CultusProfessional writers are always taking on different projects. Sometimes the projects may be long and detailed, and sometimes they may be easy and short.
As a writer, you need to think long and hard about the content you write and if it’s something you want to be associated with. For example, many writers are offered gigs to write fake reviews for companies. If you’re a writer that was recently asked to do this, the following are a few things you need to consider first.
It’s money in your pocket.
If you’re a struggling writer or if you simply don’t care how you make your money, then getting paid to write fake reviews can help to put money in your pocket. Different companies pay different amounts for reviews, so you need to decide if the project is worth the amount of money you’re going to be paid. Sometimes, you’ll be responsible for solely writing the reviews while other times you’ll be responsible for writing and posting the reviews, so keep this in mind when price is being discussed.
It could damage your career.
Posting fake online reviews is unethical. If a company is caught creating fake online reviews, they could be banned from online review sites, and they could even face legal charges. While you hope that you wouldn’t get caught writing fake reviews, there’s always a chance that the author of the fake reviews will come out, and this could damage your reputation.
No company is going to want to work with a writer that is willing to be so unethical with their writing, and you may find yourself struggling to earn clients due to the damaged reputation.
You’re playing with other people’s lives.
Customers turn to online review sites in order to learn what products to buy or what places to shop at. If you create fake online reviews, you’re providing false information to a large amount of people. If you write a fake positive review for a company that’s not so great, you could end up sending people to this location and putting them at risk of having a horrible experience. On the other hand, if you write fake online reviews that are negative about a company, you could deter people from going there, which could severely hurt the business. You need to remember that the words you write will be taken to heart, and you need to decide if you want to play with the lives of other people.
As a writer, you really need to think about how your work is going to affect others. If you’re offered a gig writing fake reviews for a company, be sure to think long and hard before accepting. Make sure that it’s something you’re ethical okay with doing, and make sure that you are willing to deal with the consequences in case the gig backfires. If you can handle the negatives that come with it, then accept the offer, but if it doesn’t seem right to you, then don’t.
Jayma Watson is a freelance writer and online reputation management professional who helps small businesses monitor customer reviews and complaints through various online applications.