Google is removing all reviews and star ratings from 0–12 school profiles.

From April 30, 2025, Google will begin permanently removing all reviews and star ratings from Google Business Profiles belonging to primary, intermediate, and secondary schools. This is a global change — and yes, it applies here in New Zealand too. Once removed, schools will no longer be able to receive new reviews either.

Why is Google doing this?

According to Google, many reviews on school profiles are off-topic, misleading, or left by individuals without a direct relationship to the school. Often, they reflect the experiences of former students or external individuals using the platform to vent, rather than provide constructive feedback.

What does this mean for your school?

⭐ All existing Google reviews and ratings will be permanently deleted

🚫 New reviews won’t be accepted moving forward

🔍 School profiles may become less visible in Google search results

📉 You’ll lose a key channel for showcasing positive public feedback

This shift highlights the need for schools to take control of how they present themselves online — because relying on third-party platforms like Google is no longer a reliable option.

How can schools respond?

Now more than ever, it’s essential to strengthen your school’s digital presence using tools you own and control.

Here are three powerful ways to do that:

1. Tell your story with multimedia

Star ratings don’t capture the spirit of your kura — but photos and video do. Sharing real-life experiences helps prospective families connect with your values and culture.

Some ideas to get started:

• A school overview video to introduce your unique environment

• A principal welcome message to build familiarity and trust

• Virtual tours for families exploring options from afar

• Updated photography for websites, social posts, and enrolment packs

• Short videos showing student life, classrooms, and community events

These assets offer rich, meaningful insights into your school — and can be used across all your channels.

👉️ Talk to us about our multi-media packages.

2. Boost Your Google Ranking with Hail

Hail is purpose-built to help you create and share engaging content like newsletters and articles — quickly and easily. But it does more than just simplify communication.

Did you know that regularly publishing content through Hail can significantly improve your Google search ranking?

Here’s how:
Share your school’s successes — whether in sports, academics, the arts, or community - on your website and social media using Hail. Google’s algorithm favours fresh, consistent updates. The more quality content you publish, the more visible and relevant your site becomes in search results.

With Google Reviews being phased out, tools like Hail put you back in control of your online presence, letting you shape the narrative and show your community exactly who you are and what you value.

3. Make your website your strongest asset

Your school’s website is often the first place whānau visit when researching schools — so it needs to make a great first impression. Here’s how to ensure it’s doing just that:

• Showcase your values, vision, and culture clearly

• Ensure it's easy to navigate and the content is up to date.

• Add testimonials, videos, news, and upcoming events
  👉️ Testimonials are a powerful way to validate and highlight what your school stands for.

• Make enrolment info and contact details easy to find

If your website hasn’t had an update in a while — whether it’s the layout, design, or imagery — now’s a great time to refresh. We're here to help!

What’s Changing with Google Reviews?

With Google Reviews being phased out - we think that’s a positive move - it gives you back control of your online presence. But to stay highly visible on Google, we recommend taking these three steps:

1. Rethink your imagery and content
   Update your site with fresh, authentic images and meaningful content that reflects your school’s strengths. Consider adding testimonials or a live Hail news feed to keep things dynamic.

2. Use Hail more — it’s your secret SEO weapon
   Google loves fresh content. Hail makes it easy to publish regular updates to your website and social media, boosting your search engine ranking without any extra fuss.

3. Review (or create) your Google Business Profile (GBP)
   Even without reviews, your GBP remains a powerful tool for visibility. Make sure all your details are accurate and up to date. High-quality photos and a well-written description go a long way.

Need help here - contact us.