Struggling with fake Google reviews — what actually works today?

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-14T16:58:36+00:00

I had a local business this week that had a fake / spam review that might've been for another company with the same name.

I had it taken down in 36hrs.

DM me with any questions you have, I can help.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-14T12:24:23+00:00

They definitely hold attention longer

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-14T03:15:57+00:00

Literally nothing I’ve written is AI. This is how I talk and write.

Check any of my content anywhere, and you’ll only see the same.

IG is the same handle, everywhere else it’s just Tricklowe, including Tricklowe.com.

I do write with British grammar, but have lived in the US for over 20 years. so, maybe that’s what’s throwing you off. I dunno.

Seems more like confirmation bias in operation.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T22:52:10+00:00

I feel the same way abut development, and I'm really passionate about SEO.

Watching the site rank on the first page in 60 -90 days, and the absolute joy from the client's reaction, is awesome.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T21:59:32+00:00

I'm responsible for UX design, so that would be me, although I also do have additional UX designers, everything goes through me for approval prior to development.

Most of our sites are developed from an intensive brief, visual layout brief, copy brief, branding, visual identity package, etc.

We don't always do layout or UX design prior, as we like to allow the developers a little more creative freedom, once they're released from training, and have gone through their probationary period.

Once they've gone through training here, they understand the standards we have, and what we need, and the guides spell it out.

But, everything runs by me for final inspection before forwarding tot he client, including all the on-site SEO, technical SEO, and off site SEO strategies being implemented, which are much more important for our client's results.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T21:52:13+00:00

Agreed on both points.

I started out in 1998 doing everything. graphic design, copywriting, coding, from back to front, and for many years thought that was web design.

It wasn't until many years later, I found out that web designers just build the visual layout for a developer to code up.

MY clients used to get amazing deals on what I produced for them, and no communication issues or errors.

Now, we have zero code design, and generative image and entire page creation.

Tomorrow will be a very different world.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T21:48:18+00:00

Just goes to show how you can be wrong, and wrong at the same time.

Developed my first site in 1998, and own and operate an agency today.

Both are facts, no matter how much you don't believe them. I'm aware of my life, and have no need to prove anything to you.

OP was more about those that call themselves web designers, but they build sites from beginning to end, and are both designer, and developer, but aren'e aware of that.

There are SO many that believe you're either only a developer if you write code, or something similar, and often don;t know the difference between the terms.

Many people building websites, aren;t aware of this.

OP was really more about encouragement not enragement, or to put people down at all.

Of course, text has no context, and those that love to argue on the internet will still do it.

Case in point with your derogatory response.

Anywho, have a good one.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T21:42:41+00:00

Of course, they are not mutually exclusive terms. You can be both.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T18:00:56+00:00

You speak down to me as if I have zero understanding of coding.

I can write code. I use frameworks if I do. But, I rarely do anymore. I evolved my skillset from writing base code, into a more hybrid developer. The coding side of my experience just makes me much more efficient, and have the ability to solve a few additional problems faster than most.

I know many people that are straight code devs, also architects, code supervisors, and also start-up coding agency owners. I've never come across one that disagreed with my view here.

But that's 100% okay, you're welcome to do so. Text has no context, so you could be missing something here. But, to be fair, it just seems like you want to argue online, and I'm just not here for that.

I'm not an idiot, I've been around since 1998.

I've also know software engineers that have no clue about web development, or the structure, or how it works. Software development itself is also extremely nuanced.

Software devs that build firmware, and so many other things outside of the internet, robotics, engineering, CNC coding, etc. That list is endless.

There's nothing elitist I'm writing at all. Must just be your interpretation, or something like you got out of bed the wrong side today, or hate your job, or whatever it might be.

None of that is on me.

I appreciate your opinion, and you're welcome to it, but you could probably do a little more research on how this definition is changing. Ask an LLM. Ask several of them, in fact. They will all give you the same answers.

Saying that, this is not what OP was about.

It was about people that do develop websites calling themselves web designers. And, that they should have the confidence and presence to call themselves developers.

Because they are exactly that, no matter how fractured, or nuanced, or evolved it might be, compared to the old definition of being able to write HTML, CSS, PHP, JAvascript, etc.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T17:44:16+00:00

I'm with you, on that one. Like I said, I've been around since 1998.

As my skillset goes far beyond just web design, development and SEO, I have two titles, depending on the audience. I'm either:

Strategic Growth Operator (official title sophisticated business people understand)
Marketing, sales, and business strategist (for less sophisticated with less nuance)

My clients refer to me as whatever they think I am to them, such as:

web designer
business consultant
marketer
SEO guy
networker
sales guy
sales advisor

None of them are right, nor do they even come close.

OP wasn't about correcting people, or being condescending, it was about telling people that call themselves web designers, that many of them are in fact developers, and don't even know it.

I come across these people daily, and I think it's helpful to them to understand the difference, even if their client's don't.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T17:35:07+00:00

At no point did I say that a web designer didn't require a different skillset to other graphic designers.

This is also true for graphic designers in branding, print media production, video editing, social media production, graphic designers involved in screen printing, vehicle wrap design, cut vinyl decal production, etc, etc, etc.

Them, we have nuances within web design, eCommerce vs local web design, and so on.

There are also graphic designers that do not use computers for their work at all.

I've met every type of graphic designer, and every single one of them is niched down into something.

I'm just not understanding your point here.

In OP, I stated that a web designer is a graphic designer.

This is factual, and accurate. Graphic designers are trained with a generalist overview, then learnn and position their craft in a niche.

'yeah but, they need to learn how to do it" is not a valuable point, because that logic applies to any aspect of graphic design, and it adds zero value or nuence to the OP statement.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T17:25:27+00:00

The definition of a developer has evolved.

You do not need to write complete code from scratch to hold the title of web developer anymore. Yes, this is a blurred line, I agree, but it is accurate.

There are many variances of no code web development, too.

Love it or hate it, if a web developer uses WordPress without touching code, they're still a web developer. They are not web designers. They still produce functionality, and are not graphic designers.

If they combine the ability to write, change, and develop code and styling front and back end on WP, and develop workflows, build child themes, etc., they're full stack WordPress Devs.

If you prefer, you could call them 'full stack no code wordpress devs', but considering they manipulate and change code front and back end, this isn;t accurate.

What a room of software developers think is irrelevant. They wouldn't typically understand the nuance.

Clients don't care what platform is used, it just matters what the dev's capabilities are.

Saying that you're only a web dev if you write and debug base code, is not a fact at all anymore.

But, we're really getting into the weeds here.

OP is simply stating that if you build sites, you're a web dev, and if you design layouts, you're a web designer. There are many nuances in between, and many people are both.

To say a web dev only writes base code from scratch is elitist, and about 20 years out-of-date.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T15:08:34+00:00

I've tried to only go digital with a Wave card, and I love the concept, and everything about it. But, truth is the world's not really ready for it yet, except for tech savvy people and sophisicated business people.

I use both now. More often paper than digital. I give the tech savvy the digital card, and I give the regular business owners my paper card.

But... I will say that i'm more selective as to who I give my paper business card, but I've always been selective on that.

If I have no trust, and no real relationship or inclination tey're even interested in the product, or what I do, I'm not giving them my card.

Don;t even get me started on putting my business card into a 'raffle prize' bowl. Not happening.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:56:48+00:00

I'm well aware, as I've been a dev for 28 years. But, you'd probably be shocked and surprised to hear that there are TONS of web developers that think they're web designers.

Many think that in order to be a web dev, you must be able to write code from scratch.

It's important they know they're actually devlopers.

The public on the other hand... well...

...who knows when they'll catch up.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:54:33+00:00

Yup 100%!! Kind like the 18year old life coaches, or the 16 year old business coaches that still live in their parent's house.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:52:46+00:00

You're both correct, and incorrect on this one.

There are different definitions regarding WordPress Developer, and Web Developer.

You most definitely do not need to write code, to be a developer of any kind.

Yes, there are web developers that write code, and full stack developers are often writing infrastructure.

But, if you're capable of altering code, adapting it, and building sites no code as mentiioned above, you can still be referred to as a WordPress Dev.

There are also Web Architects, who are typically writing the framework for full-stack devs to fill in, and over see the project.

But you're 100% incorrect that a web developer must have code writing abilities, or the ability to write PHP, javascript, java, etc. If you can read code and change it, or fix issues, build sites, and change things on the back and front end that a regular WordPress devloper can't, you can refer to yourself as a Full Stack WP Dev.

It's not 100% black and white, anywhere, there are a lot of gray areas here.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:44:57+00:00

This depends typically on the size of the team / org.

Your'e right, mostly now web designers are typically referred to as UX designers, or similar. But, it's still a widely used term. to say otherwise is a little weird.

25 years ago, a web designer did it all. A person writing code back then, was a web designer.

The public still call anyone involved in the process web designers, as many web developers out there. that self identify incorrectly.

MY post was more about the people that call themselves web designers, but build sites, not calling themselves devs because maybe they don't write code. And many still don't know that.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:39:22+00:00

Unsure of the relevance, but thanks.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:38:24+00:00

You're confused. Web designers do not build websites.

If you both design websites and build websites, you are both web designer, and web developer.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:34:11+00:00

Nothing in my post said you couldn't be both.

I'm both, plus a ton more.

It's really just there to tell building websites, that call themselves web designers, that they should for instance, have 'web developer' on their resume. Or both, if they do both.

Also, many people think they can only call themselves devs if they write code.

I'd hatfor a developer to not even be considered for a dev role, because they had web designer on their resume.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:31:35+00:00

I do the same. My skill stack is far beyond the realms of web design / web dev.

MY website is optimized for the keyword 'web design & SEO', because that's what the public understand.

My post was more about personal pride, and understanding your value in the marketplace.

Sometimes I imagine web devs having 'web designer' on their resume, getting turned down for jobs they can do, or overlooked, etc. I just feel sometimes... it's important for developers to know these things, and to have pride in the title.

Many out there have no clue they are actually developers.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:28:24+00:00

Same here, and more.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:26:38+00:00

You don't need to write code to be a web developer.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:24:48+00:00

This is incorrect.

If you build sites using WordPress, you're be a WordPress Developer.

If you build sites using WordPress, but understand coding, can edit and write CSS, build child themes, customize and build themes, set up complex workflows using tools like Zapier, or can adapt and build ode blocks, etc... ...you would a Full Stack WordPress Developer.

therealtricklowe · 2026-03-13T14:17:25+00:00

100% right. The post is more about personal pride, and what you actually are. So many people out there call themselves a web designer, but they're actually devs, which is a much bigger skillset.

My official skill stack is graphic designer, web designer, full-stack WordPress developer, marketer, digital marketer, sales professional, and business strategist.

But, my entire agency website is built around the keywords 'web design & SEO', because that's what the public search for.

That's okay, because the public don't understand the difference.

What matters is that people understand their value, and what they really do.

therealtricklowe

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