Google Reviews Not Showing? Here's Why

It's Frustrating

A customer tells you they left a review. You check your profile. Nothing there. Or worse, reviews you had have vanished. What's going on?

Why Reviews Disappear

Google's Spam Filters

Google automatically removes reviews it thinks are fake. Sometimes it gets it wrong. Reviews from new Google accounts, reviews left on the business premises (same IP), or multiple reviews in a short time can trigger this.

Policy Violations

Reviews with links, reviews that mention competitors, reviews that seem incentivised. Google has strict rules.

Account Issues

If the reviewer's account gets flagged or deleted, their reviews go too.

The Review is Still Processing

Sometimes reviews take 24-48 hours to appear. Patience first.

What You Can Do

Don't Panic

Some filtered reviews come back. Wait a few days before assuming it's permanent.

Don't Incentivise

No discounts for reviews. No "leave a review to enter our draw". Google catches this.

Spread Reviews Over Time

20 reviews in a week looks suspicious. Steady growth looks natural.

Ask Customers to Review From Home

Reviews left from your business location (same WiFi) are more likely to get filtered.

Respond to What You Have

Engaging with existing reviews signals legitimacy and encourages more.

If Reviews Keep Disappearing

There might be something wrong with your profile setup. Sometimes it's fixable, sometimes it's a deeper verification issue. Worth getting checked.