The influence of reviews on digital recommendation platforms

Our decisions about where to eat, where to stay, which film to see or which play to attend are increasingly influenced by the recommendations we find in digital media. The comments and opinions of other users on platforms such as Google, TripAdvisor, Booking, Rotten Tomatoes or Yelp have become an essential guide for our plans and choices. Before deciding on a restaurant or a film, many of us turn to these reviews to make sure that our decision will be the right one.

A 2023 study by consultancy BrightLocal reveals that 91% of consumers are influenced by online reviews, with 58% preferring an artificial intelligence-generated response to a human-generated one. This data underlines the importance of opinions on digital platforms in influencing our daily decisions, as well as the blurring of the distinction between automated and non-automated relationships.

The source of trust

But how is reliability of these comments determined? Why do we trust what people we don’t know say in a forum or in the comments area of a website? Trust in the opinions of others is built on several fundamental elements. Firstly, the number of reviews: the more reviews a product or service has, the more trustworthy it appears to be. Secondly, the consistency of opinions: if the majority of reviews are positive or negative, we tend to believe that they reflect reality. Finally, trust is also reinforced by identification with the commentator’s experience; if their comments connect with our expectations or previous experiences, we tend to believe them.

We trust what someone says on the internet for various psychological reasons. First, the principle of social visibility: if many people agree on something, we assume it must be true. Second, the influence of “social proof”: seeing that others have had positive experiences gives us security. Finally, the anonymity of the commentator may even increase trust, as we perceive their opinions as disinterested.

However, digital recommendations can be misleading. Opinions may not reflect current reality or may be manipulated in some way. Here we look at three cases where they can fail us.

1. Old and outdated opinions

Digital platforms often hold opinions for years, which can be a problem. For example, a positive review of a restaurant from five years ago may not reflect today’s reality. The restaurant may have changed ownership, chef or even concept. The currency of opinions is crucial, and relying on old criticisms can lead to decisions based on outdated information.

2. Difficulty in authenticating the commentator’s identity

It is not always easy to make sure that the reviewer consumed the service or product.. On platforms such as Amazon, not all reviews come from verified buyers. This opens the door to false or malicious comments, made by competitors or by people who have never had any real experience with the product or service.

3. Paid and false comments

Derived from the previous point, another pitfall of digital recommendations is the presence of paid comments. Some manufacturers and businesses offer incentives to users to leave positive reviews. On Amazon, for example, there are documented cases of sellers offering free products in exchange for good reviews.. This creates a distorted and very positive image of products that may not be as reliable. It may even be the case that companies pay users to delete negative reviews, hiding the real service experience they have been through.

In conclusion, basing our decisions on digital recommendations can be risky if we are not critical of the information we receive. Behavioural science and behavioural marketing explain that we tend to accept the majority opinion due to a cognitive bias known as “confirmation bias“. It pushes us to seek out and value more those opinions that match our expectations, ignoring those that contradict them. It is therefore essential to maintain a critical spirit and not to be blindly swayed by opinions on the internet.

So, next time you find yourself reading online reviews, remember: a critical mindset is essential. Otherwise, you could end up in a horrible restaurant just because it had five stars… years ago. Don’t be fooled and be a smart consumer!