I don't know about the rest of the world, but I am very reliant and persuaded by reviews. When making a purchase, both review ratings, as well as specific comments, have a lot of power when it comes to my purchasing decisions. I am aware of my unpopular dislike of watching the Bachelor, however, I owe all my credit to this dumb drama filled show for all the perks I have received as a reviewer. Not wanting to be left out and all alone on Monday evenings, I would sit in the lounge with all my friends and type out google reviews to pass the time.

After weeks of typing google reviews during every episode, I had completed somewhere under 500 reviews. Google's review system grants you points for every review you post. The longer the post, the more points you get, also if a photo is included, that's worth a couple of bonus points as well.

The points you earn total up, and when you hit certain benchmarks, you level up. I quickly found myself at level 4 right away. Level 4 is the level in which you gain a badge by your name when you leave a review, and unbeknownst to me, start to receive the perks. I started receiving emails from Google offering me deals and free items. Nothing huge and impressive, but items from companies that partner with Google. Because I know you are all dying to know, some of the items include free magazine subscriptions and discounts on subscription boxes especially ones with beauty products. Also, a free year of unlimited One Drive storage and fun little things like personalized postcards. Usually, they send out a new benefit every other month, which is something to look forward to. As someone who relies so heavily on reviews in my everyday life, I feel it is fitting that I now participate and give back to the review community. The perks aren't why I started or why I continue to leave reviews, but they do keep the momentum going and are a nice way for honest time spent, to be appreciated.