As I Was Saying About Google Incentivizing Reviews…
Following up on last week’s article … if you live in San Diego and write at least five reviews in Google Places, Google will give you free tacos or free frozen yogurt, and one person also gets a $25 gift certificate.
Google is doing this every week in San Diego. #justsayin
Isn’t this a violation of their own policy? Yes, right? The fair playing field seems to be evaporating quickly.
I don’t think it is, Kristinn. Click the 3rd article above under “Related Entries” for more on the last changes to their review policy. As long as you’re not paying for positive/negative reviews, it’s okay to give people incentives to write reviews.
Oops. I was still operating under the old assumption that incentives were forbidden. This opens up some opportunity for clients in need of reviews.
But isn’t giving an incentive exactly the same as paying? I mean, not many people are going to write a negative review in exchange for a product they don’t like, but if you are ok with the product you may want to go and write just to get it for free.
But I guess since it’s their toy they can do what they want with the rules.
I don’t think it’s quite the same, Irune. A payment is a payment – quid pro quo. You do this, you get this in return.
An incentive — at least in the way it’s being done here as part of a contest — just gives you a chance at getting something in return. Not everyone who participates gets the same thing in return.