3 Simple Ways to Handle Fake Negative Reviews
Google reviews can be a great way to improve your search rankings and provide your customers with more information about your business. However, sometimes people may leave fake negative reviews, and Google’s policies to prevent such reviews aren’t always helpful.
Negative reviews can harm your company’s image and turn away potential customers. Fake reviews are extremely frustrating and hard to manage, but you shouldn’t ignore them. Here are three ways you can handle fake negative reviews, brought to you by the experts at Saba SEO, a leading SEO agency in San Diego.
1. Remove the Reviews
Removing fake reviews is one of the best options, but it’s not always possible. Reviewers can use fake names and stay anonymous, so it’s hard to convince Google that a particular reviewer isn’t a customer. It can also be difficult to remove reviews that only include a star rating and not a comment because Google’s guidelines mostly focus on written reviews. Try reaching out to Google to have the reviews removed, but have a backup plan in case it doesn’t happen.
2. Share the Reviews
If your business has a social media presence, you could share a screenshot of the fake reviews to encourage your real customers to leave positive reviews. It’s generally better to make a joke about the fake reviews than to complain or speak too negatively, and you don’t even have to ask your customers to leave reviews. People who support your business and see these negative reviews may choose to leave their own reviews without being asked.
3. Respond to the Reviews
Even if the reviews are nasty and obviously fake, you should still be polite and professional in your response. Potential customers who see the review may not know it is fake, and they may judge your business if you leave a harsh response. Instead, one option is to offer the reviewer a full refund. Since the reviewer never actually purchased anything, their “full refund” will be nothing, but you’ll look very courteous and professional.
Managing your online reputation after receiving a negative review can be difficult. If you need the right digital marketing strategies to boost your online ranking and counter bad reviews, turn to Saba SEO. When it comes to high-quality search engine marketing, San Diego companies and businesses all over the world rely on our expertise. We use a variety of tactics to boost your online ranking, establish a strong social media presence for your business, and mitigate some of the effects of bad publicity and negative online reviews. For over ten years, we have helped businesses benefit from winning online marketing strategies and enjoy more leads and sales. To learn about our digital marketing services, give us a call at 858-951-1717 today.
