Yelp Study Sheds Light on Customer Reviews

By: Team WTI | Date: December 8, 2021

Categories: Online Reputation Management, Team WTI Articles,

Tags: Online Reputation Management, Online Reviews,

How much do you think about your business’s online reputation? While some business owners underestimate the significance of reviews, people now read reviews more than ever. And not only are they reading reviews, but those reviews are influencing their buying decisions.  A new survey commissioned by Yelp and conducted by Kelton polled 1,500 Americans to find out what they believe makes a review trustworthy. The survey indicated that 7 out of 10 individuals who read reviews are unlikely to patronize a new business without checking reviews beforehand. Here are a few other key takeaways from the survey: 

• 97% of respondents believe that descriptive written reviews are the most helpful type of review to read, as opposed to just a star rating. A star rating without a review can be harder to trust. They are not only unhelpful to potential customers, but they also make it difficult for a business to respond and try to resolve whatever issue the reviewer had.

• Solicited reviews are not perceived as trustworthy. 50% of the people surveyed said they did not trust reviews if they knew the business asked the customer to leave a review. This is because a customer that is personally asked to leave a review is more likely to feel obligated to leave a positive review. This doesn’t mean you can’t remind your audience in general to leave a review. But just try to avoid asking specific customers to do so. 

• A negative review isn’t always the downfall of your business. 88% of respondents said they are likely to look past a negative review if the business responded and addressed the issue. This is why it’s important not to just delete bad reviews and only keep the good ones. Sometimes it’s good for your customers to see how you handle different situations. 

How This Applies to You

So what does this have to do with you and your business? After all, there isn’t too much you can do to control what reviews say other than providing a positive experience for your customers. However, you can control how you respond to reviews, particularly negative ones. When you respond in an appropriate manner and try to resolve the issue right away, you’re more likely to come off as trustworthy to others reading the review. In fact, Yelp has found that users are 33% more likely to change a negative review if a business responds with a personal message within 24 hours. Even responding to positive reviews can have an effect on your reputation. When people see that you are responsive and take the time to connect with your customers, they may be more inclined to repeat business. 

The more you know about reviews and how customers receive them, the better you’ll be able to manage your online reputation. If you have questions about reputation management, reach out to our team! Our specialists are ready to work with you to create a plan and transform your reputation!