuation Check: Does every individual instruction end with a period?

• The "Specifics" Test: Are your instructions clear and measurable? (e.g., "Keep responses under 3 sentences" instead of "Make it short").

• SEO & Personalization: Is the "Include reviewer name" box checked, and did you remind the AI to mention specific menu items or services?

• Contact Info: If you have multiple locations, have you assigned the correct email or phone number to the specific location or brand prompt?

Test and Refine Your Responses

Once you have saved your instructions and tone settings, the best way to ensure they are working is to test them against your current reviews.

1. Navigate to your reviews and click "Suggest Response."

2. If the tone isn't quite right, return to your settings to add more detail or examples.

3. Repeat this process until you are happy with the results!

If you need any further assistance, feel free to contact support at support@marqii.com or

1 888-597-2939!