Are Google reviews not showing up for your business? This can be a very frustrating problem, but the good news is that it’s often only temporary. Here, we’ll explain why your Google reviews may not be showing up and how you can resolve this issue.
Key Takeaways
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Google reviews may not post due to technical issues, violations of the Google Review Policy, or improperly formatted content, which affects their visibility. You’ll learn about all these reasons and more.
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Maintaining a verified, up-to-date, and optimized Google Business Profile is essential for visibility of your Google reviews.
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Reputation management tools can streamline the review collection process, ensuring a consistent flow of Google reviews and improving your online presence.
Common Reasons Google Reviews Don’t Show Up
A review might not display for a surprising number of reasons. As you’ll see in the table below, only a few are under your control. You’ll get some tips for those situations, but others depend entirely on the reviewer or Google’s platform.
| 1. You Have an Unverified Google Business Profile | If you are new to Google Business, you might not know that you need to verify your business before you can manage your profile.
New businesses without any online footprint should get verified as soon as possible to start appearing in map results and attracting reviews. While you’re at it, you should also add and update your business information, such as phone number(s) and address. |
| 2. The Review Was Recently Published | A customer has let you know that they have posted a Google review, but it’s not showing on your Google Business page.
A simple reason for this is publishing time. Google reviews can take up to 48 hours to be published. In some cases, reviews can take as long as seven days to publish on Google. Unfortunately, there is no fix here except to patiently wait. If the review still doesn’t appear, it could be due to an issue with your account or with the review itself. If it isn’t due to one of the other reasons on this list, it’s worth contacting Google. |
| 3. There Is Incorrect or Outdated Listing Information | Incorrect or outdated business information can make your business hard to find online and confuse customers.
If a customer posts a review on the wrong listing, such as a similar local business, it will not appear on your Google Business page. The fix here is to regularly make sure the information on your Google Business page is accurate and up-to-date. This includes your business address, phone number, and operating hours. |
| 4. There Are Duplicate Google Business Pages | It’s not uncommon for a business to have two or more Google listings if different owners added the business.
This can result in receiving a Google review on a duplicate page instead of the one you’re actively managing. This makes it important to double-check that your business only has one listing. If not, you will need to delete the duplicate listing (if claimed) or report it. |
| 5. Your Google Business Account is Inactive | Even if you have a verified Google Business listing, it’s possible to get unverified due to account inactivity.
Losing verification means you can no longer manage the profile. Customers may be able to update store information, such as hours, with incorrect information, for example. This makes managing your Google Business listing essential, even if you receive reviews. This includes logging in to your account regularly, updating your business information when needed, and responding to reviews. |
| 6. You’ve Undergone Significant Business Changes | If you have made significant changes to your business, Google may remove reviews that are “no longer relevant”. Significant changes can include a change of business name, a change of location, or both.
Google states that “most” name changes, ownership changes, and location changes won’t remove reviews. However, if you suspect the opposite, you’ll need to contact Google. The same applies if you have created a new Business Profile (due to a significant change) and want to move reviews from an old listing to a new one. |
| 7. The Review Was Deleted | If you notice fewer reviews or that a certain review is no longer showing on your Business Profile, it could be because the review was deleted.
Customers can delete the Google reviews they post. Why customers may choose to delete reviews is another matter altogether, but ultimately, there’s nothing you can do about it when it happens. Similarly, Google reviews that a customer has posted will also be removed if they delete their account. |
| 8. The Review Was Marked As Spam | Another simple reason a Google review could have been deleted from your Google Business page is that it was marked as spam.
This can happen at the processing stage, since Google automatically processes reviews to detect spam, or if the review is flagged. Spam and fake reviews (such as paid reviews, incentivized reviews, and bot reviews) should be avoided. Using these to manipulate ratings can even result in listing removal and account suspension. |
| 9. The Review Was Inappropriate | Like spam, Google also removes inappropriate reviews. Prohibited and restricted content includes offensive, misleading, mature, and dangerous text or images.
These reviews can be removed at the processing stage or if the review is flagged. Reviews that contain URLs or phone numbers are also considered inappropriate. However, the review can be displayed on your Business Profile again if the creator of the review edits the review to remove any URLs and phone numbers. |
| 10. Third-Party Reviews On Google | Business listings on Google Search and Google Maps may display third-party reviews to provide more relevant information for customers. This can include Yelp reviews, Facebook reviews, and more.
Due to this, deleted reviews on third-party sites (for any reason) can result in those reviews being removed from your Google Business listing. Unfortunately, you can do nothing to retrieve removed third-party reviews except aim to get more reviews on those sites. This will increase the chance of new third-party reviews displaying with your Google Business listing. |
| 11. Google Disabled Reviews | Google may disable Google reviews temporarily due to unforeseen circumstances.
The chance of this occurring is rare, needless to say, but a prime example of this is when Google disabled reviews due to businesses affected by COVID-19. In the rare event Google disables reviews, posting new reviews may not be possible (at all), and some Google reviews may not appear on your Business Profile due to technical issues, delays, or restricted and prohibited content. |
| 12. There was A Google Outage | Another reason Google reviews may not be displayed is that it’s simply out of your control. It’s not uncommon for businesses to experience outages, including businesses as big as Google.
If a customer claims to have posted a review but it’s not showing on your Google Business Profile, it could be due to technical issues. Google service outages are not common, but it’s worth knowing that they can happen, and they have happened to Google in the past (several times over the last few years, in fact). |
How to Resolve Reviews Missing Due to Google Errors
If you suspect missing reviews due to technical issues, contacting Google support is a necessary step towards resolution. Include your Google Place ID and a detailed issue description to expedite the process.
Typically, you can expect a response from Google support within 72 hours. Google’s review policies are designed to ensure a fair and authentic review process. Non-compliance with these policies can lead to customer reviews being filtered out.
It can be annoying, but you should take proactive measures to make sure that you remain in compliance. For a full guide on this, check out: What Business Owners Can And Can’t Do: Google Review Policy. As you’ll learn next, reviewers can break the rules, too.
Google’s Review Guidelines: What You (and Your Customers) Need to Know
Google’s review policies are designed to maintain the integrity and authenticity of reviews on its platform. Violating these policies can lead to reviews being filtered out or removed entirely. If Google suspects that your business has engaged in buying Google reviews or posting fake ones, it can suspend the posting of legitimate reviews as well, often without notifying you.
This suspension can last six to eight months, severely impacting your business’s ability to collect Google reviews. Understanding and adhering to Google’s review policies is crucial to maintaining a steady stream of visible reviews. You’ll need to understand
Understanding Prohibited and Restricted Content
Google removes reviews that contain hate speech, harassment, false information, profanity, or offensive language. This policy can often help, as severely negative reviews may contain offensive language.
Reviews should also avoid including personal information, such as phone numbers, addresses, or email addresses. Reviews that contain links are also removed to prevent spam.
Format-Specific Criteria
Google has set specific Format-Specific Criteria that all reviews must adhere to.
This includes following character limits and avoiding prohibited content. Actions such as selectively soliciting positive reviews while discouraging negative ones (aka “review gating”) can also violate these criteria.
Note that you also can’t create a Google review on behalf of a customer, and we (and Google) discourage employees from writing Google reviews for your business. Adhering to these rules ensures that your reviews remain visible in Google search and are not flagged for removal.
Fake Google Reviews
Fake Google reviews, written by individuals without actual experience with the business, can significantly undermine trust and damage a business’s reputation.
Fake reviews can be particularly harmful as they mislead potential customers. Google takes action against such reviews by removing them and penalizing the accounts that are involved.
Engaging in practices like buying fake reviews can lead to severe consequences, including the suspension of your Google Business Profile.
You can’t do anything to make reviews that violate these policies appear. If you do any review outreach to customers, it may be helpful to remind them to be civil and follow Google’s rules. There is a bigger issue you should be concerned about, though.
The Bigger Issue With Your Google Reviews, and How to Solve It
You know how important Google reviews are for your business. It’s an issue when a Google review doesn’t show up. The bigger problem for most businesses isn’t that a few reviews aren’t showing. It’s that they don’t have a steady stream of Google reviews to begin with.
Making sure reviews are visible is important, but consistently getting more Google reviews for your business is crucial to help you rank better in Google search and improve your online reputation.
Fortunately, there are review management software tools available that can help you achieve this. ReputationStacker enables you to generate a steady stream of reviews, so missing reviews are no longer a source of stress and frustration. Get started today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my Google reviews not showing up?
There are multiple reasons why a Google review is not displaying. It may be because of technical issues, policy violations, or problems with your Google My Business Profile. Verifying your profile and ensuring compliance with Google’s review policies can resolve this matter.
How can I fix missing Google reviews?
To resolve missing Google reviews, make sure your Google Business Profile is verified, address any technical issues, and comply with the Google Review Policy. Using reputation management software may also be helpful.
What should I do if my Google Business Profile is unverified?
To restore review visibility, update your business info and complete the verification process through Google My Business. This action is essential for establishing credibility and improving your online presence.
How do reputation management tools help with Google reviews?
Reputation management tools like ReputationStacker assist in helping businesses consistently acquire Google reviews, consolidating them for easier tracking, and offering actionable insights to help improve a business’s online presence.
How long does it take for Google reviews to show up?
How long it takes a Google review to show up depends on a number of factors, but you can typically expect a review to appear within a few hours after it is posted.
