15 Insights About Online Reviews That Businesses Can’t Ignore

Online reviews are influencing the decisions of consumers more and more, and they’re not going away. In fact, reviews are influencing buying decisions more often than not. Any business, whether selling products or services, will benefit from capturing more reviews in one way or another. 

Don’t believe us? Here are some of the most important statistics regarding just how much online reviews influences consumer buying decisions today: 

• Quantity > Quality
  

  People look for the number of reviews a business has more than the average star rating. Therefore, quantity over quality is key in seeking out new reviews. Psychological Science (2017)

• Google is King ?
  

  Google is the site of choice for consumers, with nearly 64% saying that they are more likely to check Google reviews than any other review site. Review Trackers

• Reading reviews on a mobile device converts 127x more than desktop
  

  Customers who read reviews on a mobile device are 127 times more likely to make a purchase decision on that product than those who read via a desktop. Vendasta (2019)

• 90% of your customers probably won’t review you unless you ask 
  

  Only about 10% of Americans consistently leave reviews on products and services. Pew Research Center (2016)

• New customers trust past customer opinions more than anything else
  

  User-generated content and reviews influence consumer decisions more than any other factor, including product quality and search engine results. TurnTo (2017)

• 44% of consumers won’t trust a review that’s more than one month old
  

  The age of the review is more relevant than practically any other factor. This varies depending on the industry and the specific product but underscores the importance of constantly seeking out fresh reviews. Bright Local (2015)

• Reviews > Referrals
  

  Online reviews are more important for potential apartment rentals than referrals. Kingsley (2014)

• Rating filters are on the rise
  

  Nearly 70% of all consumers use rating filters to enhance their searches – this figure has more than doubled within the last year. Review Trackers

• Keywords in reviews go a long way
  

  Online reviews, especially keywords used within those online reviews, influences local search engine rankings more than anything else. Local SEO Guide (2017)

• Negative reviews… can have a positive impact?
  

  Customers spend 5 times as long on a site if they are able to interact with negative- yet trustworthy – reviews. In all, they tend to convert 85% more often. While this seems contradictory, it goes to show that having only flawless reviews doesn’t necessarily help your business, and it’s better to allow for a diversity of reviews. Reevoo

• Higher earners leave negative reviews a lot
  

  100% of customers who report annual salaries of $150,000 or higher claim to leave reviews related to negative customer service experiences. Vendasta (2019)

• Making it right with someone who left a negative review is always the answer
  

  If a business is able to resolve a negative review and experience quickly, 95% of those dissatisfied customers will ultimately return to the business for another try. Vendasta (2019)

• Over half of all Americans have Googled someone before deciding to do business with them 
  

  And about 45% of this group decided not to do business with the person as a result of something the search uncovered. The Denver Post (2012)

• 78% of consumers like to see a business respond to online reviews
  

  How you handle reviews, regardless of their tone, is important. This indicates a higher level of commitment to customer satisfaction. Search Engine Journal (2017)

• It takes 7 reviews to win a customer
  

  Consumers read, on average, a whopping 7 reviews before deciding to trust or select a business. Bryan Caplan (2018)

Ok, that’s a lot to take in, especially if you haven’t considered a review capture strategy until now. Lucky for you, you’re in the right place. 

At 2 Step Reviews, it’s our goal to make every customer of ours a success story. We take a tried and true approach to capturing reviews that will work wonders for any business. Check out this free training and you’ll know everything you need to know about capturing reviews to take your business to a whole new level.