What Customers Think Of Your Reviews [Research Results]

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Customer reviews are one of the most vital components of marketing collateral.

Recent research by the Journal of Business Research has found that reviews now carry more marketing clout than virtually anything else.

A whopping 91% of customers say their buying decisions are influenced by online reviews.

The research found the following:

1. Customers take in review information quickly.

They don’t read it closely, they scan it.

2. Customers are most interested in the star, or numeric, ratings.

This takes priority over the actual text content of a written review.

3. The credibility of the reviewer is, surprisingly, relatively unimportant.

Even anonymous reviews seemed to carry nearly as much weight as credited reviews.

It’s becoming clear that customer reviews have the power to make or break an online business. So what can we practically take from the research that will help our businesses?

My advice is to:

1. Feature your reviews more prominently (and appropriately in the buying process).

2. Make your review content more easily scan-able (provide a quick summary of the very best).

3. Itemise your star-ratings and set them out conspicuously.

4. Place the most valuable reviews at the top, no matter who wrote them.

Hope this helps a few of you.

Good luck with your ventures.
#main internet marketing discussion forum #customers #research #results #reviews
  • Reviews did help in promoting a product or service. Most of the time, happy customers always vouch with their own review in their site, you can refer that in your sales page to get more exposure and convertion.
  • Excellent post, ZZ.

    Not only did you do a good job summarizing actual research, you explained its impact and gave actionable suggestions.

    Minus one star, though, for forgetting to link to the actual study.

    **** (4/5 stars)
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Sadly, customer reviews can be forged and faked just like screen shots of income and PayPal accounts.

      I'm not saying they are unimportant or always suspect . . . I'm just suggesting that you try to look at them objectively and with a dash of caution.

      For me personally . . . I like to read the reviews more than focus on the stars or numbers . . . if I am considering a purchase of the product. Maybe that's just me.

      I want to know the "why" or the reasoning behind both good and bad ratings. Sometimes customers give bad reviews for unimportant reasons. For instance, if an article of clothing is given a bad review for the reason that "it didn't fit me right" . . . well chances are pretty good that the buyer/reviewer didn't order the right size. Or maybe the review said "the color wasn't what I expected." There are lots of other examples of "suspect" reviews.

      Good thread nonetheless. Thanks.

      Steve
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
      • [1] reply
  • Hi There,

    Are you guys not seeing more and more on many products that pretty much all of the reviews are buddy's of the product creator?

    Also I see marketers adding reviews to their students product along with the rest of the FB group they have paid to be a part of?

    I am seeing a lot of back scratching going on which for me personally is making customer reviews pointless.

    You never see a bad testimonial so what's the point?

    Ian G Howarth.
  • In order for a review site to be successful you need to stand out from the masses.

    You stand out from the masses by being Authentic.

    You become authentic by pouring out your soul.
  • My best form of "reviewing" my products is through content... and more and more content. Overwhelming them with TONS of content. Then they think to themselves, "If his free stuff is this good, I wonder what he reveals in his paid course." Then that's when alot of them buy from me - in droves too.
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