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What this means for attorneys and businesses that rely on trust
This post is a few months late. But, I have a good excuse. The post has been sitting in my review folder for quite a while and I’ve forgotten about it. So, here goes:
Google recently rolled out an update for users to create a custom display name and profile photo for their Google account contributions. That includes reviews on Google Search and Google Maps. These changes apply not only going forward, but also retroactively to past reviews.
In plain terms, reviews can now appear anonymous to the public, even though they are still tied to a real Google account behind the scenes.
This is a very big deal for Waynesville, Asheville, and WNC business owners looking to rank better in Google Maps.
Many local businesses, particularly attorneys and professional service providers, rely on trust to generate leads and win clients; however, obtaining reviews is not always easy. That’s why so many people resort to creative schemes like paying for reviews. Sometimes it works. It works so great until someone reports your business, right?
Getting people to post legitimate reviews on Google Business Profile is a common challenge in attorney online marketing, and one we frequently encounter during website design and SEO projects.
From a digital marketing perspective, this update lowers that barrier. At My Local Start, we see this as an opportunity for local businesses to encourage more honest reviews from real clients who simply value privacy.
Why an anonymous Google review is a big deal for certain industries
Most people want to remain as private as possible. Leaving a public review, especially a negative one, does not come naturally to many. Others simply do not want their real names attached to something that lives online permanently.
That’s worth remembering. The internet is forever.
Clients of criminal defense attorneys are the obvious example. A client may be extremely happy with the outcome of their case, but that doesn’t mean they want their real name attached to a public Google review. The same applies to family law, immigration, employment disputes, and even some medical or mental health services.
Until now, that hesitation has been a major barrier.
With Google allowing custom names and profile photos, businesses can now tell clients something important and reassuring:
You can leave an honest review without using your real name.
If a client can leave an honest review using a custom name and photo, they are far more likely to follow through. That’s a win for the business and a win for future customers who rely on reviews to make decisions.
With Google placing strong weight on review recency for local visibility, especially in Google Maps, this change could help businesses build a stronger review profile without putting customers in an uncomfortable position.
The other side of the coin
Every system that lowers friction also creates opportunities for abuse. Any public system built on trust can be exploited if there are no meaningful safeguards.
Case in point: The fraud issues tied to taxpayer-funded programs in Minnesota happened because trust was exploited. Add incompetence and greed to the mix, and you get a full-blown calamity for American taxpayers.
Apply this to the new Google system. Google’s move toward anonymous reviews lowers friction for honest people, but it also opens the door to bad actors. Oversight, enforcement, and accountability go a long way to keep the system in check.
Anonymous or semi-anonymous reviews can attract bad actors: disgruntled former employees, competitors, or people who were never customers at all. A scathing review under a custom name can feel harder to challenge at first glance.
That said, this is not a free-for-all.
Even with custom names and photos, reviews are still tied to a Google account internally. Google can see activity patterns, account history, and behavior signals that businesses cannot.
If a review violates Google’s policies and you have reason to believe it is fake, you still have the same recourse:
- Report the review through your Google Business Profile
- Provide context and evidence where possible
- Follow up through support if necessary
Will every report succeed? No. No system is perfect. But the mechanism to address abuse still exists.
Anonymous to the public does not mean anonymous to Google
Even with custom names and profile photos, every review is still tied to a real Google account internally.
That means:
- Google can still trace activity patterns
- Reviews can still be flagged and investigated
- Policy-violating reviews can still be removed
If you know a review is fake, misleading, or written by someone who was never a customer, you still have recourse. Reporting may not work one hundred percent of the time, but that has always been true. No review system is perfect.
The key point is this: Google did not give up control. It simply gave users more privacy on the surface.
Tip: What reviewers should know
If a reviewer updates their Google profile name or photo, that change applies retroactively.
Any past reviews or contributions they’ve made across Google Maps and Search will now display the updated name and profile image.
This is worth mentioning to clients who may worry about old activity being exposed under a new name.
The practical takeaway
For now, this update should be viewed as an opportunity, not a threat.
If you run a business where reviews are difficult to obtain due to privacy concerns, this update gives you a legitimate way to encourage honest feedback from real clients.
Focus on the upside:
- Make review requests easier
- Be clear that real names are not required
- Keep doing the basics well: service, follow-up, and professionalism
If abuse happens, deal with it when it happens. That has always been the case.
Google is clearly prioritizing review volume, recency, and ongoing participation. This update fits squarely into that direction.
But reviews alone are not the whole story.
To rank well in Google Maps, your website still matters. A lot. How strong is your core site? Is it optimized at all? Does it clearly explain what you do, where you do it, and why you are the right choice? These are the questions our team at My Local Start deals with every day.
Many business owners don’t realize that the strength of their website is one of the major factors influencing local Maps visibility. Reviews help. They absolutely do. But they work best when paired with a solid, well-optimized site behind them. There is a balance, and getting it right takes fine-tuning.
If you have real customers who want to say good things about your business, this update gives you an opportunity to make those reviews count. And if you’re not sure whether your website is helping or quietly holding you back, we can help you figure that out.
That’s what we do.
