Can Technology Review Sites Be Trusted?

CAN TECH REVIEW SITES BE TRUSTED? What is a Technology Review Site? There are many websites available that offer user and editor reviews of service based Internet technology businesses like Web hosting, VoIP service providers, ISPS and VPN providers to help educate consumers. TECH REVIEWS BY THE NUMBERS Google cms software reviews 5,060,000 results (.09 seconds) Web Hosting Reviews 1,570,000 CMS Software Reviews results ISP Reviews Tech Support Reviews 5,060,000 282,100 214,000 results results results VPN Support Reviews VOIP Reviews Email Provider Reviews CRM Software Reviews 133,000 84,100 62,100 18,700 results results results results Consumer Reviews S Expert Reviews - User reviews are conducted on a smaller scale; therefore, they often offer more specificity. - Expert reviews are broader, and therefore uncover more general issues. - 77% of consumer electronics shoppers value consumer reviews over expert/critic reviews. - Expert reviews are more prone to miss usability issues, which occur during usability testing- a strong concentration of user reviews. - Consumers reference an average of 11 reviews - 65% of potential consumer electronic purchasers select particular brands, which they may have previously not considered, because of prior to purchase. - Consumers value real user reviews over expert reviews by a 3:1 ratio. consumer reviews. The Impact of Reviews on Tech Sales Reviews create an 18% increase in loyalty and 21% higher purchase satisfaction. Customer reviews lead to a 10% increase in product page views within 2 days. 79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. 65% of consumers are more likely to use a business that has positive online reviews. There is a motive for posting more positive reviews Better and More Reviews = More Sales ** Fake Reviews **** With companies offering compensation for fake reviews, there are a number of untrustworthy reviews hitting the web. Websites like Amazon and Yelp have taken measures to crack down on review fraud, but fake reviews still abound on the Internet. 51%of consumer buyers are concerned that reviews are "planted" by the manufacturer. It's estimated that in 2014, 10-15% of all social media reviews will be fake. Men Are More Skeptical of review information: % of consumers that believe reviews accurately reflect customers' experiences 78% 73% Signs of a Fake Review -The review lacks an author reference. -The review uses superlatives like “best ever", “absolute worst" and “greatest". -The review is one-sided. Most real reviewers will comment on both positive and negative aspects of the service being reviewed. -The review mentions the product directly (1.e. "Electronic Warehouse"), rather than referencing the product indirectly like "this store" or "this widget". -Review is written in the first person. Fake reviewers have a tendency to overcompensate by using the first person and an abundance of detail. Check reviews for a product or vendor from multiple sources. Source reviews from unbiased platforms- i.e. websites that have no stake in the successS or failure of a product. 中 Look for disclosure statement. Currently, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) requires individuals to clearly identify any conflicts of interest that may bleed into their review of a product/service. Consider review information like: - Review Date - Total number of reviews - Average review score to paint the most accurate picture of customer satisfaction. Sources: http://www.guildquality.com/blog/customer-reviews-than-expert-reviews/ http://www.dr4ward.com/.a/6aooe54fdgfo598833017eegaiofi1970d-pi http://www.brightlocal.com/2013/06/25/local-consumer-review-survey-2013/ http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2013/11563/do-consumers-trust-online- reviews http://trends.e-strategyblog.com/2013/07/09/consumer-attitudes-toward-online- local-business-reviews/12578 http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2013/02/12/money-quick- tips-online-reviews/1911487/ http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-usability/website- review.shtml GETVOIP BROUGHT TO YOU BY: