Review rules to know
A plain summary of the US FTC rule on fake reviews and of Google's review policy, and what they mean when you use Laudely.
Reviews only help you if people can trust them, and there are rules about how businesses collect and show them. This page sums up two sets of rules that matter to most small businesses. It isn't legal advice: you're responsible for how you collect and use reviews, so check the rules where you do business.
The FTC rule on reviews (United States)
In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials (16 CFR Part 465) took effect on October 21, 2024. Among other things, it prohibits:
fake or false reviews and testimonials, such as reviews by people who don't exist (including AI-written ones) or who never used your product or service;
rewards for reviews that must be positive or negative, whether that's said openly or implied;
reviews by your staff or other insiders that don't clearly disclose the connection;
review websites you control that claim to be independent;
stopping or removing reviews with groundless legal threats, intimidation or false public accusations;
suggesting that the reviews you show are most or all of your reviews when you've left some out for their rating or negative tone;
fake social media indicators, such as bought followers or views.
Courts can impose civil penalties for knowing violations. The FTC also says that asking only happy customers for reviews could break the FTC Act, though the rule has no clause on it. You can read the rule and the FTC's questions and answers.
Google's review policy
Google's policy for content on Maps covers the reviews on your Google Business Profile. Businesses must not:
offer anything, such as payment, discounts or free goods or services, in exchange for posting any review, even an honest one;
discourage negative reviews, or ask only the customers they expect to be happy (often called review gating);
post reviews with a conflict of interest, for example about a business they own or work for;
require or pressure customers to leave a review while on the premises, or give staff targets for a number of reviews or for what reviews should say.
Asking customers for honest reviews is allowed, as long as you don't offer anything in return or try to influence the rating. Google removes content that breaks its policy.
What this means when you use Laudely
Invite every customer in the same way, not only the happy ones.
Never offer discounts, gifts, prize draws or anything else for a review.
You choose which reviews go on your wall. Describe them as reviews from your customers, never as all of your reviews, and don't advertise an average rating or review count based on the reviews you picked.
Don't write reviews for customers, and don't let AI write them. Reviews by you, your staff, friends or family must say so clearly.
Publish a private message only if the customer agreed.
Never change what a reviewer meant or the stars they gave. In imported reviews, fix reading errors only.
In medical care, aesthetic medicine, medicines, health supplements or finance, check your local advertising rules before using reviews in marketing.
Laudely's Terms of Service set out these rules in section 10.
How Laudely helps
The thank-you page shows the same review buttons to every customer, whatever stars they gave. There's no setting that sends only happy customers to Google.
Invitation templates never mention rewards, satisfaction conditions or a particular rating.
Reviews from your collect page can't be edited, and the labels Collected directly and Provided by business show where reviews came from.
Walls and your standalone page never show an average rating.
A review from a private chat can't be published until you tick Customer agreed to public display.
Where Laudely is offered
Laudely is offered to businesses established outside the European Union, the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom. Your customers can visit your pages from anywhere.