Review links come from sending product to relevant reviewers and letting them publish honest verdicts. Free product is a material connection under the FTC's Endorsement Guides, so disclosure is mandatory, and buying positive coverage poisons the only thing that made the review worth having.
How review links actually happen
A reviewer who covers your vape, gummy, or grow tent links to it as a matter of course. Some of those links arrive followed, some nofollow, some wrapped in affiliate tags. Chasing the link attribute misses the point: a credible review earns the link plus an audience that buys and a wave of brand searches. Seed product to people who already review your category, and the links come as a byproduct of coverage.
The rules: FTC first, then Google
Two rulebooks apply. The FTC's Endorsement Guides treat free product as a material connection the reviewer must disclose, and they bar you from dictating conclusions — a review with a required verdict is an ad, and an undisclosed one is a violation for both parties. Separately, Google prohibits incentivized reviews on Business Profiles, so never trade discounts for stars there. Editorial reviews and customer reviews run under different rules; keep the two programs apart in your head and your budget.
Worked example: seeding a vape line cleanly
When a hardware client launched a new battery, we sent units to three reviewers who already covered vapes, with a spec sheet and a one-line note: no conditions, disclose that we sent it. One review flagged weak battery life. The client fixed it in the next production run and told the reviewer, who appended an update. That update — a documented flaw, fixed — did more for sales and trust than the two clean reviews combined, and all three pages still link.
After publication
Three tasks. Reclaim mentions: reviewers sometimes name the product without linking, and a short note fixes it. Never ask anyone to soften a verdict; the request tends to end up published. And keep the list — reviewers who covered you once are the warmest possible audience for the next launch, which is how a one-off seeding turns into a review pipeline.
Key takeaways
- Free product is a material connection; the FTC requires disclosure both ways
- Never dictate verdicts; a flaw fixed in public builds more trust than praise
- Keep editorial review seeding separate from Google customer reviews
- Reclaim unlinked mentions and keep the reviewer list warm for the next launch
Frequently asked questions
Do reviewers have to disclose free cannabis products?
Yes. Under the FTC's Endorsement Guides, a free product is a material connection, and the audience must be told. The obligation runs both directions: brands are expected to require the disclosure, not just tolerate it.
Can I pay for a positive review?
No. Payment with a required verdict makes it advertising, and presenting it as an independent review violates FTC rules. A paid placement is fine when labeled as sponsored, with the link marked rel=sponsored, but it is a different product with different value.
Are product review links usually followed?
Mixed. Affiliate-tagged and disclosed-relationship links are often nofollow or sponsored, which is correct behavior. The compounding value is the coverage itself: audience, brand searches, and the credibility a named third party lends.
Can I offer discounts for Google reviews?
No. Google's policies prohibit incentivized reviews on Business Profiles, and enforcement removes reviews or worse. Incentives belong in disclosed editorial seeding programs, never in customer review solicitation.
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