If you’re a business owner who keeps a close eye on your online reputation, you may have noticed something alarming recently: your Google reviews count may have mysteriously dropped. Before you panic and assume your hard-earned reviews have vanished, let’s clear the air—there’s a known technical glitch affecting Google’s review system.
The good news? Your reviews are still there, safe and sound.
In this post, we’ll break down what’s happening, why it’s not as bad as it seems, and what you can do while Google works on a fix.
What’s Going On?
Google’s review system is currently experiencing a technical bug that’s affecting how the total number of reviews is displayed on Google Business Profiles. Essentially, the counting mechanism is out of sync, leading to incorrect review tallies.
But here’s the key thing to remember: this is purely a display issue. The reviews themselves haven’t disappeared. They are still accessible and visible to your customers.
However, this discrepancy has naturally caused concern for many business owners who rely on reviews as a key part of their online reputation and customer engagement.
How Do You Know If You’re Affected?
If you manually count your reviews and compare that number to the total displayed on your Google Business Profile, you may notice a mismatch. The displayed number might be lower than the actual count.
This can be unsettling, especially if you’ve spent years encouraging customers to leave feedback and have built a strong collection of positive reviews.
Why Reviews Matter So Much
Let’s face it—reviews are gold for small businesses. They build trust, influence purchasing decisions, and improve your local search rankings. Seeing a sudden drop in your review count can feel like a blow to your hard-earned reputation.
That’s why it’s important to know that your reviews are still intact. They haven’t been deleted or lost; Google is just miscounting them.
What You Can Do Right Now
While waiting for Google to fix this bug, there are a few proactive steps you can take to stay on top of your reviews:
- Document Your Current Review Count:
Keep a record of how many reviews you actually have. Take screenshots if necessary. - Check Review Dates and Content:
Look through your reviews to ensure that they are still visible and accessible. This will give you peace of mind. - Monitor New Reviews:
Keep an eye on incoming reviews to make sure they’re appearing as expected. Encourage your customers to continue leaving feedback. - Manually Count Your Reviews:
Yes, it’s a bit tedious, but doing a manual count can help you verify that your reviews are still there. - Engage with Your Customers:
Keep responding to reviews and engaging with your audience. This shows that you’re active and attentive, regardless of the glitch. - Consider Website Maintenance:
Consider regular website maintenance services in Perth to ensure your digital presence remains optimised and secure, regardless of any external technical glitches.
Why Staying Calm Matters
It’s natural to feel frustrated when technical issues arise, especially when they impact something as important as your online reputation. But remember, this is a temporary problem, and Google is already aware of it and working on a solution.
In the meantime, focus on what you can control: delivering excellent service, engaging with your customers, and maintaining your positive reputation.
The Silver Lining
Here’s a comforting thought—your customers likely won’t even notice this issue. They can still see your reviews, leave new ones, and interact with your business as usual. The only problem is with the way the total number of reviews is being displayed.
So, while it might be frustrating from your perspective, your reputation in the eyes of your customers remains intact.
What’s Next?
Google is known for resolving technical issues efficiently, so it’s only a matter of time before this bug is fixed. Until then, stay patient, proactive, and focused on delivering great experiences for your customers.
Your reviews aren’t gone—they’re just temporarily miscounted.
Final Thoughts
Technical glitches are never fun, but they’re a part of the digital world we live in. The key is to stay informed, keep calm, and continue providing the excellent service that earned you those reviews in the first place.
As a trusted Perth IT services company, we understand how important online reputation is for small businesses. If you’ve noticed a drop in your Google reviews count, remember: this is a display issue, not a reflection of your business’s reputation. Your hard-earned reviews are safe and still visible to your customers.
Stay patient, stay positive, and trust that Google will have this sorted out soon.
Author Bio
Adrian Ioppolo is the Director of Perth IT Care, specialising in IT and web support for small businesses. Adrian focuses on cybersecurity and website recovery to help businesses navigate the complexities of data privacy and compliance. His expertise ensures that clients receive high end services tailored to protect their online presence and safeguard their operations.
