Skip to content
Google’s prominent analyst, John Mueller, sheds light on the misconceptions publishers might have when creating false personas and LinkedIn profiles.
Addressing Fraudulent Online Personas
In a recent exchange on Twitter, Google’s John Mueller voiced his views on SEO experts who fabricate false personas for review websites, also extending to the creation of counterfeit LinkedIn profiles. Mueller clarified that if these individuals believe they’re leaving no trace behind, they’re “deluding” themselves.
The Plague of Counterfeit LinkedIn Profiles
Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are utilized annually to identify and remove millions of phony LinkedIn profiles to uphold legitimacy.
An anonymous affiliate marketer who leveraged such fake LinkedIn profiles in their author biographies stated:
“LinkedIn profiles have played a significant role in establishing credibility for my authors. However, LinkedIn has suspended 90% of my profiles over the past few months, forcing me to explore alternative ways to vouch for my authors’ authenticity.”
The popularity of fake LinkedIn profiles is such that Google Suggest proactively proposes related searches, revealing a considerable demand for these counterfeit accounts.
Crackdown on Fake Google Business Profile Reviews
Google is suing a marketer who purportedly manufactured and marketed phony Google Business Profile reviews and websites.
Google has previously revealed its application of machine learning models to discern and remove fabricated business profiles and reviews. They disclosed their methodology:
“We’ve been utilizing machine intelligence for some time to detect potential abuse patterns, and our technology continues to evolve. Last year, we substantially upgraded our machine learning models, allowing us to identify emerging abuse trends significantly faster than in previous years.”
In their ongoing battle against falsified reviews and profiles, Google successfully blocked or removed 115 million reviews and halted 20 million attempts to create counterfeit business profiles.
John Mueller's Stand on Fabricated Personas
Given Google’s adeptness in detecting phony personas and reviews, John Mueller’s assertion that Google knows these tactics should be no surprise.
In a series of tweets, Mueller offered his thoughts:
“Inventing fake personas for your review site, even with counterfeit LinkedIn profiles, is awkward. Cobbling together YouTube reviews from others to produce your own is cheap. What do you expect us to say when you submit it as a ranking question during office hours?
All these issues wouldn’t exist if you were operating as yourself; it’s perfectly acceptable for one individual to manage a site without the need for multiple fake personas.”
In response to a query about how a single-person company could maintain credibility, Mueller retorted:
“Once it becomes apparent that you’re running a fraudulent operation, you lose all credibility. For those who believe ‘nobody can tell because I do it so well,’ you’re simply deceiving yourselves.
…What do you expect me to advise? ‘Get a badge and business cards?’ You gain credibility by delivering quality work.”
The Illusion of Authenticity: A Losing Game?
According to John Mueller, those who are under the delusion that they can evade detection with their fabricated personas are sorely mistaken.
In conclusion, the era of using fake personas and profiles to mislead search engines and internet users is declining, according to Google’s John Mueller. Google’s growing competence in detecting and combating such deceptive practices, coupled with evolving AI technologies, continues to tighten the net on those attempting to manipulate digital platforms.
Ultimately, authenticity, credibility, and quality of work are the elements that stand out in the digital world. It’s a potent reminder that in digital marketing and online presence, shortcuts may lead to short-term gains but rarely ensure sustainable success.
Read Next: How to Do Content Marketing And SEO Function Together?
CLICK HERE to schedule your FREE consultation TODAY!
What’s Your SEO Score?
Enter the URL of any landing page or blog article and see how optimized it is for one keyword or phrase.
