BrightLocal is pleased to announce that BrightLocal have released the results from the Annual Local Consumer Review Survey, which shows the increasing significance of reviews on the internet in the buying decision. What’s the story? Local Consumer Review Survey 2014 This is the fourth time we’ve conducted this study into the usage of consumers and their attitudes towards online reviews. In May-June, we sent a questionnaire to our
About Local Consumer Review Survey 2014
This is the fourth year we’ve conducted this study to determine the use of online reviews by consumers and their attitudes towards online reviews. In May and June, we sent an online survey to our local panel of consumers and received 2,104 complete survey responses. All respondents hail of the USA (90 percent) in addition to Canada (10 percent).
The goal of the survey is to discover how online reviews affect the opinions of consumers about local businesses, and how they influence the purchasing of local business services.
The survey contains 13 questions. The following four charts illustrate the main findings from the survey. Complete survey findings and charts can be seen at BrightLocal.com.
88% Have Read Reviews To Determine The Quality Of A Local Business
Key Findings:
- 88% of users have read reviews to evaluate the credibility of a local company (vs. 85percent in 2013)
- 39% of people read reviews regularly (vs. 32 percent in 2013)
- Only 12% go through reviews (vs. 15 percent in 2013)
Analysis:
Nearly 9/10 of consumers have read online reviews to evaluate the reputation of local businesses and 39% of them read reviews on a regular basis. “The “trend line” over the past four years demonstrates how often consumers are reading reviews, highlighting the importance for local businesses to be able to draw more reviews and to actively take control of their online presence.
The continuous decline in the number of people within”No” column “No” column also allows us to anticipate how consumer attitudes will remain changing in the coming years.
85% Of Consumers Say They Read Up To 10 Reviews
Key Findings:
- 67% of respondents reported reading up to six review (vs. 77 percent in 2013)
- 85percent of customers reported reading up to 10, reviews (vs. 92 percent in 2013)
- 77% of customers stated that they read more than 20 reviews (vs. just 2% in 2013)
Analysis:
Eighty percent of consumers are content after having read a minimum of 10 online reviews of local business. But, there is more of a percentage of customers who read more than to 20 review. This is clearly a sign of more engagement with review websites However, does it raise issues with trust? Are consumers now feeling that they must look at more positive reviews prior to building trust? (More on this subject below.)
For the most part, important for SMBs and SEOs it is a reminder of the need for minimum 10 review in order to ensure that you are able to satisfy the majority possible customers. It’s not a surprise that the reviews you receive should be good, but they must also remain current as if people only read reviews from the most recent and reviews, it is essential to warrant that these latest reviews are positive.
72% Of Consumers Say That Positive Reviews Make Them Trust A Local Business More
Key Findings:
- 72% of customers think that positive reviews make them trust local businesses higher (vs. 73 percent in 2013)
- 10% of customers do not pay attention to reviews on the internet (vs. 12.2% in 2013)
Analysis:
For 77% of consumers positive reviews build confidence. This demonstrates how vital they are to a local business and it’s obvious that a reputation management strategy is a factor that should not be overlooked. Negative reviews can directly impact customer acquisition and, ultimately the company’s revenue.
One in 10 people don’t pay attention to any about online reviews (vs. 11% for 2013). As you can see in the graph above that this figure is declining year over year as the use of reviews becomes more prevalent.
88% Of Consumers Say They Trust Online Reviews As Much As Personal Recommendations
Key Findings:
- 88% of customers think they are more reliant on online reviews more than personal suggestions (vs. 79 percent in 2013)
- Only 13% said that they don’t trust reviews more than personal suggestions (vs. 21 percent in 2013)
Analysis:
Nearly 9 out 10 people reviewing online, it is just as important as an individual recommendation. Since word-of mouth is still the most widely-used method to recommend a local business and this statistic demonstrates the importance of a favorable review.
But, trust is not without an enticement. It’s almost a 50/50 split in the factors that drive the trust of these 88% of people. One half of this trust can only be granted when it is possible to find numerous reviews available to read. The other half of this trust is contingent upon that the review is real. In this scenario the quality of reviews is just as crucial as quantity.
The topic review fraud has received many news coverage and is now becoming the focus of consumers on the average. It’s likely that they’ll gradually become more skeptical about the credibility of reviews as the problem grows more common.
