Should You Report Your Competitors' Fake Google Reviews? Here's The Truth
Instead of getting bogged down in review wars, ask your happy customers for feedback
Let's talk about something that drives business owners up the wall - competitors with dodgy reviews. You know the ones I mean. A business that opened last week somehow has 50 perfect reviews. Or that competitor whose reviews read like they were copied and pasted from a template.
The Gut Reaction
Your blood boils. You've worked hard for every genuine review, and here they are, cheating the system. Your finger hovers over the 'Report' button. But wait - let's think this through properly.
When Your Suspicions Are Probably Right
Trust your instincts when you see:
- A flood of glowing reviews all posted within hours
- Reviews from profiles that look like they were created yesterday
- Word-for-word identical reviews (seriously, who does that?)
- Reviews mentioning services you know they don't offer
Right, So Should I Report Them?
In short - yes. But do it properly.
Look, we're all trying to run honest businesses here in the UK. When someone plays dirty with fake reviews, they're not just cheating the system - they're misleading real people who are trying to make informed decisions about where to spend their hard-earned money.
The Proper Way to Report Fake Reviews
- Find the suspicious review on their Google Business Profile
- Click those three little dots (...)
- Hit 'Report review'
- Pick why you're reporting it
- Submit and let Google do their thing
Quick Tips for Reporting
- Grab screenshots - always handy to have evidence
- Only report the obviously fake ones
- Don't get into a digital punch-up with your competitors
- Remember Google isn't exactly quick with these things - it might take a while
The Smart Way Forward
Instead of getting bogged down in review wars, pour that energy into something more productive:
- Ask your happy customers for feedback (the genuine kind)
- Reply to every review like a human being, not a robot
- Get organised with your feedback collection
- Focus on being so good at what you do that great reviews come naturally
A Better Approach
Here's what I've learned from working with local businesses: while you're busy reporting fake reviews, your competitors could be out there winning real customers.
The businesses that thrive aren't the ones obsessing over their competitors' fake reviews - they're the ones building their own authentic reputations.
Need a Hand?
If you're feeling overwhelmed with managing your online reputation, we get it. Here at Customer Feedback Centre, we've helped countless local businesses build genuine, trustworthy online reputations. No fake reviews, no dodgy tactics - just real feedback from real customers.
Ring us on 01268 439917 if you fancy a chat about keeping your online reputation genuine and growing.
Remember - fake reviews might give competitors a quick win, but a genuine reputation builds a business that lasts.
I hope the above article was of interest and you found it useful.
If you need our help, then please arrange a call with me.
Author: Andrew Hurrell
