Surviving a “Review Bomb”: A Rapid Response Strategy
Client: A local, high-end restaurant.
Challenges We Faced
The client was the victim of a viral (and false) social media post, leading to a “review bomb” that crippled their business overnight:
Sudden Influx of 1-Star Reviews
The client was hit with 50+ fake, 1-star reviews in 48 hours.
Average Rating Crash
Their GMB rating dropped from 4.8 stars to 2.1 stars.
Reservations Halted
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) showed that GMB-driven reservations and calls dropped by 90%.
No Defense System
They had no Review Management Platforms and no process for handling a crisis.
No Rapid Response or Recovery Framework
There was no playbook to identify review spam, escalate takedown requests to Google, communicate with customers, or quickly rebuild rating velocity—allowing the attack to devastate visibility and revenue.
Fix Your Online Reviews
“Is a ‘review bomb’ sinking your business? Our Online Review Bombing services can help you repair the damage and build trust.”
Our Approach – How We Solved These Challenges
Rapid Response & Triage
Our crisis reputation repair company immediately performed a Comprehensive Reputation Audit to identify the “review bomb” pattern.
De-Indexing & Legal Takedowns
We flagged all 50+ fake reviews with Google, citing the “review bombing” TOS violation. Google verified the attack and removed 48 of the fake reviews.
Positive Content Creation (Review Generation)
While the removal was in process, we implemented a Review Management Platform (like Podium) to launch an SMS campaign to their actual recent customers.
Customized Suppression Strategy
We drafted a professional, public GMB Post and review response, acknowledging the “online attack” and thanking their real customers for their support.
Results
| Metric | Before | After | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Google Star Rating | 2.1 Stars (80 reviews) | 4.6 Stars (300+ reviews) | +119% |
| Fake Reviews Removed | 0 | 48 | N/A |
| Online Reservations (from GMB) | 10/mo (during crisis) | 150/mo (recovered) | +1400% |
Free Review Analysis
“Want to see how your reviews compare to your competitors? Request a Free Review Analysis from our crisis reputation repair company!”
Advice for Marketers & Brand Owners
- Act fast during a review bomb. Rapid Response & Triage is everything. Document the pattern and report it to Google immediately.
- The best defense is a proactive offense. A steady stream of new, positive reviews from a Review Management Platform is the #1 way to protect your rating.
- Respond to the crisis publicly. A single, professional GMB Post can calm fears and show you are in control.
Extra Factors That Made It Work
- The De-Indexing & Legal Takedowns (flagging) provided the “quick win” that stopped the bleeding.
- The new review generation (using Podium) was the long-term, sustainable fix that rebuilt their star rating with real reviews.
- Our Customized Suppression Strategy (the GMB Post) helped rally their loyal customers.
