Unsure of what to do about Google reviews not showing up? Read on to learn why this happens and how to handle it.
As a business owner, the more Google reviews you have, the better, as they build trust with your audience. And when someone goes to your Google Business Profile, you want it to glow by showing off your positive Google reviews.
What about not-so-flattering reviews, though?
Every business deals with negative reviews at one time or another. Yes, you want to publicly respond to them on your business profile so your audience can see how you handle that type of feedback. However, you don’t have to worry too much about the random poor review now and then.
There’s another type of review to be aware of, though: the missing review.
At times, Google reviews may be delayed or missing. Why does this happen? It turns out, it’s more common than you think. In this article, we’ll explain why some Google reviews and Google Business Profiles seem to disappear into thin air (and what you can do about it).
Do you need help creating a Google Business Profile or generating new reviews? Call us at
(844) 458-6735
for valuable insights from an expert.
Reason #1: Your Business Profile Is Inactive
After editing your business profile on Google, it goes through a verification process. While Google is verifying the updated profile, it may not appear in search results for a temporary amount of time. Along with the profile, your Google reviews may be temporarily removed from search, too.
During this time, you won’t be able to direct customers to leave Google reviews since your profile won’t be active. This is a good opportunity to point customers toward other review sites, like Yelp.
Reason #2: You Have Duplicate Business Listings
If you have two or more Google Business Profiles with repeat information, Google may not know which one to show in search results. This could lead to missing Google reviews, along with the Google Business Profiles that aren’t ranking in search, either.
When a link has the same or very similar content, Google considers it duplicate content. The search engine won’t know which link to rank the highest, and as a result, both links could miss out on the ranking they could achieve otherwise.
Reason #3: Your Google Business Profile Is Too New
New Google Business Profiles may take a while to show up in search results or to showcase Google reviews.
Why? Because Google needs time to verify the authenticity and accuracy of the profile and its Google reviews.
Luckily, after the first few Google reviews are reviewed, verified and published, the others shouldn’t take as long to show up on your profile.
Don’t wait — get started today with professional management for your Google business reviews. Give us a call at
(844) 458-6735
to learn more.
Reason #4: You Have Flagged Fake Reviews or Spam Reviews
One of the most common reasons why Google reviews may not show up online is that other reviewers flag them as fake. When this happens, Google may drop the review from its index, which means it won’t show up in search results or on your business page.
Unfortunately, not every fake review is actually flagged. Similarly, some authentic reviews might be flagged as fake, which means they’ll be removed from your page unnecessarily.
Unfortunately, aggressive competitors can mark your legitimate reviews as spam. Once those Google reviews go through the moderation process, though, they should be reinstated on your profile. Google will be able to tell that the reviews are not actually fake and shouldn’t be removed.
Our team of ORM experts can help you create a Google Business Profile or even multiple Google Business listings. Contact us at
(844) 458-6735
for more information.
Reason #5: Google Flagged and Removed Certain Business Reviews
In addition to a person flagging a review as fake, Google may manually or automatically flag and remove reviews for a host of other reasons. Google has automatic filters set in place to prevent certain types of reviews from being published. Let’s go over some of them.
The Review Has a Link
According to the Google Maps User Generated Content Policy — specifically the Advertising and Solicitation section — commercial or promotional content, including social media or website links, is not allowed.
A Biased Source Left the Review
Google frowns upon — and will often delete — reviews from a current or former employee. Reviews must be from customers only.
There’s Profanity in the Review
Even in the harshest reviews, you won’t find profanity. Google’s review policy prohibits this type of language from being published in business reviews.
Google Is Suspicious That It’s a Paid Review
The Google review policy is also strict about receiving compensation for a review. Google will delete any reviews that it thinks were paid for.
Reason #6: A Third-Party Site Removed Negative or Positive Reviews
Some business pages on Google will have a small selection of reviews from third-party sites in addition to the brand’s Google reviews. If the review is removed from that site for some reason, it will also disappear from your Google page.
The way you’re perceived online matters, and poor Google reviews can damage your professional opportunities. Find out how to create the online reputation you deserve by calling
(844) 458-6735
today.
Reason #7: The User is Responsible for Missing Reviews
Sometimes, users will remove their own Google reviews. This may happen for any number of reasons:
- The person’s problem was resolved, so they decided to remove their negative.
- After leaving a positive review, the customer had a negative experience and decided to remove their original feedback.
- The user didn’t want their information to be public or felt embarrassed by the feedback they left, so they opted to take it down.
It’s also possible that the person inadvertently removed their reviews because their Google profile was shut down for some reason. In these situations, there’s not much you can do to fix missing Google reviews.
Reason #8: Bugs and Other Issues Affect Google Business Reviews
Google can encounter errors, bugs, and issues on their end that cause you to wonder, “Why are my Google reviews not showing up?”
Sometimes, things can happen to the powerful Google machine, and a bug may appear that messes up the entire process. Other times, a minor issue occurs that’s fixed promptly, and your reviews will be back in no time.
Usually, Google support is on top of any issue they encounter. Most of the time, the issues always get resolved quickly and without users having to do anything.
There have been times, though, when Google reviews disappear for longer than expected.
For example, during the pandemic, Google reviews were turned off, as there wasn’t enough staff to handle everything it took to monitor them.
There was also an incident called the Google Kansas Bug that changed profile locations to Fawn Creek, Kansas. This could potentially have a big impact on local businesses, so it always pays to double-check that your GBP information is accurate.
How Can You Fix Google Reviews That Have Gone Missing?
Let’s say you check your business listings and notice reviews that were there before are now missing. What can you do to fix the issue?
After all, when your potential customers perform a Google search, they will be more apt to engage with your business if you have several positive Google reviews.
The first thing you can do is diagnose what is causing the issue. Some issues can easily be solved by talking to Google, but some problems you can fix on your own in minutes. If you can figure out the problem yourself, you can decide how to troubleshoot it quickly.
Alternatively, you can contact Google to see if they’ll help resolve the issue. If there’s a simple solution, though, this will take longer than necessary. It may be worth it to do some digging on your own first.
Verify all of your information and activity on your business profile. Fix any information that doesn’t apply to your business, including the location, hours of operation, business description, etc.
Check for flagged reviews. You may be able to see if any reviews were flagged by accessing the Reviews Management Tool. Check through the reviews to see if any legitimate ones were marked for removal.
Wait for a few days for the review to show up. See if updating your profile or waiting it out solves the issue. And if a customer said they were going to leave a review, don’t assume they’ll do it quickly — they may not have gotten around to it yet.
Contact Google support. If all of your information is correct on your Google Business Profile, the next step is to contact the Google support center. It’s possible that an error was made, and Google will need to fix it on their end.
Wrapping Up: Fix Google Reviews with Professional Help
When a customer goes on Google, Google Maps or another search engine to find your business listings, products or services, it’s important that they see recent Google reviews. Anything from duplicate listings to Google errors can impact what potential customers find.
With enough reviews, it won’t be a big deal if one or two go missing now and then. That’s why review generation is so important — so you can continually have fresh reviews going up for others to see. For more serious cases, though, you may have to contact Google support for assistance.
Over 93% of online shoppers read reviews before making an online purchase. This feedback matters more to customers than pricing and discounts, too.
At ReputationSciences.com, we work with brands that are ready to create, grow or repair their digital reputation. Our tailored services can help generate and respond to Google reviews while attracting potential customers.
Through our parent company, NetReputation, we offer a range of Google Business Profile services to improve your presence in search, Google Maps and Google reviews.
Our tried-and-true strategy includes auditing, repair, monitoring and management, and our services will be customized to your unique needs.
Call us today at
(844) 458-6735
for more information.