Why Review Gating Can Ruin Your Reputation
What is Review Gating and Why Should You Avoid It?
The digital age has placed online reviews at the center of a business’s reputation. While it might be tempting to control or filter what feedback gets displayed publicly, review gating could lead your business down a dangerous path. Not only can it damage your trustworthiness, but it can also result in hefty fines from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
In this article, we’ll dive into what review gating is, why businesses are tempted to use it, and the serious consequences of engaging in this practice. We'll also touch on recent cases where businesses were penalized for manipulating their reviews and how you can manage reviews ethically with the help of platforms like iReview.
What Is Review Gating?
Review gating refers to the practice of selectively filtering customers based on their satisfaction level. Essentially, businesses encourage only happy customers to leave a positive review and block negative feedback from being posted online.
How it works: Companies often send surveys to customers, and based on their responses, only satisfied customers are directed to leave a review on public platforms like Google, Yelp, or Facebook. Unhappy customers are either redirected to private feedback channels or discouraged from posting altogether.
Why is Review Gating Tempting?
- Control public perception: Businesses want to display their best reviews to maintain a high rating and attract more customers.
- Limit damage: Negative reviews can hurt a company’s reputation, and businesses think that by blocking these, they are protecting their image.
Why You Should Avoid Review Gating
While it may seem like a harmless strategy to protect your reputation, review gating is actually deceptive, unethical, and now explicitly illegal in the United States. Here's why you should avoid it:
1. It’s Deceptive and Violates Trust
Your customers trust that reviews are authentic and unfiltered. If they learn that you're selectively showing only positive reviews, they might lose faith in your business. This practice misleads future customers into believing your product or service is better than it actually is.
"Review gating is a quick way to destroy trust with your audience. Genuine feedback is essential for long-term success." – iReview Reputation Management
2. It's Now Illegal: FTC’s Crackdown
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently been cracking down on review abuses, including review gating. One high-profile case involved a business that was fined $4.2 million for blocking negative reviews from being published. You can read more about this case here.
In June 2023, the FTC made headlines by rolling out new rules that prohibit the use of fake or manipulated reviews. The new rule aims to preserve the integrity of online reviews by banning review gating and imposing penalties up to $44,000 per violation. Check out the details here.
3. It Can Lead to Hefty Fines
Engaging in review gating could cost you more than just your reputation—it can cost you millions. The $4.2 million fine levied against a business for review manipulation should be a wake-up call for companies still engaging in these shady practices. The FTC has made it clear that businesses found guilty of review gating will face steep penalties. You can read more about the impact of review gating fines in this article from Emitrr.
4. It Skews Your Customer Feedback Data
By preventing negative reviews from being posted, you're skewing your customer feedback data. This makes it harder to improve your services because you’re not getting the full picture. Negative feedback, while uncomfortable, provides valuable insights into areas where your business needs to grow.
5. It Hurts Your SEO
Believe it or not, a balanced mix of both positive and negative reviews is good for your SEO. Search engines like Google prioritize businesses with diverse feedback because it appears more authentic. By engaging in review gating, you risk missing out on better rankings on search engines, which ultimately limits your visibility. Platforms like iReview can help you ethically manage your online reputation while keeping your SEO strategy strong.
The Ethical Way to Manage Reviews
Instead of engaging in review gating, there are ethical ways to manage and encourage reviews that build trust and help you grow as a business.
Best Practices:
- Ask for Reviews From All Customers: Don't cherry-pick. Request feedback from every customer to ensure a balanced and authentic representation.
- Respond to Negative Reviews: Address complaints professionally and show potential customers that you take feedback seriously.
- Improve Based on Feedback: Use customer reviews to make meaningful improvements to your business. When customers see you’ve made changes based on their feedback, they’re more likely to trust and recommend your service.
To streamline your review management, iReview offers a full suite of tools to help you request, manage, and respond to reviews while maintaining full transparency.
FTC's New Rules on Fake Reviews and Review Gating
The FTC’s recent rule changes have made it clear that review gating is now prohibited under U.S. law. This includes any practices that prevent negative feedback from being published publicly. The new rules also tackle fake reviews and deceptive endorsements, setting steep penalties for businesses caught violating these guidelines.
"Marketers who rely on fake reviews or review gating can face penalties of up to $44,000 per violation under the new FTC rules." – Read More
For businesses worried about their reputation management, it's more important than ever to engage in transparent and ethical review practices.
Conclusion: Choose Transparency Over Manipulation
Review gating may seem like a shortcut to a stellar online reputation, but it's a deceptive practice that can cost your business both in reputation and in finances. With the FTC's crackdown on this unethical practice, businesses need to focus on collecting authentic, unfiltered reviews and responding to negative feedback in a constructive way.
Remember, a few negative reviews won’t ruin your business—in fact, they can enhance your credibility by showing potential customers that you're a real, transparent business. Platforms like iReview make it easier to manage your reviews and build a trustworthy reputation online, without resorting to review gating.
Ready to boost your online reputation the right way? Learn more at iReview.
Share Article
