Removal of a Review from Google Maps – Is It Possible?

Creating a business account on Google Maps is both an opportunity to gain new customers and a significant challenge. Sooner or later, every entrepreneur wonders whether it is possible to remove reviews from Google Maps.

The answer is both yes and no. What reviews can be removed from Google Maps? How can you do it? That’s exactly what we discuss in today’s article.

Where do negative reviews come from? How should you respond to them?

Many users will take advantage of the opportunity to rate your business using stars. It is not possible to report a review consisting solely of one star without any description, as this does not violate any rules. Such reviews may be left by customers on impulse or out of frustration, but also completely by accident. If a description were required every time, the average ratings of many businesses would likely be higher.

It is definitely important to carefully read reviews that provide substantial explanations for dissatisfaction. You will find suggestions on what to improve in your service process, what to streamline in shipping, and what causes the biggest difficulties for customers. While reading, you will quickly notice that many of these suggestions are great tips on how to enhance your business and require little effort. For example, rearranging restaurant tables to allow easier access for wheelchair users.

It’s worth responding to each such review, trying to do so in a neutral manner. Do not attack the author of the comment, and if you are unsure whether the person actually used your services, ask for more details. If possible, offer practical solutions to the commenters. Often, an apology and a discount on the next purchase are enough for the customer to give your business another chance. Keep in mind that customers can edit their comments. If you fix the problem, they might update a negative review to a higher rating and appreciate your initiative.

Which reviews can you remove from Google Maps?

As you already know, it is not possible to remove every negative review from Google Maps just because you disagree with it. Google states that it cannot verify whether a customer’s subjective impressions are true. However, there are reviews that violate Google’s policies, and those you can report through Google Maps or Google My Business. You can report reviews that:

• contain false information,
• are too general and do not concern a specific business or location,
• violate copyright,
• offer the sale of restricted products, e.g., alcohol,
• include vulgar language,
• contain erotic content,
• promote hate based on race or religion,
• represent conflicts of interest between employer and employee;

It’s worth remembering that Google’s bots automatically detect spam, so sometimes a vulgar review may be removed without your intervention simply by waiting.

How to report a negative review?

Find your business listing on Google Maps and the review you want to report. Click the three dots next to it, which is the report button. After clicking “Report,” a form will appear where you should enter the reason for the report and your email address. At this point, Google’s comment publication policies will also be displayed. It’s a good idea to check if your reason is listed there. If the review is still visible after 4-5 days from the report, it means your report was rejected.

Every entrepreneur makes mistakes from time to time and, as a result, receives negative reviews. The most important thing is to learn from them and use them to improve your business. What are your experiences with negative reviews? Share them in the comments!