The man behind The ESTAS says there’s growing concern in the industry about disappearing Google reviews and the potential impact on agents. 

Simon Brown says that Google’s algorithms, while intended to identify and remove fraudulent reviews, can sometimes mistakenly delete legitimate feedback, leaving property businesses vulnerable, damaging their online reputation and potentially affecting their visibility in search results. 

Furthermore, reviews can be removed manually by Google, due to external pressures, inactivity on a Google My Business profile, location discrepancies, or simply by the reviewer themselves. This instability can lead to a loss of trust, reduced visibility, and ultimately, a loss of business. 

He suggests that there’s added frustration felt by businesses because of the lack of control they have when things go wrong and the challenges of dealing with a faceless global giant like Google.  

“In the competitive UK property market, reputation is paramount” says Brown, chief executive and founder of ESTAS. “Agents and property companies rely on positive online reviews to demonstrate their credibility and attract clients. The risk of losing these reviews unexpectedly can be detrimental to their business.”

He claims his awards service offers a secure and reliable platform for collecting and showcasing genuine customer feedback. 

Brown claims ESTAS encourages agents to take control of their online reputation by utilising what he calls “its robust platform” which he says is a trusted alternative at a time when the reliability of global platforms is being questioned, and Google reviews appear to be randomly disappearing.