The Sunday Times asks for my advice on weeding through fake travel reviews

Fake 5-star reviews are everywhere but fake 1-star reviews are also a common tactic, as I explain to The Sunday Times:

…it’s not just the overeffusive we should be wary of, warns Andy Beal, a reputation and branding consultant. “Competitors or ex-employees might leave fake one-star reviews or purchase a package of negative reviews in an attempt to attack the reputation of a product or service,” he says.

So what advice does he have for review-reliant travellers? “Ignore both the one-star and the five-star reviews, especially if they were all published in a short period of time,” he said. “Instead read the two, three or four-star reviews, and pay attention to any comments that provide personalised criticism or praise. Generic reviews such as ‘Terrible service, don’t go there!’ or ‘Amazing trip, you should book it!’ should be ignored.”

Read the full article here.