You’re not alone if you’ve recently noticed a drop in your medical practice’s Google reviews. Over the past few days, many businesses—including independent medical practices—have reported a sudden decrease in the number of reviews displayed on their Google Business Profile. This has left many healthcare providers concerned about their online reputation and visibility.
What’s Happening with Google Reviews?
According to reports, Google appears to be removing many local reviews, though the exact cause remains unclear. This could be due to an algorithm update, a new spam detection system, or changes in Google’s review policies. Regardless of the reason, it’s important to understand that reviews—especially on Google—play a critical role in a patient’s decision-making process.
For more details, check out this article on Search Engine Roundtable.
Update on 2/11/25: Google issued an official response: “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. We appreciate your patience and will share updates on this thread as they become available.” Source
Why Online Reviews Matter for Your Medical Practice
Online reviews are often the first impression potential patients have of your practice. According to the 2023 Consumer Trends Survey by Press Ganey, patients rely on online reviews when choosing a healthcare provider. Positive reviews help build trust, improve search rankings, and increase patient conversions. However, a sudden drop in reviews can make a practice appear less established or trustworthy.
How to Respond to the Review Disappearance
Instead of focusing on the reviews that have been removed, the best approach is to generate new ones proactively. Here’s what your practice should do:
1. Continue Inviting Patients to Leave Reviews
If you already have an automated process for requesting patient reviews, keep it running. The key to a strong online reputation is consistently generating new, authentic reviews from satisfied patients.
2. Automate Your Review Collection Process
If your practice still manually requests reviews, now is the time to upgrade to an automated system. Practices that have automated patient feedback requests are less affected by review removals because they continuously generate fresh reviews, keeping their profile active and credible. Need help with this? Clients at Insight Marketing Group are provided with an easy, free option for automated reviews.
3. Monitor Your Google Business Profile
Stay updated on changes to your reviews and Google’s policies. If your practice has lost many reviews, document the change and report it to Google Support. While there is no guarantee that removed reviews will be restored, it’s worth raising the issue.
4. Diversify Your Online Reputation Strategy
While Google reviews are important, they shouldn’t be your only source of patient feedback. Encourage patients to leave reviews on platforms like Healthgrades, Yelp, Facebook, and Zocdoc to build a well-rounded online reputation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Reviews
Why did my Google reviews disappear?
Google may remove reviews due to policy violations, spam detection, or algorithm updates. If reviews were flagged as suspicious, they might not be restored.
Can I get my deleted reviews back?
There is no guarantee that removed reviews can be restored. However, you can report missing reviews to Google Support and request an investigation.
How can I prevent my reviews from disappearing?
While you can’t control Google’s review moderation, you can ensure that your reviews comply with Google’s guidelines. Encouraging genuine reviews from real patients and avoiding incentivized reviews can help reduce removals.
What is the best way to get more Google reviews?
The best strategy is to automate review requests through email and SMS reminders. Asking satisfied patients to leave reviews shortly after their visit increases response rates.
Should I focus only on Google reviews?
No. While Google reviews are important, diversifying across platforms like Healthgrades, Yelp, and Facebook ensures a more resilient online reputation. However, Google is still the dominant player, although the changes in search through artificial intelligence are quickly changing the landscape.
Stay Proactive, Not Reactive
Google’s review removals highlight why medical practices must take a proactive approach to online reputation management. If your review collection process is automated, you’ll continue to generate new patient reviews, keeping your practice competitive and credible. If you haven’t automated yet, now is the time to act—otherwise, your proactive competitors may gain an edge.
At Insight Marketing Group, we specialize in helping independent medical practices manage their online reputation, automate review collection, and maintain strong visibility in search results. Contact us today to ensure your practice stays ahead of the curve.
