Customer feedback is the currency of credibility in the world of business. They help you understand the needs of your target demographic and improve your product or service.
However, with the rise of online ratings, most companies have encountered fake reviews. This can hurt your company, especially if you are a new or a small business.
So, how do you spot fake Google reviews? And how do you remove them?
This article explores all of that.
Think about the last time you bought something. Did you consult the customer reviews first? Most probably, yes. Consumers want reliability; they want to invest their money in something others trust, even if they are strangers on the internet.
Negative fake reviews can hurt your business by influencing potential customers' decisions. Just one convincing fake review can damage your reputation, especially if you own a small business.
Google reviews don’t require much verification, so anyone with an account can post a review. This has led to a rise in fake reviews, often from competitors or trolls.
These bad reviews can harm your brand's reputation, so identifying and removing them is crucial.
Yes, you can remove false or harmful Google reviews. If you believe a review is fake or unfair to your company, there are steps you can take to have it removed.
The good news is that you can dispute a Google review. However, it is not an easy process, and there's no guarantee you'll be successful.
Unfortunately, deleting a Google review is not as simple as going to your Google account and removing the review yourself. Instead, you can contact Google and flag the review with the hope that they will remove it, but there is no guarantee that they will listen to what you say and remove the review for you.
Google may remove reviews, photos, and videos for five main reasons:
There are 20 specific reasons within these categories for removal, including harassment, hate speech, impersonation, deception, obscenity, and adult-themed material.
Within these categories, Google outlines 20 reasons that content, including reviews, could be taken down. These reasons include many factors, such as harassment, hate speech, impersonation, deceptive engagement, obscenity, adult-themed material, and more.
In online reviews, small businesses must differentiate between genuine feedback and reviews that violate Google's content policies. Here's a simplified guide to help:
You can't directly delete reviews but can manage them to protect your business reputation. Here's how:
First, log in with your credentials to Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). If you haven't already, creating a profile is quick and easy.
Once logged in, go to your "Reviews" section and find the specific review you want to address, whether glowing or concerning.
Click on the three dots (often representing "Options") next to the review. Based on the context, choose "Flag as inappropriate" or a similar option.
Provide details and evidence in a report if the review blatantly violates Google's content policy (e.g., hate speech, spam). Be specific and objective in your explanation. Click "Report" to submit your request.
Google will review your report and determine if the review violates their guidelines. This might take up to 72 hrs, so be patient.
If Google doesn't remove the review after your report, and you strongly believe it violates their policies, consider contacting Google Business support for further assistance. They can offer additional guidance and insights.
If Google doesn’t remove the review, respond to it publicly, professionally, and respectfully. Address the reviewer's concerns directly and show your commitment to customer satisfaction. This can help lessen the effect of a negative review and highlight your professionalism.
Here's a quick guide to editing or deleting your own Google reviews, whether you're using a computer or phone.
On Desktop or PC:
On Mobile:
You can only edit or delete reviews you've written yourself. And if you encounter a review that violates Google's policies, you can report it for removal.
If you recieve a review from a name that is unfamiliar or not in your customer base, there are steps you can take to look into their account further.
The first step in spotting fake reviews is to research the reviewer and verify their account. Often, fake reviews are written by accounts with minimal presence on other websites or social media outlets.
If the reviewer has an online presence and looks legit, this could be enough verification for you. But if something appears off or suspicious, it's important to do further research and double-check before concluding the review is fake.
To find out who created a Gmail account, you can use these steps to verify the owner's identity.
These reviewers often open fake accounts to post multiple 1-star reviews. Hence, after the first step, your next best option would be to look for any other reviews this person might have posted. There are three broad things you may come across:
As overcompensation for lies, fake Google reviews might use very simplistic and generic language, have lots of exclamation marks, or mention information utterly irrelevant to the product.
They might also be making entirely false accusations- let's say, about the material or a specific function of the product. If such accusations seem impossible, you should flag them to Google immediately.
Do they have a picture attached to their comment? Then, it might be real. You can use a reverse image search to see if any other images of this person are up online.
One-star ratings with no comments attached neither help you understand what went wrong nor help other customers get a clear idea. These can slip past spam detection since people can be too busy to comment.
So, to give them the benefit of the doubt, you can crosscheck the name, and if it's not there in your customer history, you can flag it. You may also ask them what went wrong in a reply, but they probably won't check your answer if they need more time to post a comment.
No, using AI to write reviews is not allowed. Google Maps guidelines require reviews to be honest reflections of your own experiences. Using AI for this purpose is considered deceptive and could lead to your account being suspended or banned. Here’s why AI-generated reviews are not permissible:
If you notice that your reviews are not showing up, they may have been flagged by Google's spam detection.
You can contact Google My Business Support directly if you need further assistance or have a more complex issue.
Here are your options:
Managing online reviews is more than just knowing which ones to remove. Here are some simple tips to keep a positive online reputation:
If dealing with Google's review removal process feels overwhelming, consider getting expert help. At NewReputation, we specialize in managing online reputations. Our team can handle the challenges of disputing and removing negative reviews to keep your business's online image positive.
While deleting Google reviews can be complicated, knowing Google's review policy and identifying reviews that can be removed will help you take action. Addressing these issues quickly is crucial, whether it's an angry ex, former employee, offensive language, or unfair competitor reviews. If you need help, contact professionals who can navigate the complexities of online reputation management.