Google Business Profile Reviews: Service Restored

March 3, 2025

At the start of February 2025, businesses across industries experienced a sudden and unexpected drop in their Google Business Profile (GBP) review counts. This recent issue has raised concerns as Google business reviews play a critical role in local search rankings and consumer trust. Many businesses saw their displayed review numbers decrease—sometimes significantly—without any clear explanation.

Google later confirmed that this was due to a technical issue related to incorrect data synchronization between their backend system and public listings, not an intentional removal of reviews.

According to a Google representative, the problem affected some GBP profiles, causing them to display fewer reviews than they actually had. The reviews themselves remained intact on Google’s backend but were not reflected correctly on business listings.

Google’s Response and Update

Google acknowledged the issue and assured businesses that they were working on a fix. As of mid-February 2025, most affected profiles have seen their correct review counts restored.

However, some businesses are still reporting minor discrepancies, which Google says they are continuing to address.

Key points from Google’s response:

Issue Detection: Businesses began noticing discrepancies in their Google business reviews in early February 2025.
Google’s Acknowledgment: On February 13, 2025, Google officially fixed the issue, stating that most affected profiles now display accurate ratings and reviews, though some may still experience temporary lower counts.
Display vs. Data Integrity: The bug caused a mismatch between the actual number of reviews and what was displayed on GBP listings. Importantly, no reviews were deleted; the issue was solely with how counts were presented.
Progress Made: As of mid-February 2025, Google reported significant progress, with most profiles reflecting accurate review counts.
Ongoing Fixes: Some profiles may still show discrepancies. Google anticipates these will be resolved in the coming days and advises businesses to monitor their profiles and report persistent issues.

What Businesses should do now

With the issue largely resolved, you should take the following steps to ensure your GBP profiles are accurate and up to date:

1. Verify your Review count

Check your Google Business Profile dashboard to confirm that your total reviews match past records.
Compare your review history with third-party reputation management tools if available.

2. Report any remaining issues

If your review count is still incorrect, contact Google support to escalate the issue.
Document any missing reviews and provide Google with timestamps or screenshots if possible.

3. Engage with Customer reviews

Use this opportunity to respond to past reviews and encourage new ones.
If your customers mention that their reviews are still missing, ask them to repost or update their feedback.

However, keep in mind that reposting may not always be effective if the review was removed due to policy violations or other moderation reasons by Google.

4. Monitor future changes

Set up alerts for sudden drops in reviews or changes in Google Business Profile metrics.
Use multiple review platforms (e.g., location pages, Facebook, Trustpilot) to avoid over-reliance on Google.

Diversifying your review sources ensures that a single platform’s technical issues or policy changes do not drastically impact your online reputation and customer trust.

Lessons for Businesses: How to Safeguard your reputation

Diversify Your Review Strategy: While Google reviews are essential, expanding your review presence across multiple channels strengthens your online reputation.

Encourage customers to share feedback on local social media pages, your business’s location pages, and other search engines like Bing to ensure a well-rounded digital footprint.

Have a review monitoring strategy: Use tools that notify you of changes in review counts, sudden drops, or missing feedback.

Act fast on discrepancies: In case of any future outages, report issues early and leverage Google’s support channels.

How to get more reviews on Google Business Listings

If you’re wondering how to increase the reviews of your business profile in Google, consider the following techniques:

Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews through follow-up messages.
Make it easy for customers by providing direct links to your review page.
Utilize in-store prompts like digital kiosks or printed reminders near checkout areas to encourage real-time feedback.
Engage with existing reviews to show responsiveness, build trust, and encourage more customers to share their experiences.

Wrapping up

While Google has largely resolved the problem, businesses must stay proactive. Regular profile checks, timely customer engagement, and multi-platform review strategies will help maintain a strong online reputation and minimize future disruptions.

If your business listing is still facing the lost Google reviews issue, reporting them directly to Google Business Profile support remains the best course of action.

Keeping customers informed maintains trust. Use social media, email, or location page updates to ensure transparency and engagement.

Additionally, utilizing SingleInterface’s suite of tools can help you manage and optimize your online presence effortlessly. From real-time review tracking to automated response management, SingleInterface enables businesses like yours to stay ahead of reputation challenges while enhancing customer engagement.

Connect with us today to manage your Google Business Profile effortlessly.