How to Delete Google Reviews? [+ Alternate Ways Included]

Have you ever come across a situation where you had to wonder how to delete a Google review that is harming your business reputation? You are not alone.

Whether you are a small business owner or run a local business, fake or negative reviews can come up unexpectedly and have a big impact. While you can’t remove every bad review with the click of a button, there are ways to tackle those that break Google’s Prohibited and Restricted content policy.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the steps to help you answer how to delete Google reviews and how to request their removal. So, if you’re dealing with a review that’s crossed the line, keep reading to find out how to clean up your online presence.

Can Businesses Delete Google Reviews and Why?

Yes, you can remove Google Reviews if they are false or fake and violate Google’s terms and conditions. You can dispute the reviews; however, the process is not easy, and there is very little guarantee of success.

Reviews can be deleted by the reviewer, or you can “flag the review as inappropriate.” You can contact Google and flag the review. I hope they will consider your request and delete it.

As reviews are mostly true opinions of customers, it is important that businesses do not manipulate them easily. That’s why Google doesn’t provide a straightforward ‘delete’ option for reviews—doing so could make the feedback unreliable and misleading.

Why Do You Need to Delete Google Reviews?

Customer reviews have become essential for any business, and Google Reviews is one of the leading review platforms that your consumers frequent. Therefore, you must have good reviews on your Google business profile. Hence, let us dive into the reasons for review removal.

• Protect Your Reputation: Do you know that about 64% of consumers check your Google reviews before actually visiting you? This makes it really crucial to get rid of fake or harmful reviews that could tarnish your reputation.

  Note that while a few bad reviews can add authenticity, an inappropriate review can damage your business’s credibility. Knowing how to erase misleading Google reviews is, therefore, very important.

• Maintain Trust with Customers: Reviews provide social proof to your business. Negative or false reviews can erode customer trust. You can ensure that your online presence reflects true customer experiences by deleting the negative reviews that violate Google’s policies.
• Prevent Misinformation: Deleting reviews that contain false information ensures potential consumers get an accurate view of your business. This avoids the 30% of consumers who might assume all your reviews are fake if there are no negative ones.
• Improve Customer Perception: A well-managed review profile with accurate feedback can improve how potential customers perceive your business.

How to Delete Google Reviews Posted by Others?

Google has revealed that it has an in-built spam checker that automates analyzing a review for inappropriate, irrelevant, or misleading content. While the feature acts proactively to detect and remove fake reviews, some inaccurate reviews are overlooked, which can lead to a negative image of your business.

In this situation, it’s best to take action by reporting the review. Here’s how you can do it.

Step 1: Sign in to Google Business Account

Sign in to your Google Business account using your business credentials. If you don’t have an account yet, you’ll need to create one.

Step 2: Verify the Google Business Profile and Locate the Review

Once logged in, verify that it’s the correct business profile. Then, go on to finding the reviews you want to delete in your business profile’s “Reviews” section.

Step 3: Flag the Review

Once you have identified the review you want to remove, click on the three dots to the right of it. Now, select “Flag as inappropriate” or a similar option, depending on the context.

The image shows the “Flag as inappropriate” button we are talking about here. Just click on it to report review.

Step 4: Report the Violation

When talking about how to erase Google reviews, the next step includes describing why you think the review violates Google’s content policy. Make sure that you specifically point toward the issue along with the evidence.

In the end, click ‘Report’ to submit the report.

In the image here, you can see what this page would look like. Select the category that best fits your reason and report the feedback you think is inaccurate.

Once you report the issue, you will get the below message.

Step 5: Wait for Google Reviews

Now, you need to wait and watch. The team at Google will review your review report and decide whether the review really violates their content policy. This can be time-consuming.

Why Can’t I Delete Google Review?

Google has a very tough review content policy to ensure the authenticity and credibility of customer reviews. The reason behind not letting businesses delete review is to avoid biased or manipulated feedback, defeating the purpose of showcasing genuine customer experiences. Additionally, you can’t disable Google reviews altogether.

Here are the top reasons why you can not remove Google reviews:

1. Google’s Review Policy

As mentioned earlier as well, Google has a very strict review policy. This means that you can not delete reviews that you think are fake or fraud. If they let all Google business profile holders to modify reviews, that would undermine the credibility of the review system as a whole. This would also deplete the trust among the consumers who turn to these online reviews when they are looking to make a purchase.

By ensuring that the reviews are not arbitrarily changed, Google attempts to create a transparent and unbiased platform where consumers can openly share their experience with your business.

2. Build Credibility and Trust in Your Business

Having a mix of negative and positive reviews shows the potential consumers that your business gives greater value to transparency and authenticity.

In today’s tech-savvy world, consumers lean heavily on online reviews to guide their decisions about products and services. When they see your business with a mix of reviews, it feels more genuine, and they’re more likely to trust the reviews—and your business as a whole.

3. Gives Power to Customers

When consumers have the freedom to share both positive and negative experiences, it empowers the reviewer and the people reading it with genuine information. The power to share unfiltered experiences means that the authenticity of the reviews is going to be better, and hence, people can trust them for the most part.

However, not all bad reviews are true. If you feel that a review is unfair and have evidence that it goes against Google’s policy, then you can follow the steps shared above to eliminate such reviews.

Other Ways to Handle Google Reviews

Despite your best efforts, Google may not comply with your wishes to delete a review. What should you do then? Here are a few alternate tips you can try to mitigate the potential harm of a negative review:

1. Respond to the Review

If a negative review is not legitimate, one of the first steps the business owner should take is to respond to the reviewer. In some cases, the customer might choose to remove the review on their own.

Responding to reviews, especially negative ones, is crucial for maintaining a positive online reputation. It demonstrates that you value customer feedback, care about resolving issues, and are committed to improving your service. By addressing concerns professionally and promptly, you can rebuild trust with dissatisfied customers and show potential clients that you’re responsive and dedicated.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when responding to a negative review:

• Move the conversation to a private channel like email or text.
• Stay calm, avoid defensiveness, and keep it impersonal.
• Apologize if needed and offer a solution.
• Respond with kindness.
• Be concise and direct in your response.

These tips could be the key to the reviewer retracting the bad review and even giving you more business in the future. However, there is no harm in learning more about dealing with negative reviews. This will only help you to turn potential setbacks into opportunities for growth.

2. Solve the customer’s Problem

When customers leave a negative review, it’s usually because their experience didn’t meet their expectations. Maybe they enjoyed your food but were disappointed by the slow service, which led to their meal being served cold. In situations like this, it’s an opportunity to improve.

You can address the issue by speeding up service, ensuring quality, and then sharing these improvements with your customer in a review response. This shows you’re listening and committed to making things right.

3. Authenticate the Review

To authenticate a review, start by checking the reviewer’s profile for consistency, such as a real name, photo, and other reviews. Look for specific details in the review that match your business’s services or products.

If a review seems suspicious, reach out to the customer for verification. Encourage honest feedback by responding positively to all reviews, which can help filter out the genuine ones. If you’re still unsure, consider flagging the review for further investigation.

Conclusion

Tackling negative and fake reviews can be challenging, but knowing how to delete a Google review or handle it effectively can make a big difference. By following the steps outlined and addressing issues proactively, you can maintain a positive online presence and protect your reputation.

Remember, while you can’t always remove every review, you can always respond thoughtfully and improve your business practices. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll be better equipped to manage your reviews with confidence!