In the last few months, many Google Business Profile users are complaining that a few of their reviews are not showing/being published to their profile. Going to forums, asking and looking for advice as their Google reviews disappeared.

Why my Google Reviews Are Not Showing?

In short, those Google Reviews are being filtered. Last year, Google changed the review filtering algorithm, making it more strict, therefore more prone to filter good reviews, unfortunately.

Google’s statement: “Google uses automated spam detection measures to remove reviews that are probably spam. Although legitimate reviews are sometimes inappropriately removed, these spam prevention measures help improve people’s experiences on Google by ensuring that the reviews they see are authentic, relevant, and useful.“

Below, I go through the reasons why your Google Reviews may be filtered.

Reasons For Google Reviews Filtering

• The reviews are too long (> 1000 chars)

• Contain content that violates Google’s policy on Prohibited and Restricted Content or Google’s review-specific criteria. For example, the review contains:
  • URL
  • Phone number
  • Contains a word Google doesn’t like, such as profanity or racial terms
  • It does not look genuine or is too “salesy”

• You request reviews from customers in bulk, for example, email campaigns
• They come from the same location, for example:
  • You have set up a review kiosk in your place of business, all the reviews left there are likely to get filtered.
  • Your business offers Wi-Fi that customers connect to and you’ve logged into your Google Business Profile account from this Wi-Fi.
  • Your customers share an IP address with someone who already left you a review.

• The user who left the review is located nowhere near you or has never physically visited your location.
• The reviewer left the same review elsewhere on the internet (Facebook, Yelp, etc)
• Your number of reviews is abnormally higher than most businesses in your industry.
• A Google user other than the reviewer or business owner reported the review as offensive, spam, not relevant, or inappropriate
• Google Algorithm issue, the review filter algorithm gets very restrictive and even genuine reviews are filtered. Normally, Google tweaks the algorithm but it can take weeks.

What can you do to show those filtered Google Reviews

You can appeal to Google Business Profile Support for the filtered review(s) to show.

I can help you through my Local SEO & Google Business Profile Consultancy Service

However, you can follow the appeal process:

• Make sure to document and take a screenshot of the review(s)

• Send that information to support.

There is no guarantee that the reviews will show, but many businesses were successful in appealing to show the reviews.

Also, don’t stop asking your current clients and new clients to review your business on Google. Check the article below for a few tips:

How can I ask customers for a review as soon as they visited my business?

For more tips on Google Reviews, if you are professional feel free to check the GBpedia Pro.