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Why Aren't My Google Reviews Updating? A Troubleshooting Guide

44 threads Sep 11, 2025 Plugin → Widgets for google reviews

Content

One of the most common issues users face with the 'Widgets for Google Reviews' plugin is reviews not updating on their website. This can manifest in several ways: new reviews not appearing, the total review count being incorrect, or a manual update button not working. This guide will walk you through the most common causes and their solutions.

Why This Happens

The plugin's behavior differs significantly between its free and paid tiers, which is a primary source of confusion. Additionally, caching mechanisms—both within the plugin, your website, and your browser—can often cause delays in displaying the most recent data.

Common Solutions

1. Understand the Free vs. Paid Update Process

Free Version: The free version of the plugin does not update automatically. You can only manually download the latest 10 reviews, and this option becomes available once every 14 days. The 'Get Latest Reviews' or update button is typically found under the 'Reply with ChatGPT' or 'My Reviews' tab within the plugin settings.

Paid Version: If you have a paid subscription through trustindex.io, automatic updating is handled on their admin platform, not within the WordPress plugin itself. The plugin simply displays the widget using a shortcode. To configure automatic daily or weekly syncs, you must adjust the 'refresh rate' settings in your trustindex.io account under the widget's 'more settings'.

2. Clear All Caches

Caching is a frequent culprit. If you can see new reviews in your WordPress admin panel but not on the live site, you need to clear your cache.

  • Site Cache: Clear any caching from your WordPress caching plugin (e.g., WP Fastest Cache, W3 Total Cache) or your host's server-side cache.
  • Browser Cache: Your browser may be showing an old, cached version of the page. Clear your browser's cache or try viewing the site in an incognito/private window.
  • CDN Cache: If you use a Content Delivery Network (like Cloudflare), clear its cache as well.

3. Manually Reconnect and Reset

If the plugin is stuck while trying to download reviews or displays an error, a reset can often resolve connection issues.

  1. Navigate to the plugin's 'Advanced' tab in your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Click the 'Re-create plugin' button. This will reset the plugin to its default settings.
  3. Go through the setup process again by reconnecting your Google My Business profile.

4. Check for a Valid Connection

Sometimes the connection between the plugin and Google can break. Ensure your Google Place ID is still correctly entered and valid. The 'Troubleshooting' text, found in the 'Advanced' tab, can provide useful data for diagnosing connection problems. If issues persist, you may need to disconnect and reconnect the source.

5. Be Patient with Sync Times

Even with a paid plan, there can be a delay of several hours between a review being posted on Google and it appearing in your trustindex.io account and subsequently on your website. The systems require time to sync. If it's only been a few hours, waiting is often the best course of action.

When to Provide More Information

If none of the above steps work, the problem might be more specific. When seeking help from the community, be prepared to provide your website's URL and the 'Troubleshooting' text from the plugin's 'Advanced' tab. This information is crucial for others to diagnose deeper issues.

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