Word-of-mouth marketing is being replaced by online reviews as a common way for people to discover products and services. From neighborhood coffee shops to multinational corporations, what people say about businesses online can make or break their success.
Did you know that 93% of consumers say reviews impact their purchase decisions? Or that healthcare businesses boast the highest average review rating across industries?
Whether you’re managing reputation for a single location or juggling dozens of storefronts, we’ve gathered fresh data on customer review trends to help you understand what drives consumers to tap that “Buy Now” button — or sends them scrolling to your competitors instead. \
How Online Reviews Influence Buying Decisions
Gone are the days when shoppers relied solely on a friendly salesperson or a glossy brochure. Consumers do their homework online, often without interacting with a person.
But what exactly makes a review compelling? It’s not just about seeing a perfect score. Consumers want to read authentic experiences that resonate with them and speak to their pain points.
For local businesses in particular, a strong online presence functions as your storefront window, with potential customers regularly checking what others think and reading online reviews before making a purchase.
Online reviews can be frustrating because they feel out of your control, but they don’t have to. How you engage with positive and negative reviews can significantly impact consumer perception and set you apart from competitors who remain silent. The right review management strategy focuses on building trust and credibility with consumers.
30 Top Online Review Statistics in 2025
General Consumer Behavior
- 93% of consumers say they read online reviews to influence their purchase decision. This shows how your online reputation directly affects your bottom line. Even a small improvement in review quality could translate to significant revenue gains.
- 52% of consumers look for an average rating of at least 4/5 stars when researching a local business. The bar is high. Anything less than 4 stars could mean a majority of potential customers won’t even consider your business.
- 51% of consumers look for reviews that include photos. Visual proof builds trust and credibility. Encouraging customers to include images with their reviews could be your competitive edge.
- 46% of consumers look for a large number of reviews. A handful of 5-star ratings won’t convince nearly half your prospects. They want to see consistent positive experiences across many customers.
- 72% of consumers said they read more online reviews now than in the past. Ignoring your online reputation today means leaving more potential revenue on the table than ever before.
- 92% of consumers are hesitant to complete a purchase when there aren’t any customer reviews. Without social proof, you’re asking prospects to take a leap of faith that most simply won’t make.
- 65% of consumers said that if a business asked them to write a review, they would write a more positive review. People feel pressured to write about their experience with a company in a better light if they were asked, compared to if they chose to write a review on their own.
- More than a third (36%) said a business could differentiate itself by responding publicly to reviews. In a competitive market, this can set you apart. Public responses show potential customers you’re engaged, accountable, and care about the customer experience.
- Healthcare has the highest review rating of 3.95, compared to multifamily (3.38), restaurant (3.92), retail (3.51), and finance (3.89), according to internal Chatmeter data. These benchmarks can help businesses assess their performance relative to industry standards and set appropriate goals.
- 47% of consumers are likely to share their positive experience with a company, compared to 95% who will share about a negative experience. Each unhappy customer represents a much greater reputation risk than each satisfied one brings benefit.
Generational Differences
- Gen Z (61%) and Millennials (53%) ranked “a lot of reviews” as a business’s top differentiator. Younger consumers value quantity even more than the general population. To capture these demographics, make it a priority to increase review volume.
- 43% of Gen Z and 39% of Millennials are most likely to always look at photos, compared to 28% of Gen X and 17% of Baby Boomers. The visual review gap widens significantly across generations. Your review strategy should align with your target demographic’s preferences.
- 37% of Gen Z said they would be completely likely to trust a business with many reviews, compared to 19% of general consumers. The trust impact of review quantity is particularly pronounced among younger shoppers. Businesses targeting Gen Z should prioritize review generation campaigns.
- 42% of Gen Z rank Google Reviews highest in trustworthiness, compared to 20% of Baby Boomers. Younger consumers place significantly more faith in Google’s review ecosystem, while older demographics distribute their trust across multiple platforms.
Trust in Reviews
- More than two out of three people (64%) said online reviews can be just as helpful and trustworthy as recommendations from family and friends. Your online reviews are just as influential as your most enthusiastic customer’s referrals.
- 95% of consumers said they would likely trust a business with a lot of online reviews, compared to a business with only some reviews. Building a substantial review base shapes consumer trust in your business.
- 88% of consumers said they’ll trust a written review more than a star rating without text or written reviews. Encouraging detailed feedback rather than simple ratings could be the difference between skepticism and conversion.
- 75% of consumers are concerned they’ll come across fake reviews when shopping online. Transparent review practices and genuine responses can help overcome the trust barrier.
- Consumers don’t trust reviews because they seem generated by AI (53%), lack sufficient information or context (52%), are poorly written (47%), excessively praise the business (34%), or don’t include images or photos (26%). As AI content becomes more prevalent, encourage customers to share detailed experiences that mention specific products, services, or interactions. While you want positive online reviews, the most believable feedback includes balanced observations.
- 88% of consumers don’t want AI-generated reviews on review platforms. Your customers want to hear from real people with real experiences, not algorithms pretending to be satisfied buyers.
- 44% of Gen Z mistrust reviews without photos (vs. 18% of Boomers). For youth-oriented brands, photo-less reviews might as well not exist.
Local Services
- The most common details, beyond ratings and reviews, that people focus on are menu information (55%), opening hours (54%), and the address (54%). This shows how important it is that you keep your business listings up to date and accurate, with all of your business information.
- 31% rely on online reviews as the most prevalent factor when selecting a local service business. Review quality likely has a stronger impact on business growth than traditional marketing.
- 44% of consumers say photos of services and pricing most influence their decision. Transparency around what customers will get and how much they’ll pay drives local service decisions.
- 22% want to see before-and-after photos. Results matter, especially for services with visible outcomes. Encouraging before-and-after documentation can significantly boost conversion rates.
- One in five people want photos of the inside of the business. Interior photos help establish trust and expectations before a customer ever visits your location.
Review Platforms
- 88% of consumers want to see multiple perspectives across review platforms as opposed to individual opinions on social media. A consistent reputation across multiple review sites carries more weight than even the most compelling single social media endorsement.
- Google Reviews was ranked the most trustworthy review platform by consumers. Yelp, Better Business Bureau, TripAdvisor, and Facebook follow Google in trustworthiness rankings. Google’s dominant position makes it the top priority for reputation management.
- Baby Boomers trust Better Business Bureau most, compared to just 5% of Gen Z. Businesses targeting multiple generations need a presence across various review sites to reach all potential customers effectively.
- Online reviews shared on Twitter have the highest conversion rate among the top social channels, at 6.46%. Facebook and LinkedIn fall behind Twitter at conversion rates of 2.58% and 2.49% respectively. Encouraging happy customers to share their experiences across social platforms could be an extra cherry on top for your review management strategy.
Key Takeaways: What These Review Stats Mean for Your Brand
Online customer reviews are a key decision factor when consumers decide whether they should buy from your business. Here’s what these statistics mean for your reputation management strategy:
- Quality and quantity both matter. Aim for a minimum 4-star average rating across all platforms, but don’t stop there. More reviews mean better credibility, especially with younger consumers.
- Visual content is non-negotiable. Encourage customers to include photos with their reviews, particularly if you target Gen Z or Millennial audiences.
- Different generations trust different platforms. Tailor your review generation strategy based on your target demographic. Prioritize Google for younger consumers and BBB for older shoppers.
- Respond publicly to reviews. This simple practice differentiates your business in consumers’ eyes and demonstrates accountability.
- Authenticity is paramount. As AI-generated content proliferates, genuine human experiences with specific details stand out and build trust.
- Local businesses need consistent attention. Reputation management requires ongoing effort and isn’t something you can check off your to-do list.
Monitor, Manage, and Maximize Reviews With Chatmeter
The statistics paint a clear picture: Reviews play a key role in how consumers decide what to purchase, and they have specific expectations around rating thresholds, review volume, and visual content.
Chatmeter offers an all-in-one solution for businesses facing these complex reputation challenges. Our platform lets you:
- Monitor reviews across Google, Yelp, BBB, Facebook, and industry-specific sites from a unified dashboard, so no feedback falls through the cracks.
- Respond efficiently to customer feedback and streamline the reply process across all your locations.
- Leverage automated yet personalized requests to get more authentic reviews.
- Analyze sentiment patterns to spot issues or standout successes.
- Benchmark against competitors to see how your review profile stacks up against industry averages and direct competitors in your market.
Instead of juggling dozens of review platforms across numerous locations, you gain a comprehensive view of your brand’s entire online reputation and the tools to improve it.
Want to turn your online reviews into real revenue? Book a Chatmeter demo today.