GOOGLE’S RECENT REVIEW GLITCH: WHAT HAPPENED & HOW TO RECOVER LOST REVIEWS
For many businesses, Google reviews are critical to maintaining a strong online reputation and attracting new customers. A recent Google glitch caused thousands of reviews to disappear, leaving business owners frustrated and concerned about their credibility. You’re not alone if you’ve noticed missing reviews on your Google Business Profile.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss what happened, how it affected businesses, and what you can do to recover lost reviews and protect your online presence in the future.
What Happened?
In early 2024, businesses worldwide began reporting missing reviews on their Google Business Profiles. Reviews that had been visible for months or years suddenly disappeared without warning. Some businesses lost just a handful, while others saw their review count drop significantly overnight.
At first, many assumed that Google had removed spam or fake reviews as part of a routine cleanup. However, as the number of reports grew, it became clear that this was a widespread technical glitch rather than an intentional review removal.
Google later confirmed that a bug in their system caused legitimate reviews to be mistakenly removed. The company stated that they were working on a fix and that some businesses would see their reviews restored automatically. However, many business owners found that their missing reviews did not return, prompting concerns about permanent data loss.
How Did This Affect Businesses?
This glitch had a significant impact for companies that rely on Google reviews for credibility and customer trust. Here’s how it affected businesses across different industries:
- Loss of Social Proof
Online reviews serve as modern word-of-mouth recommendations. Businesses that suddenly lost dozens of positive reviews saw their average star rating drop, affecting how potential customers perceived them.
- Reduced Search Visibility
Google’s algorithm factors in reviews when ranking businesses in local search results. Fewer reviews (and a lower rating) can negatively impact search rankings, making businesses less visible to potential customers.
- Decreased Conversions & Sales
Many consumers rely on reviews to make purchasing decisions. A sudden drop in review count could make a business look less trustworthy, leading to fewer inquiries, bookings, or purchases.
- Frustration for Business Owners
Businesses that had spent years building up a strong review portfolio felt powerless when reviews disappeared overnight. With no clear way to recover them immediately, many turned to Google support for answers—only to receive generic responses and no immediate solutions.
What Can You Do If Your Reviews Disappeared?
While Google has acknowledged the issue, businesses must proactively recover lost reviews and protect their online reputation. Here’s what you can do:
- Check Your Google Business Profile for Updates
Google has been fixing the bug; in some cases, reviews have been restored automatically. Log into your Google Business Profile Manager to see if your missing reviews have reappeared.
- Contact Google Business Support
If your reviews are missing, submit a support request through Google Business Profile Help. When reaching out, provide:
- Your business name and profile link
- The approximate number of missing reviews
- Specific examples (e.g., screenshots or customer names)
Google support may not immediately restore the reviews, but the more reports they receive, the more likely they are to escalate the issue.
- Ask Customers to Repost Reviews
If Google does not restore your reviews, consider contacting loyal customers and asking them to leave a new review. Be transparent about what happened and emphasize how valuable their feedback is.
Example outreach message:
📩 “Hi [Customer Name], we recently experienced a glitch on Google that caused some of our reviews to disappear. If you left a review in the past, we’d appreciate it if you could repost it. Your feedback means a lot to us! Here’s the link: [Google Review Link]. Thanks so much!”
- Diversify Your Review Strategy
Google isn’t the only platform where customers can leave reviews. Encourage customers to share their experiences on:
- Yelp
- Trustpilot
- Industry-specific review sites (e.g., TripAdvisor for travel businesses, Angi for contractors)
Having reviews across multiple platforms reduces your reliance on Google and protects your reputation from future glitches.
- Monitor Reviews Regularly
Moving forward, keep track of your reviews weekly or monthly so that you can quickly identify any issues. Use tools like:
- Google Business Profile notifications
- Review management software (e.g., Podium, BrightLocal, or Yext)
If another issue arises, you can act quickly instead of losing valuable reviews without realizing it.
Will Google Fix This Permanently?
Google has acknowledged the issue and is actively working on restoring affected reviews. However, not all missing reviews will be recovered. This glitch highlights the importance of review management and backup strategies to protect your business from unexpected issues.
Google may introduce better review backup systems or improved support responses in the future, but businesses should always have a plan to safeguard their online reputations.
Final Thoughts
The recent Google review glitch was a frustrating experience for many businesses. Losing years of valuable customer feedback overnight can feel like a significant setback, but there are steps you can take to recover from this issue.
- Check if Google has restored your reviews
- Contact Google Business support if needed
- Ask past customers to repost their feedback
- Encourage reviews on multiple platforms
- Monitor your reviews regularly
While technical issues are beyond your control, how you respond makes a difference. By staying proactive and engaging with your customers, you can rebuild your review profile and continue to attract new business—regardless of Google’s glitches.
