What Is Review Gating & What Are the Risks?

Did you know that how you handle reviews could make or break your business’s online reputation? In today’s digital age, consumer reviews play a crucial role in shaping a business’s image and influencing purchasing decisions. With high star ratings often directly linked to increased sales, it’s no wonder that businesses are keen to maintain positive feedback. However, this desire to keep reviews favorable has led some companies to adopt a controversial practice known as review gating. While it may seem like a quick fix to manage your online reputation, review gating comes with significant risks that could harm your business more than it helps.

What is Review Gating?

Review gating is a practice where businesses selectively filter customer feedback by encouraging only those who have had a positive experience to leave a public review. Essentially, businesses use review gating to block negative feedback from appearing online, presenting a skewed view of customer satisfaction.

Imagine a scenario where a restaurant sends a follow-up email to customers after a visit, asking them to rate their experience. If a customer indicates a positive experience, they are directed to leave a review on a public platform. However, if the customer’s feedback is less than favorable, they are asked to provide additional comments privately, ensuring the negative feedback does not affect the restaurant’s online reputation.

The intent behind review gating is often to maintain a high average rating and avoid negative reviews that could deter potential customers. While this might seem like a beneficial tactic, it’s essential to understand the broader implications and risks associated with this practice.

The Impact of Reviews on Local Businesses

Positive reviews are vital for local businesses, serving as a powerful tool for attracting new customers. According to recent studies, a staggering 93% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase decision, with 84% trusting online reviews as much as personal recommendations. This demonstrates the significant influence that positive reviews can have on consumer behavior and the overall success of a business.

However, reviews are a double-edged sword. While positive reviews can enhance a business’s reputation, negative reviews can have the opposite effect. A single negative review can decrease sales by as much as 22%, showcasing the potential impact on a business’s bottom line.

Consumer trust is also heavily tied to reviews. Transparency is key; consumers expect businesses to be honest and open about customer experiences. When businesses engage in practices like review gating, it can erode trust, leading to a loss of credibility and potential long-term damage to their reputation.

Review Gating: What Does Google Say?

Google’s stance on review gating is clear: it considers the practice as ‘deceptive content.’ According to Google’s guidelines, businesses are prohibited from selectively soliciting positive reviews from customers or suppressing negative feedback. This practice is seen as an attempt to manipulate the overall perception of a business, which goes against Google’s commitment to providing transparent and accurate information to its users.

Violating Google’s guidelines on review gating can have severe consequences. If a business is caught engaging in review gating, Google may remove all of its reviews, leaving the business with a blank slate and the potential loss of valuable customer testimonials.

Some businesses may inadvertently engage in review gating without realizing it. For example, sending different review requests based on customer satisfaction levels can be considered a subtle form of review gating. It’s important for businesses to understand these nuances to avoid unintentionally violating guidelines and risking penalties.

Is Review Gating Illegal?

The Legal Framework Around Review Gating

The legality of review gating is grounded in various consumer protection laws and guidelines designed to ensure fair business practices and protect consumers’ rights. Review gating, while not explicitly illegal under all circumstances, often violates the spirit of these laws by misleading consumers and manipulating public perception. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a key regulatory body in the United States, has taken steps to clarify what constitutes acceptable behavior regarding consumer reviews through the Consumer Review Fairness Act (CRFA).

The Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Review Fairness Act

The Consumer Review Fairness Act, enforced by the FTC, plays a significant role in determining the legality of review gating practices. Under the CRFA, businesses are prohibited from including any contractual terms that prevent customers from leaving negative reviews or penalizing them for doing so. This legislation was introduced to combat practices that stifle honest feedback and create a false image of a business’s customer satisfaction levels. By barring the suppression of negative feedback through contracts or terms of service, the CRFA seeks to ensure that consumers can freely express their opinions without fear of retaliation.

Violations of the CRFA can lead to significant legal repercussions for businesses, including fines and injunctions. The FTC actively monitors businesses for compliance and has the authority to take action against those that attempt to manipulate consumer reviews. This enforcement is crucial for maintaining transparency in the marketplace and protecting consumers from deceptive practices.

Recent Legal Actions Highlighting the Risks of Review Gating

Recent legal actions have underscored the risks businesses face when engaging in review gating. A notable example is the case of Fashion Nova, a popular online retailer that was fined $4.2 million by the FTC for suppressing negative reviews on its website. According to the FTC, Fashion Nova utilized a third-party platform to automatically post positive reviews while holding back those that were three stars or less. This practice misled consumers into believing that the product ratings were higher than they actually were, violating the CRFA.

This case serves as a cautionary tale for other businesses considering similar tactics. The substantial fine and the negative publicity associated with the legal action illustrate the potential costs of engaging in deceptive review practices. It also highlights the importance of adhering to legal guidelines and maintaining transparency with customers to avoid legal entanglements and reputational damage.

Legal vs. Ethical: Understanding the Distinction

While review gating might not always be explicitly illegal under every jurisdiction, it is widely considered unethical. The distinction between what is legal and what is ethical is crucial in this context. Legality refers to adherence to laws and regulations set by governing bodies, whereas ethics pertains to the moral principles that guide business practices. Even if review gating is not explicitly prohibited by law in some regions, it is generally viewed as unethical because it involves deceiving consumers by presenting a skewed view of customer satisfaction.

Businesses must consider both legal and ethical perspectives when deciding how to handle customer reviews. Engaging in practices that are legally permissible but ethically questionable can still lead to significant reputational damage and loss of consumer trust. In the long term, maintaining high ethical standards and transparency is beneficial for fostering a loyal customer base and avoiding the negative consequences associated with deceptive practices.

Best Practices for Requesting Reviews

Encourage Honest and Transparent Feedback

Be Clear and Open in Your Requests:

Communicate the Importance of All Feedback: Clearly state in your review requests that both positive and negative feedback is valued. This helps customers understand that their honest opinions are essential for the business’s growth and improvement.
Avoid Bias in Wording: Ensure that the language used in your review requests does not bias customers towards leaving only positive feedback. For example, instead of saying “Please leave us a positive review,” you could say, “We’d love to hear about your experience with our service.”
Emphasize Transparency: Highlight that all reviews will be published and visible, regardless of their content. This fosters a sense of transparency and honesty, encouraging customers to provide genuine feedback.

Set Clear Expectations:

Outline the Review Process: Let customers know what to expect when they leave a review. Explain the steps they need to take and how long it might take for their review to appear online.
Explain the Impact of Their Feedback: Inform customers how their feedback will be used. For instance, explain that their reviews help improve products, enhance customer service, and provide insights for future developments.
Reassure Anonymity if Necessary: Some customers may be hesitant to leave reviews due to privacy concerns. Reassure them that reviews can be anonymous if desired, which may encourage more candid feedback.

Utilize Effective Review Request Templates

Design Neutral and Open-Ended Templates:

Ask for General Feedback: Instead of requesting a specific type of review, ask customers to provide their general feedback about their experience. For example, “We value your opinion and would love to hear about your recent experience with us.”
Include Multiple Feedback Channels: Provide customers with multiple ways to give feedback, such as through a survey, a direct message, or a public review. This gives customers the flexibility to choose their preferred method of communication.
Avoid Leading Questions: Ensure that the questions in your templates do not lead customers to give a particular type of response. Open-ended questions like “What did you think of our service?” are more neutral than asking “What did you like about our service?”

Regularly Update Templates:

Adapt to Customer Feedback: Update your review request templates based on customer feedback and evolving best practices. This ensures your templates remain effective and aligned with current customer expectations.
Test Different Approaches: Experiment with different templates to see which ones are most effective at generating honest reviews. A/B testing can help identify the wording and format that yield the best results.
Keep Templates Short and Simple: Make sure that your review request templates are concise and easy to understand. A simple, straightforward request is more likely to be completed than a lengthy or complicated one.

Respond to All Feedback Constructively

Acknowledge Every Review:

Thank Customers for Their Time: Regardless of whether the review is positive or negative, start by thanking the customer for taking the time to provide feedback. This shows appreciation and encourages continued engagement.
Personalize Responses: Use the customer’s name and reference specific details from their review. Personalized responses show that you are genuinely interested in their feedback and are not using a generic response.
Respond Promptly: Aim to respond to reviews as quickly as possible. Prompt responses demonstrate that you are attentive and value customer feedback.

Address Negative Feedback Professionally:

Apologize and Offer Solutions: When responding to negative reviews, start with an apology for the customer’s poor experience, then provide a solution or a way to make things right. This shows that you are committed to resolving issues and improving the customer experience.
Stay Calm and Professional: Negative reviews can be frustrating, but it’s important to remain calm and professional in your response. Avoid getting defensive and focus on finding a constructive resolution.
Invite Further Communication: Encourage the customer to continue the conversation privately, if needed, to resolve any outstanding issues. This shows that you are willing to go the extra mile to ensure their satisfaction.

Encourage Consistent Review Collection

Make Review Requests Part of Your Routine:

Incorporate Into Regular Communication: Include review requests as a standard part of your communication with customers, such as after a purchase, service, or interaction. Consistency in asking for reviews helps build a steady stream of feedback.
Automate Review Requests: Use automation tools to send review requests at optimal times, such as shortly after a transaction or a customer service interaction. This ensures that requests are timely and relevant.
Set Review Collection Goals: Establish clear goals for the number and quality of reviews you aim to collect each month. Tracking progress towards these goals can help ensure that review collection remains a priority.

Encourage Feedback Across Multiple Platforms:

Diversify Review Platforms: Encourage customers to leave reviews on multiple platforms, such as Google, Yelp, Facebook, and industry-specific sites. This helps build a more comprehensive review profile and reach a wider audience.
Highlight Different Aspects of the Business: When requesting reviews on different platforms, highlight various aspects of your business to showcase its full range. For example, emphasize customer service on one platform and product quality on another.
Reward Consistent Reviewers: Consider recognizing customers who regularly leave reviews. While it’s important not to incentivize positive reviews, a simple thank you or acknowledgment can go a long way in encouraging ongoing feedback.

How to Safely Build a Positive Review Profile

Embrace Ethical and Transparent Review Practices

Standardized Review Requests:

Uniform Request Method: Ensure that all customers, regardless of their experience, receive the same type of review request. This avoids any bias in the review process.
Clear Communication: Be transparent about why you are requesting a review and how the feedback will be used to improve services. This helps build trust with your customers.
Non-Discriminatory Approach: Avoid selectively asking only satisfied customers for reviews. All feedback is valuable and should be treated equally.

Compliance with Platform Guidelines:

Adhere to Review Platform Policies: Familiarize yourself with the review guidelines of platforms like Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor to avoid violations.
Avoid Manipulative Practices: Do not incentivize positive reviews or filter out negative ones. Such practices can lead to penalties or removal from the platform.
Regular Monitoring: Continuously monitor your review practices to ensure they remain compliant with the latest guidelines from review platforms and regulatory bodies.

Foster Genuine Engagement with Customers

Personalized Customer Interaction:

Understand Customer Needs: Take the time to understand your customers’ needs and expectations to provide a personalized experience.
Active Listening: Listen to customer concerns and feedback actively, showing that their opinions are valued and that you are committed to addressing any issues.
Follow-Up Communication: After a purchase or service, follow up with customers to ensure their satisfaction and address any concerns they might have.

Create Positive Customer Experiences:

Exceed Expectations: Go beyond what is expected by offering exceptional customer service, surprise benefits, or personalized touches.
Consistent Quality: Ensure that the quality of your products or services is consistently high, making it easier for customers to leave positive reviews.
Proactive Problem-Solving: Anticipate potential issues before they arise and address them proactively, minimizing the chances of negative feedback.

Address Negative Feedback Constructively

View Negative Reviews as Opportunities:

Identify Areas for Improvement: Use negative feedback as a tool to identify weaknesses in your business operations or customer service.
Implement Changes: Take actionable steps to address the issues raised in negative reviews, showing customers that their feedback leads to tangible improvements.
Transparency in Response: Publicly respond to negative reviews in a transparent manner, explaining how you plan to rectify the situation.

Encourage Open Dialogue:

Invite Further Feedback: Encourage dissatisfied customers to provide more details about their experience, either publicly or privately, to fully understand their concerns.
Offer Solutions: When responding to negative reviews, offer practical solutions or compensation to show your commitment to customer satisfaction.
Follow-Up on Resolutions: After resolving an issue, follow up with the customer to ensure their satisfaction and to reinforce their trust in your business.

Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Integrate Feedback into Business Strategy:

Regularly Review Feedback: Continuously analyze customer reviews to identify trends and common issues that need to be addressed.
Adapt Business Practices: Use the insights gained from reviews to refine your products, services, and customer service processes.
Involve the Entire Team: Encourage all employees to be part of the feedback loop, ensuring that customer insights are acted upon at every level of the organization.

Celebrate Positive Reviews:

Acknowledge Positive Feedback: Publicly thank customers for positive reviews, showing appreciation for their support and encouraging others to share their experiences.
Share Success Stories: Use positive reviews as testimonials on your website or marketing materials to build credibility and attract new customers.
Reward Customer Loyalty: Consider offering loyalty rewards or special recognition to customers who consistently provide positive feedback, further strengthening your relationship with them.

Conclusion

Avoiding review gating is crucial for maintaining ethical standards and complying with legal guidelines. Businesses should focus on transparent and honest review practices to build a solid reputation and foster trust among consumers. By embracing both positive and negative feedback, companies can improve and demonstrate their commitment to providing excellent customer experiences. Prioritizing transparency and honesty will ultimately lead to a stronger, more credible online presence.