When potential customers are deciding between businesses, Google reviews are often their go-to resource.
These reviews, displayed prominently on your Google Business Profile and Google Maps, come from people who have interacted with your business and are eager to share their experiences.
Anyone can see these reviews, and they have the power to influence public perception and affect how new customers engage with your business.
If you suddenly notice your Google reviews missing or suspect they’ve been removed, you’re not alone. Many businesses report missing reviews on Google.
But why do Google reviews disappear? Here are some possible reasons:
A Potential Google Bug
Incentivized Reviews
Reviews Contain Links or URLs
Profanity in Reviews
Reviews by Former or Current Employees
User Deleted Their Review
User Deleted Their Account
Unverified Google Business Profile
New Business Listing
Incorrect Listing Information
Inactive Business Profile
Duplicate Business Profiles
Merged Business Profiles
Business Not Open to the Public
Why Google Reviews May Not Be Showing
Along with the reasons for disappearing Google reviews, here are some tips to address the issue depending on the situation.
Let's explore why Google reviews might disappear:
A Potential Google Bug Technical issues with Google can sometimes cause reviews to temporarily vanish, often during updates to the Google Business Profile system. For example, when Google rolls out multiple changes at once, many businesses may temporarily lose access to their reviews.
Usually, these issues resolve themselves once the updates are fully implemented. Other technical bugs have also been reported by businesses, such as difficulties editing published posts or adding images to their profiles.
Tip: If you encounter potential bugs, document them thoroughly and report them to Google’s customer support with detailed descriptions of the issues. This can help Google resolve the problems more quickly and potentially restore any affected reviews.
Incentivized Reviews Google's policies strictly prohibit incentivized reviews, including those that are paid for or rewarded. Such reviews are considered fraudulent, and Google is firm in maintaining that all feedback must be genuine and unbiased. Businesses found to be violating these rules risk having their reviews removed, which can damage their credibility.
If Google detects that a business has been buying reviews or offering incentives, the penalties can be severe. Not only will the reviews be removed, but the business may also face further consequences, such as a drop in search rankings, significantly reducing its visibility on Google.
Tip: Focus on earning Google reviews organically by providing excellent service and engaging positively with your customers, rather than trying to bypass the system with unethical tactics.
Reviews Contain Links or URLs To maintain the integrity of user feedback, Google does not allow outbound links in reviews on Google Business Profiles. Reviews that contain links or URLs may be removed to prevent promotional content or redirection from Google’s services.
Including URLs can pose security risks or direct users to unverified external sites, which could be misleading. Google’s policy against links in reviews ensures a safe and trustworthy environment for users looking for honest feedback.
Tip: Monitor your reviews to ensure they comply with Google’s guidelines. Informing customers about these rules can help prevent the submission of prohibited content and keep the reviews relevant and useful for potential customers.
Profanity in Reviews Google has strict guidelines against profanity in reviews, and any review containing offensive language is promptly removed to maintain a respectful and professional platform. This policy helps ensure that content is appropriate for all audiences and preserves the integrity of user feedback.
Encouraging customers to write clean and respectful reviews not only adheres to Google’s guidelines but also enhances the quality of the feedback received. Businesses should remind their clientele of the importance of keeping reviews free of offensive language.
Tip: Encourage customers to avoid using profane language in their reviews. Educating customers about Google’s content policies can lead to more positive and publishable feedback, which in turn benefits your business’s online reputation.
Reviews by Former or Current Employees Google’s guidelines prohibit current or former employees from leaving reviews on their employer’s business profile. This rule is in place to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure that reviews are authentic. Google typically removes these reviews to maintain the credibility of the feedback on the platform.
While this rule may seem restrictive, it can actually protect your business. For instance, if a disgruntled former employee leaves a negative review, you can report it to Google, and since it violates Google’s policy, it’s likely to be removed quickly.
Tip: Familiarize yourself with Google’s policy on employee reviews. By actively managing your profile and reporting reviews that violate these guidelines, you can help ensure a more accurate representation of customer satisfaction.
User Deleted Their Review Occasionally, a customer might choose to delete their review from your Google Business Profile, perhaps due to a change of heart or for personal reasons.
Although it can be disheartening to see a review disappear, there is a way to respond. It’s possible the deletion was accidental, or the customer may have updated feedback that could lead to an even more constructive review.
Tip: Reaching out to the customer about their deleted review shows that you value their opinion and opens the door to potentially having the review reinstated. Handle this communication carefully to encourage a positive interaction.
User Deleted Their Account When a customer deletes or deactivates their Google account, any reviews they’ve posted will also disappear. Reviews on Google are tied to individual user accounts, and there’s no option for anonymous feedback.
Unfortunately, if a review disappears because a user deleted their account, it’s irretrievable. The review itself becomes permanently inaccessible once the associated account is removed.
Tip: To offset the loss of reviews, focus on improving your feedback-collection strategy. Encouraging more customers to share their experiences can help maintain a strong online reputation despite the loss of some reviews.
Unverified Google Business Profile If your Google Business Profile is unverified and suddenly receives a lot of reviews, Google may scrutinize this activity to rule out spam or fake reviews. Verifying your Google Business Profile is essential not just for enhancing the visibility of your reviews but also for improving your business’s overall search rankings.
Verification confirms your business details with Google, which can significantly influence how potential customers perceive your establishment. A verified profile assures users that the information they’re viewing is accurate and trustworthy.
Tip: Make sure your profile is verified to avoid issues with unverified listings. Start the verification process early, especially as reviews begin to accumulate, to maintain the integrity of your online presence and facilitate smoother interactions with Google’s services.
New Business Listing When a business first registers a Google Business Profile, it becomes visible on Google Maps and in search results, boosting visibility. However, there may be a delay before reviews start appearing on the new business listing.
It takes time for customers to discover the new listing, visit the business, and decide to leave a review. As the business gains more exposure, the frequency and volume of reviews will likely increase.
Tip: If your business listing is new, be patient. Focus on providing excellent service and encouraging feedback from your customers in the meantime.
Incorrect Listing Information Google ties reviews to specific business locations and names. If a business changes its location or name without updating this information on Google, new reviews may not appear under the correct listing. Instead, they might stay attached to the old address or name, making them less relevant and harder for potential customers to find.
Google typically verifies changes to a business’s information, especially if significant details like the name or location change. During this verification process, discrepancies may affect how and where reviews are displayed.
Tip: Ensure your reviews are correctly aligned with your business by promptly updating any changes in your name or location on your Google Business Profile. Some key changes may require re-verification.
Inactive Business Profile Google may hide reviews for Business Profiles that appear inactive. This approach encourages businesses to regularly update their details. If you haven’t accessed your Google Business Profile in more than six months, Google might consider this inactivity grounds to remove the verified status of your listing.
Inactivity can make your business profile less visible and less impactful for potential customers searching for your services. Losing your business listing’s verification due to inactivity can lead to several issues, including the inability to collect new reviews or update your information.
Tip: To keep your Business Profile active and prevent losing features like review visibility, regularly log in, update your information as needed, and use Google Posts.
Duplicate Business Profiles Duplicate Business Profiles on Google can interfere with the visibility and accuracy of your reviews. Multiple profiles at the same address are only allowed if they represent distinct businesses. It’s important to maintain just one profile per business, and consolidate multiple services into a single profile rather than creating separate ones for each service.
Duplicate profiles can exist in various states: both might be verified and published, one could be published but unverified, or one might be marked as a duplicate in your account dashboard. These situations can affect how your business information is presented and how easily customers can find and review your business.
Tip: Avoid having your business profiles flagged as duplicates by ensuring each one is distinct and doesn’t overlap with others you manage. Refrain from creating new profiles for services that can be included in an existing profile.
Merged Business Profiles It’s not uncommon to experience delays or temporary absences of customer reviews after merging Business Profiles. This happens because merging profiles can disrupt the usual association of reviews with their respective profiles. During the consolidation process, it might take some time for reviews to be reassigned and properly displayed under the new, unified profile.
Tip: If you accidentally merged profiles, reach out to Google support for assistance. Otherwise, be patient as the system adjusts and integrates the information, ensuring your business listing is accurate and enhances your online presence.
Business Not Open to the Public Google allows businesses to set up a profile before they officially open by specifying a future opening date. This helps build engagement with potential customers through photos, posts, and descriptions ahead of time. However, reviews submitted before the official opening date might not be displayed, as Google filters out reviews it suspects could be spam or fake.
Tip: Make sure your business is officially open to the public before soliciting reviews from customers. Additionally, verify that your Google Business Profile reflects your business as open.
Getting More Google Reviews
Now that we’ve covered why Google reviews might disappear, here are some tips on how to get more reviews:
Make it easy: Include a simple call to action (CTA) on your website, receipts, or email signatures that politely asks customers to leave a review on Google. Adding a shortened link or QR code can make the process even easier.
Ask directly: Train your staff to politely request reviews from satisfied customers after a positive interaction. This can be done in person, via email, or through a follow-up message after a purchase or service.
Respond to reviews: Show that you value feedback by responding to both positive and negative reviews. Thank customers for positive feedback and address any concerns raised in negative reviews.
Highlight reviews: Showcase real testimonials that praise your services or products on your website and social media channels to bolster credibility with potential customers.
Use social media: Regularly remind your followers how much their reviews mean to your business by promoting the idea of leaving a Google review through your social media platforms.
Quick Recap: Why Google Reviews Might Disappear
There might be a glitch affecting Google Reviews.
Reviews appear to be incentivized.
Reviews contain links or URLs.
Use of profanity in the reviews.
Reviews are from former or current employees.
The user removed their own reviews.
The user deactivated their account.
Your Google Business Profile hasn’t been verified.
Your business listing was recently created.
Your listing details are inaccurate.
Your Business Profile has been inactive.
There are multiple profiles for your business.
Your Google Business Profiles were recently merged.
Your business is not open to the public.
By staying proactive and aware of these potential issues, you can better manage your Google reviews and maintain a positive online presence.
If you’re looking for some assistance in managing your Google Business Profile and its reviews, KIN Marketing is ready to step in.
Comments