Reading list: Step-by-Step: How to Remove Unfair or Fake Google Reviews
In today's digital world, every business should be focused on maintaining a positive online reputation. Google reviews shape how future customers perceive your brand. Authentic reviews help establish trust and credibility for your business, while fake or unjust reviews can harm your reputation and deter prospective customers. You may notice reviews that come from competitors, irate former employees, or folks who have never been your customer. Luckily, there are ways of reporting and removing these misleading reviews through Google. Below is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to help you address the situation properly.

Step 1: Identify Fake or Unfair Google Reviews

The first step is to determine whether the review violates Google’s review policies. Fake reviews often contain exaggerated claims, irrelevant details, or suspicious patterns like repeated posts from the same user. Check for signs such as:

The reviewer has no profile picture or activity.

The review contains offensive or false statements.

It describes services or products your business doesn’t offer.

Multiple fake accounts posting similar reviews within a short period.

It’s important to stay calm and gather clear evidence before taking any action. Screenshot and document everything — including the reviewer’s name, date, and review text. These records can help you when reporting the issue to Google or, if needed, pursuing further legal measures.

Step 2: Flag and Report the Review to Google

Once you’ve confirmed a review is fake or violates policy, you can request Google to remove it. To remove bad Google reviews, follow these simple steps:

Open Google Maps or Google Search and locate your business profile.

Find the fake or unfair review you want to report.

Click on the three vertical dots next to the review.

Select “Report review” and choose the reason that best fits (e.g., Spam, Conflict of interest, Offensive content, etc.).

Google will then review the report and decide whether the content violates its policies. This process can take a few days, and you’ll receive an update in your Google Business account once it’s reviewed. If your initial request is denied, you can use Google’s Business Support Form to escalate the issue.

Step 3: Respond Professionally to the Review

During the period of awaiting the ruling from Google, it would be wise to do a professional reply to the review. This shows the customers that you are transparent and you care for them. Use a polite, factual, and respectful tone throughout your response. For example, you may use the following reply:

“We value all comments, but we have not been able to locate any interaction between your individual and our business. Please reach out to us directly so that we can resolve your issues.”

Step 4: Request Support Through Google Business Profile

If the reported review is still live after it has been flagged, contact support through the Google Business Profile Help Center. Make sure to provide support under the agreed-upon documentation you've collected until that point and previous messaging (including screenshots and a brief description of why you believe the review is fake or violates Google's policy). Be succinct and specific. If your business has multiple locations, it may be advantageous to report all reviews through the Google Business dashboard.

In the meantime, you can review the policies around reviews and removal from trusted sources including Google review policy documentation, which details which types of reviews are eligible for removal and assists you in giving stronger and more accurate reporting.

Step 5: Strengthen Your Online Reputation

While removing unfair reviews is important, building a base of authentic, positive feedback is equally powerful. Encourage satisfied customers to share their honest experiences online. You can do this by:

Sending follow-up emails requesting feedback after a successful transaction.

Offering QR codes at your business that link directly to your Google review page.

Responding to all positive reviews to show appreciation.

The more genuine positive reviews you collect, the less influence one or two fake reviews will have on your overall reputation.

Step 6: Monitor and Protect Your Reputation Continuously

Managing your reputation online is an ongoing effort. Create alerts, or use certain ORM tools to get notified of new reviews when they come in. Monitoring allows you to respond quickly to spammy reviews or fake reviews before they can negatively affect your business reputation. If you want a more formal option, consider consulting with reputable digital marketing or ORM (online reputation management) agencies that specialize in protecting a brand or managing reviews.

Conclusion

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