We recently got some surprise news from Google about reviews. As of November, 2025, Google Maps users can now leave anonymous Google reviews. Instead of leaving a review with their real name and profile picture, customers can choose a custom pseudonym and image, thus keeping their identity private.
Needless to say, because of how impactful Google reviews are on local search performance, this announcement left many businesses and SEO professionals wondering how anonymous reviews might impact their Google Business Profile rankings.
What You Need To Know About Google's Anonymous Reviews Announcement
The announcement about Google Maps users' newfound ability to leave an anonymous Google review was slightly buried in a holiday-focused blog post from Google about new Google Maps features.
However, SEO pros were quick to pick up on the news, and opinions and reactions varied. Some were quick to point out that allowing anonymous Google reviews could open the floodgates to even more fake reviews, while others highlighted the fact that it will almost certainly benefit businesses in specific verticals.
Will Anonymous Google Reviews Lead To More Fake Reviews?
We definitely understand the concern that the ability to leave an anonymous review on a Google Business Profile might result in more fake reviews. But the reality is that the people who are already leaving fake reviews aren't revealing their true identities when doing so.
Google review scams have been on the rise as of late, and leaving fake negative reviews on a competitor's GBP is a classic black hat local SEO tactic. Whether it's a scammer, a malicious competitor, or a shady SEO practitioner, it's incredibly easy for someone to create a fake Google account and leave all the reviews they want.
Google also stated in the announcement that its Gemini AI would still be monitoring anonymous reviews closely for suspicious patterns and content, and it could still cross-reference these reviews with the real Google account associated with them behind the scenes.
In short, while it's definitely something to keep an eye on, we don't think this update will have a significant negative impact on anyone's Google Business Profile performance.
What Businesses Will Anonymous Google Maps Reviews Benefit?
Historically, it's been very difficult for businesses in certain industries where customers want to maintain their privacy. Think:
- Therapy and mental health services
- Addiction and recovery centers
- Medical and wellness clinics
- Legal services (family law, bankruptcy, etc.)
- Cosmetic and elective medical procedures
- Financial consulting or credit-related services
If a business can't build a steady stream of reviews, they're missing out on one of the most important direct ranking factors for Google, and now AI, visibility.
So, for businesses in certain sensitive verticals, the ability for their customers to leave anonymous reviews on Google Business Profile is actually great news! They can now confidently ask customers for reviews to build up volume and maintain a good review velocity, ultimately boosting local rankings and visibility and driving more business.
How Businesses Can Start Capitalizing on Anonymous Google Reviews
1. Train Your Team on the New Review Option
Make sure staff know that customers can now leave anonymous reviews so they can confidently mention it during in-person or digital review requests. A quick internal update can immediately boost the comfort level of employees when asking privacy-sensitive customers for reviews.
2. Update Your Review Requests
Refresh your email, text, and in-person scripts to note that reviewers can choose a pseudonym and set a custom profile picture. This small tweak can increase review rates for audiences that previously hesitated to leave public feedback.
3. Continue Monitoring for Fake Reviews
Anonymous reviews don't change Google's guidelines or your ability to report suspicious review activity. Keep flagging anything that looks inauthentic, and remember that Google's systems still evaluate patterns behind the scenes.
4. Start or Strengthen Sentiment Analysis
If your industry previously struggled to earn enough reviews for sentiment analysis, this is the moment to begin analyzing themes and sentiment in new feedback. With more reviewers participating, you can extract better insights to improve service quality and stand out against competitors.
FAQs on Anonymous Google Reviews
Can you leave an anonymous Google review?
Yes, as of November, 2025, Google Maps allows users to leave anonymous reviews on Google Business Profiles.
How can you leave an anonymous review on Google?
Go to "Edit profile" in your Google account, check the box for "Use a custom name & picture for posting," then enter a display name and choose your profile picture.
Do anonymous Google reviews still count toward rankings?
Yes. Anonymous reviews are treated the same as standard reviews, and they still contribute to overall rating, review volume, review recency/velocity, and local visibility.
Can businesses respond to anonymous Google reviews?
Yes. Businesses can reply just as they would to any other review. Only the reviewer's public name changes, but the rest of the interaction works the same.
Are anonymous Google reviews more likely to be fake?
Not necessarily. Google still uses AI and pattern detection to monitor for suspicious activity, and anonymous reviews are subject to the same policies and removal processes as all other reviews.
Conclusion
Although it may be a seemingly minor update to Google Business Profile's overall functionality, anonymous Google reviews introduce a meaningful shift in how customers share feedback. While some concerns about the potential for more fake reviews are understandable, the update ultimately opens the door for more authentic participation from people who value privacy.
For many businesses, especially in sensitive verticals, this change is an opportunity to increase review volume and velocity, strengthen reputation signals, and improve local visibility in both traditional and AI-driven local search results.
