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We get it; earning reviews for your company is hard. Earning good reviews is even harder, especially when it’s more common for a customer to leave a bad review than a good one. 

 

Buying Google reviews will hurt your business more than it will help

As tempting as buying Google reviews might sound, don’t do it. Here’s why it’s not a good idea:


  • It violates Google’s guidelines: Google does not encourage purchasing fake reviews to the point that it can remove the business’ listing on its platform if found guilty of the violation.

  • It’s against the law: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has made it clear that it’s actually illegal to buy fake reviews. Under Section 5 of the FTC Act 15 U.S. Code § 45, a business can be fined up to $10,000 for every fake review found.

  • Customers can tell the difference: Nowadays, customers can easily detect what a fake review looks and sounds like. There are multiple factors that customers use to know if a review is fake or not.

  • It can damage the reputation of the business: Once customers know you bought your business’ reviews, even if it was only one review, your reputation can take a major hit. The reputation your business has worked so hard for will be tarnished in seconds, and what’s worse is you will be known as the “business that bought its reviews” even after the initial scandal.

  • No benefits gained for the business: As the old saying goes, “there’s always room for improvement.” Reviews and feedback from actual customers will get buried under all the fake reviews, and you won’t be able to see problems your customers experience with your business.

  • The best way to gain reviews is to earn them authentically. It never hurts to ask your customers what your business can improve on. Both parties benefit from this exchange: you can use their constructive criticism to your business’ advantage and your customers can feel like you actually care about what they have to say and take their comments into consideration.


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