Competitor Reviews — How to Identify and Report Them

Have you ever wondered why your competitor's shop or business always appears higher on Google Maps, even though your service is better? The answer is often hidden in their Google Business Profile (GBP) review strategy. Many small business owners in Malaysia are unaware that reviews — whether genuine or suspicious — play a huge role in local search rankings. This article will walk you through step by step on how to identify competitor review patterns and report any reviews that violate Google's policies, so you can compete fairly and smartly within Malaysia's local search ecosystem.

What You Will Need

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

An active Google account (to search for and report reviews)
The name of the competitor business you want to analyse
Access to Google Maps via a web browser or mobile app
A simple notepad or spreadsheet to record your findings
Approximately 45–60 minutes to complete the process

Time Required: 45–60 minutes Difficulty Level: Easy (Suitable for beginners)

Why This Matters for Your Business

Before we get into the practical steps, let's understand why auditing competitor reviews is so critical. According to BrightLocal (2024), 87% of consumers use Google to evaluate local businesses before making a purchase decision. This means Google reviews are not just numbers — they are a key trust factor for your customers.

More importantly, Moz (2023) found that GBP signals account for 36% of ranking factors in Google's local pack. If your competitor has more reviews — especially ones that appear to spike suddenly within a short period — they may be gaining an unfair advantage in local search.

By understanding competitor review patterns, you are not only protecting your business from unhealthy competition, but you can also learn legitimate strategies to improve your own GBP profile.

Step 1: Identify Your Main Competitors on Google Maps

Search for your competitors using relevant business keywords on Google Maps.

Open Google Maps and type in keywords related to your business — for example, "bakery Subang Jaya" or "car workshop Johor Bahru." Take note of the businesses that appear in the local pack (the top three positions). These are your main competitors that you need to analyse.

Record the name, number of reviews, and star rating of each competitor in a simple table. This will serve as the baseline for your comparison.

[Image: Google Maps view showing a list of local businesses, from an angle that displays business cards with review counts and star ratings]

Pro Tip: Focus on only 3–5 of your closest competitors. Too much data will make your analysis lose focus.

Step 2: Analyse Competitor Review Patterns in Depth

Examine your competitor's reviews carefully to identify abnormal patterns.

Click on your competitor's GBP profile and open the reviews section. While reviewing, take note of the following:

2a: Check the Timeline of Reviews Received

Filter reviews by most recent date. Observe whether there is a sudden spike in the number of reviews within a short period — for instance, 50 reviews in the space of a week. Patterns like these can be a telltale sign of inauthentic reviews.

[Image: A business owner's hand scrolling through a smartphone screen showing a list of reviews on the Google Maps app, with a busy shop in the background]

2b: Examine Reviewer Profiles

Click on the name of each suspicious reviewer. Fake review profiles typically display the following characteristics:

No profile photo or uses a generic image
Only one or two reviews in the entire account history
Reviews written at the same time across several different businesses
Review language is overly generic — for example, "Great service!" with no specific details
Unusual usernames or ones that look like randomly computer-generated names

2c: Compare Ratings Against Actual Service Quality

If a business has a 4.9-star rating with 300 reviews but you know firsthand or through community feedback that their service is mediocre, this warrants further investigation.

Google (2024) confirms that complete and accurate GBP information improves local search rankings — meaning profiles with genuine reviews and complete information should rightfully gain a legitimate organic advantage.

Step 3: Identify the Types of Reviews That Can Be Reported

Understand the categories of reviews that violate Google's policies before making a report.

Not all negative reviews can be reported. Google will only take action on reviews that clearly violate their policies. Here are the categories that qualify for reporting:

Review Type	Description	Can Be Reported?
Fake reviews	Written by fake or paid accounts	✅ Yes
Spam reviews	Repetitive or irrelevant content	✅ Yes
Harmful content	Profanity, threats, or discrimination	✅ Yes
Conflict of interest	Written by the company's own employees	✅ Yes
Genuine negative reviews	Bad experiences that actually happened	❌ No
Low rating with no comment	Reviewer gives 1 star with no explanation	⚠️ Depends on context

Important: Reporting genuine negative reviews is a violation of ethics and Google's policies. Focus only on reviews that truly violate the policies.

Step 4: How to Report Suspicious Reviews on Google Maps

Report reviews that violate Google's policies through the following official process:

4a: Via Google Maps (The Easiest Way)

Go to the GBP profile of the business in question on Google Maps
Scroll to the reviews section
Find the review you want to report
Click the three-dot icon (⋮) on the right side of that review
Select "Report review" or "Flag as inappropriate"
Choose the most appropriate category from the list provided
Click "Submit"

[Image: A business owner in a batik shirt using a smartphone in front of their brightly-lit shop, with a serious yet professional expression]

4b: Via Google Business Profile Manager

If you are a business owner who is receiving fake reviews on your own profile:

Log in to business.google.com
Select your business profile
Click on "Reviews" in the left-hand menu
Find the suspicious review
Click the flag icon or three dots to report it

4c: Via Google's Help Form

For more serious cases or if your first report receives no response:

Visit support.google.com/business
Search for "Report a policy violation"
Fill in the form with complete details including the profile URL and the review in question
Include additional evidence if available (screenshots, etc.)

Note: Google typically takes 3–5 working days to review a report. In some cases, it can take up to 2 weeks.

Step 5: Documentation and Ongoing Monitoring

Record all your findings and reports for reference and follow-up action.

Auditing competitor reviews is not a one-off process — it needs to be done on a regular basis. Create a simple document containing:

Date of audit conducted
Competitor name audited
Number of suspicious reviews identified
Google report reference number (if available)
Date report was submitted
Report status (under review / resolved / rejected)

Revisit this document every month or after any significant change in your competitor's ranking on Google Maps.

[Image: A tidy small shop work desk with an open notebook and pen, with a blurred background showing a warm and welcoming local business atmosphere]

Step 6: Strengthen Your Own GBP Profile

Improve your GBP profile as the best strategy to compete in a healthy manner.

After understanding your competitor's tactics, the most important step is to ensure your own GBP profile is in the best possible shape. According to Google (2024), consistently complete and accurate information improves rankings in local search.

Make sure your GBP profile has:

✅ A complete business description — this is the signal most frequently overlooked by Malaysian businesses
✅ Up-to-date operating hours — including public holiday hours
✅ A minimum of 10 high-quality photos — images of your products, premises, and team
✅ An active website link
✅ Responses to all reviews — both positive and negative

The best strategy to get more genuine reviews is to ask satisfied customers directly after a transaction. This is a legitimate, ethical, and effective way to build your online reputation.

💡 Bonus Tip: If you notice your GBP rating dropping suddenly without any clear reason, read our article on GBP Rating Dropped Suddenly — What You Should Do for guidance on handling that situation.

Step 7: Audit Your GBP Profile with GBPAuditLab

Run a comprehensive audit to see where you stand against your competitors.

After analysing your competitors and reporting suspicious reviews, it is time to make sure your own GBP profile is in optimum condition. This is where GBPAuditLab plays an important role.

GBPAuditLab is designed specifically for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. By simply entering your business name, you will receive a detailed audit report showing:

Health score of your GBP profile overall
Overlooked signals that are affecting your ranking
Specific recommendations that can be implemented immediately
Comparison against local industry best practices

🔗 Start Your Free GBP Audit Now at GBPAuditLab

This audit takes less than 5 minutes — and the results can significantly change your local search strategy.

Summary: What You Need to Do Now

Here is a summary of the steps you need to take:

Identify your 3–5 main competitors on Google Maps
Analyse their review patterns — volume, dates, and reviewer profiles
Understand the types of reviews that qualify for reporting
Report reviews that violate Google's policies through official channels
Document all findings for ongoing monitoring
Strengthen your own GBP profile with complete information and genuine reviews
Audit your profile regularly using GBPAuditLab

Remember — the main goal is not to bring down your competitors, but to ensure competition happens fairly and to make your GBP profile as strong as possible. In Malaysia's increasingly competitive local search ecosystem, businesses that have a complete GBP profile, genuine reviews, and a consistent strategy will always win in the long run.