How do Google and Yelp deal with Fake Reviews?

Fake Reviews are existing everywhere..! If you go through the popular shopping resources such as Flipkart, Snapdeal, Amazon, the products are dumped with a bunch of fake and negative reviews.

Yelp being a Local Search Service launched by American Multinational corporation, deals with fake reviews by being expansive “don’t ask for reviews” policy says:

1. Don’t ask customers, mailing list subscribers, friends, family, or someone else to review your business.
2. Don’t ask your staff to strive to collect reviews.
3. Don’t operate surveys that ask for reviews from customers reporting positive experiences.
4. Don’t ever allow freebies, discounts, or payment in exchange for reviews. It will turn off savvy consumers, and may also be prohibited. Yelp has a Consumer Alerts program to let people know about businesses that involve in this sort of activity.

Google, on the other hand, being a modest and the most frequently used engine, works out the fake reviews in yet another way.

But there are major differences in these engines when dealing with fake reviews.

Here are a few differences you need to know:

• Yelp issues a Ranking Penalty while Google doesn’t.
• Yelp stops the Business from Advertising while Google doesn’t.
• Yelp monitors the listing to see if the Business their deceptive practices, while Google doesn’t.
• Yelp seamlessly removes reviews which are fake. But when it comes to Google, it doesn’t.

A person from Yelp stated that “It is important that we maintain the quality of the content and we ensure the customers by protecting from those fake reviews that seek to artificially inflate their online reputations.

• Yelp’s automatic filter keeps track of fake reviews, catches and deletes them. But on the other hand, Google doesn’t.

According to Yelp’s person, Yelp’s filter removes about 25% of their reviews. These reviews include which are fake and unhelpful.

From these variances, it is perceived that fake reviews are big deal for Yelp but not for Google.

What should you do if you discover a business with fake reviews?

Google

When you find fake reviews of your business on Google, you may report it on Google Business form. You need a lot of evidence to get Google to remove the fake reviews.

Yelp

In the case of Yelp, if a customer believes that the review violates the Yelp’s terms and services, including those which do not represent an actual first-hand experience. They can easily report by clicking on the small flag-shaped button in the bottom right-hand corner of the review. The review will then be examined by Yelp’s user support team.

If the user experiences a business offering payment or other incentives in exchange for positive reviews, they can contact Yelp’s user support team through this form.

Businesses which are reported can be laid to a penalty by receiving a Consumer Alert, which will act as a Warning to the Business which has been going to great lengths to mislead them behind the scenes.

Which one should you focus on?

For now, the solution is both and depends on your type of business.

While Google is moderately winning over the public with its seemingly unbiased treatment of reviews.

It’s not fast rather.

Some people still consider Yelp the king of review websites and for a genuine reason.

Yelp only focuses on reviews, while Google Reviews, on the other hand, is just a small part of Google empire.

We usually advise clients to focus on Google and then move to Yelp or do both at the same time.

By monitoring both, you will gain valuable insight into how your customers, clients, or patients feel about their experience with you.

Good or bad, honest feedback is the best way you can sustain your reputation and grow your business.

Wrap Up

What review site do YOU use more? Yelp or Google? This is going to be perfectly your choice! However, go through the pros and cons of the site before actually deciding on the site!

If you have any queries, you can comment in comments section anytime!

Sources(Slant, Forbes, Linkedin, and Blog.cws)