ReputationGenius AI Is The Perfect Tool For Local Businesses To Improve Their Review Scores

The Evolving Landscape of Online Reviews in 2025

Key findiing in the new BrightLocal study on consumer review behavior, analyzed by Rainmaker Reputation AI. The study reveals that while online reviews remain crucial for local businesses, the way consumers perceive and interact with them is evolving. Notably, traditional review metrics (perfect ratings, recentness) are becoming less critical, consumers are more willing to write reviews, and alternative platforms are gaining influence. This necessitates a shift in strategy for local businesses, emphasizing a multi-platform presence, responsive engagement with feedback, and proactive review solicitation.

Key Themes and Ideas:

• Decreased Reliance on Traditional Review Metrics:

• Consumers are more forgiving of imperfect ratings and recognize the challenges businesses face in maintaining consistently high scores. "This reinforces the point that consumers are more understanding of the challenges for local brands to maintain high ratings, and that it’s not a realistic indicator of true quality as a standalone factor.”

• The recency of reviews is becoming less of a deciding factor compared to 2018-2020.

• Star ratings still matter, but they are no longer considered the sole indicator of business quality. People now "appreciate the effort a local business has to put in to keep an operation running smoothly."

• Increased Willingness to Write Reviews:

• A significant majority of U.S. adults have written online reviews in the past five years.

• Consumers are now more likely to write reviews, even if they haven't in the past.

• "For business owners, what this shows is that, despite the challenges of maintaining a consistent stream of new reviews, consumers are overwhelmingly willing to write one. It’s all about giving them a strong reason to do so (AKA a memorable experience) and catching them at the right time.”

• The report explicitly encourages businesses to "ask for reviews" as a result.

• Shifting Platform Preferences:

• While Google Business Profile remains dominant, other platforms are gaining traction. "Google’s Business Profile still dominates the field, and should still be a local business owners primary focus (especially since review activity affects Google Business Profile visibility in local intent searches)"

• Facebook has declined in both usage and trust for reviews.

• Yelp maintains a stable level of trust but shows declining activity.

• Platforms like YouTube, local news outlets, and social media are becoming more influential, particularly for in-depth reviews. "Platforms like YouTube, local news outlets, and social media are becoming more influential in helping consumers make decisions. Smart shoppers are now doing a little bit more research in their decision making, and it’s natural that they would look for other channels. Some of these other channels also allow for more in-depth reviews, like the video socials that can host long format & more detailed reviews."

• The distinction between traditional review platforms and other channels is blurring. "What does a consumer care about the definition of a review platform, really?”

• Impact of Historical Trends (2015-2020):

• The rise in local business researching coincided with increased smartphone ownership and peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• "This trend peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when 59% of consumers said they researched local businesses almost daily. That’s a LOT of daily searches with local intent!"

• The pandemic changed shopping behaviors and increased online local searches.

• Businesses must adapt to the permanently changed shopping habits and behaviours stemming from this period.

Implications for Local Businesses:

• Diversify Platform Presence: Expand beyond traditional review sites to include social media, YouTube, and other relevant channels.

• Focus on Engagement: Prioritize responding to customer feedback (both positive and negative) over solely pursuing perfect ratings.

• Proactively Solicit Reviews: Don't hesitate to ask customers for reviews, as they are increasingly willing to provide them.

• Optimize Google Business Profile: Leverage your Google Business Profile for increased visibility, as reviews significantly impact Google Maps rankings.

• Embrace Video Reviews: Encourage video testimonials, as video-based social platforms are gaining influence.

Actionable Recommendations (Based on Rainmaker Reputation AI Perspective):

• Utilize tools like Rainmaker Reputation AI's ReputationGenius AI to automate review responses and share positive reviews across multiple platforms.

• Implement strategies (e.g., NFC cards) to increase review collection efficiency.

• Focus on creating memorable customer experiences to motivate positive reviews.

The online review landscape is dynamic, and local businesses must adapt to remain competitive. By understanding the shifting consumer behaviors and platform preferences, and by implementing proactive review management strategies, businesses can leverage the power of online reviews to build trust, enhance visibility, and drive growth.