7 Tips to Identify and Deal with Fake Online Customer Reviews

Fake reviews are a part of life, and they can wreak havoc with your business reputation. Here are 7 useful tips to deal with it.

How to Identify Fake Online Reviews?

1: Duplicity of Reviews

A malicious reviewer who wants to target your brand image will typically try to post negative reviews on multiple websites to spread negativity. Check for similar reviews on various review sites and social media networks.

If you find a pattern leading to a single source, then you are dealing with a fake reviewer.

2: Reviews Lack Details

Fake online reviews often lack details. If the specifics are missing, then the reviews are likely to be fake.

3: Use of Jargon & Adjectives

Associating the dealership and vehicle model with less than laudable verbiage throughout the review can be an indicator of a fake.

Worse, this can be a black hat SEO trick deployed to harm your dealership.

4: Reviews with a lot of Links

If you find a lot of links leading to other websites in the review, then it is a clear indicator of a fake review. You can also check where the links are redirecting to. If they are redirecting to a competitor’s website, then the review is almost certainly a fake.

How do You Deal with Fake Online Reviews?

1: Screen Fake Reviewers

Check how you’re asking for reviews in the first place. For genuine reviews, it is best to use your brand’s review page like the one provided by Buyerater.

Request reviews from your customers when they have just bought a new car. Again, the Buyerater App can make the task a breeze for you.

You can also text or email an invite to your review page.

2:  Flag Fake Online Reviews

Many review platforms offer the facility to flag fake reviews. You can also use content moderation tools to block such fake reviews.

3: Remove Fake Customer Reviews

One of the easy ways to deal with fake reviews is enable happy customers to post positive reviews regularly. This will drive down fake reviews in search results, and most prospects only read four reviews on average.

You can also remove the fake review before it gains traction, if it is on your own review page. Often, third party review sites would need a written request before they agree to remove any review.

If none of these work, then you can respond in a way that makes it evident to others that you are dealing with a fake review.