How Long Does It Take for Google Reviews to Post?

Have you ever left a review for a business on Google and wondered, “How long does it take for Google reviews to post?” If so, you’re certainly not alone! While Google reviews typically appear on a business’s page quite quickly—often within minutes to a few hours—the occasional 24-hour delay might leave you wondering what happened.

In this handy article, we will take a look at why Google’s review posting can sometimes be delayed to shed some light on the reason behind these waiting periods and what you can do about it—so keep reading!

Reasons Your Google Reviews Publishing May Be Delayed

Let’s take a look at four reasons your Google review may be delayed. Understanding these common factors can help you navigate the process more effectively.

Also see: How do google reviews work

Reason 1: The Review Doesn’t Meet Google Guidelines

Google has specific guidelines that reviews must follow to maintain the authenticity and fairness of its review ecosystem. Here are some common reasons why your review might not make the cut:

• Fake Account: If Google suspects that the account leaving the review is fake or was created solely to spam or post false reviews, they will delay (to investigate the review more thoroughly) or remove the review. A way to avoid this is to make sure your Google account looks legitimate and is used for more than just reviewing businesses.

• Conflict of Interest: If you have a personal or financial relationship with the business you’re reviewing, your review might not get published. Google wants reviews to be unbiased and honest.

• Restricted Content: Google doesn’t allow reviews that contain restricted content, such as hate speech, harassment, or sexually explicit material. So, if your review falls into one of these categories, it won’t see the light of day.

• Illegal Content: Any review that promotes illegal activities or content goes against Google’s guidelines. Make certain to keep your reviews within the boundaries of the law if you ever want your review to get posted.

• Off-Topic: Reviews should focus on the specific business or service being reviewed. If your review veers off-topic, it might be delayed or removed. This includes anything that contains general, political, or social commentary or personal rants.
• Reviews that Include Links: Including links in your reviews, especially suspicious or unrelated ones, can lead to delays—this is because this is considered advertising and solicitation. Think of it this way: you wouldn’t want someone promoting their product and drowning out any support for a product you’re trying to sell. Stick to text-based reviews without external links to be safe.

Remember, Google takes these rules seriously. Any on- or off-platform behavior could result in account termination. To make sure your reviews see the light of day, it’s best to stick to the basics and honestly review the company you’re trying to leave a review for.

Also see: How to flag and fix an inappropriate Google review

Reason 2: Sudden Influx of More Reviews Than Normal for the Business

If a business suddenly receives an unusually high number of reviews, Google might delay some of them for closer scrutiny. The reason they do this is to ensure no review manipulation or spamming is happening—especially if these reviews have the potential to significantly lower or boost a business’s rating in a short amount of time.

While there’s no easy way to prevent this, there are a few proactive steps a business can take, such as:

1. Regularly monitor your business page and flag any suspicious activity.
2. Respond to negative reviews right away to ensure customer satisfaction.
3. Motivate satisfied customers to leave positive reviews.

Also see: How to get 5 star google reviews

Reason 3: Delayed for Manual Review

In some instances, Google will manually review any reviews that are flagged as suspicious to check their authenticity, which is great; however, this process can take time, which may explain any delays in review publishing. These measures are all part of Google’s efforts to maintain the integrity of its review system.

Reason 4: Google Review Bugs

The good news? Sometimes, it’s not your fault at all. The bad news? Sometimes there are instances of bugs in Google’s review system that have caused reviews to disappear or not show up. These issues are generally on Google’s end, and you can’t do much about them. Google is usually quick to resolve these bugs once they are aware of them.

How to Resolve Missing or Delayed Reviews

If you’ve waited patiently but your review is still missing, the best step you can take to resolve the issue is to get help straight from Google.

Submit a Help Request to Google: You can contact Google to inquire about the status of your review. Go to Google’s support page, and you’ll find a topic related to reviews. Click on the link at the bottom of the page where it says “Contact us” to submit a support ticket. Google’s support team will then review your request and get back to you with more information.

Also see: How long do Google reviews last

Automate Google Reviews with Broadly

If you’re a business owner looking to streamline your review management, Broadly can help you automate the process. Broadly can assist in collecting, monitoring, and responding to reviews, making the entire process much smoother.

Ready to take control of your reviews? See what Broadly can do for your business by scheduling a demo with us today. Don’t let delayed reviews hold your business back!