User reviews - scary or necessary?

According to the results of a recent Bazaarvoice survey, marketing professionals should not be scared of incorporating user reviews online because the majority are positive.

by Helen Leggatt

Many marketers fear user reviews, especially the online un-moderated variety. However, new research from Bazaarvoice, conducted by Keller Fay Group, found that the majority of reviews being left are positive.

The survey found that 79 percent of respondents wrote reviews to reward a company and 87 percent of reviews were positive. A massive 90 percent of respondents left reviews so that others could make a better buying decision and over 70 percent did so to enable companies to improve products and services.

"This debunks a major myth about word of mouth and should encourage companies and chief marketing officers to be more comfortable with 'letting go' and inviting consumers to talk about their experiences," said Brett Hurt, CEO of Bazaarvoice.

Marketers are gradually beginning to bring social media, specifically consumer-generated reviews and comments, into play as part of their marketing strategy. The recent “Holiday Sales Expectations” study, by Internet Retailer, found that nearly a quarter of businesses had added customer reviews for the 2007 holiday season.

“These results indicate that reviewers are motivated to help others and give back to the online community, not to knock down brands,” said Brad Fay, chief operating officer of the Keller Fay Group.