For years, fake reviews on Google – both glowing 5-star ones and harsh 1-star ones – have been a massive pain for honest small businesses. Whether it’s a competitor trying to damage your reputation or someone gaming the system with fake positive reviews, it’s been hard to compete fairly.
Now, Google’s finally doing something about it. They’ve just rolled out a major update to how reviews are managed on Google Maps and Google Business Profiles. They’re using improved machine learning to pick up dodgy patterns and stop fake reviews – positive or negative – before they even go live.
They’re also speeding up how quickly suspicious reviews get removed. That’s great news for businesses doing the right thing.
Fake 5-star reviews are just as damaging
We’ve all seen them – glowing 5-star reviews that don’t quite add up. No detail, no context, just suspicious praise. It might seem harmless, but fake positive reviews can be just as bad as fake negatives.
They give customers the wrong impression. They push genuine businesses down the list. And they create a culture where being honest doesn’t always get rewarded. We’ve seen dodgy operators in regional areas try to boost their profiles this way, and it’s frustrating when hardworking local businesses lose out.
GOOP Digital’s been pushing for this
We’ve been helping our clients set up and manage their Google Business Profiles for years. That includes monitoring reviews, responding to them, coaching clients on how to handle negative feedback, and calling out fake ones – both good and bad.
One of our clients had a competitor flooding their page with fake 5-star reviews to boost themselves, while also dropping fake 1-star reviews on others. We reported it to Google over and over again. Finally, they acted – and those fake reviews are now gone.
It’s a win for honesty, and we’re glad to see Google making it harder for people to cheat the system.
What you should do now
- Make sure your Google Business Profile is verified and fully updated
- Don’t be tempted to buy or fake your own reviews – Google is cracking down
- Report reviews that don’t seem genuine, whether they’re suspiciously good or unfairly bad
- If you’re not sure what to do, talk to us
At GOOP Digital, we’ve got your back. We help regional businesses protect their online presence, and we know how to spot the dodgy stuff when it shows up. If something feels off, let us know – we’re already on it. Feel free to reach out to us for all your digital needs.
A big thank you to the team at 9to5Ggoogle.com for the heads up on this one.