Consumers have always relied on the opinions of others to help make their buying decisions, but where they find those opinions has migrated online over the last decade. Increasingly, consumers are searching online to find service providers, the best products or reputable businesses.

This research, of course, includes reading customer reviews from all kinds of sources, including a business’s own website, review sites (like Yelp) and large online portals dedicated to the real estate industry. Today, 85 percent of consumers use online reviews to evaluate local businesses. Read More