A technical issue affecting Google Business Profiles is causing review counts to appear lower than normal across numerous business listings. The issue, which began Friday, February 7th, 2025, is impacting businesses nationwide.
The Google Review Issue
Business owners and digital marketers began noticing discrepancies in their Google Business Profile review counts late last week. The primary symptoms include:
- Reduced review counts in Google Search and Maps
- Mismatched total review numbers
- Temporarily hidden reviews from public view
Despite the display issues, Google has confirmed that no review data has been lost. This appears to be strictly a technical display problem that their team is working to resolve.
Official Google Response
Google representative Victoria Kroll has addressed the situation in an official forum statement:
"We're aware of an issue affecting some Google Business Profiles, causing some profiles to show lower-than-actual review counts due to a display issue. The reviews themselves have not actually been removed. We're working hard to resolve this and restore accurate review counts as quickly as possible."
Impact on Businesses
The issue is affecting businesses of all sizes across various industries. While some businesses report only minor discrepancies in their review counts, others are seeing significant temporary reductions in their displayed reviews.
It's important to note that:
- No actual review data has been deleted
- The issue is purely related to how reviews are currently displaying
- Business operations can continue as normal
- No action is required from business owners
Fixing the Review Bug
Google's engineering team is actively working on resolving the technical issue. While no specific timeline has been provided for the fix, businesses can expect their review counts to return to normal once the technical issue is resolved.
In the meantime, business owners are advised to:
- Continue normal business operations
- Keep engaging with new customer reviews
- Remember that all review data remains secure
- Wait for Google's technical team to implement their solution
Google has indicated they will provide updates through their official business support channels as the situation develops. Business owners can stay informed by monitoring Google's official Business Profile forums and support pages.
