Missing Real Estate Reviews on Google? Here's Why.

Real estate agents across the country are reporting that they're missing reviews that have been posted to their Google Business Profile. This has been going on for months ... even longer, TBH, but I've seen a lot more chatter about it different Facebook groups over the past 8-10 months or so.

Google just issued its annual spam-fighting report for 2023, which says 170 million reviews were blocked or removed because they violated Google's policies. That's 45% more than the year before, and Google mentions a "new algorithm" that made all this possible.

"But Matt, the reviews missing from my Google Business Profile aren't spam!"

That's entirely possible. When you rely as heavily on algorithms as Google does, there are gonna be a lot of false positives and some legitimate reviews will get wiped out along with the illegitimate ones. (You might be surprised to learn that you and Google don't always agree on what a "legit" review is. More on that below.)

If you're missing real reviews from buyers and sellers that you've worked with, and if those reviews were earned without any type of gift or payment or other incentive (that's against Google's guidelines and can get your reviews removed), you can appeal to get them back.

1. Use this form to contact Google support (make sure you're logged in with the same account you use to manage your GBP)

2. Select your business from the drop-down

3. Where they ask "Tell us what we can help with," type "Missing Review(s)"

4. You should see a button that says "Review missing" - click that and then "Next Step" two times

5. When you get to "Contact Options," you'll probably have Email as the only option - click that and then fill out the form in its entirety

It will help if you have photos of the review to submit, especially if Google rejects your initial appeal.

If none of that works, try posting in the GBP Help Community and get a Google Product Expert to accelerate your appeal.

Are you sure those reviews are legit?

Google has a long list of guidelines around what it considers "prohibited and restricted content" in Google Maps/Local.

If you offered your clients any kind of incentive, gift, or payment in exchange for their review, see the very first bullet point on the page, in the "Fake engagement" section:

Paying, incentivizing, or encouraging the posting of content that does not represent a genuine experience.

That's a common practice in real estate (and many industries), but it can get your reviews removed.

Can I trade reviews with other real estate agents?

You can do whatever you want, but Google also looks at reviews that you've traded with other agents as spam/illegitimate. The third bullet point under "Fake engagement" lists this:

Content that is not based on a real experience...

So all the you-review-me-and-I'll-review-you stuff going on in Facebook groups is also something that can lead to missing Google reviews. I recently did a short video on this.

The thumbnail image there sums up my feelings about this.

Every week I see agents trading reviews with one another, then asking why the reviews aren't posting or are getting removed, then trying again with a new review from their personal email address (as if Google can't figure that out), then contacting Google support to ask why the reviews have been blocked/removed, then complaining more, etc. etc. etc. ... and I just think there are so many better ways to spend your time growing your business.

So if you're dealing with missing Google reviews or reviews that don't post at all to your Google Business Profile, spend five minutes reading through Google's list of prohibited content and see if something there applies.

If nothing fits, try the instructions above to get your legitimate reviews reinstated on your GBP.

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