Update (2/12/25): The Google review count bug is being fixed. As of 8:05am on 2/12/25, the business featured below that went from 1,552 down to 1,536 has fully recovered.
Update (2/11/25): Google confirmed the review count issue and is working on a fix. A Google employee shared the following update in a support thread, “We’re aware of an issue affecting some Google Business Profiles, causing some profiles to show lower-than-actual review counts due to a display issue. The reviews themselves have not actually been removed. We’re working hard to resolve this and restore accurate review counts as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and will share updates on this thread as they become available.”
If you’ve noticed your Google review count decrease this week, you are not alone. Almost all of our clients across various industries have lost Google reviews; some lost a few while others lost a few dozen.
While this isn’t good, don’t panic. You weren’t penalized for doing something wrong. It’s most likely due to Google’s ongoing efforts to remove reviews that violate guidelines. There is no official word from Google (as of 11:30am on 2/7/2025), but a Google Product Expert shared an update in a thread saying “Over the past week, I’ve noticed an increasing number of reports regarding this issue.” This is coming off the heels of a possible Google ranking update, so it’s possible it’s all connected.
There is, however, a silver lining. If it’s true that Google targeted reviews that violated its guidelines, then it’s possible that you’ve flagged those reviews and have been patiently waiting for Google to take action. There’s also a good chance those reviews were subpar and maybe even unrelated to your business, which means your overall rating shouldn’t take a hit.
Here’s an example of a local business that lost 16 reviews yet retained its 4.3 rating:
Before with 1,552 reviews
After with 1,536 reviews
It’s unlikely that Google will return any of those reviews, so it’s in your best interest to continue generating positive reviews from happy customers. If you’ve been impacted by this recent review cleanse, contact your account manager to discuss review generation strategies. This isn’t the first time Google has done this, and it certainly won’t be the last!
February 7, 2025