June 27, 2025
Hi there, I’m Vincent Von Verified. We may not have met, but I’m the guy on a mission to help you tell the real online reviews from the fakes.
Being digitally forward comes with its own set of cons, such as technology and bad actors manipulating review content to their benefit. That is why verification is extremely crucial now. We are aware of the increase in fraudulent behavior, which is making it harder to separate genuine feedback from fake reviews.
Therefore, it’s time for your business to gain that competitive advantage with authenticity. Online trust is non-negotiable, and the best way to tackle that is by making sure a third party verification is in place.
Reputation: from word-of-mouth to web
I’ve been in the industry long enough to remember the days when a business’s reputation was built on solid service and good old word-of-mouth. Happy customers telling their friends at the “water cooler” how great you were? That was pure gold. But now, those “water cooler” chats have moved online, transforming into star ratings and reviews.
Here’s the kicker: just like you can’t believe every whisper you hear, you definitely can’t trust everything you read online. And for your business, knowing that distinction is absolutely crucial.
Reality: Fake reviews & steep fines
Unfortunately, bad actors are out there trying to game the system with fake reviews and even AI-generated opinions. This makes it incredibly tough for real customers to know who to trust.
And guess what? The regulators – like the FTC – are not happy about it. They’re cracking down hard, imposing $50K per fake or deceptive review every time a consumer views it. This makes your brand vulnerable to not only bad reputation but hefty financial loss as well. Protection and verification has become important more than ever – shielding your brand from fraud, regulatory scrutiny, and costly fines, backed by a legacy of leadership and industry-leading policy.
Reveal: A third party verification
Bazaarvoice advocates protecting brands’ reputations by providing authentic content. We’ve been in the “spotting fake reviews” game for 12+ years, using advanced tech and human smarts to identify and filter out fraudulent content, keeping your online reputation squeaky clean. Our original Trust Mark has long served as your site’s authenticity badge but we are always setting our bars higher.
Say hello to the Bazaarvoice Intelligent Trust Mark. It is the same authenticity badge, but now it’s even smarter – a redesigned, dynamic, and easy-to-spot sign that instantly tells potential customers: “Hey, the reviews you’re seeing here? These are from real people, sharing real opinions.”
Our cutting-edge third-party authenticity verification is built for today’s strict compliance landscape. And here are the list of upgrades we have made to make sure your brand passes all the checks.
- Signals stronger protection: Backed by extensive research, the new shield design and the full Bazaarvoice name send a clearer, more powerful signal of protection. Consumers trust third-party validation, even if they don’t know the specific company providing it.
- Network aware: It intelligently evaluates both hosted and syndicated reviews, offering a comprehensive view of authentic content. This means all reviews displayed on a product display page (PDP), whether submitted directly or syndicated from another site, meet our stringent authenticity standards.
- On by default: Starting June 25th, this feature is automatically enabled for all new clients utilizing our SWAT v2 display.
- Visibility: Automatically detects and dynamically displays at the PDP-level, adapting in real-time to ensure trust is always visible.
- It’s global: Localized across all supported languages, ensuring trust travels – and translates – with your brand across markets.
- It’s converting: Confidence drives conversion. Shoppers who trust the reviews they see are significantly more likely to click “buy,” directly impacting your sales.
- Best of all, it’s free: It’s included at no cost for qualifying clients. We firmly believe that trust should be a standard feature, not an upsell.
Rest assured: A Win-Win
When customers trust what they see, they’re more likely to buy from you and more likely to stick around and become loyal advocates for your brand. The Intelligent Trust Mark isn’t just a fancy badge; it’s a powerful tool for building crucial trust in a world where it’s becoming increasingly difficult.
So, let’s keep it real and watch your business thrive. This is Vincent signing off but before that how have you been verifying your reviews to ensure authenticity?
