Unveiling Traits of Positive and Negative Reviewers

The Local Consumer Review Survey 2024 revealed several key themes among consumers, including:

• A sense of fatigue from being prompted for reviews too often.
• Wariness of taking reviews at face value.
• An increase in the percentage of consumers only leaving positive or negative reviews.
• No clear gender divide across Positive or Negative Reviewers.
• Older consumers (45-60 years old) being the largest age group of Positive Reviewers.
• Younger consumers (18-29 years old) being the largest age group of Negative Reviewers.

Additionally, the survey found that Positive Reviewers tend to 'always' read and write reviews, while Negative Reviewers read reviews 'regularly' but write them less frequently. The Positive Reviewer is influenced by positive experiences in other reviews and trusts local news for business information, whereas the Negative Reviewer seeks trust indicators like named reviewers and checks more review sites.

Consumers may only leave positive or negative reviews due to various reasons. Positive Reviewers might have a strong belief in the review system and a desire to contribute positively by sharing their good experiences. They may also be more selective in their business choices, ensuring they are likely to have positive experiences. Negative Reviewers, on the other hand, might be driven by emotional responses to bad experiences, such as disappointment or feelings of injustice. They may also be less trusting and therefore rely on multiple sources and trust indicators before deciding to use a business.

To use the Local Consumer Review Survey 2024 findings for reputation management strategies, businesses should consider the following:

1. Focus on Customer Service: Ensure excellent customer experiences to generate positive reviews.
2. Respond to All Reviews: Acknowledge and act on all feedback, showing that you value customer opinions and are willing to improve.
3. Create Brand Advocates: Engage with positive reviewers to nurture brand advocacy and potentially gain repeat customers.
4. Tailor Review Prompts: Be considerate and vigilant with review prompts, especially on social media, to avoid a 'one size fits all' approach that may not resonate with all consumer types.