To negate a 1-star Google review, generally 10 to 20 new 5-star reviews are needed. However, the exact number depends on your current star rating and total number of Google reviews. This is because Google uses an average star rating calculation, which is calculated based on the star rating of all published reviews.
Average Star Rating = Total Sum of All Star Ratings ÷ Total Number of ReviewsThis average calculation means a 1-star review has a much greater impact on a business with 10 reviews than a business with 500 reviews. To determine exactly how many new 5-star reviews are needed, use this free Google review calculator, which will help you determine how many are needed to cancel a 1-star review.
Factors That Affect Star Rating For Google Business Profiles
It’s important to note each of the following factors below, which can help you determine a strategy to cancel a new 1-star review:
- Total existing reviews: A high total review count (over 100 Google reviews) means a single 1-star review has less impact, requiring fewer 5-star reviews to fix the average.
- Current average score: To achieve a higher star rating (going from a 4.6 to a 4.9), you will generally need many new 5-star reviews or a combination of new reviews and removing policy-violating 1-star reviews.
- Google rounding: Google also rounds the displayed star rating to the nearest decimal, meaning a 4.95 will display as a 5.0, which can mean less new positive reviews needed to achieve the desired rating.
The Impact of 1-star Google Reviews Based on Star Rating
The impact depends primarily on how many total reviews already exist. For example, consider the following review thresholds, and the impact a 1-star reviews has on the average star rating:
| Existing Reviews | Rating Before | Rating After 1-Star Review |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 5.0 | 4.64 |
| 50 | 5.0 | 4.92 |
| 100 | 5.0 | 4.96 |
| 500 | 5.0 | 4.99 |
| 1,000 | 5.0 | 5.00* |
As the total number of reviews increases, each individual review represents a smaller percentage of the star rating.
Consider Removing The 1-star Review
If the review violates Google’s content policies, you may be able to report a review directly through your Business Profile or Google’s Review Management Tool. Google allows businesses to report reviews and, if the initial report is unsuccessful, certain decisions can be escalated for additional review.
Not every negative review qualifies for removal simply because it is unfavorable. However, reviews involving fake activity, conflicts of interest, harassment, personal information, spam, or other policy violations may be eligible. Businesses that have already attempted Google’s reporting process can also consider professional Google review removal services when dealing with potentially policy-violating reviews.
Don’t Ignore the Review in the Meantime
Whether or not you’re attempting to remove a 1-star review, it’s generally a good idea to respond to reviews professionally.
A thoughtful response doesn’t change the numerical rating, but it gives prospective customers additional context. It also provides an opportunity to acknowledge legitimate criticism, clarify inaccurate information, and demonstrate that your business actively addresses customer concerns. A good response or remedy to the customer’s negative experience can also result in them changing the rating to a 5-star review, or removing the 1-star review altogether.
The Bottom Line
There isn’t a specific number of 5-star reviews that automatically cancels a 1-star Google review. The number depends on your existing review count, current average, and the rating you’re trying to reach.
Businesses with very few reviews may need a significant number of new 5-star ratings to recover from a single 1-star review, while businesses with hundreds of reviews may see almost no visible change at all. For an exact estimate based on your Business Profile, use our Google review calculator to calculate how many additional 5-star reviews are needed to reach your desired rating.
