Google only removes a review that breaks its rules: spam, a fake review, offensive language, or a review of the wrong business. A review that’s simply unfair stays up, and the best answer to that one is a calm, factual reply. For the ones that do break the rules, here’s how to report them.
Report the review
- Select Reputation in the left menu, then Reviews.
- Find the review and select Dispute this review under it.
- Google asks you to confirm the Google account that manages your business profile. Sign in with it.
- Choose Report a new review. Google lists your recent reviews; pick the one and choose the reason it breaks the rules.
- Submit. Google usually replies within a few days. It will either remove the review or tell you it doesn’t break the rules.
Reply as well as report: Reporting can take days and may not succeed. Post a short, polite reply straight away so anyone reading sees your side. See Ask for a review and reply to reviews.
Check what Google decided
- Open the same Dispute this review link.
- Choose Check the status of a review you’ve reported.
- Google shows each review you reported and where it stands. If the request was turned down, you can appeal from here. Google shows this for business profiles with a small number of locations. If yours manages many, Google asks you to use its own support page instead.
Where to go next
- Ask for a review and reply to reviews: more good reviews are the real fix.
- Answer your messages in one inbox: if the reviewer is a customer, sort it out with them directly.