---
title: The Power of Online Reviews - Friendemic
description: “Loyal customers, they don’t just come back, they don’t simply recommend you, they insist that their friends do business with you.” – Chip Bell
---

[The Friendemic Blog](https://www.friendemic.com/blog)

# [The Power of Online Reviews - Friendemic](https://www.friendemic.com/blog/the-power-of-online-reviews)

 Written by [admin](https://www.friendemic.com/blog/author/admin) | Apr 6, 2018 10:25:43 PM

# “Loyal customers, they don’t just come back, they don’t simply recommend you, they insist that their friends do business with you.”

#### *– Chip Bell (Customer Service Expert and Speaker)*

 

In today’s market, business owners understand customers are reading and reacting to online reviews. We live in a world where 5-star ratings help us decide where we eat, how we shop, what movies we watch, and can even influence the trajectory of a small business becoming a booming one. As the world moves towards star-rating systems, digital marketers are changing the way we interpret data and determining what the new customer experience looks and feels like. One thing is clear, a good rating is one of the most powerful first-impressions a business has with the consumer.

 

Customers are forming opinions about local businesses faster than ever before. A recent study shows 88% of customers only read 1-10 reviews before developing trust in a business.\* The new word-of-mouth is online reviews, but instead of one patron giving a recommendation, it’s 1 to 10 customers convincing countless others that your business is worth their dollar. For any successful business, the strategy should be that every single customer is a possible repeat customer, and a potential positive review – it’s now crucial that every shopper has a positive experience and shares it with others, so the business can cultivate trust with the consumer.

 

To recognize how powerful a positive rating is, we need to understand the power of a negative review. A recent study by BrightLocal shows only 13% of consumers consider shopping at a business that has a 1 or 2-star rating.\*\* Simply put, 87% of consumers WILL NOT consider buying from a business that has only a 1 or 2-star rating! A business owner may not notice a handful of bad ratings, but consumers are noticing – 97% of consumers between the ages of 18-34 read online reviews to gauge a business before making a purchase.\*\*\* Whether you are aware of your online reputation or not, the world of consumers are reading, leaving, and utilizing your online reviews to make their decisions.  

 

**Bottom line – online reviews are powerful.** It’s often the first impression a business gives to a consumer and the deciding factor for consumers in initiating a life-long loyal relationship, or shopping somewhere else. The world is evolving towards ‘review before spend,’ and though this can create new challenges for digital marketers, it also builds a marketplace of better-reviewed products and happier customers. After all, a happy customer will tell their friends, but an unhappy customer will tell the world.

 

Online reputation should always be a top priority for business owners. Check out Friendemic’s suite of reputation tools to get more positive reviews, engage with customers through videos, and [monitor your online presence](https://www.friendemic.com/#!/dealer-scorecards).

 

\*[The Impact of Online Reviews on Businesses](https://www.brightlocal.com/2017/03/15/the-impact-of-online-reviews/)

\*\*[92% of Consumers Now Read Online Reviews for Local Businesses](https://www.brightlocal.com/2015/08/20/92-of-consumers-now-read-online-reviews-for-local-businesses/)

\*\*\*[97% of Consumers Aged 18-34 Read Online Reviews to Judge a Local Business](https://www.brightlocal.com/2015/10/08/87-of-consumers-aged-18-34-have-reviewed-a-local-business-on-social-media/)

[View full post](https://www.friendemic.com/blog/the-power-of-online-reviews)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "admin"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2022-04-25T21:05:44.479Z",
  "datePublished" : "2018-04-06T22:25:43Z",
  "headline" : "The Power of Online Reviews",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 628,
    "url" : "https://fs.hubspotusercontent00.net/hubfs/8868959/Imported_Blog_Media/ThePowerofOnlineReviews.png",
    "width" : 1200
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://www.friendemic.com/blog/the-power-of-online-reviews",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "The Friendemic Blog"
  }
}
```