Sobering Review Stats Laid Bare

Studies show, online reviews will influence the purchase decisions for 93% of consumers. Here’s what else you need to know if you’re in business today.

General Online Review Stats

1. 97% of people read reviews for local businesses. (BIA/Kelsey)

2. 90% of respondents who recalled reading online reviews claimed that positive online reviews influenced buying decisions, while 86 percent said buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews. (Dimensional Research)

3. 91% of 18-34 year olds trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. (BrightLocal)

4. 93% of consumers say online reviews impact their purchasing decisions. (Podium)

5. 89% of consumers read businesses’ responses to reviews. (BrightLocal)

6. 93% of people who use mobile to research go on to complete a purchase of a product or service. Most purchases happen in physical stores. (Google/Nielson)

7. 3.3 is the minimum star rating of a business consumers would engage with. (Podium)

8. 68% of consumers will leave a review if asked. (BrightLocal)

The Value of Positive Reviews

9. A one-star increase in a Yelp rating leads to a 5-9% increase in revenue. (Harvard Business School)

10. Customers are willing to spend 31% more on a business with excellent reviews. (Invesp)

11. 92% of B2B buyers are more likely to purchase after reading a trusted review (G2.com)

Cost of Negative Reviews

12. 94% say an online review has convinced them to avoid a business. (ReviewTrackers)

13. Only 13% of consumers will consider using a business that has a 1 or 2 star rating. (SearchEngineLand)

14. Four out of five consumers have changed their minds about a recommended purchase after reading negative online reviews. (Cone Communications)

15. Businesses risk losing as many as 22% of customers when just one negative article is found by users considering buying their product. If three negative articles pop up in a search query, the potential for lost customers increases to 59.2%. (Moz)

Industry-Specific Stats

16. A half-star rating increase translates into a 19 percent greater likelihood that a restaurant’s seats will be full during peak dining times. (UC Berkeley)

17. 64% of software buyers want to read at least 6 reviews before purchasing. (Capterra)

18. 82% of consumers read a product review before purchasing an item online. (Qualtrics)

Online Reputation and Recruiting

19. A bad reputation costs a company at least 10% more per hire. (Harvard Business Review)

20. 70 % of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process. (CareerBuilder)