In today’s digital age, online reviews can significantly impact your business’s reputation. While positive reviews can boost your visibility and credibility, negative ones can do just the opposite. Recognizing the power of customer feedback on platforms like Google, it’s crucial for business owners and managers to understand how to manage their online presence effectively. This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough on how to remove a Google review, starting from the basics of signing into your Google Account to navigating the nuances of appealing a review’s removal. Whether you’re dealing with unjust criticism or inappropriate content, our step-by-step approach aims to empower you with the knowledge to protect and enhance your business’s online reputation.
Step 1: Sign into your Google Account
To remove a Google review, you must first sign in to your Google Account. Follow these steps to sign in:
- Open a web browser and go to the Google sign-in page. https://myaccount.google.com/
- Enter your email address or phone number associated with your Google Account.
- Click “Next”.
- Enter your password.
- Click “Next”.
Step 2: Open Google Maps
To remove a Google review, you’ll need to access Google Maps. Follow these steps to open Google Maps:
- Search My Business on Google search
- Select Read Reviews
- Scroll down to the review you would like to report
- Select the three dots and then select Report Review
- Pick the policy Violation that best fits why you are reporting the review.
- For more information on prohibited & restricted content, click here.
Step 3: Check the status of your flagged review
- Visit https://support.google.com/business/workflow/9945796?authuser=2
- Confirm the email address, then select the business name and continue.
- Select check status of a review I’ve already reported and my appeal options.
Step 4: Select eligible reviews for appeal
- No policy violation: Our team investigated and found no policy violation. If you’re confident there’s a violation, you can submit an appeal.
- Pending: Our team is reviewing the request. If you flagged a pending review more than 3 days ago and want to expedite it, you can submit an appeal.
Step 5: Submit an Appeal
Use the following link to submit your appeal.
Review the policy page provided by Google and select the option that best fits your appeal.
Provide any evidence you have that will support your case. For example, social posts that may have triggered the negative reviews, employee documents that prove the review was left by a former employee.
Step 6: Appeal Denied, what next?
If your appeal was denied as a last option, you can visit the Google community forum and create a post. A Google Product Expert can help escalate your case for another review.
When posting in the forum include the following information:
- Your case id
- Your business name
- Your Maps URL
- A link to the review you are trying to remove
