Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Google Business Profiles See Significant Increase in Review Deletions
Google Business Profiles have experienced a notable rise in review deletions over the past year. Both 5-star and 1-star reviews are disproportionately affected, with positive reviews frequently removed in English-speaking countries and negative reviews taken down in Germany due to legal actions. Despite recent fixes by Google, complaints about disappearing reviews continue to surface daily, indicating an ongoing issue.
Optimixed’s Overview: Understanding the Surge in Review Removals on Google Business Profiles
Analysis of Review Deletion Trends Across Markets
Recent data from GMBapi reveals a significant acceleration in the deletion of reviews on Google Business Profiles worldwide. This trend highlights complex dynamics depending on the type of review and regional legal frameworks.
Key Insights:
- Review Deletion Acceleration: There is a clear upward trend in the weekly removal of reviews over the past year.
- Star Rating Impact: Both 5-star (positive) and 1-star (negative) reviews are most affected by these deletions.
- Geographical Variation: In English-speaking markets, positive reviews are disproportionately removed, while in Germany, negative reviews face mass removal due to legal takedowns.
- Ongoing User Concerns: Despite Google’s recent fixes addressing review disappearance issues, users continue to report frequent and unexplained review removals.
Implications for Businesses and Customers
These findings suggest that businesses relying heavily on Google reviews must stay vigilant about monitoring their profiles. The selective removal of reviews can impact reputation management strategies, while customers may experience a skewed perception of businesses due to unbalanced review visibility.
