Should you buy reviews on Google, Yelp, and other review sites?
There are lots of companies that will write and post reviews for you. Search the term “buy reviews” on Google and you’ll see page after page of results.
Many of us even get emails from companies attempting to sell their review writing and posting services to us. Here’s a copy of one emailed to our office account on July 15, 2022:
You should never buy reviews. Here’s why:
- It is illegal to pay for a review without disclosing you’ve done so. Any person must disclose on a review or endorsement that they received some form of compensation, monetary or non-monetary.
- Google does not recognize paid reviews or endorsements in its ranking algorithms. That means there are no Google ranking benefits to you from a paid review. In fact, if Google suspects you are paying for reviews, count on a penalty from Google which could include removal of your business from their search rankings.
- Google will remove paid reviews. If Google suspects the review has been paid for, they will remove it.
- Prospective customers place less value on paid reviews, especially those from non-celebrity reviewers. In fact, most prospective customers are like Google. They place no value on paid reviews.
- Google rarely, if ever, places value on reviews outside your immediate service area. As an example, let’s say you are a chiropractor in North Phoenix, Arizona. A review originating from India isn’t relevant. Nor is one from Canada. Nor is one from Boston. Google is smart. They know companies are buying reviews. They also know the chances are slim to none that some average Joe from India has seen the chiropractor in North Phoenix. If you buy reviews, you are getting them from sources that aren’t in your local market. They have no value.
Buying reviews is a waste of money. It could also damage your business in many other ways.
There are many legitimate ways to get more positive reviews. If you need help, schedule a free consultation.
