The issue of fake reviews is on the rise, and it has not gone unnoticed by users. At least 67% of consumers are concerned about fake reviews and most are unable to detect them, according to a survey conducted by the Uberall platform.
Considering that 93% of consumers admit to reading reviews before making a purchase, and that reviews influence their Google ranking, the concern of users and the unease of some companies is understandable.
Amazon, Google, Yelp and other companies, equally concerned about the bad reputation that fake reviews can bring to their company’s reputation, are taking strong action to combat this fraudulent practice.
The good news is that there are guidelines that can help eliminate and manage the presence of fake reviews, without damaging real customer relationships. Let’s take a look at what they are.
Different types of fake reviews
Fake reviews can be classified into two groups: fake positive reviews posted by companies, and fake negative reviews posted by disgruntled customers and ex-employees, or even reviews bought by competitors.
Fake reviews created by companies are intended to raise the profile of their organisation, based on fake profiles and positive reviews of their company. They also post negative reviews about their competitors.
Guidelines for spotting potential fake reviews are as follows:
- Beware of sellers of positive and negative reviews. There are those who seek to profit from this malpractice, turning it into a form of business.
- Detect possible retaliation. Some exaggeratedly negative, almost theatrical, reviews are the product of revenge by former employees of companies or job candidates who have been rejected.
- Exaggerated claims. Some people take advantage of the fact that some companies offer refunds or gifts if a negative experience is reported to them, in order to improve themselves. The risk with this practice is that some customers may exaggerate their negative experience, or even make it up, in order to get the incentive.
Removing fake reviews from Google
Despite Google’s toughness in combating spam and fake content, it is not as ruthless with the removal of reviews. What the platform is aiming for is actual proof that a review is fake, which slows down the removal process. To achieve this, reporting and responding is required.
To report a fake review to Google, the review must be flagged via the Google My Business account. In the absence of a box to explain the reasons indicating that the review is fake, this must be done via the Google My Business chat, or by email.
When responding publicly, do so in as courteous, concise and professional a tone as possible, as you would in the case of a genuine negative review. The comment should state that there is no possibility of verifying the negative experience. In some cases, the reviewer may also be invited to contact the person requesting removal of the fake review by email.
Steps to remove fake reviews from Facebook
Facebook is usually better equipped than Google to remove reviews and comments that violate its content policies. Fake reviews on Facebook Pages can be removed as follows:
- Do the review and select Find support or report recommendation .
- Select the categories that apply to the situation. Although there is no comment section, the multiple-choice options make it possible to provide more information to the platform.
Pending removal, a public response can also be written that is limited to the facts of the situation, avoiding an emotional tone to avoid provoking further high-sounding comments.