What are the consequences for opinions on the web?

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You probably know how reviews work on Google My Business (GMB) listings. These have been so important for several years that we are witnessing a real race for the best rating! We all want to see our listing placed ahead of our competitor's and for it to be more attractive to attract people. Indeed, having many reviews with a good average on Google My Business often generates traffic on the site , calls, requests for directions to the establishment and therefore potential conversions.

But in 2024, the cards will be reshuffled with the DMA law and its impact on Google My Business listings. With this law, the European Commission's goal is to force Google to treat reviews fairly without favoring its products and services. This means that GMB reviews will no longer be systematically highlighted in search results, which opens the door to more reliable and transparent alternatives.

What is the DMA law?
The DMA, or Digital Markets Act, is a European regulation aimed at limiting the usa phone number list economic domination of large digital platforms , such as Amazon, Meta, Apple and Google.

The DMA law therefore imposes on the latter a series of obligations aimed at guaranteeing a fairer and therefore more competitive digital market by preventing the main digital players from taking anti-competitive action.




As you will have understood, the DMA law will change the situation in terms of the promotion of Google My Business files, which will no longer have a monopoly on reviews on the Internet. You can already do the test! Do a search to find any company on Google. Let's take “Mcdonald's Paris Champs Elysées” as an example. The GMB file appears and you can click on the reviews link next to the rating and stars.

What previously opened a pop-up with the list of reviews, now generates a new automatic query on the search network, mentioning: Company name + "Reviews".
This leaves room for search results from all the sites collecting reviews of your company, such as Verified Reviews, Trustpilot, Facebook, Yellow Pages, etc.

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Warning: Google reviews are unlikely to disappear and we cannot currently say with precision how all the links from other customer testimonial platforms will be displayed. For the moment, this is the interface that we find in many “review” queries, but Google has a habit of testing different solutions before deploying a definitive one across the entire web. It must also be recognized as compliant with the DMA law. So watch this space…

Why is this topic important for businesses?
For businesses, the GMB listing is a major asset for their e-reputation , their online visibility and especially their local presence. They will therefore have to redouble their efforts to obtain positive reviews on neutral platforms such as Verified Reviews, Trustpilot, Trusted Shops and others.

This may not be a win-win for everyone because leaving a review on an establishment's GMB page has become a logical practice due to its ease (free, and only requires a Google email address). So we must not lose sight of the fact that this means of collecting reviews will still remain central. So don't abandon your Google page and its reviews tomorrow, on the contrary!


A boon for your company's natural referencing and for your e-reputation
Companies, regardless of their size or market position, will now have a greater chance of successfully making themselves known, provided that they are talked about on different platforms that can regularly collect opinions or testimonials.

In fact, this is a huge SEO opportunity for businesses, especially local and small businesses. Every site that talks about them is an additional chance to be seen on Google.

On the other hand, it is true that the question of Google reviews sometimes raised a question of authenticity and transparency , particularly in the process of collecting reviews. According to a study by the DGCCRF, 35% of them would be deemed non-authentic. Any competitor could, by creating multiple Google addresses, unfairly tarnish your reputation by adding around thirty fake comments that significantly lowered your overall rating. It also works the other way around with comments from your family and friends that aim to improve your image! With platforms like Avis Vérifié, the reviews collected are only those of your real customers and only concern their real experience with your company or establishment.

What you can do following these