We know how important every review is for a small business. So when reviews started disappearing, the alarms started to ring. Recently, a Google bug caused business reviews to disappear from Google Business Profiles. While the reviews weren’t actually deleted, the displayed review counts dropped, creating concerns about lost credibility and potential revenue impact.
Let’s say you’re deciding where to eat dinner. You’re between two 5-star restaurants, but one has 30 reviews and the other has 100. Which would you go for? The volume of reviews greatly impacts customer decisions when comparing their options. Reviews are more than just stars on a screen—they influence decisions, impact search rankings, and reflect brand credibility. While Google has acknowledged the issue of missing reviews and rolled out a fix, many business owners are still left wondering: What happened, and what should I do next?
Why Did My Google Reviews Disappear?
If your Google Business Profile (GBP) is showing fewer reviews than before, you’re not alone. Businesses worldwide have reported sudden drops in review counts, with some losing dozens of reviews overnight. While this initially caused panic, it turns out the issue was a bug—not a mass deletion of reviews.
The Bug That Shook Businesses
Starting in early February, business owners and local SEO experts flooded Google’s Business Profiles forums with complaints about missing reviews. Some reported losing a handful, while others saw their count drop by double digits. The issue? Google was miscounting reviews, causing the displayed total to be lower than the actual number of reviews received.
At first, it was unclear whether this was a glitch or an intentional policy-driven removal. Some suspected Google had filtered out reviews due to guideline violations, which happens when reviews are flagged as spam, fake, or inappropriate. However, Google later confirmed that this was a display issue, not an enforcement action. No legitimate reviews were deleted—they just weren’t being counted properly.
Google’s Response & Fix Progress
Google acknowledged the issue and began rolling out a fix on February 12th. According to Google representative Victoria Kroll, most business profiles should now show accurate review counts. However, some profiles may still display lower-than-expected numbers temporarily, and Google expects all affected listings to be fully restored within a few days.
What Should You Do?
If your reviews haven’t returned by early next week, Google advises reaching out to Google Business Profile support. You can check your Google Business dashboard to confirm if the total review count aligns with what you expect. If there’s still a discrepancy, contacting support is the best course of action.
This bug highlights how critical online reviews are for local businesses—and why it’s essential to monitor them regularly.
Need Help with Your Google Business Profile?
If your reviews are still missing or you’re struggling to manage your Google Business Profile, you don’t have to handle it alone. Your GBP is a powerful tool for attracting customers, building credibility, and driving sales—but only if it’s optimized and accurate.
At Adapting Social, we help businesses take control of their online presence, ensuring their profiles are fully optimized, their reviews are properly managed, and their visibility remains strong. Whether you need help recovering lost reviews, improving local SEO, or maximizing your GBP’s impact, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s get your business back on the map. Contact us today for expert guidance on Google Business Profile management.
