Introduction

When shopping online, we tend to prefer products which have a higher number of reviews. We might even choose a product which has four stars, but more reviews, over a product with five stars across fewer reviews. 

But why is this the case? 

Let’s take a look at why reviews are so powerful at shaping prospective customer opinions. 

The Power of Word of Mouth

So why do we react so well to feedback from other people, even if they’re strangers? At the heart of the review process is the human love of gossiping. In fact, according to Frank McAndrew, a professor of psychology at Knox College, our love of gossip is actually an evolutionary behaviour. 

“In prehistoric times, people who were fascinated by the lives of other people were more successful.” Our ancestors who enjoyed gossip had a wealth of information about their peers and environment that would provide a valuable advantage in day-to-day life.

And this behaviour seems to have carried through to modern times. A study by the University of California Riverside found that the average person spends about 52 minutes a day gossiping. 

It’s this same compulsion that makes customer reviews so fun to read and write. We desire information from others about the world around us in the same way that humans did thousands of years ago — and this extends to information about products and services.

This is also what makes customer experience such an effective sales strategy. In fact, Fan & Fuel reports that 94% of customers read reviews before purchasing. Clearly, we value the feedback and opinions from our peers during this decision-making process, which makes product reviews critical for a company. While some companies choose to manipulate the reviews featured on their website, such as removing those that don’t align with their desired image, we think there’s another important approach to consider first.  

Case Studies and Testimonials

Case studies appeal to potential customers for the same reason as reviews. They feature customer experience and act as a third-party source for information about the product offered. Much like reviews, case studies provide authentic customer feedback to help move potential customers along in their buyer’s journey. 

Case studies show an in-depth look at customer experience with your products or services and allow you a much greater degree of control in how your company is reflected, meaning they are consistently aligned with your brand’s desired image unlike online reviews. 

Conclusion

Case studies appeal to the human desire to exchange new information and learn from each other’s experiences. By featuring the positive experience of an existing customer, it creates a sense of reliability that cannot be replicated by anything a company might say about itself.  

Following this mindset, VidOps has worked extensively with brands to create customer testimonial videos to great success. Some of the brands we have worked with are Harri, Mitchells & Butlers, and Paymentsense. 

Want to harness the power of case studies to grow your brand? We can help.