Review gating
Black hat. Against platform rules or the law. Risks bans, fines and your reputation.
What is review gating?
Review gating is screening customers before asking for a public review: a survey or question first, then only satisfied customers are sent to Google or another review site, while unhappy ones are steered to a private form.
Google’s policies forbid selectively soliciting positive reviews, and Trustpilot and others have similar rules.
Why review gating matters
It makes the rating unrepresentative, which is the problem review policies exist to prevent. Ask every customer the same way, and answer the negative reviews in public.
Risks of review gating
- Google’s review policies prohibit it and it can lead to removed reviews or restrictions on a Business Profile.
- The FTC’s fake reviews rule covers suppressing negative reviews in some circumstances.
Related marketing terms
Fake reviewsBlack hat
Fake reviews are reviews that do not reflect a real customer’s honest experience: written by the business, paid for, or posted to attack rivals.
Review management is collecting, monitoring and responding to customer reviews on sites such as Google, G2, Trustpilot and app stores.
Google Business Profile is a business’s free listing on Google Search and Maps, with its address, hours, phone, website, photos and reviews.
Net Promoter Score asks customers how likely they are to recommend you from 0 to 10, then subtracts detractors from promoters.