Since 2015, Google has outpaced other major platforms that host local business reviews, according to recent research from BrightLocal.
The report was based on an analysis of reviews posted between 2012 and 2017 for 50,000 US-based local businesses. The researchers looked at the number of reviews on five platforms: Google, Facebook, Yelp, Foursquare, and TripAdvisor.
Google recorded the biggest percentage growth by far in the number of reviews for local business compared with the other platforms. Facebook was second.
Foursquare was the only review platform that plateaued over the time period examined.
Google received 278% more local business reviews in 2016 than in 2015. That compares with a 71% increase for Facebook.
TripAdvisor has a narrower focus than the other review sites examined, but it also has the most active base of reviewers. Businesses included on TripAdvisor received 47.5 new reviews, on average, in 2016—significantly more than the other platforms included in the analysis.
About the research: The report was based on an analysis of reviews posted between 2012 and 2017 for 50,000 US-based local businesses. The researchers looked at the number of reviews on five platforms: Google, Facebook, Yelp, Foursquare, and TripAdvisor.
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Ayaz Nanji is an independent digital strategist and a co-founder of ICW Content, a marketing agency specializing in content creation for brands and businesses. He is also a research writer for MarketingProfs. He has worked for Google/YouTube, the Travel Channel, AOL, and the New York Times.
LinkedIn: Ayaz Nanji
Twitter: @ayaznanji