Buying Google reviews: a good idea? (Spoiler: no)
August 02, 2024
Buying fake Google reviews is not a good idea. No need to drag out the suspense.
→ Expensive
→ It's illegal
→ It's dangerous for your reputation (and not just online, also with your customers).
Make no mistake: it shows.
Consequences, sanctions and, above all, ethical alternatives ... We tell you everything, so that in 2024, we stop the scams!
The importance of Google reviews for your business
Google reviews play an important role in the reputation and success of your business. They are often the first point of contact between you and your potential customers.
Positive reviews have several beneficial impacts on your business:
✔ Improving local SEO: ranking in search results
✔ Increase your e-reputation: visibility of your point of sale
✔ Strengthening customer confidence : 70% of Internet users look at online reviews before visiting an establishment.
On the contrary, negative opinions deter potential customers and damage your credibility.
Knowing this, we may be tempted to take the path (who seems to!) the shortest way to get lots of positive reviews in a very short time.
In 5 minutes, 3 clicks and a credit card number later, you've got 10 rave reviews appearing like magic. But beware, this is just an illusion of success.
Buying fake Google reviews: what impact can it have on your business?
Financial risks
Buying Google reviews is an investment at a loss. Not only do you have to spend a considerable amount of money to obtain these false testimonials, but you also risk heavy penalties if Google discovers the deception. As you can imagine, Google doesn't like to be messed with.
The cost of buying fake reviews can vary, but is often high, especially if you're looking to buy reviews in large quantities to create the illusion of a solid reputation. This money could be much better invested in actually improving your products or services.
Google uses sophisticated algorithms to detect fraudulent reviews. If your company is caught red-handed, you risk severe penalties.
What penalties can Google expect?
→ Deleting fraudulent notices (money spent for nothing)
→ A decrease in your ranking in search results (and we've told you how important the ranking is)
→ Even a complete ban on using Google My Business (No need to tell you that it's not great)
So trust us, these penalties will have a much greater financial impact than the initial cost of the false reviews.
Legal consequences
If you think, at this stage, that Google isn't very funny, wait until you read what the French regulations have to say about it (Ouch). Buying fake reviews is not only against Google's policies, it's also against the law.
In France, the law is very clear on misleading commercial practices. Article L121-1 of the French Consumer Code stipulates that publishing false notices is illegal.
What sanctions to expect from the DGCCRF ?
→ fines of up to 300,000 euros
→ a prison sentence of up to 2 years for the individuals responsible (Expensive to pay for a review saying the terrace is nice, isn't it?)
Loss of credibility
Nothing tarnishes a reputation more than insincerity. Customers are increasingly savvy and know how to recognize authentic reviews.
They are able to spot fake reviews because of their generic tone, suspicious frequency or lack of concrete details.
Your credibility takes an irreparable hit, and regaining customer trust can be a difficult, if not impossible, task.
What are the ethical (and legal!) alternatives for improving your reputation?
Instead of risking your reputation and incurring penalties by buying Google reviews, we offer you 3 detailed, costed strategies for optimizing your online reviews:
Offering quality service
Yes, we're just stating the obvious.
But it never hurts to remember: the basis of any good reputation is the quality of your service. By offering an exceptional customer experience, you encourage your satisfied customers to leave positive, authentic reviews.
And we're not the only ones to say so; a survey conducted by PwC revealed that 73% of consumers say that the experience they have with a product or service determines their loyalty, and encourages them to share their positive experiences.
But beware: while quality of service is indeed the basis, it's not enough if you want to get a lot of reviews. You have to be proactive in collecting opinions.
Naturally, there are a number of tips we can share with you to ensure quality service.
By way of example, we're thinking first and foremost of qualified, well-trained staff, but also of all the moments when your customers interact with you during the purchasing process.
Make sure every customer touchpoint is optimized to deliver the best possible experience.
This includes intuitive user interfaces such as control terminalsWe also provide a fast response to customer requests, and efficient after-sales service.
By investing in staff training and using intuitive digital solutions to improve customer interaction, you can turn every experience into an opportunity for positive feedback.
Ask your customers for their opinions
What if, to get advice, all you had to do was ask for it?
Asking your customers directly to leave a review is a simple but underestimated approach. Customers are ready to share their experiences, they just need a little nudge to do so.
To start with, you can take a few minutes to chat with your customers. When a customer is satisfied with their experience, ask them directly if they would be willing to leave a review; 46% of customers think that soliciting a salesperson is an effective way of collecting reviews.
In practice, relying solely on oral requests is not enough if your aim is to significantly increase the volume of notices.
Why? Customers can easily forget to do this once they've left the establishment, or even not know how to proceed.
To maximize your chances, we recommend that you combine this oral request with more practical collection methods, such as theemailing or the use of QR codes. These tools give customers direct access to the Google review page, simplifying the process. And don't worry, these customer review mailings are 100% automated. So you can concentrate on what you do best, without worrying about it. We'll tell you all about it right after!
Facilitating the notification process
Use QR Codes
QR codes are a simple, inexpensive and effective way of encouraging your customers to leave a review.
✔ Ease of use: lQR Codes simplify the review submission process. By scanning a QR Code, customers are taken directly to your Google review page. This eliminates the extra steps that might discourage customers from leaving a review.
✔ Strategic placement QR Codes: place QR Codes in visible locations, such as tables, menus, or even on receipts. You maximize the chances that your customers will use this simple method to leave a review.
✔ Measurable impact : Companies that use QR Codes to solicit reviews generally see an increase in online reviews from 20% to 30%.
Automate e-mail notification requests
Automation is the most effective way to gather feedback after a customer visit:
✔ Personalized emails Send personalized thank-you emails shortly after the visit. Include a direct link to your Google My Business page to simplify the review submission process. Visit personalized emails have a response rate up to 50% higher than generic emails.
✔ Ideal dispatch time according to a study by HubSpotemails sent between 4 and 24 hours after purchase have a higher 30% open rate. This captures fresh impressions and encourages positive reviews.
✔ Automation efficiency Companies that automate their notification requests by email see an average increase of 25% in online notifications. Automation simplifies the process for customers and ensures regular feedback.
"With the Obypay solution, you can effectively manage customer reviews. For 4 or 5 star reviews: customers are automatically redirected to Google to share their rating and positive experience. For 1-3 star reviews: a message automatically appears, asking for details of the problem encountered, showing that the feedback is taken very seriously. This method ensures appropriate management of reviews, optimizing responses according to customer satisfaction levels."A little bonus for optimizing your Google My Business pages
Automate SMS notification requests
Like email, SMS is a powerful tool for collecting customer feedback. By automating SMS notification requests, you can reach your customers where they are most responsive: on their phones.
✔ Short, targeted messages : SMS is perfect for sending concise, direct messages. For example, a simple "Thank you for your visit! Share your opinion here [link]"may suffice. Short messages have a read rate of 98%, much higher than emails.
✔ Strategic timing: Ideally, SMS messages should be sent between 30 minutes and an hour after customer interaction. This time frame allows you to capture impressions on the fly, when customers are still engaged and clearly remember their experience. A study by Mobilesquared reveals that 90% of SMS messages are read within 3 minutes of receipt.
✔ Automation & integration : as for e-mails, with the right toolSMS automation becomes child's play: program the sending of personalized messages and integrate them into your customer management system. Thanks to advanced functionalities, you can track responses and manage requests for advice efficiently and systematically.
However, it's important to note that sending SMS messages can incur additional costs, especially when compared with other solutions such as email. Each message sent costs a few cents, which can add up quickly if you have a large volume of customers. It is therefore essential to consider these expenses in your overall budget, to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Above all, don't stop there: respond to the notices!
Responding to reviews is crucial to maintaining and enhancing your reputation. Don't stop at simply collecting reviews; make sure you proactively review and respond to them.
✔ Customer commitment : Responding to reviews shows that you care about your customers' feedback and their experience.
✔ Conflict resolution : Responding professionally and empathetically to negative reviews can turn a bad experience into an opportunity to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. It's a great way to encourage an unhappy customer to try again, and prove to potential customers that you're committed to customer satisfaction. Know that 93% of Internet users say they consult owners' responses to negative reviews !
✔ Continuous improvement : use feedback to identify areas for improvement in your establishment. By showing that you take reviews on board and make improvements based on this feedback, you demonstrate to your customers that their opinion counts and that you are committed to offering them the best service.
"Take advantage of your answers to include keywords related to your restaurant. "Thank you for coming to our Fast-Food. We hope our unicorn powder burgers delighted your taste buds." By working on your keywords, you help Google to understand what you offer in the way of dishes, products, services ... And to better reference you locally."Expert advice
Don't give in to the temptation of fake reviews
Invest in transparent and effective methods to obtain genuine opinions and continuously improve your service.
Need a helping hand to find the solution best suited to your needs? We're here to help!
