What changed
Google redesigned its Maps review page and introduced a mandatory login requirement to view reviews on any Google Business listing. Users who are not logged in to a Google account can no longer see full review content on business listings. This is a Google platform decision — it is not a Birdeye system issue.
Birdeye aggregates Google reviews through two methods:
Google Business Profile (GBP) API integration — direct, real-time, unaffected
Page scraping — used as a fallback for locations without GBP integration — now affected by this change
What is still working
Review aggregation for all GBP-integrated locations
Listings sync and publishing
Listings verifier
Business search and profile
What is not working (for non-integrated locations)
Review aggregation via page scraping
Competitor AI review aggregation
Local business reputation scores
Who is impacted
You are affected if: your account has locations that are NOT connected to Google Business Profile (GBP) inside Birdeye, and your review data for those locations has stopped updating.
You are NOT affected if: all your locations are connected to GBP. Review data continues to flow normally.
Partial impact: If some locations are GBP-connected and others are not, only the unconnected locations are affected.
Special case — provider/franchise models: If your business does not own or manage its location pages directly (e.g., healthcare provider networks, franchise location models), some or all locations may not be eligible for GBP integration. Contact your CSM to discuss options.
What you may see
Google review counts appear lower than expected
Recent reviews not appearing in your Birdeye dashboard
Competitor benchmarking data may be stale
Reputation scores not updating for affected locations
The fix: Connect your Google Business Profile
Connecting your GBP account to Birdeye is the recommended solution. It is the most reliable method for review monitoring, provides real-time data, and is not affected by Google's page changes.
IMPORTANT:
Connecting your GBP account also unlocks additional benefits — including real-time review alerts, expanded review response capabilities, and richer location data across Search AI and Pages.
How to connect:
Log in to your Birdeye dashboard
Go to Settings → Integrations → Google Business Profile
Click Connect and follow the OAuth prompts to authorize access
Select the locations you want to link and confirm
Need help? Contact Birdeye Support at support@birdeye.com or chat with us in-app.
Fallback options (while you connect)
Birdeye is evaluating the Google Places API as a temporary fallback for locations without GBP integration. This may allow retrieval of limited review data (up to 5 reviews per location). We will update this article as that option is confirmed.