I’m sorry to break it to you but there is no magic number of reports that you need to remove a Google review. One clear, well explained report can be enough if the review genuinely violates Google’s guidelines and no number of reports will work if it doesn’t.
Myth: X reports = removal
A lot of business owners assume that if they can get as many people to report a negative review, it will get removed. But that’s far from the truth. In reality, Google first checks the content of the review, not how many people have reported it.
Does Reporting A Google Review Multiple Times Help?
It definitely doesn’t help your case by reporting a review multiple times, as Google has an automated system that evaluates each review against its content guidelines, regardless of how many times it has been flagged. While you might think, hey if I make frequent reports that could show more urgency but their system uses algorithms to assess if the review violates its policies.
If the review does not violate Google’s content policies, it will stay visible even after multiple reports. The best approach is to submit one detailed report explaining the reason for removal. Making repeated reports for the same review without providing new information will not change the outcome.
Why Reporting A Google Review Doesn’t Guarantee Removal
Just because you report a Google review that doesn’t guarantee its removal. Google inspects each flagged review to see if the content contains the following:
- Fake or deceptive Content | Hate Speech or Offensive Content | Restricted Content | Spammy Content | Off Topic Content | Illegal Content
If a review does not violate any of these policies, it will most likely remain visible. However, if the review falls into one of these categories, there’s a high chance it will be removed for clearly violating Google’s guidelines.
What To Do If Google Doesn’t Remove The Reported Review?
This is your last resort, if Google hasn’t responded to the report and you believe the review should be removed. You can reach out for help in the Google business profile community, this is where product experts offer support. You just need to create a post explaining your situation, including why you think the review violates Google’s policies. If the review qualifies, a product expert will escalate your case to get it reviewed and possibly removed.
Our Conclusion
Here’s our conclusion, there is no amount of reports that will remove a Google review, if it does not violate their content guidelines. Google has stated it takes 3 to 5 working days to review reports, however sometimes there could be delays so give it at least 2 weeks before seeking help from the GBP Community.