Average Review Site Feedback And Why Customers Don’t Look for 5 Stars

Based on university research, review site feedback averages can vary. But the optimum average star rating for that will prompt a consumer to make a purchase is probability is 4.2 to 4.5 stars out of 5, as consumers trust this range more than a perfect 5-star score.

The average Google business review rating is often cited as 4.11 stars. A rating increase can significantly boost a business's revenue and foot traffic, but consumers will often require seeing multiple reviews to form a positive opinion. 

Ideal Star Ratings 

• 4.2 to 4.5 Stars: Research from Northwestern University indicates that this is the sweet spot for influencing purchasing decisions, making this range more appealing than a perfect 5 stars, which can seem less transparent, and perhaps staged to consumers.

Industry Averages & Benchmarks

• Google Business Reviews: The average rating on Google is around 4.11 stars. 
• Verified vs. Anonymous Reviewers: Actual verified buyers tend to leave higher ratings (around 4.34 out of 5) as compared to “anonymous” reviewers who leave on average spproximately 3.89 out of 5. 

Consumer Expectations & Trust

• Importance of Star Rating: 85% of consumers polled claim to consider a business's star rating as the most crucial aspect of online reviews. 
• Need for Multiple Reviews: At least 70% of consumers read at least four reviews before trusting a business, and 90% form an opinion after reading fewer than ten. 
• Influence of Negative Reviews: 77% of consumers find negative reviews highly influential. So negative reviews can hurt more than positive reviews can help.  These should be avoided.

Impact of Ratings on Business

• Revenue and Traffic: Studies show that a 1.0-point (on a 5-point scale) increase in a restaurant's average rating can increase revenue by 5-9%, and a 0.1-point increase can boost foot traffic by up to 25%. 

Conversion Rates: Conversions for Google profiles can improve by 44% when the average rating increases by one Review site feedback averages vary, but the optimum average star rating for purchase probability is 4.2 to 4.5 stars out of 5, as consumers trust this range more than a perfect 5-star score. While 4.11 stars is cited as the average Google business review rating, and a rating increase can significantly boost a business's revenue and foot traffic, consumers often require viewing multiple reviews to form an opinion. 

Ideal Star Ratings 

• 4.2 to 4.5 Stars: Research from Northwestern indicates that this is the sweet spot for influencing purchasing decisions, making this range more appealing than a perfect 5 stars, which can seem less transparent to consumers.

Industry Averages & Benchmarks

• Google Business Reviews: The average rating on Google is around 4.11 stars. 
• Verified vs. Anonymous Reviewers: Verified buyers tend to leave higher ratings (around 4.34 out of 5) compared to anonymous reviewers (around 3.89 out of 5). 

Consumer Expectations & Trust

• Importance of Star Rating: 85% of consumers consider a business's star rating the most crucial aspect of online reviews. 
• Need for Multiple Reviews: 70% of consumers read at least four reviews before trusting a business, and 90% form an opinion after reading fewer than ten. 
• Influence of Negative Reviews: 77% of consumers find negative reviews highly influential. 

Impact of Ratings on Business

• Revenue and Traffic: A 1.0-point (out of 5) increase in a restaurant's average rating can increase revenue by 5-9%, and a 0.1-point increase can boost foot traffic by up to 25%. 
• Conversion Rates: Conversions for Google profiles can improve by 44% when the average rating increases by one full star. 

Where to Aim

• Strive for Transparency: Aim for the 4.2-4.5 star range, which is the sweet spot to build consumer trust. 
• Monitor and Respond: Always address negative feedback to rebuild trust and prevent negative experiences from driving away customers. 
• Encourage Reviews: Focus on creating positive experiences that prompt more consumers to leave reviews. 
• Ask for Reviews:  At Spéir Mór Media, we have proprietary systems to follow up with the customers of clients to prompt them to leave a review.