About a year and a half ago, it seemed we had a lot of discussions with restaurants about Yelp reviews. Most of these conversations were born out of frustration, many times as the direct result of one review that struck a nerve, wouldn’t go away or was just downright false.

That’s why I was eager to read Daniel Lemin‘s book Manipurated when I heard about it from my friend and fellow PR pro, Abbie Fink. (You can read her review of this book on the HMA blog.)

It is an easy read and a great place to start for anyone who has felt angst about online ratings or wants to better understand how to leverage the power of consumer reviews. Daniel demystifies two essential things that underscore the counsel we’ve provided our clients.

The first is that while this world of online opinion sharing might seem to be the Wild West, it is not beyond the law. There are legal ramifications involved with things such as pretending to be someone else online, attempting to buy positive reviews and other shenanigans that some people employ in attempts to beat the system. Yes, I hear you asking, “Shenanigans? Like what?” Read the book!

The second fact is that there is a not a magic bullet to winning at online reviews. Like most any other type of communications, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. However, Daniel does outline how to get started if you are serious about dedicating the time and resources to develop a strategic plan for your business.

I recommend this book to anyone just venturing into this space. Feel it’s too tricky to navigate alone or have a specific question? Shoot me a note at d@clairemontcommunications.com and let’s discuss.