Negative Content Suppression
Discussion
In between a regular stream of emails offering SEO my inbox gets a sprinkling of agents pitching to suppress - or even remove - any negative reviews from the internet.
In almost two decades of trading, I'm pleased to say that I've not had a negative review written about my business however, there have been a handful of weird submissions which included:
- one about my style of driving on the M25 and therefore my business 'should be avoided at all costs';
- another about not entertaining someone who wanted me to fluff up an estimate I'd given him, so he went out of his way write bad reviews wherever he could;
- and one which was clearly (and badly) written by someone in the trade; a competitor.
These were all dealt with by contacting the relevant admins, and were subsequently - rightfully - removed by them. So what is it that these 'negative content suppression' people can do that you, as the business in question, can't by contacting the likes of Google, Trust Pilot, etc?
Referring back to the bad review written by the guy upset that I didn't help him stick one on his insurance company, I did have a tussle with Trust Pilot who seem to take the stance that if someone, for example, were to call you and ask what your opening hours are, this entitles them to write a review about your business. In between all the exchanges, Mr Disgruntled was busy editing his review and it got to a point where it looked obvious that he was a busybody up to no good. I took the view that 99.9% of any reviews written about my business were positive and his was simply insignifi
.
I accept that some people will write stuff about companies which could be damaging and there are some 'members of the public' who will say things just for the sheer hell of it, but isn't the onus on the publishers, like Google Reviews, to help the businesses being written about? On the flip side, if I do refer to what customers say about a business, when I see a stty review I ignore it; you can usually tell a genuine one by how it is written and of course, what the subject matter is.
Adam here from XXXXX
I'm wondering if your business has a review on Google that you perceive as misleading, inaccurate, or perhaps even written by a competitor?
If so, I can help you erase it; you only pay if I succeed. About 80% of potential customers check your business on Google before deciding to become a customer,
If you have a negative review, you lose potential customers on a daily basis.
Often, the reviews are anonymous and practically impossible for you as a business owner to remove by yourself, as you might be aware.
My success rate is 99%, but the most important thing for you to know is that if I don't succeed, you don't pay anything.
Interested?
Please reply to this email, and I'll look into your case immediately.How can 'Adam' have a review removed when you as the business owner can't? I get that he might be able to make sure that negative content is on the last page of a search, but removing bad reviews? How does that work?
In almost two decades of trading, I'm pleased to say that I've not had a negative review written about my business however, there have been a handful of weird submissions which included:
- one about my style of driving on the M25 and therefore my business 'should be avoided at all costs';
- another about not entertaining someone who wanted me to fluff up an estimate I'd given him, so he went out of his way write bad reviews wherever he could;
- and one which was clearly (and badly) written by someone in the trade; a competitor.
These were all dealt with by contacting the relevant admins, and were subsequently - rightfully - removed by them. So what is it that these 'negative content suppression' people can do that you, as the business in question, can't by contacting the likes of Google, Trust Pilot, etc?
Referring back to the bad review written by the guy upset that I didn't help him stick one on his insurance company, I did have a tussle with Trust Pilot who seem to take the stance that if someone, for example, were to call you and ask what your opening hours are, this entitles them to write a review about your business. In between all the exchanges, Mr Disgruntled was busy editing his review and it got to a point where it looked obvious that he was a busybody up to no good. I took the view that 99.9% of any reviews written about my business were positive and his was simply insignifi
. I accept that some people will write stuff about companies which could be damaging and there are some 'members of the public' who will say things just for the sheer hell of it, but isn't the onus on the publishers, like Google Reviews, to help the businesses being written about? On the flip side, if I do refer to what customers say about a business, when I see a s
tty review I ignore it; you can usually tell a genuine one by how it is written and of course, what the subject matter is. This latest email said:
Adam here from XXXXX
I'm wondering if your business has a review on Google that you perceive as misleading, inaccurate, or perhaps even written by a competitor?
If so, I can help you erase it; you only pay if I succeed. About 80% of potential customers check your business on Google before deciding to become a customer,
If you have a negative review, you lose potential customers on a daily basis.
Often, the reviews are anonymous and practically impossible for you as a business owner to remove by yourself, as you might be aware.
My success rate is 99%, but the most important thing for you to know is that if I don't succeed, you don't pay anything.
Interested?
Please reply to this email, and I'll look into your case immediately.
My guess is he doesn’t have much more leverage than yourself.
He will submit your negative reviews to the sites for removal (as you would), if he’s successful he gets paid.
Basically your paying him to do a simple admin task you could do yourself. I guess he will have all the various contact info at hand so it makes it a bit quicker and easier.
He will submit your negative reviews to the sites for removal (as you would), if he’s successful he gets paid.
Basically your paying him to do a simple admin task you could do yourself. I guess he will have all the various contact info at hand so it makes it a bit quicker and easier.
They’ve normally got someone ‘on the inside’ that will get even genuine bad reviews taken down.
I got one years ago from a lady to walked into my shop, she asked me for a new filter basket for her (Swimming Pool Filtration) pump. That is for reference like walking in to a motor factory and asking for an air filter for a car.
Make/Model of Pump? No… she was insistant she just wanted a generic basket for her standard pump.
I walked out into stores, picked up half a dozen pump baskets of varying shapes and sizes, and popped them on the counter, hoping she might see my dilemma.
She left me a 1-star review, I’d made her feel stupid apparently.
I did say, just WhatsApp me a photo of the pump when she got home, but hey ho.
I got one years ago from a lady to walked into my shop, she asked me for a new filter basket for her (Swimming Pool Filtration) pump. That is for reference like walking in to a motor factory and asking for an air filter for a car.
Make/Model of Pump? No… she was insistant she just wanted a generic basket for her standard pump.
I walked out into stores, picked up half a dozen pump baskets of varying shapes and sizes, and popped them on the counter, hoping she might see my dilemma.
She left me a 1-star review, I’d made her feel stupid apparently.
I did say, just WhatsApp me a photo of the pump when she got home, but hey ho.
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