How do you remove Google reviews?
Users have the right to post reviews about your business, product, or services. Of course, as a business owner, you dream that every visitor will sing your praises and give you a full 5 stars. Unfortunately, reality is different.
As a business, you may sometimes encounter spam, fake identities, incitement to violence, or other unethical behavior. Fortunately, Google has a set of guidelines that allow you to have these types of comments removed. We’d be happy to explain exactly what those rules are—and how you can remove certain Google reviews if necessary.
Do you have questions about Google reviews and your SEO in general? The Digital Climax team is here to help and will provide answers that are truly useful to you.
Report false or unfair Google reviews
As a business owner, you sometimes receive false and unfair reviews. To combat and limit these reviews, Google has created a set of guidelines. These guidelines include rules designed to protect your business from overly negative and potentially false reviews—such as hate speech, spam, or false claims. Read all about Google’s policies on prohibited and restricted content here.
Please note that the search engine does not get involved in disputes between customers and businesses. Google only removes reviews that directly violate its established guidelines. And it leaves reviews that “only harm” your business untouched. Read and learn everything about Google reviews here.
Here are the most important criteria for you:
- Spam: Google identifies spam when reviews contain commercial bias. Think, for example, of competitors trying to discredit your business.
- Off-topic: Google does not allow users to discuss political issues in reviews.
- Unfairness: If a business can prove that a review is full of lies, Google will remove it.
- Fake Identity: Google does not allow users to write reviews on behalf of someone else.
- Incitement to Violence: Google removes reviews that incite violence or intimidation.
- Offensive content containing profanity: Google rejects reviews that contain hateful messages.
- Sexually explicit language: Google removes reviews that contain sexual content.
- Terrorist undertones: Google removes any review that contains a clear terrorist message or threat.
- Illegal content: Google rejects reviews that contain images of drug use or abuse.
- Promoting Illegal Activities: Google does not allow users to promote illegal activities.
Deleting Google Reviews
If you find that your company is still encountering reviews that violate these rules, follow one of the following three step-by-step plans.
1) Delete a Google review via Google My Business
The first way to remove a Google review is through the Google Business Profile tool, also known as Google My Business:
- Register your Google Business Profile and sign in.
- You’ll see an overview of your company or companies.
- Click “reviews” on the left.
- You’ll see an overview of all your reviews.
- Find the inappropriate review and right-click on the three dots.
- And then click “Report as inappropriate.”
2) Delete a Google review via Google Maps
The second option is to remove a review via Google Maps:
- Go to Google Maps.
- Type your company’s name into the search bar.
- You can now see all the information about your business. Scroll down to view existing reviews.
- Search for the inappropriate review in question, and click “more reviews” if necessary.
- Did you find an inappropriate review? Click on the three dots next to the review and select “Report Review.”
- Identify the correct violation of the Google guidelines; see the image.
- Click “Submit.”
3) Delete a Google review via Google Support
Finally, you can easily report inappropriate reviews to Google Help:
- Go to Google Support.
- Type “delete reviews” into the search bar.
- Click on the first article, “How to Remove Reviews from Your Business Profile on Google.”
- Click on “Request review removal.”
- Verify your company’s email address and log in.
- Select: “Report a new review for removal.” Then click “Continue.”
- Select the inappropriate review in question and click “Report a review link.”
After submitting your Google review
Please be patient; it sometimes takes a few days to process reviews. Check the status of your report in your Google My Business dashboard:
- Decision pending: Google has flagged the review but has not yet reviewed it.
- Report reviewed, no policy violation: Google has determined that no violation of the rules occurred. As a business, you can appeal this decision.
- The matter has been escalated; please check your email for updates: as a company, you will receive a notice of objection sent to your email address.
Is it taking too long for your review to be removed, or is the search engine refusing to remove it? If so, please contact the Google Support help desk directly.
