Don’t buy Facebook reviews – it will ruin your business

The pressure to succeed in today’s competitive online shopping can be overwhelming. Businesses often feel the urge to stand out and attract more customers, and one common tactic is to manipulate their online reputation. This is where the allure of buying Facebook reviews comes in.

However, the allure of fake Facebook reviews is a dangerous illusion. While it may provide a temporary boost, the long-term consequences can be disastrous as it leads to: 

- Loss of trust
- Search engine penalties 
- Legal repercussions

In this article, we’ll expose the harsh reality of buying Facebook reviews. We’ll also provide practical tips on how to build a genuine and sustainable online presence through honest and ethical means.

Reasons businesses are tempted to buy Facebook reviews

There are several reasons why a business might be tempted to buy Facebook reviews. Here are a few we’ve encountered when we consulted a few businesses: 

• Quick fix mentality: In today’s fast-paced business world, many companies seek immediate results. Buying fake reviews offers a seemingly effortless way to boost their social media reputation. 
• Fear of falling behind: Today’s businesses may feel pressured to keep up with their competitors. They believe that buying reviews can give them a leg up.
• Misconception of easy visibility: Many businesses mistakenly believe that buying reviews will automatically lead to higher search engine rankings and increased visibility.
• Short-term focus: Some businesses prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability. Buying reviews can provide a temporary boost but can have detrimental long-term consequences.
• Perception of success: Positive reviews can create a perception of a successful and popular business. This can attract new customers and enhance brand credibility.

Why you shouldn’t buy Facebook reviews?

As a business owner, you may not have the resources to hire dedicated staff to manage your online reviews. So, it’s easy to see why you might want to buy Facebook reviews. 

However, it’s still a bad idea and could do more harm than good in the long run. Consider these drawbacks for getting caught buying Facebook reviews: 

• Fake reviews are a turnoff to potential customers. If you’re willing to buy customer reviews they’ll question the integrity of your entire business and move on to a more trustworthy option.
• Even if the reviews are coming from real accounts, they’re not coming from your target audience. So what’s the point? Real reviews are detailed and specific, which is what potential customers are looking to help inform their decisions. 
• Facebook and Google are vigilant about detecting fake reviews. If caught, your business could face penalties, making it harder for potential customers to find you. It’s much better to focus on building up a base of satisfied customers who will organically leave positive reviews on their own. This will help create a steady pipeline of quality leads.

Did you know: A Seattle-based plastic surgeon, Dr. Javad Sajan, and his clinic, Allure Esthetic, were penalized with $5 million for review manipulation?

To make his brand look perfect and achieve a 5-star reputation, he:
‣ Created fake profiles to post positive reviews
‣ Pressurized the patients to remove negative reviews
‣ Threatened them with illegal NDAs
‣ Offered incentives for leaving positive reviews

Birdeye is against such malpractices and alerts other businesses to follow the ethics of running a business honestly.

Penalties for posting purchased Facebook reviews

You now know that buying Facebook reviews is an unethical practice that can lead to negative outcomes. But, you could also face some serious penalties that could put you out of business for good.

Violation of Facebook’s terms of service 

Review fraud is a violation of Facebook’s terms of service. They will not hesitate to remove reviews that they suspect are fake. In addition, posting fake reviews could result in your account being suspended or even banned. And due to their partnership, your suspension would also extend to Instagram as well. 

FTC landmark judgment bans fake reviews and celebrity testimonials
On August 14, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took a significant step to combat the growing prevalence of fake reviews and testimonials online.

Key provisions of the rule:

• Fake reviews and customer testimonials: Prohibits businesses from creating, selling, or buying fake reviews, including AI-generated ones or those written by people without experience.

• Incentivized reviews: Bans businesses from offering incentives for reviews with a particular sentiment.

• Insider reviews: Prohibits businesses from disseminating reviews written by company insiders or their relatives without clear disclosure.

• Fake social media indicators: This law prohibits selling or purchasing fake social media indicators that misrepresent a person's influence.

• Review websites: Prevents businesses from misrepresenting the independence of review websites they control.

• Review suppression: Prohibits businesses from using threats or intimidation to suppress negative reviews and requires transparency about review gating practices.

As mentioned before, the FTC can fine businesses nearly $52,000 per violation of their guidelines, so if you get caught buying reviews, you could be facing steep financial penalties, lawsuits, or even criminal charges. For the amount of money you’re risking, your safer bet would be to hire a marketing professional who can properly help with your review management needs.

Legal penalties

Purchasing and posting social media reviews that slander your competitors open your business up to a possible defamation lawsuit. These can be expensive to defend, given the cost of legal fees and any possible settlement. It could also ruin your business’s credibility and cause irreversible damage to your reputation.

Tempted to buy reviews on Google? Do this instead. 

Don’t buy Facebook reviews: Build a customer-centric reputation instead

Rather than resorting to the unethical practice of buying Facebook reviews, consider these practical steps to organically boost your business’s social media management:

1. Provide exceptional customer service

• Exceed expectations: Consistently deliver high-quality products or services that exceed customer expectations.
• Address concerns promptly: Respond to customer inquiries and complaints in a timely and professionally.

How Birdeye helps: Birdeye's social media engagement platform allows you to track and analyze customer sentiment, identify areas for improvement, and ensure you're consistently providing excellent service.

2. Encourage genuine reviews

• Make it easy: Provide clear instructions and links to review platforms on your website, receipts, and social media profiles.
• Offer incentives: Consider providing small incentives, such as discounts or loyalty points, for leaving reviews.

How Birdeye helps: Birdeye’s review generation capability simplifies the process for customers to leave reviews, and you can easily track and manage them.

Must read: What fake reviews teach us about the economy of trust

3. Respond to all reviews

• Show appreciation: Thank customers for their positive reviews and address any negative feedback promptly and professionally.

How Birdeye helps: Birdeye's social media analytics platform allows you to monitor and respond to reviews from a single dashboard, ensuring that no feedback goes unanswered.

4. Leverage social media

• Engage with customers: Actively participate in conversations on social media and address customer concerns directly.
• Share positive reviews: Highlight positive customer experiences on your social media channels via Birdeye’s review marketing capabilities.

How Birdeye helps: Birdeye integrates with popular social media platforms, making it easy to share customer reviews and engage with your audience.

Here is what one of our customers experienced after they started using Birdeye Reviews:

Our customers, their stories:

"Our company has been using Birdeye for one year, and I must say it has revolutionized the way we manage and generate reviews for our business. This platform deserves every bit of its five-star rating, thanks to its outstanding AI capabilities and impeccable automation features.

Customer support from Birdeye has been exceptional. Their team is responsive, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in helping businesses succeed."
– Amanda Wokal, Director of Marketing, Two Men and a Truck

Why organic Facebook reviews work

Organic Facebook recommendations (earlier known as Facebook reviews) are genuine feedback from real customers who have interacted with your business. They offer a more authentic and valuable assessment of your products or services than purchased reviews. Here’s why organic reviews are essential for your business:

For starters, they’re free. But they also share real, authentic feedback and experiences about your business. Asking for Facebook recommendations from real customers costs nothing.

Builds trust and credibility

Real reviews give potential customers a good idea of how the product measures up and whether customer service is a priority. A business that has at least a four-star average rating, not a perfect five-star rating, shows customers that it is both reputable and genuine in the scores it gets from its customers.

Improves search engine rankings 

Organic reviews help your business rank higher on Google Maps. Search engines are designed to surface the most relevant and trustworthy results for searchers. Positive reviews from real customers will help push your business toward the top of search results.

Offer insights into customer preference

Finally, organic reviews give you valuable feedback that you can use to improve your business. Whether it’s a note about a product malfunction or an idea for a new feature, customer feedback is essential for businesses of all sizes. It can only be accomplished through generating real reviews.

Must read: How to legally solicit reviews on Facebook and Google.

How to get more Facebook reviews

If you’re interested in getting more authentic reviews, there are a few simple steps you can take.

• Immediate follow-up: Get in the habit of following up with customers immediately after they make a purchase or use your service. Ask them to leave a review while the experience is still fresh in their minds. 
• Make it easy: The customer is doing you a favor by writing a review, so make it simple. Include links to the review section of your Facebook page in all your digital communication, such as emails and texts. 
• Market your reviews: Showcase Google reviews on your website and other social media channels. This helps potential customers see that others have had positive experiences with your business. 
• Respond to reviews: Respond to all reviews promptly – even the bad ones. Show customers you value their feedback and appreciate the time they took to review your business. This will also give you the best chance of turning a negative review into a positive one.

FAQs on why you shouldn’t buy Facebook thoughts

Never buy Facebook reviews, instead invest in Birdeye

Birdeye Reviews make it easy for your business to generate, manage, and amplify real reviews across Google, Facebook, Better Business Bureau, and 200+ review sites. Learn more about its benefits as one of the best social media management tools and turn reviews into revenue.