Most online reviews are worthless and the communities can be hotbeds for corruption and cheating. Many marketers invest in content writers to create reviews that seem to read natural but are the words of the same person trying to boost the product. Experienced retailers on the other hand use a variety of medium to get an actual review for their products. This could come in the form of reminders after the purchase of the product, discounts and offers on future buys with a review. On the other hand, new customers look out for online reviews to check the products. While the percentage for fake reviews are low compared to the genuine ones, there are several ways to identify and deal with fake content.

Identifying Fake Reviews

1. Overload of enthusiasm: Too much usage of exclamations and phrases like “Unbelievable”, “Exciting”, “Amazing” etc are clue to a fake review. Remember that actual reviewers don’t use too much of negative or positive emotions. Rather, they stick to a precise and short description of their experience.

2. Language: A greater usage of verbs in the content rather than nouns point towards imaginative narrative. Look for details that can actually be given by someone who has used the product or experienced the service for the first time.

3. Verifications: Top retailers like Amazon will invest time in review verification. In case a review isn’t verified, know for sure that the product wasn’t purchased through the seller directly. Review verification can act as your green flag for trust.

4. Duplicity: Check more than one site for the product information and its reviews. In certain cases, you will find that the same review has been copy-pasted. If you are a retailer, make sure that competitors aren’t trying to tarnish the authenticity of your hard work.

Dealing With Fake Reviews

1. Contact authorities: If it is glaringly obvious that the review wasn’t posted by someone who has actually checked the product/service, you may try reaching out to the webmaster. Ask politely for the review to be taken down.

2. Reputation management: If someone is trying to make your product/service look bad with dozens of negative comments, try establishing trust the hard way. Create videos, and ask your customers to support your product. You may as well ask your prized customers to comment through their social profiles to build authenticity. The greater the amount of positive reviews, the better the rankings for your brand will be on the SERPs.

3. Depend on positive reviews: First create a valuable product and then ask them to write positive things about it. Some customers might feel bad about some part of the product which they also wish to mention in their reviews. Try to answer them politely and explain the reasons or better apologise for the inconvenience and ask for a suggestion for improvement.

4. Review authenticity identification: Tools like “Review Skeptics” developed by researchers from the Cornell University can help identify fake content. The best tools boast around 90% authenticity for identification and keep you from reading and entertaining spams.

Sincerity lies in the real world and not in a hyperbole and good things never go unnoticed. On the other hand, getting identified for fake reviews can permanently hurt your credibility. It is necessary that stern steps are taken to make the information sharing process trustworthy.

 

By Alan McCabe, Marketing Manager at KOL Limited. 

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