by The Computing Australia Group | The Right Way to Address
and Remove Negative Google Reviews
In today’s digital-first world, online reviews can make or break a business. Before stepping into a store or booking a service, customers rely heavily on Google to validate their choices. A single negative review-fair or unfair-can disrupt your brand perception, reduce trust, and impact search visibility. While one bad review won’t destroy your business, it can influence potential customers who compare you with competitors offering glowing testimonies.
Whether you’ve received a genuine complaint or been targeted by fake reviews, knowing how to handle negative Google reviews the right way is essential. This guide explains everything you need to know-from identifying illegitimate reviews and dealing with angry customers to understanding what Google will and won’t remove.
What Are Google Reviews and Why Do They Matter?
Google Reviews are user-generated comments and star ratings that appear on your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). They sit prominently next to your business listing in Google Search and Google Maps-making them one of the first things customers see when researching a business.
Why Google Reviews Are Important
- Trust & credibility: People trust peer experiences more than ads. Strong reviews build authority instantly.
- SEO ranking factor: Google considers review quality, quantity, and recency when ranking local businesses.
- Customer insights: Reviews highlight what your business is doing well and what needs improvement.
- Conversion booster: More high-quality reviews = higher click-through rates, more calls, more website visits, and more sales.
But the reverse is also true. A single harsh or misleading review-especially one placed prominently-can deter customers before you ever get the chance to convert them.
Can You Delete a Bad Google Review?
Short answer: No, you cannot delete reviews yourself.
This guide walks you through both scenarios.
How to Remove or Respond to Negative Google Reviews (Step-by-Step)
1. Verify Whether the Review Is Genuine
Before taking any action, assess whether the review is authentic. Unfortunately, fake reviews-posted by competitors, bots, or disgruntled individuals-are increasingly common.
- Reviewer has no profile photo or name seems autogenerated
- The account has no review history or has suspicious patterns
- Review contains generic criticism without specific details
- Reviewer complains about services or products you do not offer
- Tone appears malicious rather than experiential
If you suspect the review is fake or violates Google’s guidelines, move to flagging it.
2. Flag the Review for Google to Evaluate
If a review appears fake, irrelevant, harmful, or policy-violating, you can report it for removal.
How to Flag a Review (Desktop)
1. Log into your Google Business Profile Manager.
2. Select your business listing.
3. Go to Reviews.
4. Click the three dots next to the review.
6. Complete and submit the form.
How to Flag a Review (Mobile App)
2. Tap your profile photo → Your Business Profile.
3. Navigate to Reviews.
4. Tap the review → Report Review.
5. Submit the form.
Valid Reasons for Removal (Google’s Policy Violations)
Google removes reviews that fall into one or more of the following categories:
- Spam or fake content
- Off-topic content
- Profanity or hateful speech
- Harassment or bullying
- Sexually explicit content
- Illegal content
- Conflicts of interest (e.g., competitor sabotage or incentivised reviews)
- Impersonation
If the review clearly matches one of these categories, Google is likely to remove it-though the evaluation process may take days or weeks.
3. Escalate Through Social Media (Especially X/Twitter)
If Google doesn’t respond or removes nothing after your flagging request, escalate the issue publicly.
How to Escalate
- Tag @GoogleSmallBiz or @Google on X (Twitter)
- Share screenshots
- Provide links to the offending review
- Briefly explain the nature of the violation
Brands often receive faster support in public conversations than through internal review systems.
4. Submit a Legal Removal Request (For Serious Violations)
If the review defames, threatens, or falsely accuses your brand of illegal activity, you can make a formal legal removal request.
How to Submit a Legal Removal Request
4. Submit supporting evidence of harm or defamation.
Important:
Legal requests should only be submitted for serious violations, as Google treats these claims with significant scrutiny.
5. If the Review Is Real: Respond, Rectify, Request
Not all negative reviews are fake. Many are genuine opportunities to improve your brand reputation.
How to Handle Real Negative Reviews
Step 1: Respond Quickly
Speed signals professionalism. A thoughtful reply within 24-48 hours is ideal.
Step 2: Stay Calm, Professional and Empathetic
Acknowledge their experience, apologise where appropriate, and keep emotions out of your response.
Step 3: Take the Conversation Offline
Encourage the customer to contact you directly. For example:
Step 4: Resolve the Issue
Fix the customer’s problem, offer replacements or solutions, and ensure the issue is fully rectified.
Step 5: Request an Updated Review
Most customers will happily update the review-often replacing the negative one with a positive comment about your excellent service recovery.
How to Prevent Negative Reviews (Proactive Strategies)
Managing reviews is easier when you prevent negative experiences before they escalate.
1. Build a Strong Internal Feedback System
Encourage customers to share feedback privately before they consider posting publicly.
2. Regularly Ask for Reviews from Happy Customers
More positive reviews dilute impact from occasional negative ones.
3. Train Your Team on Customer Service Essentials
A well-trained team reduces friction and complaints.
4. Respond to All Reviews-Good and Bad
This boosts engagement and signals to customers that you care.
5. Monitor Reviews Consistently
Weekly check-ins help you catch issues early.
How Bad Reviews Affect SEO and Local Rankings
Google values businesses that offer quality experiences. Negative reviews can influence:
- Local pack visibility
- Click-through rates (CTR)
- Customer trust signals
- Relevance, distance, and prominence ranking factors
However, occasional negative reviews can also help your brand appear more authentic—a 100% five-star rating may look suspicious.
How Many Negative Reviews Are “Too Many”?
A business becomes at risk when:
- Ratings fall below 3.5 stars
- Large volumes of negative reviews appear suddenly
- Reviews consistently mention similar issues
- You fail to respond professionally
The goal is not perfection but consistent reputation management.
A negative review does not have to be a source of worry. If a comment left by a customer is truly harmful to your business, you can remove them through the above methods. Always encourage your customers to leave reviews. As long as the positive reviews outweigh the negatives, you don’t have to be anxious. For more assistance on deleting Google reviews or customer review management, reach out to our Perth team at sales@computingaustralia.group or contact us through our official page.
Jargon Buster
Google My Business – GMB is a free tool that helps business owners to manage their online presence across the Google suite.
Customer Review Management – Here, it means generating online reviews and monitoring and responding to them to improve business brand image.
