The number of reviews increases the social proof for your business and contributes to localized search ranking factors.. The key point is that you want to have array of opinions, including few negative reviews, to help search engines verify the legitimacy of your business.. Also, and more importantly, that the number of reviews affected the way consumers would respond to restaurant's average rating.. The Journal of Vacation Marketing found that consumers tend to think negative reviews have more credibility than positive review.. it stands to reason that consumers will be more willing to spend time on your website, thereby increasing your search engine rankings in the long run.. Time on page and duration are both critical measures when you're aiming to improve SEO.. Google is not hiding the fact that reviews contribute to local search rankings so it's safe to assume the same holds true for the websites of larger businesses.. By responding to negative reviews quality that factors into search rankings, Here's the takeaway on this point negative reviews give businesses chance to show that they're willing and able to manage their online reputation.. Having negative reviews online helps ensure that when customers choose to buy, they're more likely to know in advance what they're getting, potentially decreasing returns and the number of disappointed customers in the long run.. Looking at range of reviews from very positive to not-so-great can reassure customers that your website is good place to spend time — and as we've already discussed, the length of time that consumers spend on your site improves your search rankings..
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