Show Links:

1. Google Reporting Tool

https://support.google.com/business/answer/4596773?hl=en

2. Review Gating Widget

https://publicwww.com/

3. Google’s transparency report

https://transparencyreport.google.com/maps-content/enforcement

Date & Time: July 16, 2025 - 12:00 PM ET

Duration: 1 Hours

Speaker: Curtis Boyd & Joy Hawkins

Webinar Sponsor: GatherUp

245 million fake reviews!

That’s how many Google deleted last year—a 44% spike from the year before. The fake review problem is growing faster than most business owners realize, and it's putting reputations, revenue, and even livelihoods on the line.

In this eye-opening webinar, Joy sits down with Curtis Boyd, one of the most respected voices in online reputation management, to unpack:

-How fake reviews are created and spread

-What Google (and other platforms) are doing to stop them

-The shocking truth about “review jail” and hidden review blocks

-And the real-world tactics you can use to defend your business today

You’ll also see live audits of fake reviews, learn how to spot them before your customers do, and walk away with a clear strategy to build authentic, positive reviews that actually stick.

Whether you're a small business owner, marketing professional, or just curious about how review platforms are being gamed—this session is for you.

Don’t let your reputation be controlled by fake reviews. Learn how to fight back.

▬ Chapters ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

0:00:00 - Intro

0:00:23 - The Prevalence of Fake Reviews

0:00:30 - Google's Removal of Fake Reviews

0:02:15 - Responding to Fake Reviews

0:02:36 - The 3-Week Window

0:07:27 - Reporting Fake Reviews

0:08:43 - One-Star Ratings with No Text

0:09:12 - Reporting Contributor Profiles

0:19:24 - "A Google User" Reviews

0:30:13 - ChatGPT and AI-Generated Reviews

0:31:52 - Identifying Competitors Buying Reviews

0:35:41 - Fighting Back Against Competitors Buying Reviews

0:36:10 - Google "Sweeps"

0:36:43 - Elbow Grease for Older Fakes

0:37:38 - Impact of Losing Reviews

0:38:46 - Reporting Review Gating

0:41:09 - Suspensions for Buying Reviews

0:41:51 - Review Blocks ("Review Jail")

0:45:13 - Differentiating Real vs. Fake

0:47:12 - Anonymous Profiles

0:48:56 - Keywords in Review Replies

0:54:21 - FTC and Review Gating

0:55:32 - Review Recency as a Ranking Factor

0:59:15 - Top Review Sites (Besides Google)

01:00:11 - Impact of a Single Fake Review

EP 25101