Review Spam

[JohnnyM]

How can you report a fake review on a competitor's GMB? A client is in a very competitive market where being in the 3-pack is vital. One of their competitors has more than a half dozen reviews that are keyword packed with specific locations. " ABC company is the best "keyword" company in "location". The keywords are repeated. No one writes like that. Is there any chance of getting these taken down or do we go down or is the only way to complete is to start spamming ourselves.

 

[Phil Rozek]

@JohnnyM, there's only so much you can do, but it's explained well here: How to Remove Fake Google Reviews

Don't start spamming, too. Keywords in reviews aren't that much of a rankings booster, and you don't want to be in a position where (1) you rank well but your reviews don't pass people's sniffer tests, or (2) real customers and others say publicly that your reviews seem contrived.

The least-bad way to get "keywords" in reviews is to encourage customers to go into a little detail in their reviews. Not every customer will, but asking them to is a habit you'll want to cultivate if you want more of them to.

 

[Contractor]

How about clearly purchased reviews? What can be done about them?

I am talking about a small business with 2-3 reviews that get 5-10 reviews all in one day. The reviewers have left no other reviews for any other company. And they only left a 5 star rating, no text.

We al know that this company purchased fake reviews, but how do we convey that to Google?

 

[Phil Rozek]

@DontBiteUrNails, not much. Just the typical "complaint box" options we all know about.

But I'd think hard about letting them continue, because those reviews will look fake and fishy to any would-be customers with functioning gray matter. Some may call out the business owner on it, too.

Unless that competitor is way outperforming you on the local map, I'd let 'em fall on their sword. You might be able to hasten the process by posting a GMB Q&A to the effect of, "Are you reviews from real customers? They look super fake, because...."

It's also possible Google filters those reviews later. Reviews can get filtered or unfiltered months or years after being posted.

 

[Contractor]

That's a good idea, are the Q&A questions completely anonymous?

 

[Phil Rozek]

Only if you have a generically named Google-user profile. If it's "John Doe," then it's pretty anonymous. Otherwise, no, it's not anonymous at all. So with Q&A it's exactly the same level as anonymity as with Google reviews.

 

[Contractor]

But I'd think hard about letting them continue, because those reviews will look fake and fishy to any would-be customers with functioning gray matter. Some may call out the business owner on it, too.

Unless that competitor is way outperforming you on the local map, I'd let 'em fall on their sword.

After further review, I have found that it is the same referral company that posted 12 different GMB listings in my area. Each one has a different phone number, a fake business name, a personal residential address (not business, no storefront, etc.), and they all have 6-7 fake reviews. It's so clearly a fake scam, but relaying that to google is the problem.

 

[Phil Rozek]

Yeah. But your chances of getting those fake GMB pages taken down (via "suggest an edit") are way higher than the chances you get Google to do jack about those reviews.

 

[Contractor]

I spent some more time and found 20 of them, all the same. I put the name, phone number, address, and URL into a Google Docs spreadsheet. I then entered it into the redressal form with an explanation.

 

[keyserholiday]

Hey @JohnnyM if you want to dm me, I will take a look and I can provide a suggestion for you.

 

[Contractor]

Yeah. But your chances of getting those fake GMB pages taken down (via "suggest an edit") are way higher than the chances you get Google to do jack about those reviews.

Google has taken down all 20 of those fake listings that I reported with the fake reviews!!! I am very happy.

Although I am not sure if they took them down due to my redressal or on their own.

 

[Phil Rozek]

Your redressal probably did the trick. Google is very bad at policing that kind of thing on its own.