Facts

85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Peers are now considered to be as credible as experts.
Positive reviews make 73% of consumers trust a local business more.
64% trust online search engines the most when conducting research on a business.
83% of buyers no longer trust advertising, but most trust recommendations from users online.
85% of customers use the Internet to research before making a purchase.
74% of people consult Yelp when looking for a home service provider.
86% of people would pay more for services from a company with higher ratings and reviews.
77% of consumers think that reviews older than 3 months aren’t relevant.
Reviews are the second most powerful ranking factor for Google’s local pack.
In Google search results, reviews have 7% influence on rankings.
Going from a 3-star to a 5-star rating delivers businesses 25% more clicks from Google.