Marketers understand that online reputation isn’t just about star ratings; it’s about credibility and customer trust. Reviews can either elevate your brand or leave it struggling to keep up.
Most potential customers will browse online reviews before they even visit your website, and their decisions are often heavily influenced by what they find.
Good reviews can act as social proof, reassuring people that your business is worth their time and money. On the flip side, how you handle negative feedback is just as important.
Thoughtful, well-handled responses can turn an unhappy customer into a loyal one and show potential clients that you value transparency and improvement.
Why Online Reviews Are So Powerful
Online platforms like Yelp, Google, and TripAdvisor have given customers more power than ever. With just a few clicks, they can uncover real experiences from other people and use that feedback to guide their own decisions.
For businesses, this creates transparency, but it can also feel like walking a tightrope.
Even if you’re consistently delivering great service, one negative review can sometimes overshadow all the positives. That can be frustrating, but it’s the reality of today’s customer-driven world.
What makes online reviews so impactful is their ability to influence thoughtful, research-based decisions. Whether someone is choosing a new place to eat or trying to find a reliable service provider, reviews give them that extra layer of trust.
For many, they’ve become a crucial part of the buying journey, making reviews far more than just opinions; they’re a deciding factor.
Still skeptical about the impact? These statistics might just change your mind.
1. Positive & Negative Reviews Influence Consumers
According to a 2021 report by PowerReviews, over 99.9% of customers read reviews when they shop online.
Furthermore, 96% of customers look for negative reviews specifically. This figure was 85% back in 2018.
When people look for bad reviews, they’re interested in knowing some of the company’s weaknesses. Where could they improve? If the downfalls are minor, it makes the researcher feel assured.
A near-perfect rating is often viewed as less credible and leads to consumer skepticism if reviews are too positive.
2. Consumers Trust Reviews Like Recommendations From Loved Ones
BrightLocal’s local consumer survey shows that 50% of consumers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family members.
The study also gave some insight into how we feel about reviews – 69% of consumers would feel positive about using a business if its written reviews describe positive experiences. This figure has held steady compared to 2023, though it has dropped from 75% in 2022.
Interestingly, there has been a notable 8% increase in consumers feeling more confident about businesses when reviews come from named users rather than anonymous ones.
In 2024, 48% of consumers say that reviews by named individuals make them feel more positive about a business, up from 40% in 2023.
However, there’s a clear downward trend overall in the factors that make consumers feel good about using a business based on reviews.
This shift might suggest that people are becoming more discerning, less likely to take reviews at face value, and increasingly cautious about trusting online feedback.
The growing preference for reviews from named users also highlights a broader sense of digital awareness. Consumers are getting savvier about user-generated content, looking for signs of authenticity before making decisions.
3. The More Reviews, The Better Reputation
For most consumers, the number of reviews a business has can make or break their trust in the overall rating.
In fact, 59% of consumers expect a business to have between 20-99 reviews to trust the average star rating.
4. Most Consumers Don’t Trust Advertising
When it comes to online reviews and digital media, consumer trust is shaky.
According to a Nielsen study, trust in digital formats like mobile ads, online banners, and influencer posts remains low, with only 23% of people trusting influencer ads.
Consumers are growing increasingly wary of the information they see online when it’s tied to promotional efforts, which is why genuine consumer reviews are so valuable.
Notably, trust in digital advertising is lowest among certain demographics. Those aged 65+, followed closely by Gen Z (15-24) and Boomers (57-66), show the least amount of trust in digital media.
5. Shoppers Research Product Reviews On Their Phones, Outside Of Your Store
OuterBox recently revealed that every 8 in 10 shoppers use their smartphones to look up product reviews while they are in-store.
Before buying an item, shoppers will quickly search to see what other people have had to say about the product in question.
Some will compare prices, determining whether they can find the item elsewhere cheaper.
This statistic shows how the online and offline worlds are becoming increasingly integrated.
If you don’t have a good online review presence, it can have a negative impact on the number of sales you make in-store.
6. Reviews Shared On Twitter Increase Social Commerce
Yotpo has revealed that reviews on social media platforms increase social commerce, especially on X (Twitter).
When we think of social media, we associate it with building brand awareness. However, it’s also effective for driving sales.
Shopify recently published a survey that revealed the average conversion rate for the social media websites represented in the graph above:
- The average conversion rate for LinkedIn is 0.47%
- The average conversion rate for Twitter is 0.77%
- The average conversion rate for Facebook is 1.85%
Yotpo Data found that when reviews are shared on social platforms, the conversion rate is 5.3 times higher for LinkedIn, 8.4 times higher for Twitter, and 40 times higher for Facebook.
All these statistics show us that reviews are an incredibly powerful form of social proof that results in higher conversion levels across LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Facebook.
Furthermore, a lot of the ecommerce world underestimates X’s (Twitter’s) force.
7. Reviews Are Just As Important Among Jobseekers
If you thought consumers were the only ones concerned about reviews, think again.
Research published by Glassdoor indicates that 86% of employees and job seekers research reviews on a business and ratings to determine whether they should apply for a job.
As competition for talent in certain industries gets tougher, companies will have no choice but to be more conscious about their employer brand if they wish to attract top talent.
8. 3.4 Stars Is The Minimum Rating Customers Accept
When deciding whether to engage with a business, it has been indicated that 3.4 stars out of 5 are the lowest rating customers are likely to consider.
If you have a lower rating than this, your business may be overlooked and lose valuable consumers to the competition.
Furthermore, only 3% of customers would consider using a business if it had a rating of 2 stars or less, showing that our standards are only getting higher!
9. Google, Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor Dominate The Review Landscape
If your business wants to build credibility, focusing on the right review platforms is key. A staggering 88% of all online reviews are hosted across just four major platforms:
- Google.
- Yelp.
- Facebook.
- TripAdvisor.
Not surprisingly, Google takes the lead, holding 73% of these reviews, which means that optimizing your presence on Google is essential for most businesses.
Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor make up much smaller shares but are still significant for certain industries like dining and travel.
10. Most Customers Will Look At 2 Review Sites Before Purchasing
It’s no longer enough for businesses to focus on just one review site. In fact, 77% of consumers use at least two platforms to research businesses before making a decision, while 41% turn to three or more platforms.
Less than a quarter of consumers rely on just one site, highlighting the importance of maintaining a strong presence across several review platforms.
This means that to effectively manage your brand’s reputation, you need to ensure consistency across multiple review sites like Google, Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor.
When asking for customer reviews, it’s also a good idea to offer them multiple platforms to choose from.
Consumers often have preferences or accounts with specific platforms, so making it easy for them to leave feedback can help boost the number of reviews your business receives.
11. Tiny Subject Line Changes Can Get More Reviews
When soliciting reviews, most businesses send an email post-purchase.
Yotpo studied the subject lines of 3.5 million of these post-purchase review request emails to discover what works and what doesn’t when asking customers for reviews.
While this is much more than a single statistic, here is a synopsis of the top subject line tweaks to get more reviews:
- An emotional appeal doesn’t greatly impact the review response rates.
- Include your store name to increase reviews.
- Incentives inspire more reviews in every industry.
- Ask a question in the subject line.
- Exclamation points boost reviews for food and tobacco businesses.
- Avoid using a totally uppercase word in your subject lines.
12. Reputation Management Software Pays For Itself
Podium released a very interesting report on online reviews, stating that almost 90% of local companies that utilize a reputation management tool make up for the cost with the ROI.
How your company appears online massively dictates what shows up in terms of your bottom line.
Because of this, companies are investing more in their reputations than ever before.
One way they do this is by investing in reputation management software. This gives them the ability to have clarity regarding how their business is reviewed online.
13. Customers Believe A Product Should Have 100+ Reviews
Power Reviews recently posted interesting statistics about the number of reviews shoppers want.
In a perfect world, 43% of consumers have indicated that they want to see more than 100 reviews for an item.
Consumers indicate that a notably high volume of reviews can have a big, positive impact on their purchase likelihood.
Out of those surveyed, 64% indicated that they would be more likely to purchase an item if it had over 1,000 reviews than if it only had 100 reviews.
On the flip side, 44% indicated that they flat out would not purchase a product with zero reviews. This percentage increases to 48% for Millenials and 49% for Gen-Z’ers.
14. Few Travelers Post Unsolicited Online Hotel Reviews
BrightLocal has also uncovered that 78% of travelers never post unsolicited online hotel reviews. This means you cannot simply rely on customers to post hotel reviews of their own free will. They need to be encouraged to do so.
Customers say that the main ways they have been asked to leave a review are as follows:
- Via email (41%).
- During the sale/in-person (35%).
- When receiving an invoice or receipt (35%).
- SMS text (27%).
You need to be mindful of how you approach customers when asking to leave a review. The last thing you want to do is come across as pushy.
At the same time, you want to make customers feel compelled to post a comment.
Offering an incentive, such as a special discount or entry into a competition, is a good approach.
15. Consumers Are Becoming Increasingly Suspicious Of Online Reviews
While online consumers rely on reviews to make purchasing decisions, they’re also suspicious of fake reviews.
In fact, 49% of Amazon consumers are confident they have seen fake reviews.
As you can see from the table, Google had the largest improvement in consumer confidence, dropping from 50% in 2023 to 38% in 2024.
16. Most Consumers Use Rating Filters
Did you know that 7 in 10 consumers utilize rating filters when looking for companies?
Out of all the different rating options, the most popular is to narrow down a search based on the rating; for example, it is to only show hotels with ratings of four stars or above.
This helps customers only view products, locations, and services that fall within their standards. No one wants to waste their time on things that don’t fit!
17. Customers Expect You To Respond To Negative Reviews Within 7 Days
When customers post negative reviews about a business, they expect a response. Not only this, but they don’t want to wait around for it.
Review Trackers have stated that 53% of customers expect companies to respond to negative feedback within one week.
One in three consumers has a shorter timeframe than this – three days or less.
Therefore, you really need to ensure you’re keeping up with the reviews you receive and responding appropriately.
18. Your Response To A Review Can Change How Customers View Your Business
Podium’s 2021 State of Reviews publication revealed that 56% of consumers had changed their perspective on a business based on how they responded to a review.
We know that receiving a bad review from a customer can make you feel sick to your stomach. However, this statistic shows that there is the potential to turn this into a positive.
If you respond empathetically and try to understand the customer, they will feel like you really care about them and the service they receive. You can turn an unsatisfied customer into a loyal one.
And, even if the consumer who has complained does not reply, the fact you’ve tried to rectify their grievance will show your business in a positive light when others read the review.
Why You Can’t Ignore Online Reviews
The numbers don’t lie; online reviews have become a key player in shaping consumer trust and building social proof.
Instead of seeing them as a source of stress, think of them as a valuable opportunity to connect with your customers on a deeper level.
If you haven’t started managing your online reputation, now’s the perfect time to dive in. Here’s how you can take control:
- Encourage feedback: Let your customers know that their reviews are more than just ratings; they help you improve and serve them better.
- Be responsive: Engage with reviews, both positive and negative, across all platforms. Show that you’re listening and addressing concerns quickly and professionally.
- Claim your Google Business Profile: Ensure your business details are accurate and up to date so customers find the right info.
- Ask for reviews: Don’t be shy about asking your satisfied customers to share their experiences. A gentle prompt can go a long way in building your online presence.
Taking these steps can transform online reviews from something to fear into a tool for growth.
More resources:
- Google Reviews: The Complete Guide For Businesses
- A Guide To Star Ratings On Google And How They Work
- A Guide To Local SEO
Featured Image: Thapana_Studio/Shutterstock
