Essential online review platforms: boost visibility, attract customers

Are your customers reviewing you on the most important online review sites for your business? Let’s look at these sites and learn how to get more reviews on them.

Reading awesome online reviews of your business is great for your ego (5 stars, woo-hoo!). These positive reviews are important for much bigger reasons. 

Research has proven that customers give online reviews a lot of weight when making buying decisions. Most customers trust online reviews as much as they trust recommendations from their own friends.

The big 3 review sites

Google My Business

Google is undoubtedly a leader in all things web, including reviews. Google My Business is a vital information source for millions of online users. You get every business’s contact information and operating hours at your fingertips. The reviews come in pretty handy, too.

Importance of Google reviews

Google reviews are crucial for a business’s reputation since they’re easy for potential customers to find. They also minimize any uncertainty about the business. 

According to a 2023 survey, businesses with positive Google reviews are 38% more likely to attract customers.

Facebook reviews

On Facebook, users may create profiles, post photos and videos, send messages, and keep in touch with friends and family while following their favorite businesses and brands. Companies can develop business profiles that consumers can follow and rate depending on their interactions with the company. 

Yes, Facebook reviews are important regardless of your business type. They help build credibility and trust with potential customers. With over 2.9 billion monthly active users, Facebook reviews reach a vast audience.

Yelp reviews

Yelp is a website and app that publishes reviews for local businesses. It also offers training to small companies on how to respond to negative reviews. 

Yelp hosts social events for Yelpers (also known as Yelp reviewers) and provides useful statistics on businesses, such as health inspection scores. While its market share has waned over the past decade, it’s still a major player in the space and shouldn’t be ignored. 

As of 2023, Yelp still boasts over 178 million unique visitors each month.

Review site statistics

Not all popular review sites publicize their visitor stats. We still know quite a bit about the number of visitors these sites attract.

Yelp statistics

Yelp reports that it averages over 178 million unique visitors every month across all platforms. It also generates 28 million new users on its app every month. 

Yelp users had written a total of 224 million reviews between the site’s launch in 2004 and the end of 2020. This highlights Yelp’s continued relevance.

Facebook statistics

Facebook had 2.89 billion monthly active users as of the second quarter of 2021. Anyone with a Facebook account can view reviews posted on the site. 

Over a third of the world’s population actively uses Facebook, which means a lot of attention for your business. This makes Facebook a crucial platform for reviews.

Google statistics

Google doesn’t provide any public information about the number of reviews that are posted by its users. But keep two things in mind: anyone with access to Google can read reviews posted on an organization’s Google Business page. 

Google had an estimated 270 million unique visitors in the U.S. alone in October 2020. Translation: almost everyone in your customer base probably has access to Google reviews written about your business.

Reviewer habits: insights

While the “big three” review sites (Google, Facebook, and Yelp) provide a bit of information about their user stats, a recent survey tells us a lot about how these sites rank against one another.

Google review habits

The survey asked respondents: “In the last 12 months, have you reviewed a local business online?” 63 percent of people surveyed had written Google reviews in the previous 12 months.

Facebook review habits

54 percent of people surveyed had written Facebook reviews in the previous 12 months. This indicates the growing popularity of Facebook for posting reviews.

Yelp review habits

32 percent of people surveyed had written Yelp reviews in the previous 12 months. When it comes to posting reviews, Google and Facebook are growing in popularity. 

Yelp’s popularity is holding steady and remains incredibly powerful. This makes it an essential platform for many businesses.

Strategies for focusing on review sites

Some businesses make the mistake of thinking online reviews are totally out of their control. It’s true that you shouldn’t buy online reviews or try to manipulate your customers into writing false reviews about their experiences. 

However, you can influence where your customers write reviews, so it’s important to focus on the sites that are most important to your business. This helps maximize the impact of each review.

Identify key review sites

For most organizations, the big three review sites are important. Many businesses only focus on those three sites. If your industry has niche review sites, then add them to your list. This can help attract a more targeted audience.

Niche review sites

For attorneys: Avvo, Lawyers.com

For medical professionals: Healthgrades, RealSelf, ZocDoc

For restaurants: Zomato, TripAdvisor

For service providers (contractors, roofers, cleaners, etc.): Angi (formerly Angie’s List), HomeAdvisor

Tips for selecting the best review sites

Here are a few tips on how to choose the best online review site for your business:

Select mainstream review sites

Review sites typically set reasonable guidelines on what sort of customer review content they accept. Sticking to mainstream review sites with reasonable review content standards is beneficial for your business and just makes sense.

Go to where your visitors are

When determining which sites to focus on, a crucial factor to consider is how familiar your audience is with them. According to a recent survey, 66% of customers distrust internet review sites they’re unfamiliar with. 

As a result, putting effort into developing a presence on review sites that your clients aren’t utilizing is probably a waste of time. Focus your efforts on the sites that provide the greatest benefit, such as Google, Facebook, and Yelp.

Choose user-friendly review sites

Customers typically do not take the time to explore a new review site and wrap their heads around its functioning. You must guide them to sites that make the whole leaving-a-review process as simple as possible. 

Writing a review is pretty simple, but a lot counts on the kind of user experience a review site offers. The small and super-niche ones often have a user experience that’s sluggish, confusing, or just plain bad.

Expert opinions on online reviews sites

Emily Johnson, E-commerce Consultant at ShopWave: “Trustpilot is essential for e-commerce platforms. Its credibility and reach make it a trusted source for potential customers. Positive reviews on Trustpilot enhance a brand’s reputation and increase conversion rates. Trustpilot’s review widgets can be integrated into e-commerce websites, displaying authentic feedback directly on product pages.”

Michael Thompson, Hospitality Expert at TravelTrends: “TripAdvisor is indispensable in the hospitality industry. Millions of users rely on TripAdvisor for honest opinions and ratings. A high rating on TripAdvisor attracts more bookings and enhances a property’s global reputation. Responding to reviews shows a commitment to customer service.”

Sophia Martinez, Real Estate Marketing Specialist at HomeHaven: “Zillow is crucial for real estate professionals. Prospective buyers and sellers use Zillow to find agents and view listings. Positive reviews on Zillow enhance an agent’s credibility and attract more clients. Detailed reviews provide comprehensive insight into an agent’s capabilities and customer service standards.”