AI & Automation6 min readOctober 2, 2026

Auto reply to Google reviews: three levels of control (and which to start with)

Want an auto reply to Google reviews without losing control? Westify's three policies: Review everything, Review the critical ones, Autopilot.

The most common question before someone starts isn't about price or Google. It's this: 'Do I approve each response, or does the system publish on its own?'

Short answer: you decide. Westify has three reply policies. Each one fits a different stage of trust. This guide is how to pick, and how to move when you're ready. If you're still weighing whether automation belongs in your workflow at all, start with westify.app/blog/automated-review-responses-everything-you-need-to-know.

The three reply policies

The names match the cards under Review approval policy in Settings.

Review everything is the default. In the panel: 'Every reply comes to you to approve before it posts.' The line under the cards says it plainly: 'No reply posts without your approval.' Every draft waits for your OK, whether the review is 1★ or 5★. You can Edit, Regenerate, or Approve. This is the starting mode for a reason: you see how the voice sounds on real reviews before you loosen control. Who it fits: new accounts, medical or legal-sensitive businesses, high-end restaurants, anyone tuning brand voice, and multi-location groups in the first weeks.
Review the critical ones. In the panel: '3–5★ post automatically. 1–2★ come to you to approve before they post.' Positive and middling reviews can post without a tap. Low-star reviews still stop for you. Like Autopilot, it unlocks after you've reviewed a sample. Who it fits: most restaurants, boutiques, clinics, and shops after the voice feels consistent.
Autopilot posts without waiting for a tap on each reply. Westify alerts you to 1–2★ reviews along with their reply. Nothing posts until you approve it. Autopilot is optional and only unlocks after you've reviewed a sample. Autopilot is not the day-one setting. It's the one many owners move to after they've seen drafts they trust. Who it fits: high volume after 30–60 days of solid drafts, and owners who want time back and still get low-star alerts.

What happens when a review comes in

Review in. It lands in Reviews.
Draft ready. A reply in your saved voice.
You approve. Edit, Regenerate, or Approve.

Read the draft for one detail from the review before you approve. Specificity is what makes a reply feel human. For voice setup, tone, sign-off, and what not to mention, see westify.app/blog/build-brand-voice-review-responses.

How to choose and when to change

Start on Review everything. Tune the voice. Approve a sample.
When 3–5★ drafts consistently please you, try Review the critical ones.
After more volume and trust, consider Autopilot. It unlocks only after that sample.

You can change policies anytime without reconfiguring the voice. Stricter in peak season, looser when volume is calm. Both are fine.

Guardrails that never change

Injury, illness, or legal threats: write those yourself, or with counsel. Don't batch them.
You're still responsible for what goes public.
Westify drafts for Google Business Profile reviews, not Yelp, TripAdvisor, or Facebook.
Westify drafts in your voice. You edit, then approve.

For a list of lines a draft should never use, see westify.app/blog/what-an-ai-review-response-tool-should-never-be-allowed-to-say. For the full how-to by star rating, see westify.app/blog/how-to-respond-google-reviews-complete-guide.