Google Disables Reviews for Schools: What This Means & How to Respond

ismarteads

May 24, 2025

Newsletters

Google’s Major Update & What It Means for Schools

A Message from the Founder & CEO of Ismart eAds, Your Digital Growth Partner in Education

As the Founder and CEO of Ismart eAds Marketing & Consulting, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with schools and educational institutions across India to build powerful digital identities that attract, engage, and inspire.

Today, I want to address an important shift that could significantly impact how schools manage their online reputation and admissions pipeline.

🚨 The Update: Google Disables Reviews for Schools (Effective April 30, 2025)

Google has officially announced that starting April 30, 2025, it will disable reviews and ratings for all general education schools (K–12) on Google Search and Maps.

This change is aimed at protecting schools from fake, misleading, or prank reviews, which unfortunately have become all too common—often posted by students or individuals with little real insight into the institution.

🧠 What This Means for Your School

Until now, Google Reviews played a major role in shaping parent perception and influencing school selection. With this change, you will:

No longer be able to collect or display new reviews on your Google profile.
Lose a key trust-building feature parents look for during school research.
Face reputation management challenges, especially if you previously depended on high review scores.

This change might seem like a setback—but it’s also an opportunity.

What Schools Should Do Next: My Expert Advice

1. Make Your Website the Authority

Your school website is now your most powerful storytelling tool.

Feature video testimonials from parents and alumni.
Add a dedicated “What Parents Say” section.
Showcase student achievements and awards with real data and photos.

2. Dominate Social Platforms with Positive Content

While Google reviews are gone, Facebook, Instagram, and education directories still offer review features and engagement tools.

Encourage happy parents to leave feedback on these platforms.
Post authentic behind-the-scenes stories that build emotional connection.

3. Use Feedback Strategically

Create a formal system to collect feedback through surveys and forms.
Then—with permission—turn that feedback into digital testimonials, reels, and case studies.

4. Focus on Content & SEO

Now more than ever, your school needs to rank high on Google based on real, useful content.
Our team can help you create:

Parent-focused blogs and FAQs
Campus life stories
Teacher interviews
Academic highlights

This helps you stay visible even without the review component.

5. Tap Into Local Listings & Forums

Build your presence across platforms like:

Justdial
Sulekha
SchoolMyKids
Edustoke
eazyschooling
Schooldekho
Parent communities and educational forums

We’ll help you manage and optimize these listings to drive trusted leads.

Google Disables Reviews for Schools What This Means & How to Respond (1120 x 1120 px)

💼 How Ismart eAds Can Help

At Ismart eAds, we specialize in digital solutions tailored for educational institutions. With this Google update, we’re already helping schools:

Redesign websites to host social proof and real feedback
Build strategic video campaigns to showcase school excellence
Optimize local SEO without relying on reviews
Monitor and manage brand reputation across other platforms
Run paid campaigns that drive genuine enquiries

🎯 Final Thought: Don’t Rely on Reviews. Build Your Brand.

This update is a reminder that your school’s brand must live beyond a 5-star rating. You need systems, content, and strategy that tell your story the right way—to the right audience—at the right time.

Let’s take this opportunity to future-proof your digital presence.

Tags :

Google Disables Reviews for Schools,Google review disabled,Google reviews for schools

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Have Any Question?

Want cost-effective, personalized digital marketing solutions from a virtual team? Call now to discover how we deliver top-tier results with a remote, talented workforce!