The New King of Review Sites?

A new review site is quickly emerging and giving business owners another avenue for online exposure. Google and Yelp have lead the field of online business review sites, but a new study by ReviewInc reveals consumers’ usage of top review sites and neither Google and Yelp made the top spot.

In June of 2016, nearly 2,300 U.S. consumers were asked “Where have you read or browsed business reviews?”  The same study was conducted by ReviewInc in 2015 whose results were compared with the 2016 study.

Facebook has emerged as the top review site!  Say what?  Yes, quietly Facebook has risen in the ranks to be recognized by consumers as a place to obtain business reviews and gain online exposure. In the study, consumers were allowed to select multiple review sites. Facebook was selected most often at rate of 34.6%. Yelp was a very close (perhaps even statistically tied) at 32.9% followed closely by Google. Yahoo and Yellow Pages (YP.com) maintained their positions but Yellow Pages declined a little in usage. (This year’s survey added the Better Business Bureau (BBB) while CitySearch dropped off the survey).

The rate of change between 2015 and 2016 was most noticeable. Facebook gained 25.8% in usage and Yelp gained a whopping 38.2%!  Google’s usage dropped off by 16.3%.

So what’s at the root of Facebook’s rise?  Well, it’s not only an increase in Facebook’s average daily usage. At each quarter, Facebook reports both Average Monthly Users  (MAUs) and Average Daily Users (DAUs). Facebook also reports the ratio of DAUs and MAUs as an indicator of usage. After all, there is a big difference between someone who browses Facebook once per month vs. once per day. The ratio has risen steadily from 63% two years ago, to 66% last quarter. But, Facebook knows far more about usage than it lets on.

Watch for our next post that analyzes Facebook’s daily usage.

And now for our gratuitous but necessary plug:

Most businesses find it difficult to engage every customer in a consistent process. Utilizing a feedback and review management system, such as ReviewInc, is the best way to automate and measure feedback.

Interested in a free consultation on how to improve your online reviews and overall reputation management? Call ReviewInc at 877-973-8439, leave ReviewInc your contact information or email ReviewInc at [email protected] to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.