Why Are My Google Reviews Missing?

Google reviews play a big role in shaping your business’s reputation, and help potential customers decide whether to trust a company. Reviews can also influence search rankings. So when reviews suddenly disappear, it can be frustrating – especially if they were hard-earned, positive ones!

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We’ve noticed that several of our reviews have gone missing recently. We’ve also had calls from clients who have lost even more than us. Some vanish overnight, while others fade away gradually with no clear reason why. If this has happened to you, you’re not alone. Google does remove reviews for various reasons, from policy violations to review abuse. In some cases, Google is cracking down on fake reviews, but that can also mean legitimate ones get caught in the process. At the time of writing, Google is having technical issues that are removing reviews for businesses all over the world!

Common Reasons Google Reviews Disappear

Policy Violations

Google has strict rules for what reviews are allowed. If a review goes against their guidelines, it can be removed—sometimes without notice. Common reasons include:

• Spam or fake content – Reviews that look like they were written by bots or posted in bulk.
• Offensive language or inappropriate content – Anything containing threats, hate speech, or discriminatory remarks.
• Conflicts of interest – Reviews from employees, business owners reviewing their own company, or competitors leaving negative feedback.
• Incentivised reviews – Offering discounts or freebies in exchange for reviews, which Google strictly prohibits.

Google’s filters aren’t perfect – sometimes real reviews get caught up in the system. If a customer leaves a review while on public Wi-Fi or writes something too similar to other posts, it might disappear. This can be frustrating, but it’s part of Google’s effort to keep reviews authentic and trustworthy.

Fake Review Crackdowns

Google has been ramping up its efforts to remove fake or misleading reviews. In recent years, regulatory pressure has increased, pushing Google to take stricter action against fraudulent reviews. For example, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority investigated Google’s review system, leading to stronger enforcement measures.

To combat fake reviews, Google uses automated filters and manual moderation. These systems look for patterns like:

• Multiple reviews from the same device or IP address.
• Unusually high review activity in a short period.
• Reviews that use identical or generic wording.

Although this helps weed out fake reviews, real ones can sometimes get caught in the crossfire. If a genuine customer’s review is removed, it’s usually because Google’s system flagged it as suspicious. Unfortunately, once a review is removed, it’s unlikely to be restored.

Technical Glitches and System Updates

Not all disappearing reviews are intentional. Sometimes, Google’s systems glitch, causing reviews to vanish temporarily or permanently. These issues often occur after Google updates its algorithms, adjusts its moderation processes, or experiences server-related problems.

Common situations where technical issues might cause reviews to disappear include:

• Google Business Profile updates – Changes to a business’s profile, such as a name, address, or category update, can sometimes trigger a reset that removes or hides reviews.
• Algorithm changes – When Google refines how it detects fake or low-quality reviews, legitimate ones can get mistakenly removed.
• Review display bugs – In some cases, reviews are still in the system but aren’t showing on a business profile due to display issues.

Most of the time, these problems resolve on their own, but if reviews remain missing, it may be worth reaching out to Google Support to check if they can be restored.

Reviewer Actions

Sometimes, reviews disappear because of actions taken by the people who wrote them. If a customer edits or deletes their review, it will no longer appear on your Google Business Profile. Similarly, if their Google account is suspended, deactivated, or set to private, any reviews they left will be removed.

Common reasons reviews disappear due to reviewer actions:

• The customer deletes or edits their review – If someone changes their review significantly, the old one may disappear, and the new one might take time to appear.
• Google suspends the reviewer’s account – Accounts that violate Google’s policies can be suspended or banned, causing all their past reviews to be removed.
• The reviewer’s account is deactivated – If a user deletes their Google account or switches to private mode, their reviews will no longer be visible.

Since businesses don’t have control over customer actions, there’s no way to recover these reviews. However, maintaining a steady flow of new, legitimate reviews can help minimise the impact of any losses.

I like to think of Google reviews as insurance. Sometimes businesses can make a mistake and upset a customer, and sometimes a customer may unreasonably give a bad review. If you’ve been asking for reviews consistently, one bad review won’t hurt you because you have the “insurance” of all the good reviews. But if you haven’t been asking for reviews, one bad review can wreck your star rating and negatively affect your business.

Business Profile Changes

Changes to a Google Business Profile can sometimes cause reviews to disappear. Google links reviews to a specific business listing, so if key details change, reviews may be removed, even if they were legitimate.

Common profile changes that can lead to lost reviews include:

• Business name changes – If a business rebrands or slightly modifies its name, Google may treat it as a new entity, which can result in reviews disappearing.
• Address updates – Moving to a new location or updating address details may cause Google to reset the listing, sometimes removing reviews in the process.
• Merging or duplicating listings – If two Google Business Profiles are merged, reviews don’t always transfer correctly, leading to missing or lost feedback.

If reviews disappear after a profile update, they may not be retrievable. However, contacting Google Support and explaining the situation may help recover some of them.

How Businesses Can Respond

If your Google reviews have disappeared, there are a few steps you can take to understand why and possibly recover them. While some losses are permanent, there are ways to minimise the impact and prevent future issues.

Check for Policy Violations

Start by reviewing Google’s content guidelines to see if any removed reviews may have violated their rules. If a review contained prohibited content, it’s unlikely to be reinstated.

Look for Profile Changes

If you’ve updated your business name, address, or merged listings, this could be the cause. Check your Google Business Profile dashboard to see if any recent changes align with when the reviews disappeared.

Report the Issue to Google

If you believe reviews were removed unfairly, you can contact Google Support through the Google Business Profile Help Center. While they don’t always restore missing reviews, they can investigate if there was a technical issue.

Encourage More Organic Reviews

The best way to protect against review losses is to maintain a steady flow of new, legitimate reviews. Encourage happy customers to leave feedback without offering incentives. This helps ensure your overall rating remains strong, even if some reviews go missing.

Protecting Your Google Reviews and Online Reputation

Losing Google reviews can be frustrating, especially when they’ve helped build trust with potential customers. While some disappearances are unavoidable, understanding the common causes—whether it’s policy violations, fake review crackdowns, technical issues, or profile changes—can help you take the right steps to minimise the impact.

If you’ve noticed missing reviews, start by checking your Google Business Profile for any recent updates and reviewing Google’s policies. If you suspect a technical issue, reaching out to Google Support may be worthwhile. Most importantly, continue encouraging genuine reviews from satisfied customers to keep your online reputation strong.

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