Think about it – we Google everything.
Whether it’s to find a new hairdresser, electrician, or restaurant, we use Google to figure out what’s close, what’s affordable, and above all – what’s actually good.
What about when you receive a negative Google review? What if it was for the wrong company, or a spam review, or just isn’t an accurate reflection of your company?
It can be tough to deal with negative reviews, and you’re likely going to want to remove the review completely.
Whilst it isn’t as simple as pressing a ‘delete’ button, there are a few tips and tricks that are useful to learn in helping you get rid of these pesky reviews.
Read on to see how to remove a Google review!
What is a Google review?
This may seem like a common question to some – but bear with us.
Look for the following elements to determine whether or not a review you’re looking at is a Google review:
- A hyperlink next to the star rating reads “Google reviews”.
- There are no other company names on the review.
- A rating scale numbered from 1 to 5.
The above image shows a current Google review pop-out, with all of the features mentioned above.
Can’t I just delete a Google review?
Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as ‘deleting’ a Google review. There are only two ways that a review can be removed. For one, the person that posted the review can delete it.
The alternative is for your business to ‘flag the review as inappropriate’. This will alert Google that the review is either fake, or doesn’t comply with Google’s review policies.
After this, you will be guided to a landing page below to complete a brief report of the issue and submit your email for follow-up communication.
Ultimately, Google does have built-in spam checkers that will automatically analyze a review for inappropriate, misleading or irrelevant content. It’s not perfect, however, and inaccurate reviews can definitely be overlooked sometimes.
How to report a Google review
- Open Google Maps and locate your business.
- Find the review on the Google reviews page.
- Click the three dots to the right of the review.
- Select the option ‘Report Review’.
- Choose an option for the question: ‘What’s wrong with this review?’
- Report the Google review.
When to flag a Google review
In the words of Google themselves, certain topics are against user terms and conditions. If you notice a review under one of these categories, your team can request getting the content removed.
Irrelevant comments
Google wants to ensure that its users are getting accurate information about your business. If you’re seeing comments that are inaccurate towards your organisation or customer experience, flagging these reviews is key.
Inappropriate, offensive or explicit content
Google will remove content that is viewed as ‘obscene, profane, or offensive’. It also removes reviews that are threatening or containing derogatory comments. If you come across reviews such as these, flag them immediately and protect your brand image.
Impersonation
Google also values the accuracy of its reviews. Because of this, all Google reviews need to be published by the person writing the review. Publishing the review on someone else’s behalf, or pretending to be someone else, are both grounds for a review to be reported.
Ways to handle Google Reviews
If you’re having trouble getting your review taken down, there are certain steps you can take to help handle the impact that these reviews have on your business.
Respond to the customer’s review
Respond to the review – whether it’s a genuine apology, explanation, or a mix of the two, it’s always worth responding to the review and letting the customer know that they’ve been heard.
Ask the customer to delete it
A customer may see your response and respond positively to it, but still have the review up on your site. In this case, it’s worth reaching out to the customer and asking if they’ll consider removing the review after having a more positive experience with the company.
Solve the customer’s problem
Customers often leave negative reviews because the original need from the business was never fulfilled. Recognise these problems, and see if the customer is willing to try your product or service again.
Follow up with customers
A lot can change in years – as you grow and develop, older reviews might not be relevant to what your business is now, but they can still impact your rating. If users from older reviews are still active, you can try and contact them to see if they can consider re-reviewing your product or service.
It’s all in your hands!
Waiting for Google to remove your review can be tedious and time-consuming.
In the end, all you can do is respond as appropriately as possible, and do everything in your power to rectify the relationship with this customer, and in turn, your overall business perception.
Good luck!
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