Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

Google processed over 1 trillion search queries in 2014. As Google Search continues to further integrate into our normal daily activities, those search results become increasingly important, especially when individuals are searching for information about a company or product.

To better understand just how much of an impact Google has on an individual’s purchasing decisions, we set up a research study with a group of 1,000 consumers through Google Consumer Surveys. The study investigates how individuals interact with Google and other major sites during the buying process....

User reviews are a proven sales driver, a survey has revealed, so what are people really searching for and what decisions does this lead to?

Well, this infographic from PeopleClaim explains exactly how user reviews affect consumers’ decision-making when buying a product.

This infographic shows:

- If an issue is handled quickly, 95% of customers will return

- 70% consult reviews before purchase

- Reviews drive higher loyalty and purchase satisfaction....

Few would dispute the impact of positive brand reviews and ratings as a word of mouth marketing tool. What may surprise you is just how important those ratings are to consumers and how much time must pass before a bad review or rating no longer matters.

New data from BrightLocal puts the spotlight on the importance of positive brand reviews and ratings as it pertains to sales.  In fact, only 8% of survey respondents in 2015 said they don’t consider reviews and ratings when making buying decisions, down from 12% in 2014 and 29% in 2010.  It’s downright dangerous for any marketer to disregard bad reviews, customer complaints left on social networks and poor ratings and the negative impact they might have on future sales.

Do Brand Reviews and Ratings Really Matter to Word of Mouth Marketing?

Yes, brand reviews and those 5 star ratings really matter. In the survey, 44% of consumers said a brand had to have a 4 star rating or better (out of 5 stars possible).  And 94% of consumers said they would buy from a business with a four star or better rating.  Conversely, only 13% said they would even consider a business that had a 1 or 2-star rating....