Online reviews. Today, more than ever, online reviews are crucial for a brand’s perception in the digital marketplace. Quality, positive online reviews build trust with potential consumers interested in a particular business’s service or product. If you own or operate a roofing, HVAC, or solar energy business, consider the critical importance of curating thorough online reviews from satisfied customers. Perception becomes reality when an online review describes a customer’s experience with a particular service or product in substantial detail.
The Importance Of Online Reviews To A Business
1. A “Few” Negative Online Reviews Can Increase Conversions
As many as 70% of dissatisfied customers will give the business a second chance if it resolves their concerns (as conveyed in a negative online review) in a timely manner. Similarly, consumers are 41% more likely to use an organization’s service or product if it replies to 100% of its reviews (even negative ones) than if it doesn’t respond at all.
2. A High Volume Of Reviews Strengthens A Brand’s Perception
In 2024, only 12% of consumers claim that the number of online reviews does not impact their buying decisions. 74% of prospective customers expect a business to have 20 or more online reviews to consider purchasing a service or product. Nearly half of consumers (44%) need 50+ online reviews to feel comfortable choosing the brand.
3. A Variety Of Reviews May Help A Business Attain New Insight About Itself
73% of consumers in 2024 write online reviews with some frequency. Only 4% of them have no interest in providing online reviews at any time. The remaining ones (23%) intend to offer online reviews in the future. A savvy business will consider all online reviews carefully to understand its strengths and weaknesses in the marketplace.
4. Consumers Pay Close Attention To Online Reviews Before Making Big Purchases
97% of consumers in 2024 always, regularly, or occasionally read reviews associated with service and product providers before making a buying decision. Only 3% avoid using reviews. Customers are likely to spend an estimated 31% more on a service or product provided by a brand with consistently excellent online reviews.
5. Consumers Rely Upon Online Reviews As Much As Word-Of-Mouth Recommendations
80% of consumers today depend on online reviews as much (or more) than a personal recommendation from a family member, close friend, neighbor, or other trusted confidant. Even though an review is generated from a “stranger” or “anonymous” source, most consumers read online reviews carefully to elicit an “authentic” opinion.
6. Customers Expect A Business To Respond To A Negative Review Promptly
88% of consumers will still consider doing commerce with a business that replies to all of its online reviews (positive and negative). Only 47% of these same consumers would use a business that does not respond to any online reviews. 56% of prospective customers changed their perspective based on how a business answers a review.
7. How A Business Replies To A Review Impacts A Consumer’s Perspective
93% of consumers expect an organization to respond affirmatively. 81% of consumers prefer that a business replies to a review within one week of its posting. By willingly acknowledging online reviewers, in many respects, the business demonstrates that it genuinely cares about its marketplace perception.
8. Most Consumers Filter Online Reviews By Rating, Relevance, Or Recency
Ratings matter. Only 6% of consumers will consider a business with a 1 out of 5-star rating. Meanwhile, nearly 100% of consumers would purchase from a company that receives a 5 out of 5-star rating. Recent reviews also count. 69% of prospective customers affirmatively state that reviews older than three months are no longer relevant.
9. Reviews Act As Free Marketing (Publicity)
84% of millennials claim that they do not trust conventional advertising. Online reviews provide “unsolicited” promotion for a brand. Additionally, 7 in 10 consumers utilize rating filters when evaluating different brands. Then, they drill down to read online reviews associated with a particular rating (i.e., 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 stars).
10. Online Reviews Enhance A Brand’s Visibility
In 2023, 87% of consumers used Google online reviews, 46% read Facebook online reviews, 48% utilized Yelp online reviews, and 24% took advantage of Better Business Bureau (BBB) online reviews when assessing a brand. Other commonly used online review sites included Tripadvisor, Angi (formerly Angie’s List), and Yellow Pages (YP).
11. Reviews Foster An Open Line Of Communication With Consumers
68% of customers will provide an online review if requested. Happy purchasers want to share their positive experiences with a service or product. However, in many cases, they simply need a little encouragement. The net benefits for a business provide an open dialogue with a market segment that wants to engage meaningfully with the brand.
12. Online Reviews Go Hand-In-Hand With Customer Ratings
In 2024, 95% of consumers claim that a star rating impacts their buying decisions. 84% of prospective customers expect a business to possess at least a 3 out of 5-star rating to consider buying its service or product. Interestingly, only 5% of consumers need the organization to have a 5-star rating to contemplate purchasing.
13. Reviews Shared On Social Media Improve Social Commerce Revenue
Social media has become a powerful means to generate closed business for any brand willing to engage actively on various social platforms. Online reviews shared on sites such as Facebook/Meta, Twitter/X, and LinkedIn result in far higher conversion rates. Facebook/Meta claims a conversion rate of 40x. Twitter/X, 8.4x. LinkedIn, 5.3x.
14. Online Reviews Tangibly Influence Consumer Decisions
97% of consumers turn to the Internet for locating a local business. 96% look specifically for negative online reviews to understand a brand better (i.e., identify weaknesses and whether they are minor or major). A brand with only positive reviews may be viewed as less credible, leading to skepticism if they are overwhelmingly positive.
15. Positive Reviews Lead To Increased Sales Revenue
90% of customers confirm that positive online reviews influence their buying decisions. 86% of customers claim that negative online reviews influence their purchasing preferences. Most significantly, 94% of consumers would consider acquiring a service or product from a particular brand if the business has at least a four-star (out of five) rating.
16. Positive Online Reviews May Make A Brand More Accessible To Customers
77% of consumers use at least two online review platforms (such as Google, Yellow Pages, Facebook/Meta, or Yelp) to facilitate their brand, service, or product research. Online review platforms allow a business to interact with customers directly. Consequently, this venue helps the business build a reputation for accessibility.
17. Positive Reviews Might Win Back Former Customers
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it,” Warren Buffett once claimed. However, all is not lost if a loyal customer suddenly leaves the fold. 90% of consumers claim that an aggregation of positive online reviews influences future buying decisions, increasing the likelihood of purchasing from that brand.
18. Quality Online Reviews Increase Customer Loyalty
112. That’s the target amount. An average of (at least) 112 online reviews generates the highest consumer trust in a brand. As a starting point, businesses should strive to attain this number of quality online reviews (primarily positive but not ignoring the negative). Nearly 7 in 10 purchasers will leave an online review if given the opportunity.
19. Online Reviews Might Help A Business Identify Niche Markets To Consider
94% of consumers claim that photos attached to an individual online review have at least some usefulness. 75% rate photos with a review as “fairly important.” 36% view these photos as highly valuable. For a savvy business, they can learn much about what they do by studying their online reviews to customize a service or product.
20. Quality In-Depth Online Reviews Enhance A Brand’s Trustworthiness
Nearly 9 out of 10 consumers determine whether or not to trust a business (and its brand, service, or product) after reading ten or more online reviews. These reviews need to be substantive (not merely a few words) so that a prospective customer can understand the customer’s experience (positive, negative, or something in between).
21. Younger Demographics Highly Trust Online Reviews In Buying Decisions
91% of 18-34 year olds trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends or family. When building a brand, trust can be challenging (if not impossible) to foster in a “short” time. Young people, however, will quickly develop loyal tendencies to a service or product if positive reviews connect with them profoundly.
Google Quality Rater Guidelines (QRG) For Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The E-E-A-T acronym involves four indispensable criteria: “Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.” Concerning trustworthiness, ask if your website’s content is accurate, correctly attributed, and sourced. Detailed customer reviews help promote a business’s online reputation.
Hiring A Marketing Agency To Strengthen Brand Perception
If you are a key decision-maker (i.e., an owner or officer) at a business in the roofing, HVAC, or solar energy industries, you need a knowledgeable and experienced marketing agency to partner with you. Your online presence and reputation (good or bad) will make or break your business (and materially affect your bottom line).
At Art Unlimited, we work closely with professionals to ensure that authentic online reviews from real customers present your business (and corresponding brand) in the best light possible with consumers, the general public, and prospective customers. We help your business achieve a favorable, trustworthy, and lasting impression.
To schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our experts, contact Art Unlimited today.
