Guide
How to remove a Google review, and what to do if you can't
Short answer: you can't delete a review that someone else wrote. You can report it, and Google removes it if it breaks Google's content policies. Google says it doesn't remove a review just because a business disagrees with it. This page covers which reviews qualify, how to report and appeal, and how to reply to the ones that stay.
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Which reviews Google removes
Google's Maps content policy lists what isn't allowed. Among other things, it covers reviews that:
- are not based on a real experience with the business
- were paid for, with money or in kind
- were posted from several accounts by, or at the request of, one person
- were posted by a competitor to hurt the business
- come from a conflict of interest, such as a current or former employee, a competitor or family
- are spam or contain profanity (two of the reasons Google offers when you report)
A review that is negative, unfair in your eyes or simply wrong about your opening hours usually doesn't break these rules. In that case, replying works better than reporting.
How to report a review
- Go to your Business Profile on Google.
- Select Read reviews.
- Next to the review, select Report.
- Pick the reason, for example Spam or Profanity.
- Select Send report.
Google says the evaluation typically takes several days. You can follow the status in Google's Reviews Management Tool: decision pending, report reviewed with no policy violation, or escalated.
If Google finds no violation and you disagree, the same tool lets you submit one appeal per review. Use it for the reviews where you have a clear case.
When a review may be unlawful
Content policy and the law are two different things. If you believe a review is unlawful, for example because it is defamatory, Google has a separate route: report content for legal reasons. For advice on your own situation, talk to a lawyer; this page is not legal advice.
If someone threatens you with negative reviews unless you pay, Google's reporting page explains how to report that kind of extortion separately.
What never to do
- Offer the reviewer money, a discount or anything else to change or remove the review. Google's policy forbids it, and it can cost you more reviews than the one you wanted gone.
- Post reviews yourself, or ask staff, friends or family to, to push the bad one down. That is the conflict of interest the policy describes.
- Share the reviewer's private details or attack them in your reply.
How to reply to a bad Google review
Most negative reviews stay, so the reply is what new customers read next to them. Google's own tips come down to this:
- Be professional and polite, and keep it short.
- Don't share private information or make it personal.
- Admit what went wrong, explain what you can and can't do, and apologise when it fits.
- If it's complicated, ask the reviewer to call or email you and sort it out privately.
What happens after you post: Google checks the reply first, usually within 10 minutes and sometimes up to 30 days. It appears under the review as your business, without your personal name. The reviewer is notified and can still change their review. You need a verified Business Profile to reply.
Hi Sam, thanks for telling us. You're right that your order arrived 40 minutes late on Saturday, and we're sorry. We've added a driver on weekend evenings since. If you'd like to talk it through, call the shop and ask for Marieke.
An example to adapt, with made up names and details. Keep the facts of your own case.
Make the bad review one of many
One bad review moves your average less when it sits among many recent, honest ones. The fairest way to get those is to ask every customer the same way, with a link or a QR code. Our Google review link generator and review QR code generator make both for free.
Google names reviews as part of how prominent a business is in local results. To see where you rank now, from 25 points around your business, use the free Google Maps rank checker.