Why did a Google review disappear?

Google lists policy removal, policy-check delays, profile merges, reinstatement and temporary disablement as causes. The customer can also edit or delete their own review.

How long does a new Google review take to show?

Google says a policy check might take a few days, which can delay a review's appearance on your profile. Give it that long before you worry.

Will Google restore a review it removed?

No. Google says reviews removed for policy violations will not be restored. If a legitimate review was removed by mistake, contact Google support.

Did a competitor get my review removed?

Google's page names no competitor-removal route. A missing review is not proof that anyone flagged it. Collect facts before you assume.

Should I ask the customer to post their review again?

I wouldn't. Deleting and reposting gains you nothing, and Google counts content posted from multiple accounts at one person's request as fake engagement.

Google reviews disappearing: why it happens

A Google review usually goes missing for a dull reason. Google held it for a policy check, merged two profiles, or removed it for breaking a policy. A missing review is rarely proof that a competitor got it taken down.

Google's missing reviews page lists the causes. Policy checks can delay a new review by a few days. After two profiles merge, reviews from both can take a few days to display. Reviews can also be removed after a profile is reinstated.

The catch: reviews removed for policy violations are not restored. Find the cause before you contact anyone, and never ask the customer to post again from another account.

How long should I wait before I worry?

Give a new review a few days. Google says its policy check might take a few days, and that can delay a review's appearance on your profile.

A review the customer swears they posted last night is not missing yet. Write down the date they tell you and look again later in the week.

Did a competitor get my review taken down?

Google's page names no competitor-removal route, so an absent review is not proof of one. Reviews can come down when other people label them inaccurate or when they break Google's policies. A customer can also edit or delete their own review, and an edit changes the date it shows.

Chasing a rival with no evidence burns time you could spend on the facts below.

Could my own profile have caused it?

Yes, in a few documented ways. A profile merge can delay reviews from both profiles by a few days. Reviews can be removed after a profile is reinstated, and Google might temporarily disable user-created content, including reviews.

Automated spam detection can also remove a legitimate review. Google says to contact support in that case. If the customer had trouble posting from an older phone, Google suggests they update the Maps app.

What do I send to support, and should the customer post again?

Send facts and leave the guesses out. If the customer is willing, collect a direct link to their review and the rough date they posted. Note whether your profile changed around then, and keep their personal details private.

Don't ask them to delete and repost, and don't use a second account. Google treats content posted from multiple accounts by or at the request of one person as fake engagement.

While you wait, check your own requests against the rules in your Google review link and QR code. If you think a review that did show breaks the rules, see how to report a Google review. For one that is live but shows up late, read why a Google review is not showing.

On ProveWorth, each review publishes on your own page, so a customer's words have a second home. You can get your free page, or see how the review requests work.

Why are my Google reviews disappearing?