The Quick’N’Dirty Guide to Knowing How Long Your Google Reviews Last

In an ideal world, Google reviews would last forever. But it’s a major disappointment noticing that a great 5-star review has disappeared. Although you probably have a ton of other great reviews, you know that a steady stream of 4- and 5-star reviews are vital for your online reputation. So, you are probably wondering, how long do Google reviews last?

Essentially, Google reviews should stay on your review profile for good. But there are a few legitimate reasons why reviews on Google don’t last as long as you hoped. The good news is that you can do a few things to ensure Google reviews last a long time.

In this Quick’N’Dirty guide to Google reviews, you will find out how long Google reviews last. You’ll also learn how to ensure that positive reviews stay on your Google profile for good.

Why Your Business Depends on Google Reviews

Making sure that Google reviews stay on your Google Business Profile is essential for your business success. According to Google, reviews appear in Maps and Search beside your profile. And, to quote Google, the reviews “help your business stand out on Google.” So, if you’re not getting reviews, you’re losing important business to your competition.

A few statistics prove that your business needs a robust review management strategy to stay ahead of the competition. Here are a few facts to think about:

• Research shows that more than 90 percent of people read online reviews.
• Eighty-four percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends.
• Nearly 60 percent of people check out Google reviews before making a purchasing decision.
• Most customers read at least four online reviews before buying a product.
• Eighty percent of consumers check out online reviews for local businesses.

Considering the power of Google reviews, it makes sense to ensure positive ones last for good.

How Long Do Google Reviews Last?

In short, Google reviews should last forever. Reviews on Google from customers who leave legitimate reviews, adhering to Google’s review policy, stay on your profile for good. You can be sure that once a customer writes a review, it stays there.

But that leaves the question—why do some reviews not last long? Why do some reviews seem to disappear on Google after a few weeks? After all, you put a lot of work into getting reviews. So, it seems a shame that some great reviews—the ones that boost your business profile—disappear.

To know how long reviews last, it’s essential to understand why Google removes some reviews. This vital information can help you implement a review strategy to get more reviews that stay for good.

Where Have Your Reviews Gone?

Some Google reviews don’t last long because of customer error, mistakes by the business owner, or fake or spam reviews.

Your review strategy should consist of three elements. First, ensure that your Google My Business profile is optimized. Second, help customers know how to leave reviews. Third, flag all fake reviews.

Let’s look in detail at reasons for reviews not lasting long on Google.

Google reviews containing unsuitable content don’t last long

Google has a strict review policy about what information reviews can contain. Unfortunately, even positive reviews from satisfied customers could have inappropriate content.

Here are some reasons why Google removes reviews:

• Off-topic content—Google reviews should be relevant to the item, product, or service. Reviews get removed if the customer writes about a topic unrelated to the business.
• Offensive content—Reviews won’t last a long time if they contain profane, obscene, or offensive language.
• Restricted content—If a review contains links, email addresses, or offers to promote restricted content, it will disappear soon. This includes items such as alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, health devices, financial or adult services.
• Illegal content—Any review promoting violence, sexual abuse, or that encourages copyright infringement gets removed.
• Conflict of interest—Google reviews get removed if you or your employees post reviews of your business.
• Impersonation—Reviews will last a short time if the reviewer impersonates someone else. In some cases, Google could suspend the person’s account.

Google reviews that are fake or spam get removed

Reviews on Google that appear to be fake may not last a long time. However, it’s vital to flag Google reviews you suspect are fake. Otherwise, they could stay there for a long time, damaging your business reputation. Additionally, Google’s algorithms detect spam reviews and remove them.

How can you spot a fake review on your Google profile? Here are a few tell-tale signs:

• Posting multiple reviews—Fake reviewers often submit reviews in bulk. So, check their profile to see if they’re leaving reviews for numerous businesses across the country.
• Check the timing of reviews—Someone leaving fake reviews usually leaves a load of reviews on the same day. This obviously raises a red flag.
• Pay attention to details—You can spot fake reviews if they are overly generic. Also, fake reviewers usually focus on personal stories rather than interaction with a business or product.
• Black and white reviews—Reviews that are all glowing praise or filled with total negativity are often fake. Most genuine reviews have a blend of pros and cons for a product.
• No comments—It’s possible to leave reviews without a comment. Generally, it’s a good idea to flag reviews as fake if they have one star and no comment. Of course, it could be genuine. But it doesn’t provide any value to you or other customers.

What about flagging negative reviews that have comments?

There is no point flagging negative reviews to get them removed if they have feedback—unless you suspect the review is fake. Negative reviews present you with a huge opportunity to improve and address a customer’s concerns. The way you reply to reviews can do wonders for your online reputation.

Related reading: The proper way to respond to bad reviews.

Google review mistakes result in them disappearing

If you are a business owner who takes Google reviews seriously, it is crucial to have a good review strategy. Making mistakes when asking for reviews can result in them disappearing quickly. What is the best way to ensure that reviews stay a long time and benefit your business?

Here are some tips on ensuring Google reviews don’t disappear:

• Never buy reviews—Buying Google reviews is never a good idea. Purchasing reviews may provide short-term results. But in the long term, it will damage your reputation. Google may remove all the reviews—genuine and fake—if you are caught.
• Optimize your Google My Business (GMB) account—Make sure that your GMB profile is accurate and up to date. You can also find your Google reviews in your GMB account.
• Don’t pay someone to write reviews—Getting someone to write reviews is impersonation. Your review strategy should be to get real customers to leave genuine reviews.
• Employees who leave reviews—It could be tempting to get employees to write reviews. However, this goes against Google’s review policy, and the reviews will probably get taken down.
• Don’t ask for lots of reviews in a short time—Google’s algorithms could flag reviews as spam if you start getting many in a short time. However, this only happens if there’s an unusual, sudden spike in the number of reviews you get.

There is another reason some reviews don’t last forever. If a customer’s Google account is deleted, all their reviews will disappear. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about that.

How to Ensure Your Google Reviews Last a Long Time

Do you want reviews to last a long time? If so, it’s vital to have a strategy to get more reviews. Typically, reviews from genuine customers last forever on your profile. Therefore, it’s essential to encourage your trusted customers to leave feedback.

Here are some handy tips on how to encourage customers to write a Google review:

• Ask them to leave a review
• Make the review process as straightforward as possible
• Send one or two friendly reminders to write a review
• Always respond to every review
• Offer compelling reasons to leave a review

If you are thinking that getting more reviews takes too much time—we have a solution. Starloop removes the effort from getting more Google reviews. With Starloop review management software, your customers will find it easy to leave feedback.

Starloop sends automated invitations to your customers, inviting them to write a review. The straightforward process means that with two or three clicks, they can leave a review. If for some reason, the person doesn’t leave a review, they receive a friendly reminder.

Don’t worry about reminding customers to leave a review. Most respond positively. In fact, Google’s “Best Practices” policy actively encourages businesses to “remind customers to leave reviews.” If they know it’s quick and easy to leave a review, you will see reviews pour in.

To guarantee that you triple your online reviews, Starloop offers a unique incentive for your customers to leave a review. For every review you receive, we plant a tree. Starloop’s “one review = one tree” policy encourages your customers to leave feedback. They know that they are doing something positive for the planet and your business.

To know how Starloop can benefit your business, sign up for a free trial. If you decide to continue using Starloop, you are not tied to any lengthy contract.

The benefits to your business are that you get more reviews, improve your review profile, rank better for local SEO, increase your customer base, and boost revenue.