By Mitch Rice
For law firms, accountants, and financial advisors, a strong reputation isn’t optional—it’s everything. A single negative review can drive potential clients away, while a high star rating builds trust before you ever say a word.
But in early February, businesses across industries started seeing Google reviews disappear overnight. No explanation, no warning—just gone. This wasn’t a glitch. It was part of Google’s latest crackdown on fake reviews, driven by increasing pressure from regulators like the FTC in the U.S. and new consumer protection laws in the EU.
While the goal is to remove fraudulent reviews, many legitimate reviews have been caught in the purge. If your business has lost valuable feedback, it’s time to understand what’s happening and what you can do about it.
Why Google Is Removing Reviews
Regulators have been pressuring Google, Amazon, and other review-based platforms to crack down on manipulated ratings. Companies caught using fake reviews—whether buying positive ones or leaving negative ones for competitors—have faced massive fines.
Google’s response has been aggressive. Rather than taking a case-by-case approach, its algorithm is removing large batches of reviews at once. And it’s not just catching fake reviews—legitimate ones are being erased, too.
For professional service firms that rely on credibility, this is a serious issue. A firm that has spent years building a strong review profile could suddenly find itself with fewer ratings, a lower star average, or missing key testimonials that helped convert potential clients.
What This Means for Professional Services
Unlike restaurants or retail stores, law firms, financial advisors, and accounting firms don’t get hundreds of reviews every month. A handful of strong, well-written client testimonials can carry more weight than dozens of generic ratings.
Losing even a few key reviews can have a significant impact on how a firm appears in search results. A law firm that drops from 4.9 stars to 4.3 because of missing reviews may find potential clients clicking on a competitor instead. In an industry where trust is a deciding factor, that’s a problem.
Even worse, Google is not notifying businesses when reviews are removed. Many firms are only noticing after potential clients mention it—or when search traffic starts to dip.
Can You Get Your Reviews Back?
If you’ve lost reviews, you may be wondering how to get Google reviews removed when they unfairly disappear. Unfortunately, there’s no clear process to restore legitimate reviews that Google has erased.
The first step is to check your Google Business Profile and take note of any missing reviews. If they were recent, reach out to the clients who left them and ask if they can re-submit their feedback. In many cases, however, Google will prevent users from posting the same review again.
You can also submit a support request through Google’s Business Help Center, but responses have been mixed. Some businesses have had reviews reinstated, while others have been told that once a review is removed, it’s gone for good.
How to Protect Your Reputation Moving Forward
If you’ve lost valuable reviews, rebuilding your online reputation should be a priority. While Google’s system is unpredictable, there are steps you can take to ensure that your firm remains visible and trusted.
Encouraging satisfied clients to leave new reviews on Google is the best immediate strategy. If a dozen older reviews have vanished, adding fresh, detailed feedback can help offset the loss. Sending follow-up emails or including a review request in client communications can help restore a strong review profile.
Beyond Google, it’s also important to diversify where your reviews appear. Professional service firms should encourage clients to leave feedback on LinkedIn, Avvo (for legal professionals), Yelp, Trustpilot, and other industry-specific platforms. If Google removes reviews again, a strong presence elsewhere ensures that your reputation isn’t entirely at the mercy of one platform’s algorithm.
For businesses struggling with unfair removals or persistent negative content, working with a content removal agency can be a smart move. Companies like Reputation Riot specialize in helping firms suppress misleading content, address false reviews, and improve search rankings.
The Bottom Line
Google’s review purge isn’t going away anytime soon. As regulators push for greater transparency, more automated removals are likely. Businesses in professional services—where trust and credibility are everything—need to stay ahead of these changes.
That means proactively managing your online reputation, encouraging ongoing reviews, and diversifying your review presence across multiple platforms. If Google has erased valuable feedback, rebuilding is essential—because when potential clients search for your business, what they see in those first few results determines whether they ever walk through your door.
Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.
