If your client has attracted a prospective buyer’s attention to the point of checking reviews, don’t let the process end there. Properly managing online reviews can lead to big returns.

Online Review Sites

Consumers have expectations when it comes to local businesses. They definitely check review sites according to the latest BrightLocal research. The majority, 74%, look at two different sites. Their go-​to sources include Google (83%), Facebook (40%) and Yelp (44%). Accessing Google for this information appears steady, but both Facebook and Yelp have lost ground in recent years.

Review Formats

Consumers are hungry for information about local businesses. Around 29% always check and 42% regularly check review sites. And their research isn’t only focused on written reviews.

36% watch videos posted by the business about their offerings. Business videos about employees and behind-​the-​scenes activities have found an audience too. 27% of consumers watch them. And 20% of consumers check out video content made by influencers.

This continuous flow of consumer activity means your clients have plenty of ways to get in front of their audiences. This situation also requires that someone engages in managing online reviews.

Other Review Factors

As consumers make their purchase decisions, they consider several review factors. 53% want to see that others have had a positive experience.

Star Ratings

A high star rating scores points with 51% of consumers. We’re all familiar with the 5‑star system by now. But your accounts shouldn’t panic if they don’t consistently score 5‑star ratings. Around 38% of consumers say 4‑star ratings are acceptable. And 9% of consumers don’t pay attention to the number of stars a business has earned.

Review Age

But over 40% like to see reviews that are no more than one month old, that the business owner responded, and that the reviewer left a name. Another 21% will accept reviews that have been posted within the past three months.

Number of Reviews

Consumers also want to know about the number of people who have left reviews. 33% like to see between 20 and 49 reviews. They may not read all of this output, but they may believe that more reviews mean the product is popular.

Fake Reviews

Consumers are skeptical about some of the reviews they encounter. Over 40% say they’ve seen fake reviews on Amazon and Google this year. And Facebook isn’t far behind with 37%. This skepticism makes the need for managing online reviews critical.

Over-​the-​top praise is one red flag for fake reviews. Consumers are also suspicious about an excellent review that is markedly different from a group of less enthusiastic praise.

Review Management Services

If your clients don’t have the bandwidth to consistently collect and post reviews, offer to provide this service for them. The Brightlocal findings confirm what AudienceSCAN from AdMall reports. Around 15% of the U.S. adult population wants to see recent business reviews before making a purchase. The AudienceSCAN data also shows that 40% of these same consumers search online for reviews after seeing a TV ad. These intentions make it critically important for your client to display reviews.

A Word About AI

Consumers may be gradually adjusting their opinions about AI. But they do not want to see them used to generate business reviews. A Yelp survey found that nearly 90% of consumers don’t approve of AI-​generated reviews.

They’re also suspicious, for good reason, of incentivized reviews. Over 80% of consumers won’t do business with a company if they learn that reviewers have been paid.

Online Review Management Services

Managing online reviews also requires businesses to interact with consumers. Nearly all consumers, 89%, will patronize a business that interacts with people who post reviews. This kind of interaction can be time-​consuming but critically important. Pitch your account with your online review management services.

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