INSIGHT business coaching
Opening the Curtains on Fake Reviews What do you do when someone incorrectly or unfairly reviews your business online? Here are several ideas BY WELTON HONG
W
indow fashion pros know that the aesthetics of windows are enhanced with proper decoration, but the wrong curtains or coverings unnecessarily obscure the view without adding anything of value.
Online reviews work in a similar manner. Appropriate reviews provide insight into your company and help consumers make a choice about contacting you for services. But fake reviews obscure that view, confusing consumers and marring your brand name. So let’s go over what you need to know (and do) about fake reviews.
above leaving fake reviews. In other cases, fake reviews might come from people who have a political, cultural or social bone to pick with your company. Sports fans caught up in an overzealous spirit of competition, for example, have left negative reviews for brands that sponsor (or are otherwise affiliated with) rival teams.
First, let’s define fake reviews. These are simply reviews that aren’t based on fact—typically from people that haven’t even used your services.
Another source of fake reviews could be your local industry competition. Sadly, that’s a real thing. Reviews are powerful. According to BrightLocal, almost 70 percent of consumers report they will trust a local business more if it has positive online reviews. More than 85 percent of consumers look at reviews as they research a purchasing decision.
Why would anyone leave blatantly false reviews, especially if they haven’t interacted with your window coverings business? One reason is entertainment. Unfortunately, some people like to spend their time pulling mean-spirited pranks online, and these internet trolls are not
Unscrupulous competitors sometimes try to use this to their advantage. If they can reduce the impact of your legitimate positive reviews with false negative ones, that gives them an edge in search engines and with consumer perception.
16 | wf-vision.com | July + August 2019
