As I Was Saying About Google Incentivizing Reviews…

Filed in Google, Local Search by Matt McGee on July 14, 2011 5 Comments

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

Comments (5)

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  1. Kristinn says:

    Isn’t this a violation of their own policy? Yes, right? The fair playing field seems to be evaporating quickly.

  2. Matt McGee says:

    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.

  3. Kristinn says:

    Oops. I was still operating under the old assumption that incentives were forbidden. This opens up some opportunity for clients in need of reviews.

  4. Irune says:

    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.

    • Matt McGee says:

      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.

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