Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

Welcome to the findings of the BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2015.

This annual survey is an exploration into how consumers both read & use online reviews. It seeks to qualify the value that users place on reviews that they read & how this impacts their opinions & actions when searching for a local business to use. The survey is specifically concerned with reviews for local business services and not wider product reviews.

 

Key 'Takeaways' From Research:

• 92% of consumers now read online reviews (vs. 88% in 2014)
• 40% of consumers form an opinion by reading just 1-3 reviews (vs. 29% in 2014)
• Star rating is #1 factor used by consumers to judge a business
• 44% say a review must be written within 1 month to be relevant
• Only 13% of consumers consider using a business that has a 1 or 2 star rating
• 68% say positive reviews make them trust a local business more (vs. 72% in 2014)
• Consumers are becoming more concerned about fake reviews