The Top 3 Factors Couples Look For When Reading Reviews

Did you know that 91% of consumers actively read online business reviews? Yep, you read that right. Real reviews of your business are a very effective megaphone for reaching engaged couples, so it’s important to manage them carefully. According to BrightLocal’s annual consumer review study, there are three factors that consumers judge local businesses by the most when reading reviews. Here are the 3 factors to keep your eye on:

1. The overall star rating matters most.

The star rating of your business is super important. Why? Because it’s universal–everyone understands that 5 stars means amazing, and 1 star means the business needs serious improvement. With 58% of consumers listing the overall star rating of a business as one of the factors they consider the most important for reviews, you’ve got to stay on top of this one.

Tip for the taking: Google yourself and check out your star ratings across platforms. It’s likely that couples will be checking more than one site when they’re searching reviews (The Knot and WeddingWire!). If one needs more love to boost your stars than another, focus on developing one at a time.

2. Couples are looking for patterns in overall sentiment.

Your couples are interested in really getting to know you and learning more about the experiences you’ve given your past couples through your reviews. So even though star ratings make it easy to assess a business and make a snap judgement, your couples see the value in what your reviews actually say. The next thing they consider when checking out reviews is the overall sentiment (positive or negative statements). 47% of consumers listed this as one of the most important factors they consider about reviews.

Tip for the taking: Your reviews have to feel real. Make sure you’re nurturing your couples and making connections right from the start to ensure their online review reflects the hard work and care you put into their wedding. You’re locking in a quality review from the beginning. It’s like paying it forward.

3. Timeliness plays a big role.

The more recent, the better. 41% of consumers surveyed listed the recency of reviews as one of the top factors they paid attention to. Add to that 73% of consumers think that reviews older than 3 months aren’t relevant. This means you should avoid any gaps in your reviews timeline and frequently follow up with couples to leave you some love.

Tip for the taking: We have a handy solution to keeping your reviews relevant and timely with the option to select which reviews appear first on your storefront. If you haven’t already, visit your account to choose your top three!