{"id":8661,"date":"2010-12-23T14:13:12","date_gmt":"2010-12-23T18:13:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/?p=8661"},"modified":"2011-01-01T11:13:32","modified_gmt":"2011-01-01T15:13:32","slug":"the-review-economy-what-is-a-positive-review-worth-3-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/2010\/12\/23\/the-review-economy-what-is-a-positive-review-worth-3-22\/","title":{"rendered":"The Review Economy – What is a Positive Review Worth? $3.22"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I manage the online marketing for a small insurance company in Bradford Pa<\/a>, Sundahl and Co. Insurance. While looking at the local search results<\/a> the other day, I noticed that a local competitor was suddenly showing up with a number of reviews. It surprised me as the insurance market segment and this area of the country don’t really lend themselves to “organic” reviews. I have two insurance agencies that I have done work for, both market leaders, and between them they had garnered 2 natural reviews over the past 3 years.<\/p>\n

Upon examination it became immediately clear that the reviews for this agent were purchased, faked or to otherwise procured without a real customer. In the past few weeks I have had several other experiences indicating the rapid commodification of reviews….<\/p>\n

* I saw that my Honda dealer<\/a>, with a mediocre service department at best, had started “buying” reviews.
\n* Stever, a local seo<\/a> in Canada, Someone (I can’t remember who)<\/del> was kind enough to send me a link<\/a> to a “3 positive reviews for $5” offer at Fiverr.com and “a short review on your Google places account for $5”
\n* Brian Combs of Ionadas.com<\/a> sent me a copy<\/a> of a email spam that arrived via his contact form touting the benefits of positive reviews from a company called PostPositiveReviews.com<\/a>. Their whole business model predicated on trading in reviews and back links.<\/p>\n


\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When you look at their prices (assuming 1\/2 for links and 1\/2 for reviews), a review is essentially selling for $3 each. At Fiverr.com, some were cheaper,\u00a0going for as little as $1.66 per review and some costing as much as $5.00. (Do they get better if you spend more?) The average: $3.22.<\/p>\n

Capitalism is a funny thing. There is a tendency to commodify everything. You can see this in the ongoing efforts to privatize water sales. If air could be bottled and constrained, it too would have a price placed on it.<\/p>\n

I shouldn’t have been surprised that positive reviews now have a market value. But still one has to ask why should a business pay for something that can essentially be had for free?<\/p>\n

Fear? Lack of knowledge? Terrible service? Laziness? Maybe all of those things as it seems as all too many businesses seem to do it.<\/p>\n

With a little thought<\/a> (or just a\u00a0little more money<\/a>)\u00a0most businesses could successfully execute and benefit from a review management process<\/a> that garners real reviews. Even the worst business in the world has happy customers, no? My Honda dealer must have them as they have managed to stay in business for a very long time.<\/p>\n

How hard is it to set up a review management program that is above board and approaches the process with integrity rather than greed and why don’t more businesses realize that?<\/p>\n

Here are several articles that detail all a company needs to know to set up a review plan. It isn’t rocket science:<\/p>\n

Principles for a Review Plan: Considerations in encouraging customer reviews<\/a>
\nResponding to Negative Reviews \u2013 Your Prospects are the Real Audience<\/a>
\nAsking for Reviews \u2013 UMoveFree Finds the Groove<\/a>
\nGarnering Reviews \u2013 A Mom & (no) Pop Shop finally Hops on Reviews<\/a>
\nReviews: Lipstick on a Pig Leads to User Backlash<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I manage the online marketing for a small insurance company in Bradford Pa, Sundahl and Co. Insurance. While looking at the local search results the other day, I noticed that a local competitor was suddenly showing up with a number of reviews. It surprised me as the insurance market segment and this area of the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":262,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8661","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-google-maps-google-local","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t