What not to do.
NEVER BUY REVIEWS
Purchased reviews are detected and removed.
Platforms penalise businesses that use them, sometimes severely.
NEVER WRITE THEM YOURSELF
Or have staff or family write them.
Patterns are detectable, and customers recognise the tone.
NEVER OFFER PAYMENT OR DISCOUNTS
Prohibited on most platforms.
It also produces reviews that read as bought.
NEVER SCREEN CUSTOMERS
Asking only those you expect to be positive, in a way that routes unhappy customers elsewhere, is prohibited.
NEVER PRESSURE CUSTOMERS
Asking is fine. Insisting is not.
WHY THESE MATTER BEYOND THE RULES
Discovery destroys credibility permanently.
A business caught with fake reviews cannot recover its reputation easily.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN DETECTED
Reviews removed Profile penalties Sometimes public flagging
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
Ask genuinely, consistently, over time.
Slower, and it lasts.
