Post Updated: 11th, Novemer 2023 Customer reviews and word of mouth have transformed the behaviors of online shoppers. There was a time when an effective copy could real in customers from across the globe and help the brand in raking in millions. Sadly, that is not the case today. These days, peer-generated content in the […]
Post Updated: 11th, Novemer 2023
Customer reviews and word of mouth have transformed the behaviors of online shoppers. There was a time when an effective copy could real in customers from across the globe and help the brand in raking in millions. Sadly, that is not the case today.
These days, peer-generated content in the form of customer reviews, testimonials, ratings, and so on, plays a vital role in converting people who are still on the fence. This is in line with the research that says that over 93% of online consumers consider internet reviews to be as accurate as personal recommendations.
But the game is still far from perfect for everyone, as many opt to review anonymously, hiding their identity from others.
This blog post will deal with the phenomenon of reviewing a company’s products or services without revealing the identity of the person.
Any talk of online reviews and customer testimonials will be incomplete without Google Reviews. It is a part of Google’s flagship program Google My Business (GMB). GMB allows companies to create online profiles and cover all the aspects of online advertisement and marketing under one banner – Google’s banner!
The company gauges the worth of a brand based on the quantity and quality of customer reviews that it collects among other things and then rewards it with better online rankings.
That’s why any modern online marketing and advertisement campaign is incomplete without taking Google Reviews and overall GMB into account.
Since the trend of online reviews and comments started, platforms that are based on community guidelines and practices have introduced many measures to maintain, and even enhance, the integrity of peer-generated reviews. Many allowed aliases and other sorts of things to ensure that people are more comfortable posting online.
But anonymity is a two-edged sword. On one hand, it allows users to connect with a brand and speak their version of the truth without worrying about backlashes. This has happened in the past where paid trolls would stalk and harass people who would comment about certain things. However, it also allows users to even fabricate stories and tell lies about brands.
Keeping this in sight, Google Reviews, among others, abandoned the practice of posting comments online. They have set vigorous rules and regulations in place so that malpractices and issues can be addressed in a timely fashion.
Now that Google and other major platforms have abandoned the practice of allowing users to post anonymous reviews, is it possible for users to have a workaround?
The answer to that question is YES! Users can leave a review on Google Reviews without revealing their names, photos, or anything. But it comes with a workaround.
In the following sections of the blog, we will cover two of the most common ways that allow users to leave comments and reviews on a platform that does not end up with their identity spilled around it.
The simplest workaround is this. You don’t need any technical acumen and dexterity, just a simple string of instructions to follow:
Once you have done this, just go to the Google Reviews link where you want to post your review and post your review. When it is done, you can come back to this page and restore the information to the original.
This is another hot topic for users who do not want to alter information on their Google account but still want to review it anonymously. The process is simple and pretty much widespread across the internet.
Apart from creating a new account, you can also leave a review by using another email client. For instance, if you have a secondary email account on Hotmail, you can use it to leave Google Reviews on Google Maps.
If anything we have learned from the internet, it is that nothing can be completely anonymous or untraceable. Every link and page, no matter how obscure it seems, you visit is somewhere documented and indexed. It means that the owner can see the number of clicks and visits, among other things.
The same is true for “anonymous” Google Reviews. Whether you change your name before posting a review or use a secondary email profile altogether, Google can trace the IP address of the location from where it was posted. This is, again, alarming for many but they can avoid leaking their location to Google by connecting their local network with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN will reroute the traffic from a server far off from your actual location.
Customer reviews are at the backbone of user-generated content. Brands struggle to get traction as they are more well-received and appreciated than sales copy and banners. Yet, many users prefer to leave reviews anonymously to safeguard their identity and other interests. In this blog, we have highlighted two workarounds that can help customers in posting reviews without revealing their names and photo to the platform. Keep in mind that this is not a permanent solution but just a fix. Google and other platforms have abandoned the practice of anonymous reviews.
If you are a business struggling to collect and showcase authentic Google Reviews from customers, TrustAnalytica is your partner in ensuring that everything is right on the mark.
Do Google Reviews matter?
Of course! Whether you consider the human factor or the online ranking factor determined by the bots, Google Reviews provide a strong foundation for the case of a brand that seeks to climb the rankings ladder. Both the quality and quantity of reviews make a difference in assigning the SERPs to the brand.
What can brands do about negative reviews?
Negative reviews are inevitable for online brands. No matter how great your services are or how considerate you are toward your patrons, you are sure to receive these from time to time. However, there is no need to rush or panic when it happens, instead;
Can I delete a review after posting?
A reviewer can delete a review after posting. This is something that he created and he can delete it by going through a couple of simple steps. However, others, including brands and businesses, cannot do anything about it, except complaint. This will only bear fruit if the review violated any guidelines of the platform.
Do I need a Gmail account to post a review?
Fortunately, NO! You can post a Google Review without adding your primary Gmail account. To do that, you need to go to Google Maps and search for the business that you want to review. After writing the review and assigning the stars, you can use another email account once the sign-in prompt pops up.
What is the best way to collect more positive reviews?
The best way to collect more positive reviews is to provide exceptional service, this is as simple as that. In addition to this, you can provide links and CTAs to users that can induce them to leave positive reviews.
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