Are your online reviews not appearing instantly? Google reviews not showing can be an infuriating aspect of review management. You know that reviews are vital for the success of your local business. You also work hard at getting more reviews. And you are reaping the rewards from having a review management strategy. So, waiting for a review to appear can be frustrating. You are probably left wondering: “how long should I wait to see my online reviews?”
Typically, Google online reviews take a few days to appear. However, some business owners report that their online reviews still don’t show up even after five to seven days. There is also the issue of reviews disappearing on Google. In an ideal world, reviews should appear instantly and last a long time on Google.
This article examines how long it takes for Google online reviews to appear. You will also find out how to make reviews on Google last longer and prevent them from disappearing.
How Long Does It Take to See Online Reviews?
It typically takes two to seven days for online reviews to appear on your Google business profile. Even though some reviews appear almost instantly, reviews go through a vetting process to ensure they conform to Google’s review policy. However, it seems that three days is the average time it takes for online reviews to appear.
In the past, it took a long time for Google reviews to appear on a website. Reviews didn’t appear instantly because you needed at least five reviews before any would show up. But now, even if you only have one or two reviews, Google usually publishes reviews within a few days.
In essence, your reviews should still show up quickly, even if you don’t have many reviews.
There are some ways to tell if a review isn’t showing up promptly. You can check your Google My Business (GMB) review profile. The page may indicate that you have nine or ten reviews; however, you only see six or seven reviews on your profile. This means that the new review will show up in a day or two. So, all you need is some patience, and the review should appear.
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Why Are Some Google Reviews Not Showing Up Instantly?
It can be irritating knowing that a customer left a review and it’s not showing up. Sometimes, there’s no logical explanation why some Google reviews appear instantly, and some after a few days.
There are a few reasons why it may take longer than expected to see a review. For example, possibly Google is updating its algorithms, and reviews are taking longer than expected to show up. After a day or two, the review should appear on your GMB profile.
Another reason why reviews don’t show up instantly is due to Google’s review policy. Google says that it automatically processes reviews “to detect inappropriate content like fake reviews and spam.” Again, you may just have to wait for a couple of more days for the review to show up.
There are other reasons why Google reviews don’t appear instantly—and in some cases—not at all. Here are two common reasons why you must wait for a review to appear:
- Google My Business listing—There could be an issue with your business listing on Google. This could happen if you have duplicate listings. Or, Google can deactivate accounts if you’ve been inactive on GMB for more than six months.
- Issues with the review—If you’re still waiting for a review to show, there may be a problem with the review content. This could happen if there’s profanity, links, or restricted content in the review.
Related reading: How to find Goggle reviews.
How to get filtered reviews to show up
What should you do if you know a trusted customer has left a review and it’s not showing up? If Google has filtered the review, you won’t be able to see it. However, your customer can. In that case, you could contact the customer to check the review. In their Google account, they can see the review they wrote. They can then make the necessary changes for the review to appear on your business profile.
Related reading: Why are my reviews not showing up?
Why Do Some Google Reviews Disappear?
Reviews that disappear on Google are frustrating for small business owners. Typically, Google reviews should last forever. But sometimes, Google deletes fake, spam, or reviews with inappropriate content. It could also happen that a customer decides to delete a review.
Here’s a quick summary of why some Google reviews disappear:
- Fake and spam content—Buying reviews or paying someone to write reviews goes against Google’s policy. Google’s algorithms remove any review that is ‘spammy’ or fake.
- Restricted content—Reviews can’t contain content that promotes gambling, alcohol, guns, medical devices, and financial services.
- Sexually explicit content—Google deletes reviews that have anything related to sexual material.
- Profanity—Content containing offensive language, profanity, or anything obscene gets removed.
- Conflict of interest—You, your employees, or former employees can’t post reviews on your business.
In some circumstances, you can ask Google to delete a review. However, you can only flag a review for deletion if you know that it’s a fake review with the intention of damaging your business.
Related reading: How to respond to negative and positive reviews.
How to See More Online Reviews Faster
Online reviews are crucial to your business success. Having a stellar review profile is one of the best ways to beat the local competition. Google reviews help you rank better for local SEO, attract more customers, and boost revenue. Because reviews are so critical, you can’t leave them to chance.
One of the best ways of getting more reviews is to ask your customers. Very often, customers are willing to spend a few minutes to leave a review of your business. Some studies show that nearly 70 percent of consumers will leave a review when asked.
Here are four ways that the most successful businesses in your area see more reviews on their website:
- Provide an excellent service worthy of a 5-star review
- Invite customers to leave feedback on their experience
- Make it easy to leave a Google review
- Send a reminder if a customer doesn’t write a review
Because reviews can take a few days to show up on Google, it’s vital to have a strategy to get a steady stream of new reviews.
Starloop is a respected and trusted review management solution. The easy-to-use software sends out automated emails to your customers, inviting them to leave a review. With only a few clicks, the person can share their opinions. If you provide an excellent service, you will find it easy to get a ton of 4- and 5-star reviews.
To ensure that your customers are motivated to leave a review, Starloop offers a unique incentive. For every review you receive, Starloop plants a tree. The “one review = one tree” policy is a strong motivating factor for your customers to leave a review. They know that they are helping your business and the planet at the same time.
With getting a steady stream of new reviews, you will never have to wait long to see them appear. Starloop’s members report that within a short time, the number of online reviews received has tripled.
With Starloop, you will never be left wondering how long it takes to see your online reviews. New reviews appear regularly, helping to boost your business and beat the local competition.
