Google reviews have become an incredibly important factor for businesses in managing online reputation and local SEO. According to research, Google reviews account for as much as 7-8% of local rankings signals. Positive online reviews boost your local search visibility and help you stand out from competitors.
With the influence Google reviews have, businesses want to ensure reviews are posted and visible in a timely manner.
How long does it take for a google review to post?
Most Google reviews show up within 1-2 hours of being submitted, however, some may take up to 24 hours to appear. There are a few key factors that can occasionally cause delays in Google reviews posting.
In this guide, we’ll provide an overview of how long reviews typically take to post, reasons your reviews may be delayed, and tips for troubleshooting review issues.
Average Google Review Posting Time
The majority of Google reviews are published and become visible within 1-3 hours after being submitted by a customer. According to Google’s own support page, “Normally reviews will show up almost immediately, but sometimes they may take some time to publish.”
While most reviews appear in under three hours, it’s not uncommon for a review to take up to 24 hours before it is visible on a business’s Google profile. There are a few key factors that can cause Google reviews to be delayed beyond just a few hours:
- Mobile device or operating system—Reviews submitted on older mobile devices or operating systems sometimes experience delays.
- Merged business profiles—If Google merges two business profiles, incoming reviews may be delayed.
- Policy violations—Reviews that violate Google’s policies around spam, fake reviews, etc. may be temporarily hidden.
So while most Google reviews appear within a 1-3 hour timeframe, businesses should be aware that delays of up to 24 hours are not necessarily uncommon or a cause for concern. Specific factors like mobile OS, profile merges, and policy violations can sometimes increase the time it takes for a review to be published.
Why Reviews Get Delayed
There are a few common reasons why Google reviews may be delayed in posting.
Merged Business Profiles
If Google has recently merged your business profile with another location, there may be a delay of a few days for new reviews to appear while this process is completed. According to Google’s support article, “This delay is most common after profiles are merged. Delays because of a merge should be resolved within a few days.”
Violations of Google Policies
Google has strict policies prohibiting spam, fake reviews, and other violations. If your business has engaged in prohibited practices like review solicitation or posting fake reviews, Google may delay or refuse to publish new reviews. Make sure your practices align with Google’s review policies.
Technical Issues with Older Devices/OS
Some delays may occur if customers are posting reviews from older mobile operating systems or devices. Encourage customers to post reviews from their desktop if they are on an outdated mobile OS.
Sudden Removal of Existing Reviews
If Google has recently removed a large number of your existing reviews due to policy violations, they may, as a penalty, impose a delay before allowing new reviews to be posted. Avoid practices that may lead to mass review takedowns.
Fixing Delayed Google Reviews
If your Google reviews are taking longer than 24 hours to post or not showing up at all, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take:
- First, check to see if your business has multiple Google profiles that need to be merged. According to Google support, review delays are most common after mergers due to syncing issues. Give it a few days after merging profiles for your reviews to post.
- Next, ensure the content of the reviews does not violate Google’s review policies. Reviews with spam, fake content, or policy violations may fail to post.
- If customers are posting reviews from older mobile devices or operating systems, ask them to post from a desktop instead. Technical issues on outdated platforms can prevent reviews from posting.
- Finally, if you’ve waited over 72 hours and taken the above steps and your pending reviews still aren’t posting, contact Google My Business support for additional troubleshooting.
Proactively Managing Your Google Reviews
The best way to manage your Google reviews is to be proactive. Here are some tips:
- First, respond professionally to all reviews, whether positive or negative. Thank customers for taking the time to provide feedback. If they leave a negative review, apologize for their unsatisfactory experience and offer to make it right. Handling reviews professionally demonstrates that you care.
- Next, find polite ways to encourage genuine reviews from real, verified customers. You could share a link via email or social media and say you’d appreciate their feedback. The most authentic reviews come organically from happy customers.
- Also, periodically check your Google Business Profile for pending reviews. This allows you to monitor incoming feedback and respond promptly. Reviews pending publication are visible to business owners in the Google Search Console.
- Finally, don’t stress if a few reviews are occasionally delayed longer than expected. As long as most post within 24 hours, an isolated delay likely doesn’t indicate a major issue. Focus on providing great customer service and the reviews will come.
So, How long does it take for a google review to post?
The key takeaways from this guide on Google review posting times are as follows:
- Most Google reviews are posted within hours—The majority of reviews will appear on your Google profile within 1-2 hours, with delays beyond 24 hours being uncommon. As long as the review follows Google’s policies, it should show up quickly.
- Profile merges, violations, and technical issues cause delays—If your review posting is delayed significantly, it’s likely due to a merge with another listing, violations of Google policies, or technical problems like old devices and operating systems. These issues can slow down the review process.
- Monitor your reviews closely and contact Google for persistent issues—Keep an eye on pending reviews and follow up if they don’t appear after 24 hours. If you have ongoing problems getting reviews to post, get in touch with Google My Business support for assistance.
