Why Google Reviews Go Missing & What to Do About It

For local home service business owners, Google Reviews are more than just feedback —they are a cornerstone of local SEO and a driver for attracting new customers.

However, disappearing reviews can be particularly troubling for businesses that rely heavily on their online reputation.

Understanding why Google reviews go missing and what you can do to attempt to fix removed ones can help you manage your digital presence more effectively.

Why Reviews Disappear

Google evaluates the contents of all Google reviews according to its review policy to ensure users provide only honest and unbiased feedback about businesses.

Reviews that are spammy, fake, biased, offensive, or involve conflicts of interest are often removed.

Most Google reviews that don’t show up or suddenly go missing often fall into these categories.

Google Policy Flags for Moderation & Removal

According to Google’s review policies, there are quite a few main reasons that published online reviews can be flagged for policy violation and then removed without warning, or new reviews can be completely prevented from being posted.

The list below is a paraphrased version of what’s on their review policy page, linked above.

• Anonymous reviews written to mislead customers.
• A user created a new Google account or has left no prior reviews after inactivity.
• An account wrote the review with a history of posting spammy or low-quality behavior.
• A large influx of new reviews were received after a period of inactivity.
• Google bans off-topic reviews that don’t specify or include details about the customer’s experience (this one can affect a lot of reviews).
• Reviews may contain hate speech, illegal, abusive, derogatory, and explicit content.
• The reviewer shared personal information, such as phone number, address, etc.
• IP address: Reviews posted at a location too close or too far away from a business address may look fraudulent.
• The review seems promotional in tone and content.
• The review was written in a language different from the primary language of the reviewer or the business.
• The review contains repetitive or irrelevant information
• The same review was posted multiple times in a short period.
• A fake or unverifiable account wrote the review.
• Google suspects review gating or selective soliciting.
• Google suspects the review was left by an employee.

Age of Reviews

Google’s algorithms are constantly changing, and AI is taking a larger and more prominent role in moderating reviews. The age of your business reviews on Google is a key element that could influence them.

There’s a chance that older reviews, which might not accurately represent your current business state, could be deleted. This underscores the importance of business owners continuously gathering fresh reviews to ensure their Google business profiles remain current and relevant.

The exact impact of review age on their removal remains somewhat ambiguous and anecdotal, but it is possible that some customer reviews become less relevant over time due to various changes like a business relocating, staff turnover, or shifts in business specializations.

In such cases, older reviews might no longer align with Google’s evolving criteria and thus be subject to removal.

Other Reasons for Google Missing/Removed Reviews

These are reasons that we and other people have noticed when researching reviews missing.

• You have made large structural changes to your GBP, such as changing addresses, merging profiles, changing the Primary Service category, etc.
• Your profile was suspended and then reinstated.
• Reviews were left prior to when your business opening date was set in your profile.
• A user deleted their Google account, or their account went inactive.
• A user decides to remove their review of your business.
• The review is a duplicate of one posted on Google or somewhere else.
• Google is experiencing a technical bug.

What to Do About Missing Google Reviews

1. Create a Support Ticket

Google openly states that it will not reinstate removed reviews. However, they do have a support form that you can fill out to challenge this.

In some rare cases, they will decide to overturn their decision on some if they are still under moderation. (If you never ask, the answer’s always no!) They also may not respond to you at all, or they may immediately deny your request through email.

You should raise a case with Google within 5 days of the deletion, if possible. Creating a ticket for the issue outside the 5 days reduces the chances of Google acting in your favor.

How to Start a Support Ticket

1. Please make sure you are logged into Google with an account that manages the profile for which you’re looking for support.
2. Click this link to start a support ticket here: https://support.google.com/business/gethelp?issue_description=contact+support&sjid=9759675791479720122-NA
3. Select the Google profile from the drop-down and click Next.
4. Select the Review Missing option and click Next Step
5. Skip over their “helpful resources” and click Next Step
6. Select the Email option, and a form will drop down. Fill this out to the best of your ability. Optionally, upload an image of the missing review for better chances of recovery. Then click Submit
7. NOTE: You will most likely get a canned response email with links to their support. Reply back to that email and request they take a look at your original ticket’s issue and request they review the removed reviews. You may not hear back from them at all – we’ve seen clients suddenly have 10-20+ reviews pop back live.
8. Keep track of the case ID from Google. If the situation remains unresolved after 10 days, create a new thread on the Google Business Profile forum with relevant information for a Product Expert’s input.

2. Keep Getting More Reviews

It can be tough not to fixate on losing reviews that you worked hard to get, but the best mindset to have with your review marketing strategy is that some of the reviews you get just aren’t going to stick.

Although Google reviews can be removed for a variety of reasons when you find out a review is lost, it isn’t likely to be recovered. Your time is better spent focusing on getting your next new 5-star review.

Consistency is key here, as you can see from the reasons above. Periods of activity and inactivity look fake to Google and may be taken down. So, stay consistent with those reviews!

3. Diversify Your Review Platforms

Dependency on Google alone can be crippling to your business when there is a problem and can limit your reach. Broaden your review strategy by including platforms like Facebook, Yelp, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

These platforms also offer extensive exposure and provide many of the same advantages as Google reviews.

Not only does this diversify, but there’s anecdotal evidence to suggest that good reviews on platforms outside of Google actually help Google rank even more!! So, by getting some reviews on other platforms, you increase your SEO.

4. Regularly Check Your Google Profile Email

Google often notifies business owners via email when a review is removed. Regularly check the email associated with your Google Business Profile for notifications from Google regarding changes to your reviews.

5. Keep Your Profile Active

Your activity level on your Google business profile account also impacts the visibility of your reviews.

If you’re not updating your business information, posting updates, or responding to reviews, Google might consider your business account to be inactive. This could result in your Google reviews disappearing from your Google business profile dashboard.

Understanding Google’s Review Standards

As a business owner, it’s important to understand why reviews from your customers might not be posted or could be removed from Google. Google has specific criteria for customer reviews to ensure they are authentic, informative, and appropriate for all users.

Below is an outline of what Google looks for in reviews. Knowing these criteria can help you comprehend the review process better and guide your customers in providing feedback that is likely to be published and remain on the platform.

This insight is crucial for maintaining a positive and trustworthy online presence.

According to Google’s local guide guidelines, here’s what they recommend for customers when writing and what they look for when moderating:

• Be Informative and Insightful: Describe specific aspects of your experience, what sets the place apart, and share unique details.
• Be Authentic: Detail your personal experience, including both positives and negatives and strive for accuracy.
• Be Respectful: Offer constructive criticism if needed, and avoid profanity.
• Write with Style: Ensure good spelling and grammar, and aim for paragraph-length reviews without excessive capitalization and punctuation.
• Avoid Personal and Professional Information: Do not share personal contact details or URLs, and refrain from reviewing places where you have employment ties.
• Avoid General Commentary: Focus on your firsthand experience rather than social or political issues related to the place.

The Takeaway

Navigating the complex world of Google Reviews requires a strategic approach. Local businesses can boost their online reputation and SEO by understanding the factors leading to review removal and actively engaging in gathering and maintaining a healthy flow of reviews.

Remember, while some google reviews may go missing, the focus should always be on cultivating new, genuine feedback that accurately and attractively reflects your business.

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