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How Long SHOULD Things Take? Setting Realistic Timelines

Last Updated: March 17, 2025

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In today’s digital world, everyone expects instant results. But when it comes to SEO, backlinks, and Local Service Ads (LSAs), things don’t work that way. Many business owners assume that once they launch a website or add a backlink, they’ll see immediate results on Google. In reality, even a Google Ads campaign (arguably the quickest thing to turn on and off) won’t be at peak performance for at least a month or two.

Let’s break it down so you can understand why things take time and what to expect when working on your online presence.

The Search Engine Road Atlas

A great way to think about Google is to compare it to an old-school road atlas. Back in the day, if a new road was built, it wouldn’t appear in printed atlases until the next edition was published, maybe a year later. Google works in a similar way.

When you search for something on Google, you’re NOT searching the live internet. You’re searching Google’s database of known webpages. If Google hasn’t discovered your new site or backlink yet, it won’t show up in the search results.

Here’s how the process works:

  1. Google’s bots (also called crawlers or spiders) find your website. This could take days or weeks, depending on how often your site is updated and linked to.
  2. Google processes and categorizes the data. Your website isn’t immediately visible in search results. It goes through indexing, testing, and ranking processes first.
  3. Google updates its search results. Only after this entire process is complete will your site or backlink start appearing in search results.

If everything happens quickly, you might see your site or backlink appear in a week or two. But if you’re on the slower end of the cycle, it could take two to four weeks or more before anything changes in the search results.

Backlink Delays: Double the Wait

Backlinks (links from other websites to yours) are an important part of SEO. But even after you add a backlink, it doesn’t mean Google will recognize it immediately. There are two reasons for this:

  1. The site hosting your backlink needs to approve and publish it. If you add your business to an online directory, for example, you may have to wait for their team to review and accept your listing.
  2. Google then has to find and process the backlink. Just like with a new website, Google’s bots need to crawl and index that backlink before it has any impact on your rankings.

This means you could be waiting weeks or even months before a new backlink actually helps your SEO.

Local Service Ads (LSAs): No, They Won’t Go Live Today

Some marketing agencies promise they can get your Local Service Ads (LSAs) live in just a few hours. This is completely false.

LSAs require:

  • Business verification: You must submit business licenses and insurance documents.
  • Employee background checks: If your employees enter customers’ homes, they must pass background screenings before your ad is approved.

This process takes days or weeks, not hours. If someone tells you otherwise, they’re either misinformed or lying.

Recent Changes to Google Timelines

If you think SEO and online marketing delays are frustrating now, 2025 has made things even worse.

Google Business Profile (GBP) Appeals Are Taking Longer

  • If your GBP gets suspended and you appeal it, expect delays.
  • Many responses from Google seem AI-generated and unhelpful.
  • Even with aggressive follow-ups, some appeals are taking months to resolve.

Google Business Profile Reviews Are Also Delayed

  • If your reviews disappear from your GBP, getting them back is now a long, uphill battle.
  • We’ve seen cases where it took months of back-and-forth with Google just to restore lost reviews.
  • If your GBP is suspended, your reviews may be stuck in limbo for an extended period.

Bottom Line: Be Patient and Plan Ahead

SEO, backlinks, LSAs, and Google Business Profiles all take time. If you expect instant results, you’ll only end up frustrated. The best approach is to:

  • Plan for delays. Expect at least a few weeks for most online changes to take effect.
  • Work with knowledgeable experts. They can help navigate these roadblocks efficiently.
  • Don’t believe “instant” SEO promises. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

While it’s frustrating to wait, understanding these timeline myths can help you set realistic expectations and avoid unnecessary stress.

Why Were My Google Reviews Removed?!

Last Updated: February 11, 2025

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If you’ve recently noticed that your Google Business Profile (GBP) reviews are disappearing, you’re not alone. The internet has been ablaze for the last week or so as business owners are trying to figure out why they’ve been seeing their hard-earned reviews disappearing from their GBPs. Some have seen their review count drop by dozens, while others have fluctuated wildly, gaining and losing reviews seemingly at random.

So, what’s going on?

A Known Bug (But No Immediate Fix)

Google has acknowledged that this is a known issue with the review counts and claims to be working on a fix. In many cases, the reviews themselves haven’t actually been deleted, it’s just the displayed number that’s inaccurate. On Reddit and other forums, business owners are reporting major drops in their review count overnight.

We’ve seen this firsthand with our own clients:

  • Appliance repair company – started with 1,001 reviews, dropped to 970, then dropped to 926
  • Plumber – started with 200 reviews, dropped to 195
  • Piano instruction business – started with 45 reviews, dropped to 40

Some businesses have seen their review count bounce back temporarily, only to lose them again. One of our plumber clients saw their count drop from 198 to 18, only to return to 198 later.

Another Factor: Inactive Google Accounts Getting Deleted

As we’ve mentioned before, Google announced that it will be deleting accounts that remain inactive for two years. In its support article on the topic, Google states that “all of its content and data can be deleted.” Most experts interpret this to mean that any reviews left by those accounts will also be removed.

However, a smaller group speculates that Google may simply disassociate the reviews from the original account and display them under a generic “Google User” label instead.

If the majority opinion proves correct, this will only add to the chaos because not only will review counts be inaccurate, but actual reviews may also start disappearing permanently.

What Can You Do?

Unfortunately, there’s no magic fix for this situation. But the best thing you can do is keep getting more reviews.

We know, it’s frustrating to hear the same advice over and over, but the only way to combat disappearing reviews is to keep earning new ones. If you’re not actively requesting reviews, now’s the time to make it part of your daily routine. For ideas on how to do this, check out this article from a while back where we put together a guide on getting more reviews: Reviews: Why You Must Get Them (And Tips for Getting More)

If you’re not using our ReviewStream service, you might consider it. It’s an easy, hands-off way to get reviews every month. You just feed it your list of client emails and it will ask them to leave a review each month.

Final Thoughts

Losing reviews is frustrating, but this isn’t the first time Google has had a glitch like this, and it probably won’t be the last. The best way to protect your online reputation is to keep your review count growing so that even if you lose a few, you’re still ahead.

 

ScamWatch: Scammers Threatening to De-List GBP Unless They Get a Ransom

Last Updated: January 15, 2025

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Remember the old “I will sell you one of the top 3 positions in Google” con? It lingered, for years, in one form or another but now it’s evil cousin is back. The new version of this old scam is now about removal of your listing, rather than placing it at the top. What’s terrible about this is that it leverages the much more powerful fear-of-loss frame work rather than the weaker want-of-gain. And that’s why people are falling for it.

One of our clients, a tax resolution specialist, recently became the target of this scam. They were threatening him with removal of his Google Business Profile (GBP) from Google Maps unless he paid them.

How the Scam Works

Here’s how these scammers operate:

  1. They contact business owners, often through phone calls or emails, with urgent and threatening messages.
  2. They claim they have control over your Google Business Profile and that they’ll delete it or make it invisible unless you pay them a fee.
  3. Some even offer “services” to boost your GBP ranking for a price—an offer that sounds enticing, but is pure fiction.

The goal? To scare you into forking over your hard-earned cash.

Why This Has An Air Of Truth

Most people know that it’s Google who controls the presence (or lack thereof) of the GBPs in both Google Maps and their search results. Many people also realize that it’s possible to community-edit content on there. In fact, there’s still quite a bit of bad behavior related to this, especially between competitors. The ability to affect a change to someone else’s listing is exactly why this scam sounds like it could be believable.

How to Protect Yourself

Stay ahead of the scammers by following these tips:

  1. Verify Claims: If someone contacts you about your Google Business Profile, do not take their word for it. Log into your GBP account to check its status.
  2. Trust Only Known Companies: You should either reach out to Google directly, or to your trusted marketing partner (if you have one). Don’t even trust someone claiming to be Google if THEY initiated the call to you. That is another common scam tactic.
  3. Stay Calm: Scammers thrive on urgency. Take a breath and evaluate the situation before responding to any threats or demands.

The Bottom Line

Scammers are always finding new ways to exploit small business owners, but with a little knowledge and vigilance, you can stay one step ahead. Remember: if it sounds too good to be true, or if someone is pressuring you with threats, it’s likely a scam. When it comes to your Google Business Profile, trust only Google—no one else has the keys to that kingdom.

Stay safe, stay informed, and as always, keep an eye on ScamWatch for updates!

GBP Suspensions Due To “Google Account Restricted”

Last Updated: December 19, 2024

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If you’ve ever dealt with a Google Business Profile (GBP) suspension, you know it’s frustrating, confusing, and disruptive to your business. One sneaky root cause we’re seeing more often is tied to a “Google account restricted” email. Let’s break it down.

What Does “Google Account Restricted” Mean?

This issue pops up when an email tied to your GBP (whether it’s the owner’s or one of the managers’) gets flagged by Google for bad behavior. When that happens, Google will suspend any profile tied to that email address. Ouch.

It will look like this:
Google account restricted - sample message illustrating how it will appear to the user

The tricky part? Many GBPs have more than one email associated with them, so figuring out which email is restricted can feel like solving a mystery. For a marketing company like Prospect Genius, we can tell if it’s our email causing the problem by looking to all the other GBPs tied to that account. But most business owners have just a single GBP so it’s much harder to rule out any of the emails that way.

Why This Happens

Since some marketing companies don’t follow Google’s rules, we’re starting to see a rise in the number of “restricted account” issues tied to emails owned by these firms. Unfortunately, if they get flagged for bad behavior on a different GBP, yours will get taken down too, just because it’s tied to that “restricted” account. This makes it critical to choose your partners wisely.

What You Can Do to Protect Your GBP

Here are our best tips for staying ahead of this headache:

  1. Monitor Your GBP Regularly
    Keep an eye on your profile’s status. Suspensions can happen without warning, so it’s better to catch them early.
  2. Vet Your Marketing Providers
    Do your homework on any marketing company you work with. Are they following Google’s guidelines? A rule-breaking company could bring your GBP down with them.
  3. Track Who’s Connected
    Know exactly which emails are listed as owners or managers of your GBP. The more people connected, the more potential for issues. If you have a “restricted” account, you’ll need to identify and remove it ASAP.

Don’t Risk DIY Debugging

Remember: Google only gives you two chances to reinstate a suspended listing. Use them wisely. If you’re unsure what caused the suspension, call in a pro early in the process. Waiting until after your two tries are up severely limits your options.

The Bottom Line

While “deceptive content” remains the most common reason for GBP suspensions, these “Google account restricted” cases are increasing. Stay proactive by monitoring your account, choosing trusted marketing partners, and seeking help when you need it.

Keeping your GBP in good standing is critical to staying visible online. With the right precautions, you can avoid being caught in someone else’s mistakes.

Fake Reviews, Perilous or Genius?

Last Updated: December 11, 2024

You already know how important reviews are. But sometimes, the temptation to “game the system” with fake reviews can feel irresistible. Whether it’s writing reviews yourself, enlisting friends and family, or outright buying them, it might seem like a clever shortcut. Spoiler alert: it’s not.

Here’s our take, based on years of dealing with Google Business Profiles (GBPs), reinstating suspended profiles, recovering lost reviews, and navigating Google’s systems in general.

Fake Reviews Are Shockingly Easy to Detect

Sure, creating a 2 or 3 fake reviews will likely fly under the radar. However, 2 or 3 reviews are neither worth policing, nor likely to do much of anything to help your rating. They will, however, contribute to getting you flagged and your listing suspended if/when you manage to get noticed by the Google police.

Here’s some examples of how simple it is to detect review fraud:

Rate of Acquisition

With millions of GBPs to analyze, Google knows exactly how many reviews businesses like yours typically receive over time. If a roofing company suddenly accumulates reviews at a rate 20 times faster than average, it’s a glaring red flag. No roofing crew is doing 15 jobs a day and getting all those clients to leave glowing reviews.

If you buy fake reviews, you’ll end up with a very unnatural surge of review activity. Since computer systems are very good at monitoring simple data flows like the raw volume of reviews and the rate of change in review acquisition, this type of fraud is incredibly easy to detect.

IP and GPS Data

Google can track where reviews are coming from. If your Florida-based business gets reviews from accounts in California or another country, it’s highly suspicious. If multiple reviews are coming from the same IP address, it’s an outright statistical impossibility—and your GBP could be suspended almost immediately.

Reviewer Account History

Google analyzes reviewer accounts to detect patterns. Accounts created recently with no activity other than leaving one glowing review for your business are major red flags. Similarly, accounts with no real connection to your service area scream fraud.

Text Analysis

Fake reviews often lack authenticity. They’re usually vague, overly promotional, and filled with keywords rather than genuine observations. Real reviews tend to mention specific employees, services, or unique experiences. Google’s AI can identify these patterns, flagging fake reviews with remarkable accuracy.

What Happens When You Get Caught?

The penalties for fake reviews are no joke. At best, Google might delete the fraudulent reviews, wiping out all your efforts. More likely, you’ll manage to both waste your time and/or money AND get your GBP suspended. Depending on how severe the infraction, you might never be able to get your GBP back.

The consequences of fake reviews can be severe. At best, Google may just delete the fraudulent reviews, nullifying all your effort (and possibly expense.) More likely, your GBP will be suspended. Depending on how severely you violated the rules, you might never be able to get your GBP back. We help people recover their profiles every single day as part of our GBP Rescue service, but there are some cases where it’s just impossible. After all, if you offend the company providing you with a free service, you should expect them not to be interested in helping you fix your mess.

The Right Way to Boost Your Reviews

Building a strong online reputation takes a little time and effort, but it’s far safer and more sustainable. We recently dove into some simple ways to build out your reviews and future-proof your reputation in this post. Ultimately, you want to achieve a steady stream of inbound reviews, even if that stream is just a trickle. That’s still massively better than getting a flood of reviews out of nowhere. It reflects a more natural review profile and is almost always the result of having implemented smart business practices that will sustain your growth into the future.

The Bottom Line

Google wants reviews to represent real customer experiences, not clever manipulation. While it might be frustrating to watch others cheat the system, remember that Google’s algorithms are always evolving. Fake reviews may offer short-term gains, but they carry significant long-term risks.

So skip the shortcuts and focus on what really matters—providing excellent service that earns real, glowing reviews. Google will notice, and so will your future customers.

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