I regularly see businesses handling Google reviews and reviews on other platforms in ways that violate FTC guidelines and platform terms of service. You may find legal topics boring, but ignorance of the laws and terms of service won't be an excuse if the FTC or platforms such as Google come after you. Let's look at how you can comply with regulations while getting valuable reviews that boost your reputation and SEO.
Disclaimer: OptimWise does not provide legal counsel. You should seek necessary legal counsel for any legal issues related to your website(s), including, but not limited to, compliance with government laws and regulations and industry regulations.
In October 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued new rules to combat fake reviews and testimonials. In December 2025, the FTC sent its first warning letters to companies.
Platforms that host reviews, such as Google, Facebook, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and Trustpilot have also become stricter in recent years.
The FTC notes that fines can reach $53,088 per violation! That's not total for the company, but per violation of the rules.
Platforms that host reviews (Google, Facebook, Yelp, etc.) could remove individual reviews or your entire profile, hurting your SEO, AI search visibility, and overall web presence.
Let's look at the specific do's and don'ts from the FTC and several major review platforms.
❌ Don't: Invite only those who say they're happy with you to leave a review.
✅ Do: Invite everyone or no one; treat all customers equally.
❌ Don't: Hide that you've given incentives (gift card, discount, payment, etc.) for a review.
✅ Do: Disclose (or have the reviewer disclose) that you gave an incentive.
❌ Don't: Allow people inside or close to your business (employees, shareholders, or their close family members) to review without disclosing their relationship.
✅ Do: Disclose (or have the reviewer disclose) the reviewer's relationship to your business.
❌ Don't: Create or use fake reviews (written by non-existent people or AI, or that review products or services the reviewer didn't truly use).
✅ Do: Try to ensure all reviews are genuine, including those requested by any marketing or reputation management companies you hire. You are responsible for the practices of the companies you hire.
❌ Don't: Make any threats (legal, physical, or other) against reviewers to motivate them to remove or change a review.
✅ Do: Allow reviewers to be honest, and respond to the review to give your side of the story.
❌ Don't: Invite only those who say they're happy with you to leave a review.
✅ Do: Invite everyone or no one; treat all customers equally.
❌ Don't: Offer any incentives (gift card, discount, payment, etc.) for posting, changing, or removing a review.
✅ Do: Allow reviewers to manage their reviews on their own.
❌ Don't: Allow people inside or close to your business (employees, shareholders, or their close family members) to review.
✅ Do: Get reviews from people without a conflict of interest.
❌ Don't: Create or use fake reviews (written by non-existent people or AI, or that review products or services the reviewer didn't truly use).
✅ Do: Try to ensure all reviews are genuine, including those requested by any marketing or reputation management companies you hire. You are responsible for the practices of the companies you hire.
❌ Don't: Offer any incentives (gift card, discount, payment, etc.) for posting, changing, or removing a review.
✅ Do: Allow reviewers to manage their reviews on their own.
❌ Don't: Create or use fake reviews (written by non-existent people or AI, or that review products or services the reviewer didn't truly use).
✅ Do: Try to ensure all reviews are genuine, including those requested by any marketing or reputation management companies you hire. You are responsible for the practices of the companies you hire.
❌ Don't: Request a review from anyone.
✅ Do: Allow reviewers to manage their reviews on their own. You may put a Yelp badge on your website which may cause customers to consider reviewing.
❌ Don't: Offer any incentives (gift card, discount, payment, etc.) for posting, changing, or removing a review.
✅ Do: Allow reviewers to manage their reviews on their own.
❌ Don't: Allow people inside or close to your business (employees, shareholders, or their close family members) to review.
✅ Do: Allow reviews from people without a conflict of interest.
❌ Don't: Invite only those who say they're happy with you to leave a review.
✅ Do: Invite everyone or no one; treat all customers equally.
❌ Don't: Offer any incentives (gift card, discount, payment, etc.) for posting, changing, or removing a review.
✅ Do: Allow reviewers to manage their reviews on their own.
❌ Don't: Allow people inside or close to your business (employees, shareholders, or their close family members) to review.
✅ Do: Allow reviews from people without a conflict of interest.
❌ Don't: Create or use fake reviews (written by non-existent people or AI, or that review products or services the reviewer didn't truly use).
✅ Do: Try to ensure all reviews are genuine, including those requested by any marketing or reputation management companies you hire. You are responsible for the practices of the companies you hire.
❌ Don't: Make any threats (legal, physical, or other) against reviewers to motivate them to remove or change a review.
✅ Do: Allow reviewers to be honest, and respond to the review to give your side of the story.
❌ Don't: Invite only those who say they're happy with you to leave a review.
✅ Do: Invite everyone or no one; treat all customers equally.
❌ Don't: Offer any incentives (gift card, discount, payment, etc.) for posting, changing, or removing a review.
✅ Do: Allow reviewers to manage their reviews on their own.
❌ Don't: Allow people inside or close to your business (employees, shareholders, or their close family members) to review.
✅ Do: Allow reviews from people without a conflict of interest.
❌ Don't: Create or use fake reviews (written by non-existent people or AI, or that review products or services the reviewer didn't truly use).
✅ Do: Try to ensure all reviews are genuine, including those requested by any marketing or reputation management companies you hire. You are responsible for the practices of the companies you hire.
❌ Don't: Make any threats (legal, physical, or other) against reviewers to motivate them to remove or change a review.
✅ Do: Allow reviewers to be honest, and respond to the review to give your side of the story.
❌ Don't: Suggest that a customer leave a positive or 5-star review.
✅ Do: Ask the customer to leave a review, and leave the content of the review up to the customer.
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