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In some instances, I just really want to leave an anonymous review on Google.
I mean, I wouldn’t review my gynecologist or therapist with my public gmail account. What if future employers Google me and stumble onto my Google review, where I thank my psychiatrist for helping me over my burnout?
In short, while the desire to share experiences is strong, so is the need for privacy.
If you’re wondering how to provide feedback on Google without disclosing your identity, this guide will enlighten you on the limitations and alternative methods.
The Challenge of Anonymous Reviews on Google
Online reviews serve as a vital resource for consumers seeking insights into products and services.
Contrary to popular belief, Google currently does not provide a built-in option for users to leave reviews completely anonymously.
The platform requires users to be logged into a Google account, linking reviews to their profiles.
This lack of anonymity can be a concern for those who wish to share their thoughts without the associated personal information.
Why Anonymous Google Reviews Are Not Supported?
First and foremost, they can potentially be harmful and unfair to business owners.
One major theme almost each business owner googles at least once is “How to delete Google reviews“.
Here’s a breakdown of monthly global search volumes for different terms.
This is thanks to bots or sometimes even competitors harassing rivals by posting fake negative reviews.
The aim can be to harm the business’s reputation or just to be a pain in the *ss, really.
Don’t be a prick. Don’t do this.
Here are some other reasons why it’s impossible to leave a completely anonymous review on Google.
Overall Star-Rating Impacts Search Results
As one ranking factor on the Google search engine is how many reviews a business has, it’s clear that having a competitor post fake 1-star reviews anonymously on Google would be harmful.
It can significantly debunk all search engine optimization efforts and result in people not coming to a business page anymore. At all.
A low star rating can also result in a business not showing up on Google Maps App!
Ensuring Review Legitimacy
In order for Google to be able to monitor and prevent fake or spam reviews, it’s made it impossible to leave a review without an own Google account.
For example, FakeReviewWatch uses a scientific method to identify fake review accounts. They check the locations of the different businesses a single Google account has reviewed.
If the pattern looks suspicious, and if there are multiple cases where random accounts have reviewed the same business all over the US, it’s highly likely they’re fake accounts.
Below are the locations where I’ve left reviews. I tend to review great local restaurants, if I get exceptionally good service.
At first glance, they could seem fake, as they’re thousands of miles from each other.
The real kicker is if one or more account have reviewed these exact same places and only these, it might be a case of bough Google reviews.
If you want to see the your previously posted Google review,
- Open Google Maps App or website on browser
- Make sure you’re logged into your gmail account
- Open the settings on Google Maps and
- Click “Your contributions”
Protect Business Owners
At the end of the day, Google reviews affect business owner’s online reputation and getting fake reviews removed can be near impossible.
That’s why Google has created a review system that tries to eliminate such reviews.
Furthermore, as a Google user can customize their Google Account so that they have a profile picture and full name, Google reviews become more reliable and relatable.
Reasons for Wanting to Leave Anonymous Reviews
When was the last time you reviewed your gynecologist publicly vs a restaurant you visited?
Yeah…
That’s probably also why you’re here reading this article: You want to review a business, but don’t want friends and family or future employers to find out about your personal things.
Industries that struggle getting Google reviews:
- Lawyers
- Specialist doctors, such as OBGYN
- Mental health and substance abuse services
Negative Reviews Can Be Tricky
Some people struggle with leaving reviews if they have a complaint to make.
Maybe they’re regulars at at certain place and would feel uncomfortable facing the employees after the negative review.
However, many of us want to give constructive customer feedback.
Sometimes we just want to warn other people not to use a service at all. As Google reviews are public and businesses can’t prevent anyone from posting reviews on their profile, all negative reviews are for the world to see.
Whatever your reasons for leaving an anonymous Google review, let’s go over how you can get that done.
What Is Your Reason?
We’re interested in hearing your reasons, so we can understand all POVs better.
Leaving Anonymous Google Reviews – Step-by-Step
Although Google reviews are never entirely anonymous, there are steps you can take to maintain a level of privacy.
This is a laborsome hack, but enables you to leave an anonymous review on Google.
1. Create a Separate Anonymous Gmail Account
If you prefer not to use your primary Google account, consider creating a separate one specifically for leaving reviews.
This can add a layer of separation between your online presence and your feedback.
Many create Google accounts for signing up to newsletters and other marketing lists, so their primary gmail account isn’t filled with marketing messages. These accounts can also be used for Google reviews.
2. Manage Profile Visibility
Adjust your Google account settings to control the visibility of your profile.
You can limit the information displayed to the public while still being logged in.
3. Be Mindful of Personal Details
While crafting your review, avoid including personal details that could potentially identify you.
In some cases, this might be trickier than in others.
💡 If you have a very specific case, just change irrelevant details to further protect you from being identified by the business owner.
However, they might dispute your review, if they feel like that never happened, so don’t change it too much.
Alternative: Anonymous Reviews with Third-Party Services
For those seeking a more comprehensive solution to leave truly anonymous reviews, businesses utilizing third-party review platforms like Trustmary provide an alternative.
There are many reasons people want to leave even positive reviews anonymously
Some sites where you can post anonymous online reviews include:
For employer reviews, there are Glassdoor and Indeed.
Write a Review Here
Yup, you read that right.
If you haven’t been offered a way to review anonymously, we’re offering you a way to do so.
Write a review. Pour your heart out. Make sure to tell which company you’re referring to.
We’ll try contact the company for you, and let them know someone would like to review them anonymously.
As this is anonymous, they won’t be in touch with you, but we’ll make an effort to get them to offer an anonymous customer feedback channel in the future.
Here’s the form you can use:
Companies: Give a Chance to Leave Anonymous Reviews
While Google does not currently support completely anonymous reviews, there are still ways for business owners to collect reviews and anonymous feedback.
Platforms like Trustmary offer a straightforward path for those who value anonymity while customer feedback remains accurate.
The best part about using Trustmary is that there is no way to get fake reviews. You can only get honest and open reviews, which may be positive or negative.
When you import your customer email list to Trustmary, you can send them a 3-1 survey:
- Measure NPS
- Collect open feedback
- Chance to leave a review as anonymously as wished
With Trustmary, your customers don’t need to be signed in to leave feedback, but they can choose to use, for example, a nickname if they wish to review you, but don’t want it to be tied to them personally by other people.
Start listening to your customers, and sign up to Trustmary ⬇️
Here’s what other companies have benefitted from using Trustmary:
