Bad Reviews on your Google My Business will harm your business reputation. But don’t worry – You are not helpless.
In this blog, let’s explore “How to remove bad reviews from Google My Business?”. Let’s dive in.
Google Review Policies: What can be removed?

To remove the negative reviews from Google My Business, first we need to understand Google’s review policies. Because, not every negative review qualifies for removal. However, some do, particularly if they violate the law.
You can flag reviews on Google that:
- Contain spam or fake content – If it is obvious that the review is not genuine and was written by someone who has no real experience of your business, then it is a violation.
- Includes offensive content, hate speech and abusive language – Google will not tolerate abusive language or discriminatory remarks.
- Promote unrelated businesses or are self-promotional – Your business should be the subject of reviews, not someone else’s.
- Violate Google’s conflict of interest policy – This means reviews from employees or competitors pretending to be customers.
- Spread misinformation or harmful content – You can report reviews that contain false claims that might unjustly harm your reputation.
You can flag reviews for removal by monitoring for reviews that deviate from these guidelines. Even while not all negative feedback will qualify, being aware of these guidelines increases your chances of safeguarding the reputation of your company.
How to remove Bad reviews from Google My Business?
Google Reviews play a significant role in shaping your brand’s trustworthiness and influence how well your business performs in Local SEO rankings.
Let’s get into a simple step-by-step guide to help you protect your reputation and maintain trust with your audience.
1.Identify if the review violates Google’s Policies
As we discussed earlier, Google is having certain review policies to qualify the negative review for removal.
If the negative review falls under the category like,
- Spam or Fake
- Contain offensive or inappropriate language.
- Promote unrelated businesses or services.
- Having personal attacks or misleading information
will be qualified for removal. You have good reason to report it for deletion.
2.Flag the Review
Now, logically the next question will be how to flag a review.?
- Sign in to your Google My Business account.
- Locate the review you want to report.
- Click the three dots next to the review.
- Select “Flag as inappropriate” and follow the prompts.
After reviewing your request, Google will determine whether the review is against their policy.
3.Contact Google Support
You have flagged the inappropriate review and the review isn’t removed yet. In case of emergency, reach out to the Google support for Assistance.
Provide them with clear evidence like screenshots or documentation to strengthen your case.
4.Respond to the Reviews in the Meantime
- As you wait for Google’s decision, in the mean time respond to the review professionally.
- Without being defensive, acknowledge the negative feedback and offer your perspective.
- This demonstrates to prospective clients that you value their opinions.
5.Follow Up
- Google will sometimes take longer to review your request. So, if you don’t observe any progress, after a couple of weeks, consider getting in touch with their support team to inquire about the status.
- Even if you are unable to remove any of them, work on balancing them with positive reviews by encouraging happy customers to share their experiences.
How to handle Negative reviews that can’t be removed?
On Google My Business, you might sometimes come across negative reviews that do not violate any rules, but can’t be removed. Don’t panic; this is your chance to use a difficult circumstance into an opportunity to show your professionalism to gain the trust of your clients.
Here’s how to deal with them:
- You can’t ignore a negative review. So, respond to it in a calm and professional tone. First express gratitude for their feedback, even if it is negative and acknowledge the reviewer’s experience.
- Address the specific issue and if possible, volunteer to resolve it. For example, “We’re sorry to hear about your experience. Can you reach out to us at [contact info] so we can make things right?”
- Express your sincere apology, if the issue was genuine. Showing empathy will significantly reduce tension, even if you feel the feedback is unfair.
- Invite the customer to discuss their concerns privately. This resolves the issue faster and prevents a public back-and-forth that could escalate the situation.
- Positive or negative, every review is a chance to get better. Examine bad reviews for patterns and deal with recurring issues within your business.
- Ask satisfied consumers to share their positive experiences to neutralize the impact of a negative review.
So, how you respond to negative reviews says as much about your business as the reviews themselves. Handle them with care and professionalism. It will turn a potentially damaging situation into a chance to build credibility and trust.
How to prevent bad reviews in future?
Prevention is always better than damage control! Being customer-focused and proactive helps you to create an environment where negative reviews become rare and your business’s reputation stays strong.
Even while you have no influence over every review, there are things you can do to reduce the likelihood of negative feedback in the future.
- Negative reviews are less likely to be left by happy consumers. So, make an effort to be attentive, friendly and promptly address any issues. A little extra effort will leave a lasting positive impression.
- Communicate clearly what your clients can anticipate from your products or services. Because, negative feedback and frustration are the results of misaligned expectations.
- Resolve a client’s negative experience as soon as possible. Even if it doesn’t stop a bad review, your efforts will demonstrate to potential clients that you are concerned about fixing problems.
- Make it simple for clients to contact you with their opinions before they head to Google. A quick follow-up email or survey after a transaction shows you value their opinion and gives them an outlet to voice concerns privately.
- Don’t hesitate to ask satisfied customers to leave a review. The occasional negative review will be outweighed by a consistent stream of positive feedback, which will raise your rating overall.
- Watch your Google My Business page and other review sites carefully. Early problem solving will stop minor difficulties from growing into major grievances.
- Train your team to handle customer interactions professionally and kindly. A well-trained team will turn a potentially bad situation into a positive one.
- Using a Google My Business Management Service also ensures that your profile stays up-to-date and complies with Google’s guidelines, reducing the chances of negative feedback.
Conclusion
Handling negative feedback will seem exhausting. However, you are now aware of how to deal with it like a pro.
You have complete authority for upholding your reputation online by flagging fake reviews and responding thoughtfully to genuine ones.
By following these steps, together with knowing how to remove bad reviews from Google My Business, you can also turn challenges into opportunities to grow your business.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, reviews on your Google My Business profile cannot be removed directly. Still, you have the option to report reviews that are against Google’s policies like spam, phony reviews or objectionable material and request Google to take them down.
Depending on how many reports Google receives, the review process will take a few days to several weeks. Google will delete the review if it is against their policy. Your Google Business dashboard allows you to keep an eye on the status.
In the event that Google rejects your request, you need to:
- Address the issue and provide a professional response to the review.
- Contact Google Business support to request mediation.
- Balance out the bad evaluations by encouraging satisfied consumers to leave positive reviews.