- Spam and fake content:Content must be genuine. Google will remove false information intended to boost rankings.
- Off-topic – Content must reflect an individual’s experience at a location. Irrelevant social, personal or political commentary will be removed.
- Prohibited content:Google will delete illegal, locally restricted, sexually explicit, offensive, dangerous or derogatory content. This includes hate speech.
- Conflict of interest:You may not review your own business, a current or former employer check my source, or a competitor’s business.
If any Google business reviews and complaints fit the above criteria, you have a few options to get rid of them. Below we’ll cover disputing the review, tweeting to Google, and taking legal action.
Google might not delete a flagged complaint as quickly as you’d like, if ever. To speed things along, you can also personally contact Google and ask them to take it down. However, you can’t just email Google support.
Ok, you’ve made it this far. But before you fire off an angry email, you should get organized. The more information you can provide to support your case, the better. When you’re ready, submit your phone number or email address along with a screenshot of the suspicious review, and you should receive a response within two days.
In case your removal request was denied or you didn’t hear back, here are a few other options that may work.
Tweet to Google
If your situation is especially pressing or you still haven’t received an adequate response, try tweeting directly to Explain your predicament and how the negative Google review violates their policy along with any images you have.
File a legal removal request
Finally, if you have evidence that the complaint qualifies as slander against your company, you can fill out a Google form for a legal removal request.
So far we’ve addressed irrelevant and fake reviews. But if you’ve got legitimate one on your hands, you may need to go to the source to fix it.
3. Ask customers to delete Google reviews
When you’re dealing with a truthful complaint, kindness may be the most effective (and only) method to get it removed. Google won’t delete a bad review simply because you don’t like it. After you resolve the customer’s issue, they may be willing to take down the complaint if you ask nicely.
Most people leave scathing feedback because they feel trapped and powerless. They’re angry that they’ve lost money or dealt with a hassle. If you make them feel like they’re in charge from the start, they won’t feel the need to lash out online. Follow this advice to respond to negative reviews and win customers over:
Contact the reviewer directly
Sometimes it’s best to talk offline. If you can get people on the phone, they’ll see you as a human and not a faceless business. This could give you an even better shot at calming them down and resolving the issue.
Take the proper tone
The right tone can turn a complaint into a positive review. Don’t make excuses. Don’t get defensive. Keep things short and sweet. Be professional and own up to any mistakes you may have made. Swallow your pride and apologize, even if you’re not the one at fault. Most importantly, thank the consumer for their valued feedback.
Offer to fix the problem
If the reviewer has a valid complaint, work with them to solve it. Address the employees involved, replace the faulty product, and make things right for the dissatisfied customer. But don’t make empty promises. Instead, follow through with everything you guarantee. Most negative reviews can be flipped around if the customer sees that you are willing to make things right.