Many businesses around the world rely on reviews to boost their popularity. Business owners know the importance of them, and so does the general public. Nowadays, when looking for a product or a service, potential customers tend to rely on the reviews their desired item has. As they become increasingly important for businesses, owners have questions about their performance, furthermore if leaving an anonymous review on Google is possible. Several sites allow anonymous reviews, and Google used to be part of them until just a few years ago.
A Glance Into Google Reviews
What Are Google Reviews?
Google Reviews is a service introduced by Google in 2007 when the search engine started allowing businesses to receive customer feedback on their Google My Business pages. It allows customers to provide their thoughts and feedback on the service or products the business offers. Based on star reviews, businesses can rate from one to five stars. Positive reviews are one of the primary keys to the success of companies, as they provide credibility to potential customers and allow owners to paint a picture of the quality of the service they are offering. And, despite them not being the greatest to receive, even negative reviews can help a business grow, as they can help you focus on the weakness the company might have.
So, Can You Leave Anonymous Reviews on Google?
In plain language, no, you can not. It was possible a few years ago, but Google updated its requirements for customers to be able to leave a review. Since 2018, leaving anonymous reviews is not a possibility. Additionally, Google deleted old anonymous reviews.
The reason why these reviews are no longer available is both simple and important: to protect businesses. Anonymity allowed competitors to have the chance of leaving fake reviews. And if these practices weren’t controlled, Google would lose its reliability as a review system. Establishing a review system in which you are not allowed to leave reviews unless you showcase your name, gives credibility to both customers and businesses,
The Nearest You Can Get To Anonymity
Despite that, there are a few tricks that can bring you as close to anonymity as Google allows you to.
Can It Be Done Without an Account?
Yes, it can be done without a Google or Gmail account. It can be a huge advantage for businesses to let customers know about this feature. Being able to leave reviews without a Google or Gmail account is beneficial for businesses, as it can result in a popularity boost.
To leave a review without a Google account, follow the next steps:
- Open Google Maps.
- Search the business.
- Write a review and rate the business.
- When asked to log in to your Google account, select “Create an account.” There, you should be able to type in your temporary email address.
Change Your Google Account’s Name
Another way to leave a somewhat anonymous review is by changing your account’s name. Then again, you won’t be able to set your name as Anonymous but instead, use your first name or a preferred nickname.
However, as expected, there is a catch within this “trick”: if the business knows you left a review under another name, they can flag it. If Google determines the review goes against its terms, it will delete it. Therefore, its effectiveness is not guaranteed.
Use a Different Google Account
You can either create a Google account from scratch or use an old account that doesn’t have your name in it. Keep in mind that your account will need a name, whether it has it on its email address or not.
Learn How to Write Google Reviews
Now, you must learn how to write a powerful, informative review. Leaving a review for a business can be another tool to show support or to give a constructive evaluation to help their improvement. Follow these steps to create one that makes an impact:
- Avoid vagueness. Specify what made your experience good or bad, instead of using a few words.
- Keep it honest. Whether good or bad, do not exaggerate your experience.
- Try your best to be constructive. If your experience was negative, try suggesting what they could do to improve the situation.
- Stay up to date. It is not as positive as you might think to leave reviews years later.
Two Ways of Leaving Your Reviews
Customers have two options to leave reviews. They can do so in Google Search or Google Maps.
Take a further look at how easy it is to leave them
- For Google Search on desktop, all you have to do is:
- Open the Google Search engine and search for the name of the business.
- You will find their Google My Business page on the right side of the search results.
- Click Write a review.
- A pop-up will show up, asking you to log in to your account.
- Finally, a form in which you can write your review and leave photos will show up.
- Leaving a Google Maps review on the desktop has just a few steps too:
- Open Google Maps and search for the business you would like to leave a review for.
- Once the business information shows up on the left side of the search results, click Write a review.
- A pop-up where you can write your review will show up. Afterward, click Post.
Similarly, writing reviews on mobile is just as easy. This method could be more effective for businesses, as owners can encourage their customers to come up with reviews while at the business location. Nowadays, many businesses share their forms through QR codes or email links, which makes it even easier for customers to leave reviews.
- To post a review on mobile, follow these steps:
- Open Google.com on your mobile browser and search for the business
- Once you get the search results, tap on the Review section and choose how many stars (from one to five) you’d like to give it.
- Similar to the desktop version, you’ll get a pop-up. Write your review, and tap Post
.
- The steps for Google Maps reviews on mobile are alike the desktop ones, however, you need to have the Google Maps app installed on your Android phone or iPhone:
- Open or download the Google Maps app
- Search for the business you want to leave a review for
- Once you find the profile, tap on the Review section
- Choose your stars rating and write your post
- Tap on the Post option to upload your review
The Importance of Google Reviews
As you might have learned by now, Google reviews are one of the primary keys for customers to confirm if they will buy a product or hire a service businesses offer. It is through these reviews that a business can gain the customer’s trust and can gain credibility as an establishment. These reviews are known to help with businesses’ search engine optimization (SEO), as they can help the establishment rank higher in searches by answering both positive and negative reviews. As time goes by, the customers’ reliance on reviews increases, proving that businesses need to pay attention to every suggestion they get from their buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Hide My Google Reviews?
You can’t hide your Google reviews. If your review doesn’t show up right after you posted it, it might be due to review moderation by Google. Furthermore, if you stop seeing your review after it shows up on the page, Google might have determined that it violated its review policy, such as inappropriate content or spam.
Are All Google Reviews Public?
Yes, all Google reviews are public. If anything, all you can you is restrict who views your reviews on your profile on Google Maps. To do so, follow these steps
- Open the Google Maps app.
- Tap your profile picture in the top right
- Go to settings, then tap on Personal Content, and tap on Profile Privacy
- Make your profile restricted.
Can I See Who Views My Reviews?
No, you can’t. Once you post your review, it’s not possible to check who views your feedback.
Can You Trace an Ip Address From a Google Review?
Yes, Google can trace your IP once you leave a review for a business, even if you use a different email address or name.
Can Business Owners Delete Reviews?
Businesses are not allowed to delete the reviews they get on their pages, all they can do is answer them, which helps businesses boost their SEO results.
Wrapping Up
Leaving legitimate reviews can help others make informed decisions, and reviews can lead to higher sales or an influx of customers in general. Sharing your experiences can also help businesses to learn what could be improved. It is through them that businesses can understand their strengths and weaknesses. Even if leaving anonymous Google reviews is not a possibility anymore, it is suggested that customers still leave one, as the steps are short and it is an easy way to help local businesses bloom and become a vital part of a city’s economy.
