If you don't think online reviews are a big deal... just take a look at our client, Angie's List, now a public company strictly based on a massive, high quality database of trusted reviews. And the fact that they don't allow anonymous reviews or reviews by non-paying members keeps the trolls and cheaters out for an incredible experience. Their customers love them... just ask them.
Lately, it seems as though more and more consumers are flocking to online review sites, forums and apps to share their opinions about the services they experienced. But as it turns out, not everyone is driven purely by points or freebies.
If you're a company, especially a local one, and you're not monitoring your reputation online with reviews - it may explain a lot. If you have problematic reviews, they will drag your sales down. Consumers love reviews and use them to a make purchase decisions every day. Your reviews don't have to be perfect, but they do have to be trustworthy and well-written. If you have some rough ones that don't represent your products or services well, you'll want to get to work requesting them from customers who love you.
Here are some great stats from this infographic from Demandforce on reviews: