Spam Fighting With Reviews

[dynasty]

I've seen people do this a few times when SPAM fighting and my company's owner wants us to give it a shot. What are the community's thoughts on leaving bad reviews or having our client leave bad reviews on spam listings? With things like: "I drove to this address and it is a bank." or "This is actually an answering service."

I know they can flag the reviews, but I'm not sure if these would technically violate Google's guidelines? Especially if you uploaded proof to their listings.

If the listing was reinstated, it's my understanding that the bad review would still be there.

 

[MiriamEllis]

Would these be reviews you've already reported for spam via the usual channels and have seen no action from Google on?

 

[Phil Rozek]

@dynasty, those reviews are extremely likely to put gum on your competitors' shoes. For better and for worse.

An alternative (if less-visible) place to do that is in the GMB Q&A section, although competitors can get those removed without much strain, whereas most reviews of the kind you describe would stick around.

 

[dynasty]

Would these be reviews you've already reported for spam via the usual channels and have seen no action from Google on?

They would be reviews we put on spammy or fake business listings. We wouldn't do it for businesses operating at a residential addresses or companies that name spam. it'd just be for all those really annoying listings that are obviously fake and for lead generators.

Like if I can look at their address and see it's inside a storage unit us or the client leaving a review that says please note this business's address is in a storage unit and the person reviewing it owns a different business of the same type in the area.

 

[JoyHawkins]

I strongly advise against this. It can result in Google labeling you as a spammer as well.

 

[dgrunited]

I've seen people do this a few times when SPAM fighting and my company's owner wants us to give it a shot. What are the community's thoughts on leaving bad reviews or having our client leave bad reviews on spam listings? With things like: "I drove to this address and it is a bank." or "This is actually an answering service."

I know they can flag the reviews, but I'm not sure if these would technically violate Google's guidelines? Especially if you uploaded proof to their listings.

If the listing was reinstated, it's my understanding that the bad review would still be there.

It would be more emotionally fulfilling to focus on how to outrank these spam listings using legitimate SEO techniques. Spam listing owners only know 1 technique...which is spamming Let them do what they know best.

 

[Phil Rozek]

@dynasty, for the record, like @JoyHawkins and @dgrunited, I wouldn't recommend writing those sorts of reviews. It's a race to the bottom.

 

[dynasty]

It would be more emotionally fulfilling to focus on how to outrank these spam listings using legitimate SEO techniques. Spam listing owners only know 1 technique...which is spamming Let them do what they know best.

We're already taking steps to do that. But it's annoying because they just keep coming back. I feel like I'm playing whack-a-mole sometimes.

There's one company for example who names itself something almost identical to its competitors. When you call, you get a truck from a completely different company. I'd be upset if someone showed up from the wrong company.

I will tell the boss to keep it out of his processes for now.

Thank you everybody!