Google Reviews Disappearing? Here’s Why & What Businesses Can Do

Lately, many businesses have noticed a sudden drop in their Google reviews. Understandably, this has raised concerns, especially for those who depend on customer feedback to build trust and credibility. But what exactly is happening? And more importantly, what can businesses do about it?

A Bug Is Causing Google Reviews to Vanish

Since early February 2025, businesses have reported missing reviews on their Google Business Profiles. Fortunately, Google has confirmed that this is a display bug rather than an actual removal of reviews.

According to Victoria Kroll from Google, “We’re aware of an issue affecting some Google Business Profiles, causing some profiles to show lower-than-actual review counts due to a display issue. The reviews themselves have not actually been removed. We’re working hard to resolve this and restore accurate review counts as quickly as possible.”

In fact, this isn’t the first time such an issue has occurred. Looking back, Google has faced similar problems before:

  • In November 2022, a bug caused reviews to disappear due to automatically applied suggested edits.
  • In July 2019, Google’s “shortnames” feature resulted in the temporary disappearance of reviews.

Thankfully, in both cases, the reviews were eventually restored. Therefore, businesses can remain hopeful that Google will fix this issue soon as well.

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Google’s Crackdown on Fake Reviews

At the same time, it’s important to note that not all disappearing reviews are due to a bug. In recent months, Google has intensified its efforts to remove fake and spammy reviews. This crackdown follows an investigation by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which led Google to implement stricter policies.

As a result, businesses might experience a drop in reviews due to:

  • The removal of suspicious reviews that violate Google’s guidelines.
  • Warning alerts on manipulated ratings, preventing dishonest businesses from inflating their reputations.
  • Easier reporting of fake reviews, allowing users to flag inauthentic feedback more effectively.

Because of these changes, some reviews may not return—even after Google resolves the display bug.

Algorithm Updates Are Affecting Review Visibility

On top of that, Google’s frequent algorithm updates can also influence how reviews appear. With each update, Google aims to improve search results and user experience. However, these changes sometimes lead to unexpected consequences for businesses.

For example:

  • The Link Spam Update has removed reviews that contain promotional links.
  • Certain content filters automatically hide reviews that seem inauthentic or violate Google’s guidelines.

Due to these updates, some businesses may see fewer reviews over time. While this can be frustrating, it’s crucial to ensure that all reviews comply with Google’s policies.

What Businesses Can Do About Missing Reviews

If your Google reviews have suddenly disappeared, don’t panic. Instead, follow these steps to address the issue:

  1. Check if it’s a display bug – Since Google is already working on a fix, monitor your profile for updates. Your reviews may still exist, even if they aren’t currently visible.
  2. Ensure compliance with Google’s guidelines – Make sure your business isn’t using incentivized or spammy reviews, as these can be permanently removed.
  3. Encourage fresh customer reviews – If some reviews were lost, invite satisfied customers to leave new, authentic feedback to maintain credibility.
  4. Report issues to Google Support – If you suspect your reviews were wrongly removed, reach out to Google for assistance.

In summary, a sudden drop in Google reviews can be concerning. However, in many cases, the missing reviews are not actually gone—they are just temporarily invisible due to a known bug. Thankfully, Google is actively working on a solution.

At the same time, businesses should be aware of Google’s ongoing efforts to remove fake reviews and enforce stricter guidelines. Additionally, algorithm updates may impact review visibility over time.