Man Says Fake Reviews Put Him Out of Business

Permit'south talk reputation management. Did you know that:

1. 86% of consumers read reviews for local businesses (including 95% of people between the ages of 18-34)
2. Consumers read an average of 10 online reviews earlier feeling able to trust a local business
3. 40% of consumers only take into business relationship reviews written within the last 2 weeks
4. 57% of consumers will only go with a business if information technology has four or more stars
5. 91% of eighteen-34 year old consumers trust online reviews equally much equally personal recommendations
6. 89% of consumers read businesses' responses to reviews

Allow that information all sink in. Reread it if yous have to. Those are real stats from BrightLocal'due south 2018 Local Consumer Review Survey. These statistics were specifically compiled to help local businesses develop their online reputation direction strategy for 2019.

If you're a pocket-sized business, negative reviews on Google can exist specially devastating, and yous tin't afford to ignore a bad Google review. If y'all oasis't been paying attention to your Google reviews, it's time to wake up and take the bike. If y'all don't take time for reputation management, well, that's what we are here for. But bold you do, here are some tips to ensure your Google reviews are a more than accurate representation of your business.

Managing Your Reputation on Google

Showtime, I want to signal out that y'all should never but answer to BAD reviews. You lot should make a point to respond to EVERY review, whether skilful or bad, at all times, when appropriate. Fifty-fifty in the cases where cipher was said merely someone left y'all stars--answer. Encourage additional feedback in situations where nothing was said by prompting the reviewers with questions nigh the product/services they received. All reviews (specially ones that reference your products and services) help your local SEO rankings besides equally providing potential leads with more than information near what you practice.

There are few things more frustrating than someone tainting your business'southward reputation, specially if they didn't practice business with yous and are pretending they did. That's chosen a fake negative review, and you know what? You lot tin remove it.

That'due south correct. It's not equally like shooting fish in a barrel as clicking "remove," but you practice have the ability to remove any reviews that violate Google'south policies for leaving reviews. That includes the removal of fake reviews from people who never did business with you. There are a few different ways to do this.

Determining if a Review is Imitation

Obviously, negative reviews are non always fake. Y'all may run into reviews that were left by legitimate customers that had a poor experience. Don't ignore these. Reply to the review on Google, and then follow-up with that unhappy customer with a phone call to ensure they feel heard and endeavor to remedy the situation.

When you lot think you may have spotted a fake Google review, hither are a few things you tin can check to make certain:

1. Are they in your CRM or point of sale software? If not, they probable aren't a customer.
2. Are they on tape for contacting customer service? If not, recommend they practice then in your response with a direct link to contact client service.
3. Exercise they lack specific details such equally which employee helped them? They may just non remember the name of the employee, only typically if someone has a bad experience they take annotation of names.
4. Have there been an influx of negative reviews in a short amount of time? It could be that a competitor or spammer is after y'all.
5. Did the reviewer recommend a competitor in their negative review? This is commonly a clear indicator that a competitor is behind the review.

How to Flag and Report a Fake Google Review

There are a couple of ways to become rid of those pesky false reviews.

1. Go to the review on Google Maps. Click on the 3 vertical dots in the superlative right of the review (come across image), and and so click "Flag as inappropriate." Exercise Not CHOOSE THIS UNLESS YOU ARE Certain IT IS FAKE. Google volition penalize yous if you accept an excess of reviews that you lot are flagging and they turn out to exist legitimate.
2. If a competitor is backside the simulated negative reviews, obviously the mature and professional person first stride is to contact them and asking that they stop the activity and remove the fake reviews. If they don't, y'all always have the option of reporting them to the Improve Business Bureau and your local Bedroom of Commerce.

How to Remove Negative Google Reviews

The only way to take a negative Google review removed is if it violates Google'due south guidelines, such every bit:

1. Spam and fake content: Any false content intended to boost rankings falls in this category.
2. Off-topic: If the content includes irrelevant personal, social, or political commentary, it can exist removed.
3. Restricted content
4. Illegal content
5. Sexually explicit content
6. Offensive content
7. Unsafe & derogatory content
8. Impersonation
9. Conflict of interest: You lot cannot review your own business, or have employees review your business or a competitors business.

Follow the step to a higher place to beginning flag the negative review you desire to be removed. Then get through the following process to contact Google almost taking it down:

1. Go to your Google My Business organisation profile
2. Click on "Back up" on the bottom left navigation panel
3. When the help box pops upwardly, click through "Demand more than help," and then "client reviews and photos," then "manage client reviews," so "email back up."

Make certain you've compiled enough data to support your case and send it off.

If you lot have enough evidence to prove the review is slander against your visitor, you can fill out Google'south legal removal asking course.

If the complaint has been deleted, but it's however showing upwards in Google search results, submit the link here in Google'due south Search Console.

Drown Out Negativity with Positivity

When it comes downwardly to it, positive reviews take the power to drown out negative reviews. E'er be asking your happy customers to leave Google reviews about your products and services! These positive sentiments can go a long fashion in disarming others to do business organisation with you and they also greatly contribute to your local SEO.

In closing, always be on warning for reviews on Google, Facebook, Yelp, and other review platforms. The more than on tiptop of your reputation yous can be, the better!

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Source: https://www.tributemedia.com/blog/how-to-deal-with-or-remove-fake-negative-google-reviews

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