![]() The AG’s office reached settlements with the companies and levied fines as a deterrent, but astroturfing campaigns still happen today, and often by businesses that seem otherwise reputable. In 2013, an undercover investigation by the New York State Attorney General’s Office called “Operation Clean Turf” found 19 companies across the state guilty of writing fake online reviews for either themselves or the companies they represented. When viewed in context alongside real reviews, these fakes are often easy to spot. This practice is illegal for businesses and the agencies that represent them to engage in, but it still happens with some regularity today. The goal of these campaigns is to influence perception by staging what resembles genuine public interest – whether it be positive or negative – in a company’s products or services when there really is none. ![]() In the world of marketing and advertising, astroturfing refers to “campaigns or messages that appear to be naturally occurring, but are actually being defined by a company,” says Big Commerce. Falsified product or service reviews rose to prominence as popular review sites like Yelp, Facebook and Google My Business grew in popularity, opening the door to fake reviews – what has become known as an opportunistic “astroturfing” tactic. The practice of posting fake reviews about businesses can be extremely detrimental to both the companies engaging in these shady practices and the consumers who are led to purchase a product or service they would have otherwise avoided based on true feedback. However, as with most new opportunities, new ways to game the system are sure to follow. That is, if they are providing great products and services. This expansion is a great opportunity for businesses – especially the more web savvy ones – to vastly increase their reach and potential consumer base. In recent years, online review sites have revolutionized word-of-mouth advertising and the value of a customer referral by infinitely expanding access to provide feedback and input on products and services to customers from all corners of the world.
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