Few things are more frustrating than watching hard-earned Google reviews vanish.
Few things are more frustrating than watching hard-earned Google reviews vanish. You had 80 reviews last month; now you have 74. Where did they go? Disappearing reviews are a common and confusing problem, but they usually have specific, identifiable causes — and understanding them helps you recover reviews when possible and prevent future losses. This guide explains why Google reviews disappear and what you can do about it.
The reassuring truth is that most review disappearances are not random and not permanent losses of legitimate reviews — they are Google's filters at work, and many can be addressed.
The most common cause is Google's automated spam detection. Google constantly filters reviews it suspects are fake, manipulated, or policy-violating — and sometimes it catches legitimate reviews in the net.
What triggers the filter:
Sometimes genuine reviews get filtered simply because they pattern-match to spam signals. This is the leading cause of disappearing reviews.
Reviews that break Google's content policies get removed, whether flagged automatically or reported.
Policy violations include:
If a review violated policy, its removal is generally permanent and correct.
Sometimes reviews disappear because the customer removed or edited them.
Why customers delete reviews:
You cannot control this, but it is usually a small fraction of disappearances.
If Google removes or suspends the reviewer's entire account (often for spam or policy violations across their activity), all their reviews — including yours — vanish with it. This is outside your control and usually reflects an issue with that account, not your business.
📊 Flento Data: In review-loss investigations, the large majority of disappearing reviews traced back to Google's spam filters — frequently triggered by unnatural review velocity, such as a sudden burst of reviews after a one-time push — rather than to policy violations or reviewer deletions.
Maintain a natural, steady review velocity. Do not solicit a huge burst of reviews all at once — a sudden spike looks like manipulation. A steady, ongoing flow is both more effective and less likely to trigger filters.
Never incentivize or gate reviews. These violate policy and put reviews at risk of removal, on top of the legal risk under the FTC rule.
Have customers review on their own devices and networks. Reviews left on the business's own Wi-Fi or devices can be filtered. Encourage customers to review on their own phones and connections.
Ask a wide range of customers. Reviews from established, active Google accounts are less likely to be filtered than those from brand-new accounts.
Keep reviews genuine and specific. Authentic, detailed reviews from real experiences are less likely to pattern-match to spam.
Do not panic or assume permanence. Filtered reviews sometimes return as Google's systems reassess.
Check for a cause: A recent burst of reviews, incentivized language, or on-premises reviewing often explains it.
Adjust your approach: Move to a steady, compliant, own-device review process to prevent future losses.
For clearly wrongful removals: In some cases you can seek reinstatement through Google's support channels, though success varies.
🔥 Quick Win: Use Flento to monitor your review count and velocity over time so you can spot disappearances quickly and see whether your review-generation pace is natural. A steady, monitored review flow — rather than sporadic bursts — is the best protection against Google's spam filters, and it builds the review authority that ranks you in the Local Pack.
Disappearing Google reviews are usually caused by Google's spam filters — often triggered by unnatural review bursts — or by policy violations, reviewer deletions, or removed accounts. Prevent losses by maintaining a natural, steady velocity, never incentivizing or gating, and having customers review on their own devices. Monitor your reviews so you catch and address disappearances fast. Track your review health and velocity with Flento.
