Google reviews mysteriously vanish, leaving businesses frustrated

Business owners worldwide are noticing something strange—Google reviews are disappearing. Over the past 24 hours, complaints have flooded online forums as companies see their review counts suddenly drop.

On Google Business Profiles forums, users report losing reviews overnight, sometimes by double digits. While Google hasn’t made an official statement, some experts suggest it might be cracking down on reviews that don’t follow its guidelines. “Google has been actively removing reviews globally, likely due to non-compliance with their guidelines,” said Vinay Toshniwal, a Google Product expert, in a forum post. “I’ve seen an increasing number of reports about this issue, but there’s no official word from Google yet.”

Many business owners are frustrated, especially those who rely on customer reviews to build trust. Some report discrepancies between their actual number of reviews and what Google displays. Others claim that while legitimate reviews have vanished, negative or fraudulent ones remain. It’s unclear whether this is part of an enforcement effort or a technical glitch. Google has not confirmed any mass removals or provided guidance on the issue.

What’s the community saying?

The conversation is heating up across online forums, including Reddit’s r/smallbusiness community. Some users believe Google isn’t actually deleting reviews but is instead displaying an incorrect review count. One business owner, kenbonowitz, counted their reviews manually and found them all still visible, despite the lower total shown.

Others worry this is hurting their credibility. Another user shared that their business had just started promoting its “100+ five-star reviews,” only to see the displayed count drop below 100. Another user complained that while genuine reviews disappeared, a fraudulent one remained. While some hope it’s just a glitch that will soon be fixed, others fear a large-scale purge. A user reported losing 4,000 reviews in three days, saying, “This isn’t funny or a bug. This is a purge.”

What can businesses do?

For now, business owners looking for answers are turning to the Google Business Profiles Help Community. Some experts recommend reaching out to Google My Business support, though responses have been limited. Google’s official guidelines say reviews are removed for spam or policy violations, but many business owners feel left in the dark.

If you’ve noticed missing reviews, you’re not alone. The discussion continues in online forums, and businesses are hoping for clarity soon Here’s what SMEs can do to navigate the Google reviews issue:

1. Manually verify your reviews

Don’t rely solely on the displayed review count. Go through your reviews manually to check if they are still visible. Some business owners report that while the count is incorrect, the reviews themselves remain.

2. Contact Google support

If you notice missing reviews, reach out to Google My Business support for clarification. They may be able to provide insight or restore mistakenly removed reviews.

3. Encourage new reviews

If your business has lost reviews, ask satisfied customers to leave fresh ones. Avoid offering incentives, as Google may flag those as inauthentic.

4. Monitor updates and community discussions

Keep an eye on Google forums and business communities (like Reddit’s r/smallbusiness) for any updates or solutions other business owners have found.

5. Diversify your review platforms

Don’t rely solely on Google for customer testimonials. Encourage reviews on platforms like Yelp, Facebook, and Trustpilot to maintain credibility and social proof.

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