Or is it?
As a life-long journalist, I know that having a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness is worth far more than scoring a free meal or some discount in a hotel.
What makes Google Guides stand out above its more famous competitor is that the Google reviews feel far more genuine. In fact I won’t contribute to the other site at all, because I don’t want my name to be associated with a platform that has a reputation for hosting skewed reviews. It’s a real concern that Google will go the same way.
It’s up to us as the Google Community to make sure that doesn’t happen. Let’s not allow this to become a platform where Guides go to a venue and threaten to post a bad review unless they get special treatment, or promise to write glowing five-star reviews in return for special treatment.
A reputation like that would devalue the entire system and damage our names as individual contributors as well as harm Google’s credibility as a whole. So let’s keep it real.
Likewise if you feel you genuinely had a bad experience, maybe think more broadly before you post a scathing 1-star review. Perhaps something happened that was beyond the venue’s control? (In South Africa we’re having regular long electricity blackouts because of the inefficient power utility, and it’s really hard to offer excellent service with no lights and power, for example).
Or were you personally in a bad or awkward mood? You might you feel better after posting a bitter rant, but does that represent the reality that other visitors are likely to experience?
It might be tempting to play on your status as a Google Guide to stroke your ego, and lighten the bill, but let’s keep it real.
When we take advice from reviews, as well as post them, it’s important to know that the words are accurate. The only way to ensure that continues is for each of us be fair, honest and trustworthy. To keep it real.
I’d love to see – or take part in - a panel discussion on this at Google Connect in November.
What do you think?
