All you guys doing reputation management be careful

[FutureCRNA]

I have been trying 7878's method for a month or so and I am weary of the legalities of this. In Yelps TOS, it clearly states that "asking" customers to leave positive reviews aka hand out cards, postcards with your review portal is against TOS. Furthermore, they mention that "reputation management" companies are against TOS as well and to forward all companies information to Yelp if you are approached by such business. I have many pre-existing clients that I sell other services too and have been trying to sell 7878's method with the review portal, etc... to them. I am seriously considering bailing ship after reading this. I don't want to put my customers nor myself up for possible issues.

FYI, Yelp has recently went after a law firm for "fake reviews". Now I'm not saying thats what were doing but if they go after a law firm, they'll have no issue going after someone else.

Any thoughts?

 

[Conor]

I'm pretty sure we don't have Yelp in South Africa. Why should you only rely on that site for reviews? Move on to a different site.

 

[TZ2011]

You don't have to ask for positive review, you can ask for honest review.

 

[DunDidIt2X]

Yeah, thats why I use techniques different than reviews on yelp etc. I actually just build review sites for the customers and dominate the results for anything related to reviews, scams, etc. Best method is to never rely on third parties to make your business, and relying on yelp diablse your ability to control your clients fate.

 

[FutureCRNA]

I'm pretty sure we don't have Yelp in South Africa. Why should you only rely on that site for reviews? Move on to a different site.

Its the most popular here, everyone wants to dominate on Yelp. Its all they care about.

Yeah, thats why I use techniques different than reviews on yelp etc. I actually just build review sites for the customers and dominate the results for anything related to reviews, scams, etc. Best method is to never rely on third parties to make your business, and relying on yelp diablse your ability to control your clients fate.

No one will buy that here. All they care about is dominating Yelp and Google.

 

[FutureCRNA]

You don't have to ask for positive review, you can ask for honest review.

No "asking" period

 

[Jumbo_Refill]

No "asking" period

So what you are saying is that we should just tell them too, ok lol.

 

[burglar]

Screw Yelp and their TOS along with them! Who the hell do they think they are? They set up a review site, get all kinds of people to write reviews about any business they want and then "filter" the results? A lot of business owners feel that their "filter" is set up to make businesses more likely to buy their advertising. Do a few searches for "Yelp" and see what angry business owners are saying.

Their "TOS" doesn't concern me in the least. If I ever decided to write a fake review (which I do not condone simply on principle) I'd be sure to make it damn-near impossible for them to detect. And even if they did, what are they going to do? Sue me for violating their TOS?

Bring it on.

P.S. Don't get me wrong FutureCNRA, I appreciate you taking time to post that info. It's just that I'm not afraid of Yelp and all their FUD-mongering.

 

[Duffers5000]

I think you are being a bit dramatic about Yelp going all legal on you. According to their terms they discourage solicitation but dont have a problem with you promoting your Yelp presence. https://biz.yelp.co.uk/blog/dont-ask-for-reviews-encourage-engagement-instead

Heres an email I just got(for reevoo not yelp) which shows how you can politely engage and encourage a customer without aggressively spamming them.

 

[JAlice]

I am also looking forward to get reputation management for my clients they are much scary about there negative seo,so they want the good reputation to be build up in there business.

 

[prospect7]

Fear is the killer of action and success.

 

[CyrilSneer]

People always try to discourage others from doing this or that by creating fear and consequences.
This has worked in the past, same today and will be so even in a thousand years.
You just have to decide "am i Slave or Master?"

 

[rszarc]

People always try to discourage others from doing this or that by creating fear and consequences.
This has worked in the past, same today and will be so even in a thousand years.
You just have to decide "am i Slave or Master?"

well said bro

 

[blackroyale]

I almost fell of my chair when I read your post. I hate Yelp. They simply suck. Yelp has this whole bullying thing going on that they think will help them sell their own reputation management services...err...reputation extortion services is more like it.

How do you prop up a business for failure with bad reviews than offer then offer to remove the negatives for a fee? Does that mean they are breaking their own TOS?

 

[ghostmentor]

Yelp is the king of extortion. They call you after a negative review and offer ad packages at $300 month start. Yelpers are toxic for reviews, and yelps seo normally is hardcore in major cities.

 

[BHopkins]

If you're really trying to protect your clients, just push Yelp to page 2. Very few people will see that horrible site.

They filter good and honest reviews unless you're a paying advertiser so just push the whole thing off page 1 and the problem is solved.

 

[thisigor]

Once I tried to use spam to rank a website in Google (as you know this is against their TOS), since then Matt Cutts has been chasing me on a Google Street View car.

 

[NoelP]

well, they always go after the big guys to send a message to the little guys. It's all down to how big you are (or will get in future). Look what happened to megaupload..btw, did yelp actually win their case after this law firm? Quite ballsie from them to do that, don't ya'll think?

 

[jebuskrust]

Like many others before me advised, Yelp is extoring their clients for money, for every low to average review your business gets, you have one of their sales guy follow you around untill you accept a crazy subscription based service. That's bollox mate.

I've seen so much bad talk about Yelp that I give it another 2 years the most or until the next startup comes and takes their face. Just push the Yelp reviews on 2nd page.

In Europe nobody gives a rats ass on Yelp. And if you are on holidays/tourism business, then TripAdvisor should be your main focus.

 

[netmoney1]

If you're really trying to protect your clients, just push Yelp to page 2. Very few people will see that horrible site.

They filter good and honest reviews unless you're a paying advertiser so just push the whole thing off page 1 and the problem is solved.

Exactly. Yelp is the biggest racket. I love how they "go after" people yet what they do is complete bullsh#t. Companies are shown in a good light if they pay - Yelp is a complete racket and I wouldn't be surprised if I saw a huge class action against them in the future. If they were a true "review site" they wouldn't play favorites in terms of ad $$ spent. They are everything they try to prevent - manipulation.