In May of this year, Google announced that it would begin deleting inactive Gmail accounts (for more than two years) in December 2023.

Well, the time has come, and I imagine there are a significant number of people who have not acted. Many people may even ask, “What’s the problem?” – but there are a lot of things to consider that may be tied to your Gmail account beyond email.

And for brands, it could mean bad news for your Google reviews.

So consider this a good time to do a little account management! Review all your sign-ins and either update the email address if you don’t use Gmail or sign in to your Google account to make sure it’s active.

What does this mean for my business reviews?

Users who leave business reviews on Google must therefore have an active account could Brands may see a decrease in the total number of reviews on their profile when they are removed.

However, it has not been confirmed whether Google will remove the reviews or simply mark the review author as inactive/anonymous. According to Reputation America, reviews from deleted accounts will still remain visible on company profiles, but will no longer be linked to personal information.

Given the importance of various evaluation factors in building trust with companies, this makes sense – and Google wants to maintain that integrity. As we know from the Local Consumer Review Survey, consumers are interested not only in a company’s top star rating, but also in the experiences that customers describe.

What does this mean for Google Business Profiles?

To claim and manage your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing, you need a Google Account. If different people have been associated with your GBP over the years, it’s a good idea to check the owners associated with the profile and make sure the users with account access are up to date.

You can do this by going to your GBP dashboard, clicking on the three dots next to the profile strength indicator and selecting “Company Profile Settings”.

While it hasn’t been confirmed what would happen to a GBP if its sole user were deleted, we can assume the profile would revert to an unclaimed business listing.

A GBP remains visible even when unmanaged. Therefore, Google is unlikely to remove it. However, you may need to go through the claim and verification process again.

What is exempt and how do I know if my Google account is inactive?

Well, if you’re using an Android or Google device, there’s a good chance you don’t have to worry. If your system is signed in to Google and connected to apps like Calendar, Chrome, Photos, and Play Store, your use of those apps counts as activity. If videos are posted to your YouTube account, it is also safe.

According to Forbes, exceptions also include Google accounts associated with educational institutions as well as those that are business accounts.

What should I do?

If your personal Google account has been inactive for two years or more, but you have personal files, photos, and memories stored there that you don’t want to lose, you should consider signing in before it’s too late.

It’s not clear whether mass deletion has begun, but Google’s initiatives typically take several weeks to fully implement.

For GBP holders and managers, the likelihood of your GBP being linked to an inactive Google account is quite unlikely. However, take the time to check who has access to the account and update the details if necessary.

And when it comes to reviews, there’s not much you can do to prevent these changes. For now, we just have to wait for the impact of the big Google account deletion.

Remember, it’s always good to keep an eye on forums like X (formerly Twitter), the Local Pack, and the Local Search Forum to see if any big changes or updates have been discovered and how people are reacting to them.

Sammy is the Content Marketing Manager at BrightLocal and focuses on developing marketing-relevant insights into what drives visibility, rankings and search success for local businesses.