Study: 71% of Americans Believe Online Reviews Matter More Today than Ever Before
Online reviews are an increasingly valuable resource for customers searching for goods and services at local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research from Podium. The results from the nationwide study highlight how COVID-19 has driven key shifts in expectations and perceptions around online reviews, particularly in relation to local businesses.
According to the data, 88% of Americans confirmed that online reviews play a role in them discovering a new local business, and 71% believe reviews matter more than ever before. In addition, two in five (41%) Americans feel more compelled to patronize local businesses now than they did prior to COVID-19; and since the beginning of the pandemic, 33% have found a new local business by their home that they didn’t previously patronize.
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“Companies need every advantage they can get right now, and the importance of positive online reviews can’t be overlooked,” said Eric Rea, co-founder and CEO at Podium. “Local businesses are impacted by online reviews more now than before the pandemic hit, and successfully managing reviews is an essential skill for any business – even those that do not primarily operate over the internet.”
Customers are searching reviews for how companies are handling COVID-19
- Protective efforts like social distancing observance and mask-wearing policies were largely unknown in the U.S. before COVID-19 hit, but many survey respondents identified them as among the three most important characteristics they now look for in online business reviews during the pandemic.
- Overall, 39% of respondents prioritized mask-wearing policies and 31% social distancing observance. The youngest (18-29) and oldest (>60) groups cared the most about mask-wearing and social distancing, respectively. Women also cared more than men, on average.
- Mask-wearing policies
- 18-29: 42%
- 30-44: 34%
- 45 – 60: 33%
- >60: 46%
- Male: 34%; female: 44%
- Social distancing observance
- 18-29: 37%
- 30-44: 26%
- 45 – 60: 27%
- >60: 36%
- Male: 25%; female: 37%
- Mask-wearing policies
- Overall, 39% of respondents prioritized mask-wearing policies and 31% social distancing observance. The youngest (18-29) and oldest (>60) groups cared the most about mask-wearing and social distancing, respectively. Women also cared more than men, on average.
- In ranking the top three characteristics respondents were looking for in online reviews before the pandemic, they overwhelmingly agreed on quality of service or products (80%), good prices (75%) and good customer service (75%). Those all dropped significantly during the pandemic (quality to 56%, prices to 54%, customer service to 52%) as more people prioritized COVID-19 responses.
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