Independent Review Sites - Are they Really Independent?

You've probably run across them: Websites that are 'review sites' and appear to be dedicated to reviewing some product or service. But as you read them, you get the distinct impression that something is fishy. These sites review potentially anything -- including Home Based Business opportunities, Network Marketing opportunities, information products and so on.

One popular trick nowadays is for some company to put up a review site that reviews their type of product or service. The review site is of course a separate website from their own. And guess which one comes through with flying colors? Theirs - my what a surprise! This ruse is especially popular in the Affiliate Marketing arena. The affiliate puts up the site and reviews several related products or services, but the one that the affiliate is promoting always surfaces to the top.

Another popular review trick is what I call the 'However Trick'. This one's a bit easier to spot. The site will be comprised of many reviews which at first glance seem to be impartial and independent, but somewhere in each review will be the 'however' statement. It will appear in the form of "However ...this product is one I also recommend" with a link to some other website - the product or service they are actually trying to push.

Am I saying all independent review sites are bogus? No, there are certainly genuine ones out there. But always take a closer look at independent review sites. With some careful perusal, you can often detect the underlying agenda.

The best reviews are from a trusted sources and trusted source websites that consolidate reviews (such as Amazon, Yelp, and Epinions). What about you? Have you seen questionable review tricks? Post a comment and share it!