How To Remove Google Reviews From My Business

Knowing how to delete a Google review is a useful skill for anybody who has ever had to deal with negative reviews on their Google My Business organization (GMB) listing (now called Google Business Profile).

These negative reviews tin blemish your brand's online reputation, especially if the reviews stand up out in search results for your business on Google, or if they're bringing your online ratings down.

Why Delete a Google Review?

Understandably, negative Google reviews tin bulldoze potential customers abroad. It makes sense for you lot to want to know how to remove a Google review if information technology is negatively impacting your reputation.

After all, traffic-wise, Google is the most popular website in the earth. Co-ordinate to online reviews statistics , it's too number 1 on the listing of peak business organisation review sites . When customers share their negative experiences on Google, the results for brands can exist burdensome.

google is the top site for business reviews

63.6% of consumers say they are likely to check reviews on Google before visiting a business location — more than whatever other review site.
Google is the number 1 source of online reviews , followed by Facebook. Websites that focus primarily on reviews like Yelp and Tripadvisor are not growing equally much every bit the websites where consumers are likely to already have user accounts (such every bit Google and Facebook) and therefore experience less friction in reviewing businesses.
21% hold that Google reviews are ane of the most important factors in their search for a local business organization, ranking them as more influential than toll estimates, proximity, and search engine results pages (SERPs).

Downloaded the report? How to Translate Your Reputation Score

How to Delete a Google Review (that You lot Posted)

Anyone with a Google account can write reviews for places they've visited. These reviews appear on Google Maps as well as on the concern'due south Google listing.

As a user, you won't be able to add together an anonymous review on Google. All reviews are public, then anyone tin meet what you lot write. If you alter your mind near a place you reviewed, y'all'll be able to edit or delete the review while signed in to your Google business relationship.

Step-by-Footstep Instructions: "How to Delete a Google Review I Posted"

On your computer, open up Google Maps .
In the top left, click Menu. Then click "Your contributions" and choose "Reviews."
Next to the review you desire to edit or delete, click "More." Choose an option and follow the instructions.

How to Delete Google Reviews of Your Business

Let's get this out of the way: when you log into your Google My Business business relationship or Google Business Profile Manager, y'all won't observe a "Delete" button under every review that you lot desire to remove. Information technology isn't that simple.

Most of the fourth dimension, those that succeed in having reviews removed from their Google business listing are able to practice so after a not-so-straightforward process.

Businesses can either i) ask Google directly to remove fraudulent reviews or reviews that violate Google review policy or 2) inquire the reviewer directly to delete their own review.

How to Flag or Remove a Google Review If It's Fake or Violates Guidelines

Sadly, it's not uncommon for a business organization to receive fake reviews on Google.

These could come from a spammer or a direct competitor. Sometimes, they could come from a disgruntled former employee hoping to crusade irreparable damage to your employer branding .

While Google has measures in place to remove fake and spammy reviews, you can also accept steps to delete a Google review if you lot retrieve it isn't authentic, relevant, or useful. If yous're sure that its contents violate the Google review policy , you can try to delete the Google review by flagging it with these three steps:

Sign in to Google My Business concern or Google Business Profile Manager.
Cull your business organization location and click Reviews from the bill of fare.
Find the review yous'd like to flag, click the iii-dot bill of fare, so click Flag equally inappropriate .

When to Flag a Google Review

For your reference, here are the types of reviews that would violate the Google review policy.

Spam, fake, or duplicate Content: Google reviews should reverberate a customer's 18-carat experience at your concern and should not exist posted to dispense your ratings. Duplicates (reviews posted for multiple locations or from multiple accounts) are also non allowed.
Content with conflicts of involvement: Y'all cannot review your own concern or your competitors in order to manipulate ratings.
Off-topic content: Reviews should be based on a customer's experience at your business location. "Full general political, social commentary, or personal rants" are not allowed and serve equally grounds for a Google review being deleted or removed.
Restricted and illegal content: Google can delete reviews that present or depict illegal activity. Reviews of products or services that are subject to controls (booze, gambling, tobacco, guns, etc.) must likewise follow local legal regulations and guidelines.
Terrorist, sexually explicit, offensive, dangerous or derogatory content: Google deletes or removes reviews that are posted by terrorist organizations, contain sexually explicit material, contain obscene, profane, or offensive linguistic communication, or incite hatred against or promote discrimination of specific individuals or groups.

Pro Tip: Respond to the Review Anyway

It may seem counter-intuitive to have to publicly answer to a Google review that you are flagging for removal.

Continue in mind, though, that responding to what may plow out to exist a fake or fraudulent review is a neat way to show other potential customers how you handle criticism (valid or not).

Recollect: how your company responds to negative reviews and unsolicited feedback can have a greater affect on your reputation than what's beingness said by the customer in the starting time place.

Here's an instance of how y'all tin can respond:

"Hi, (Reviewer's Proper noun), We take these matters very seriously. Unfortunately, we have no record or recollection of any customer or customer transaction plumbing equipment this account. We are also unable to verify anything about your identity from your name in our records. We take comments like yours seriously and would like to investigate this issue further. Volition you delight contact us privately? We'd love the adventure to fix what might have gone wrong in your experience with united states."

How to Ask the Reviewer to Delete a Google Review

Anyone with a Google account can edit or delete a review they accept written. Just your customers might not know how exactly they can practice this. Share these instructions to make information technology easy for them.

The customer should open Google Maps on their computer or device.
In the top left, click Menu (3 horizontal lines).
Look for Your contributions , click, and then choose Reviews .
Next to their review of your business, click More (3 dots).
Choose an pick (edit or delete) and follow the instructions.

Trying to Delete Google Reviews? Best Practices, Tips, and Alternative Solutions

There are ways to protect your brand's online reputation without resorting to deleting Google reviews. Here are a number of best practices, tips, and alternative solutions that y'all can implement to minimize the bear on of negative reviews on your Google listings.

Reply to the Review

Proactively addressing unsolicited feedback is the best way to strengthen and protect your online reputation, and the best fashion to exercise so is by responding to the consumer's complaints.

Doing and then means you have a better hazard of non but resolving the issue, merely besides retaining them for future purchases. You tin can besides potentially convince them to change or take downwardly their review.

Even if y'all don't, you're showing those reading the review that you lot value feedback and take pride in correcting problems with every customer's experience.

When trying to figure out how to respond to negative reviews , you should address specific issues raised in the review and let the reviewer know of your commitment to providing solutions. Also, exist sure to thank the client for taking the time to share their thoughts.

In the eyes of other potential customers, taking time to respond to reviews can besides provide reassurance that your arrangement listens to the voice of the client and is committed to constructive customer feel management .

Accomplish Out to the Reviewer

If you think y'all're able to satisfactorily resolve your client's issues, go ahead and ask them if they still experience negatively about your business concern. Make follow-upward calls. Send an electronic mail. Invite them to return to your business organization location.

Have you lot won them over? If so, congratulations! They have the potential to go one of your almost powerful business promoters.

Dilate the Positive — Request for More Reviews

A great law-breaking can exist your best defence force. That's why it's important to develop a strategy effectually asking for reviews from other customers. Ideally, this will assistance y'all amplify positive feedback about your company while also drowning out the negative.

While some business review sites like Yelp frown upon concern owners asking customers for feedback, other sites — including Google — permit you to reach out to customers for reviews. Knowing how to go Google reviews is like shooting fish in a barrel because there are multiple ways to practise and so.

Request Reviews through Email or SMS

Do you collect customer electronic mail addresses or phone numbers at the bespeak of sale or care? If so, then you can employ that contact information to reach out to customers after they leave. Just make sure you lot get their permission to gather the data and tell them how y'all plan on using information technology.

Go on the message short and to the point, and add together some personalization to show that you highly value their specific feedback. Be certain to provide a Google reviews link that will speedily take the customer to your Google Business Contour and brand it like shooting fish in a barrel for them to leave a review.

Apply the Ask Tool from ReviewTrackers

The Ask Tool by ReviewTrackers is an online reputation direction software feature that provides an intelligent workflow for teams looking to generate new reviews through SMS and email campaigns, on-site kiosks, and customizable landing pages.

With the Ask Tool, you tin also automate follow-up with scheduled reminders and drip campaigns . Meanwhile, Ask Tool's over-solicitation prevention technology helps you go along your electronic mail list clean.

How to Delete a Google Review and Build a five-Star Reputation

Knowing what to practise when you receive a negative review on Google can assist you protect your online business reputation.

While there's no elementary or straightforward way to remove Google reviews that could potentially damage your reputation, following the steps outlined in a higher place can set up y'all for situations where your business will benefit from having a review on Google deleted or edited.