Don’t buy Facebook reviews – it can hurt your local business

Running a local business involves a lot of moving parts. And having staff dedicated to managing your online reputation might not be a reality due to budget constraints. To work around this, local businesses might decide to buy Facebook reviews as a quick and easy way to grow their business.

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.

Reasons businesses are tempted to buy Facebook reviews

There are a number of reasons why a business might be tempted to buy Facebook reviews. Perhaps they are concerned that their page has just a few likes and they’re looking for a quick way to boost their numbers. Maybe they’re worried that recent negative reviews will have a negative impact on their business. Or, they may simply be trying to take advantage of the authority online reviews carry and believe that buying reviews is a shortcut to get ahead.

Where businesses buy Facebook reviews

Even though buying Facebook reviews can hurt your business, there are still companies that decide to go this route to improve their social media presence. If you decide to buy Facebook reviews from a third party, it’s important to make sure you are working with a reputable company. Here are some sites where businesses are buying Facebook reviews.

UseViral

UseViral allows you to buy anywhere from 25 to 500 Facebook reviews and deliver them to your page in just a few days. According to the site, reviews are completely real and come from verified accounts. They also offer a money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the reviews.

Woorke

Woorke is a marketplace where you can buy Facebook reviews from real people. Similar to UseViral, Woorke states that reviews are 100% genuine. They offer different review packages to fit your review needs.

Global Like

As its name suggests, Global Like allows you to purchase Facebook reviews from any country in the world and gives you the option of what language you would like the review written. Just like our previous examples, Global Like guarantees that reviews are authentic and safe to use.

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 reputation. 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 decision. 
• Buying reviews is a short-term solution that will eventually hurt long-term growth. It’s much better to focus on building up a base of satisfied customers who will organically leave positive reviews on their own accord. This will help create a steady pipeline of quality leads.

Penalties for posting purchased Facebook reviews

We 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.

• 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. 
• The Federal Trade Commission is also cracking down on false advertisements. If caught, a business could see a penalty of up to $43,000 per fake review. For the amount of money you’re risking, your safer bet would be to hire a marketing professional that can properly help with your review management needs.
• Purchasing and posting 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 have irreversible damage to your reputation.

In short, the legal and financial burdens associated with buying Facebook reviews are simply not worth the risk. Instead, invest your money towards effective marketing tactics that generate organic reviews.

Why organic Facebook reviews work

There are plenty of reasons why real Facebook recommendations and reviews are better than purchased ones. For starters, they’re free. But they also share real, authentic feedback and experiences about your business. Generating real reviews from real customers costs basically nothing.

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

Organic reviews also help with your SEO efforts. 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.

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 and can only be accomplished through generating real reviews.

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. Provide links to the review section of your Facebook page in all your digital communication like emails and texts. 
• Market your reviews: Showcase customer 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 in a timely manner – 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 at turning a negative review into a positive one.

For more recommendations on how to get Facebook reviews check out our previous post.

Don’t buy Facebook reviews frequently asked questions

Real reviews, real customers, real results

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 the benefits of review management, watch our free demo and see how Birdeye Reviews can help your business turn reviews into revenue.