Treat Google Reviews with caution

LadyDee

I know MSE regulars are aware of treating online reviews with caution but just thought I'd mention this here.
I came across a task on Airtasker asking for 5 star reviews for the person's business - offering AUS$5.00 (about GBP3.00).  Almost immediately several replies offering to do this were posted.  This was in Australia but no doubt it happens here too.
I would also just say that in my opinion the important reviews on any platform are the 1 and 2 star!  Don't be blinded by all the 5 star ones.

IvanOpinion

To me the 1 and 2 star reviews are about as unreliable as the 5 star reviews - usually the 1 and 2 star reviews are people venting because they were incapable of reading, incapable of using or incapable of building/installing.  I report as useless any reviews were the person states they got the item free or some other incentive.

If something meets my expectations then I will give it 3 stars. If it is of better quality or has extra features I might venture into 4 star territory but something would have to be really special to get 5 stars. Sadly the little entitled social media princesses seem to get all hyper when they don't get 5 stars - I browsed, I ordered, I received = 3 stars - if they spam me or hassle me I will happily drop that to 2 stars.

That is the problem with social media, and these so called 'influencers', their word means nothing because they would sell their children for a few likes or an incentive.  They are parasitic.