If you run a local business or market products and services online, getting positive business reviews can be a great way to increase your credibility and brand reputation. Google reviews are one of the most popular platforms that customers use not only to provide feedback to businesses but also to explore new brands worth investigating.
However, Google reviews can be much more than just a way for businesses to hear from their customers. They can also have a significant impact on your SEO efforts, with overall rates helping or hurting the amount of web traffic you’re able to bring in.
But what happens when someone leaves a “review” that’s just not true or is clearly designed to try to hurt the reputation of the business? Thankfully, there is a process you can use to report these instances and get the comments removed.
Below, we’ll show you how long it can take to remove harmful reviews and the process you’ll need to follow.
How Long Does It Take Google to Remove a Review?
In general, Google reviews that are unwarranted or allowed based on Google’s comment polices take on average 24-48 hours to disappear. This assumes there is a blatant disregard for best practices or abuse of their systems, and their automated quality controls detect the discrepancy.
However, often companies need to do their own due diligence when monitoring and moderating these reviews. If a discrepancy is found but hasn’t been addressed by Google, businesses can request a manual review of the comments, which can take a bit longer.
When doing a manual removal, the process can last anywhere between a few days and a few weeks. In some cases, a more complex situation may extend this timeline to up to 60 days. This timeline will depend on the specific violation and Google’s current removal request queue.
Understanding Google's Review Removal Policies
In order to successfully remove a negative or inaccurate Google review, you first need to understand what the platform’s policies are on removals.
The first thing to understand is that Google will not remove content simply because a business doesn’t like the feedback and corresponding lower star score it equates to. There needs to be a legitimate reason for the removal request.
Google specifies that the only reasons it will consider removing a review are:
- Spam-related content
- Obviously fake or randomly AI-generated reviews
- Hate speech or derogatory language
- Various forms of harassment
- Off-topic comments that don’t relate to the business
- Advertisements directing users to other products or services
Factors That Affect Review Removal Time
The amount of time for a review to be removed after a valid request will vary based on a few variables. This includes:
- Nature/Severity of Violation - Some violations are clearer and easier to prove than others, such as hateful or inappropriate language. These will often be removed much quicker than other reasons, which may require further digging in by Google’s quality assurance team.
- Number of Reports Submitted - The more negative reports a certain Google review gets, the more attention it gains and is likely to be addressed first.
- Google's Moderation Queue - Google has an ongoing moderation queue that requires representatives to check business reviews manually. The length of this queue and the time of year may significantly affect wait times.
- Detail and Evidence in Your Report - A detailed report that clearly explains which policy was violated and includes supporting evidence makes the investigation easier and often leads to faster moderation.
Steps to Report a Review on Google
Reporting a review on Google is quite easy and can be done by following a few basic steps:
1. Go to your Google Business Profile
First, log in to your Google Business profile. This will allow you to file a removal request and prove that you’re the owner of the business.
2. Find the review in question
Once logged into Google Business, navigate to the "Reviews" section in your dashboard. There you’ll be able to see recent comments made on your profile and choose between different actions. Locate the review you want to challenge.
3. Click the three-dot menu next to the review
Once you’ve found the questionable review, look for the three vertical dots next to the comments. Click these dots, and then you’ll have a list of options to choose from.
4. Select “Flag as inappropriate”
After clicking the three dots, choose “Flag as Inappropriate” as the option. After selecting this option, you’ll be asked to specify the reasons behind the action.
5. Submit the report and wait for Google’s review team to assess it
After you’ve selected to flag the comment and listed your reasons for doing so, you’ll be able to submit the report to Google. At this point, no immediate action will be taken. However, the report will be moved to Google’s moderation queue. You will then be notified once Google’s quality assurance team has made a final decision on the claim.
Appealing a Denied Review Removal Request
On occasion, Google may not deem it warranted to remove a review after you’ve requested it to do so. If this happens, you do have the ability to use a one-time appeal process using Google’s Review Management Tool.
When doing this, you’ll be asked to provide additional evidence that supports your claim and provide a more thorough explanation as to how the review violates Google’s review policies. The appeal process can typically last between 2 and 14 days, and a final decision will be made based on the original request.
After this time, if the review is still deemed unwarranted to remove, you will no longer be able to flag it for removal.
What to Do If a Review Won’t Be Removed
If you are unable to have Google manually remove a review on your business profile, the best course of action is to limit the impact the review has on your company.
The most common way to approach this situation is to provide a professional reply to a public-facing comment that explains in a tactful way your side of the story. Being willing to respond in a tactful way can help to soften the blow of any negative comments that were left and prove your professionalism to other past or potential customers.
Tips to Expedite the Process
While you can’t always control how Google will respond to review removal requests, you can help to expedite the process. Some tips for doing this include:
- Be specific and factual in your report - Instead of just saying that a review is "fake," make sure you're providing detailed context as to why.
- Attach supporting evidence - If you can prove the reviewer was never a customer, even after claiming to do so, include evidence like your business transaction logs that can back up your claim.
- Use Google's tools properly - Regularly review your Google Business Profile and use its built-in tools to follow all review removal requests or appeals based on the instructions provided.
- Follow up when appropriate - If several weeks go by without a decision, you can politely follow up with Google Support for a status update. Be sure to reference your original case ID and be patient as they handle all modern queues.
In Summary
Removing a Google review can take anywhere from a couple of days to a few months, depending on the violation and Google's current workload. By following the guidelines discussed, you’ll ensure that you’re accurately following all removal request procedures while increasing your likelihood of success.