There was recently an interesting Trends deep dive into the world of review sites which have been thriving for years and have only gotten bigger. Our researchers spend a lot of time in them noting language, decision making behaviors, distilling likes and dislikes, studying visibility, and more. It’s about putting the average-person’s review, and the “influencer’s,” in the right context.
We would add the big social channels are still important for reviews (particularly Facebook – a constant question we ask as we research: “Are your reviews representative of your key services?”) – but we’ve found that it’s the niche interest/demographic sites that actually hold many of them. More reviews and discussion come from peers in interest, need, or even just demography. Sure, in our daily lives we’ll check Yelp for a restaurant – but isn’t it also true that you rather hear from people who have had knee surgeries before choosing an orthopedic surgeon, or other parents about the swing set you’re looking at for the summer? When we do a research project we take all of this into account, no matter where a “review” is left: a message board, review site, or general social channel. As Trends notes: “People are reviewing products wherever consumers spend time.”
– Dean Browell, PhD
If you’re interested in learning more about your audiences, reach out and we can customize a research plan and approach that works for you: Dean @ discoverfeedback.com .