A Review Is No Longer Shown on Google
If a review that was on your Google Business Profile is now marked Not shown on Google in GBPcentral, Google has removed it or is holding it. GBPcentral did not remove it and cannot; it keeps the review, leaves it out of your figures, and brings it back if Google shows it again.
What does "Not shown on Google" mean?
Google can stop showing a review after it has been public, and it can hold a new review for a few days before it appears at all. When a review your profile once had is no longer shown by Google, GBPcentral keeps it and marks it Not shown on Google, with the date. It leaves your review totals, your response rate and your unresponded list, so the figures you see match what customers see on Google. If Google shows the review again, it returns to your list on its own.
Why does Google remove or hold reviews?
Google checks every review against its content policies. In its own words, this process "might take a few days, which can delay a review's appearance". Reviews that break those policies are removed, and Google states that "Reviews removed for policy violations won't be restored." The policies cover content that is not based on a real experience, reviews posted in exchange for payment, discounts or free goods, offensive or off-topic content, and content that does not accurately represent the location. Google also says it may "temporarily disable user-created content, including reviews" for some profiles or business categories, and that reviews from merged profiles can take a few days to show.
Did GBPcentral remove my review?
No. GBPcentral reads your reviews from Google and, when you choose to post one, sends your reply. It never creates, edits, reports or removes a review, and nothing it sends can remove one. Whether a review is shown is Google's decision alone, made on Google's side.
Why could my reply not be posted?
If you try to post a reply and see "Google no longer shows this review, so a reply cannot be posted", Google has already withdrawn the review. Your approved reply is kept, and the response shows the date Google declined it. There is nothing to fix on your side. Should Google show the review again, the reply can be posted then.
What can I do?
If you believe a review was removed by mistake, the place to raise it is Google, through its guide to missing or delayed reviews. Google notes that if reviews disappeared after your profile was reinstated, you can contact Google support. Ask customers for reviews one at a time, after a real visit, and never in exchange for a discount or gift, since those are the reviews Google's policies remove.
Where do I find these reviews in GBPcentral?
On the Reviews page, open the Status filter and choose Not shown on Google. Each review there carries a note with the date it stopped being shown. They stay in your history for reference, and nothing about them is deleted.