If you have noticed perfectly polite review replies, or even full reviews, vanish from your Google Business Profile lately, you are not imagining it. Google has tightened enforcement around what counts as helpful, unbiased content. Anything that looks promotional, contains contact info, or hints at a conflict of interest is more likely to be filtered. Here is what is happening, and how Apartment SEO (ASEO) clients and partners can keep content visible.

What is getting flagged right now

Promotional or “selling” language. Reviews, Q&A, and owner replies that read like ads tend to get removed. That includes adding emails, phone numbers, social handles, or direct URLs inside the text. Google wants experience sharing and problem solving, not sales pitches. If you want someone to call, point them to the Call button on your profile, or say “please contact us using the phone number on our profile” rather than pasting digits.

Overly personal references. Naming non-public individuals, including first and last names, may trigger moderation. Keep people references generic in replies: “our leasing team,” “our community manager,” or “our support team.” Save shoutouts for internal kudos or your own channels where you control the context.

Conflict of interest cues. Google’s review system tries to surface authentic, independent feedback. Content that sounds like it is coming from insiders, such as employees, contractors, or paid partners, faces extra scrutiny. Even if the intent is honest, wording that implies an internal relationship can lead to takedowns.

Why this matters for vendors like ASEO

Here is a common pitfall: a happy client writes, “We work with ASEO and they are great.” That “work with” phrasing can read like employment or an insider relationship. The result is a higher risk of removal for perceived conflict of interest. It is far safer, and clearer, to frame the relationship as customer to vendor rather than colleague to colleague.

Safer wording:

• “We are a client of Apartment SEO and saw stronger lead quality within three months.”
• “Our property partnered with ASEO for SEO and ads. Communication and reporting have been excellent.”

Risky wording:

• “I work with ASEO.”
• “We work with ASEO on our marketing,” without clarifying it is a vendor relationship.

Practical guidelines that keep content live

When requesting reviews from clients:

• Ask for specifics about results and service, such as transparency, responsiveness, and outcomes.
• Coach them to avoid contact info, links, and staff names in the body of the review.
• Encourage “client” or “customer” language to clarify the relationship.

Replying to reviews as the business:

• Be thankful, concise, and solution oriented.
• Do not paste phone numbers or emails in the reply. Instead, say “Please reach out using the number listed on our Google profile and ask for the property support team.”
• Keep people references generic unless the person is already a public facing representative.
• If you need to drive action, use your profile’s built in buttons, such as Call, Website, and Directions, rather than typing contact details into the text.

When posting updates or answering Q&A:

• Share helpful information without embedding contact info in the copy.
• If you need calls, rely on the profile’s call button.
• For deeper support, invite users to contact you via the details already displayed on your profile.

“Do this, not that” examples

Review request to a client:

• Do: “Could you share a quick review about partnering with Apartment SEO? Insights on results and communication are most helpful.”
• Do not: “Please mention our account manager by name and include our support email.”

Owner reply to a negative review:

• Do: “Thanks for the feedback, we want to make this right. Please contact us using the phone number on our Google profile and ask for the property support team so we can help.”
• Do not: “Email john@yourproperty.com or call 555-123-4567.”

Bottom line

Keep reviews and replies experience focused, non promotional, and free of insider cues. Use your Business Profile’s built in contact options instead of typing phone numbers or emails, keep personal references generic, and coach clients to describe themselves clearly as customers. These small tweaks reduce removals and help protect the credible reputation you have worked hard to build.