Yelp isn’t just a platform—it’s a battleground. With over 31 million app users and millions more web visitors, Yelp can make or break your business. According to Yelp’s research, 90% of users make a purchase within a week of visiting the platform. That means a single bad review can trigger an avalanche of consequences.
In the modern world of online reviews, reputation is everything, and fake Yelp reviews are more common than you’d like to think. Let’s dig into why they happen, how they hurt, and what you can do to protect your business.
Why a Business May Need to Remove a Bad Review
The truth? Any negative review is problematic—even when it’s fair—because modern consumers use reviews as their shopping compass. A poor rating can push potential customers away before you ever have a chance to make an impression.
Today’s consumers rely on reviews to:
Narrow down businesses to consider
Compare products or services
Make decisions between competing businesses
Avoid potential disappointments
A staggering 85% of consumers say that a business’s average star rating is either important or very important. In fact, only 2 in 100 consumers would even consider a business with a rating of two stars or lower. That’s why fake reviews—which drag down your star rating—can do some serious damage.
Can Yelp Reviews Be Faked?
Oh yeah, fake reviews are out there—big time. Despite efforts to curb them, BrightLocal research suggests that 26% of consumers have seen fake reviews on Yelp. And it's not just Yelp—Google, Amazon, and Facebook are swimming in fake reviews too.
The Harvard Business Review highlights a “large and thriving market” for fake reviews. Whether they’re boosting visibility or tanking competitors, fake reviews are big business. And because reviews also impact search engine rankings, the stakes are even higher.
How Does Yelp Handle Fake Reviews?
Yelp considers itself a “community-driven site,” which means it doesn’t take the removal of third-party content lightly. But the company is doing more than just sitting on its hands. Here’s how Yelp is fighting back:
Consumer Alerts: If Yelp detects abnormal activity (a.k.a. shady review behavior), a Consumer Alert pop-up may appear on the offending profile, warning users of potential misconduct.
Recommendation Software: Yelp’s system analyzes billions of data points to highlight trustworthy reviews while pushing questionable ones out of sight.
Human Moderators: Yelp’s moderation team reviews flagged reviews, and even monitors the dark web for groups engaged in fake review schemes.
How Do I Remove a Fake Yelp Review?
Let’s be clear—getting a fake review removed is no cakewalk. The trick? Treat it like a legitimate review first. Reach out to the reviewer offline, try to understand their experience, and offer a resolution. If you can’t find the reviewer’s contact info, reply politely on Yelp, inviting them to connect with you directly.
Now, if you’re sure the review is fake, here’s what to do next:
Gather Evidence: Compile all the records showing that the review isn’t legitimate. Maybe the reviewer never visited your business, or perhaps it’s a clear conflict of interest (like a competitor or former employee).
Report the Review: Once you’ve built your case, log into your Yelp Business Profile, find the offending review, and hit the ‘Report Review’ button. Provide Yelp with all the evidence you’ve gathered, then sit tight while their moderators investigate.
Be Patient: Yelp’s process isn’t instant. It may take several days for them to notify you of the outcome. But whether the review gets removed or not, you’ve already shown your commitment to keeping your business’s reputation in check.
What If the Yelp Review Stays?
If Yelp doesn’t remove the review, take it as an opportunity to improve. Bad reviews can be valuable if you approach them constructively. Use the feedback to improve, and focus on generating more positive reviews to balance out the negative ones.
And if you’re feeling stuck? We’ve got an in-depth guide to managing online reviews, packed with actionable tips, strategies, and templates to help you crush it.
In a digital world where visibility is everything, GMB Fox ensures your business isn’t just online—it’s the first choice customers make. Let us handle the complexities of digital marketing, so you can focus on what truly matters: growing your business.
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