It’s no secret that Google reviews can make or break a business. With that being said, it’s also no surprise that these online reviews tend to disappear without a trace. This often happens without any notice or explanation, leaving business owners feeling frustrated and helpless. Reviewers also notice their reviews sometimes don’t publish either, which makes them confused.
Countless studies show that potential customers are more likely to try out a new brand or business if they see positive reviews from other customers. This means businesses need to ensure their customers are happy and that these customers leave positive Google reviews. If your business doesn’t have many reviews, you may be missing out on potential customers due to your inferior reputation to competitors.
While there is no surefire way to prevent reviews from suddenly disappearing or not showing up altogether, there are a few things business owners can do to minimise the impact of losing Google reviews.
Why Are Google Reviews Important?
Google reviews are important for many reasons. They provide social proof, build trust and credibility, influence more conversions, and help you rank higher in search results. Additionally, you can receive valuable feedback about your business and how to further improve your products and/or services.
To get the most out of Google reviews, you must encourage your customers or clients to leave them on your Google business profile. You can do this by providing a link to your Google listing on your website or in email signatures. You can also include a call-to-action on your receipts or thank-you notes.
Once you start receiving reviews, be sure to respond to them – both the positive reviews and the negative reviews. Doing so demonstrates your attention to detail and care for your customers. In addition, take the time to address any concerns that are raised in negative reviews.
Why Is My Google Review Not Showing Publicly
There are a few reasons why reviews might not be appearing publicly in Google Search or Google Maps within your business profile. First, it’s possible that the review is still being moderated by Google. All reviews are automatically sent to Google for moderation, and it can take up to a few hours for the review to appear.
Second, the review might not be visible because it violates Google’s guidelines. For example, Google may not post a review if it contains profanity, copyrighted material, or links to websites.
Finally, it’s also possible that there’s a technical issue and the review isn’t appearing on the business listing. In this case, customers can try reloading the page or clearing their browser’s cache.
Top 5 Reasons Why Your Reviews Are Not Showing on Google
Google Reviews can sometimes be annoying and disappear for no apparent reason. Here are 5 of the most common reasons why your online reviews might not be appearing on Google. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Reason #1: Suspended Google Business Profile
You may have noticed your Google Business Profile may no longer appear in search results anymore, thus causing all your Google reviews to disappear. It’s likely that your profile has only been suspended, not deleted. While it’s not clear why this happens, it’s usually due to a violation of Google’s Terms of Service. This can include anything from spammy reviews to fake listings causing your profile to drop out of public view. However, it is possible to report fake Google reviews if these regularly appear in your business profile.
If your business profile has been suspended, the first thing you should do is reach out to Google support and try to get some clarification on why this happened. Once you know the reason, you can take steps to correct the problem and get your profile reinstated.
Reason #2: Manipulating Your Google Business Profile
There is a conflict of interest when business owners solicit reviews from their employees. These reviews are always a 5-star review which can positively skew the overall rating of the business, which is against Google’s reviews policy. Additionally, if multiple people are submitting reviews from the same IP address, Google may not show all of the reviews. This could also be the case if users are creating fake accounts to leave positive star ratings and feedback. In relation to reviews, this falls under Google’s Prohibited and restricted content policy.
It’s important to be aware of this potential issue when you’re looking at ratings of other businesses.
Reason #3: Sudden and Significant Surge in Google Reviews
If you’ve been suspiciously gaining a lot of reviews overnight, there’s a chance that Google may flag your account and it may no longer display new reviews.
There are a few possible reasons why this might happen. It could be that you’re using automated methods to generate fake reviews, or you decide to buy Google reviews instead of getting real reviews. This can be an illegal process which is against Google’s policies and can result in your account being suspended.
Reason #4: Outdated Listing Information
Google relies on accurate, up-to-date information to provide the best possible experience for its users. When businesses don’t keep their listings updated, it can lead to several problems, including inaccurate reviews. An ‘inactive’ account could lead to your Google business profile being taken down, thus temporarily or permanently removing the Google reviews with it.
If you want your Google reviews to show up, make sure your listing information is accurate and up to date. If your listing suddenly becomes unverified then you will lose all your reviews. So it is important to periodically check and edit your business name, address, hours, and any other important information crucial to your business.
By keeping your listing information accurate and updated, you can ensure your Google business profile and it’s associated Google reviews will show up.
Reason #5: Identical Reviews Published Elsewhere
Another reason why you might not be receiving new reviews is that the recent reviews you have been getting are identical to ones that have already been published elsewhere. Google may remove or delete duplicate listing content in accordance to their review policy. This could happen if customers cut and paste similar answers across different review platforms due to receiving review requests from a business.
While this may not seem like a big deal, it can actually hurt your chances of your business profile showing up in search results at all. Google prefers original content only in one location, so identical reviews could be a hinderance compared to unique reviews received.
Get More Google Reviews Today
Google reviews are a great way to increase the visibility and credibility of your business. There are a few simple steps that businesses can take to ensure their reviews are both authentic and compliant with Google’s guidelines. You should make it easy for customer reviews to be left by providing links and directions on your website. You can also provide links through your email signature, emails, or any other communication to customers. Finally, make an effort to respond to all reviews, regardless if they are positive or negative reviews.
If you don’t have time to manage reviews on top of running your business, then check out AddMe Reviews. Our customer review management software is easy to use and has a wide range of features that lets you manage reviews across multiple platforms in one dashboard. Get started by signing up to a 14 day AddMe Reviews trial for your business today by clicking the button below.
