What To Do When a Google Review Doesn't Show Up

Why a Customer’s Review Might Not Show Up — And What You Can Do

📌 Overview

Occasionally, a customer may say they left your business a Google review, but it doesn’t appear on your profile. While frustrating, this situation is fairly common — and it’s usually caused by Google’s automated review filtering systems.

Google’s goal is to ensure reviews are authentic, helpful, and trustworthy. In doing so, some real reviews may be flagged or hidden unintentionally.

🔍 Common Reasons a Review Might Not Show Up

The review wasn’t posted properly
- The customer may have written the review but didn’t click “Post.”
- They may also have closed the window too soon or experienced an app/browser glitch.
The reviewer’s account triggered a filter
- Google may automatically suppress reviews from accounts that:
  - Are brand new or have little activity
  - Don’t have a name or profile photo
  - Submit multiple reviews in a short time
The review content violated Google’s policies
- Included a phone number, link, or promotional language
- Contained prohibited content (e.g., offensive terms, personal information)
- Appeared overly templated, duplicate, or spammy
The reviewer is closely connected to your business
- Reviews from employees, family members, or the same IP address/location as the business may be filtered out.
- This helps prevent fake or biased reviews.
A technical delay or bug
- Occasionally, Google’s review system experiences delays or moderation sweeps.
- Reviews may show up later — or not at all — without clear explanation.

✅ What You Can Do

If a customer says they left a review but it’s not showing:

Ask them to check their review activity.
- Have them confirm that the review says “Posted” in their Google profile:
  - Google review activity page →
Suggest reposting the review.
- If it didn’t go through, they can try submitting it again with simpler wording and no links or emojis.
Encourage them to take a screenshot.
- If the review still won’t appear, they can send a screenshot to you.
- You can repurpose it as a testimonial on your website or social media.

💡 Pro Tips for Preventing Review Issues

Send clear instructions in your review request email or text, including a direct link to your Google review page.
Ask for screenshots of reviews when possible (especially if photos are included).
Avoid incentivizing reviews (Google prohibits this and may remove them).
Diversify your reviews — collect them on Facebook, Houzz, Nextdoor, BBB, and use testimonials on your own website.

⚠️ Important Notes

Google does not provide support to recover or reinstate filtered reviews.
Hidden reviews are usually not recoverable, even if legitimate.
Focus on consistently collecting new reviews over time to build trust and authority.