Reviews are how many individuals justify using a product, visiting a location, or otherwise showing interest in an idea or comment. Although many of these reviews use a standard five-star system, Google has pulled away from that. Instead of using a star-system, Google Plus Business Pages uses a 0 – 3 point user scale system that averages and then multiplies the results by 10 to create up to a 30 point score for any particular business. What could the benefits be to using such a mathematical overview and how does it impact the actual review?
- 1. Difference – Although it is a simple 0 – 3 score, it is an easy choice for a reviewer to justify whether the locale was terrible, indifferent, or superior. Instead of seeing the standard star rating system, consumers will see a numerical value from 0 – 30 after enough reviews have been submitted.
- 2. Accuracy of Rank – It is common to see two competing companies that rank 4.5 stars. However, a numerical rating system could separate the two and refine with greater accuracy which one is better in the eyes of the consumer.
- 3. List by Rank – Although a star-based system could create an semi-accurate portrayal of what companies consumers find the best, a numerical system with a wider range of rank could be far superior. Depending on the votes cast by reviewers, the difference could be slight enough to put one company at 27 while another sits at 26.
- 4. Easier to Place – When writing a quick review of a location in Google Local, the writer can easily place a 0 – 3 rating based on his or her experience. This could seem easier to do for those who can’t decide on a range of 1 – 5. Some may feel indecisive when choosing between a 2 and 3, or a 4 and 5 star review. This makes the decision simplistic.
- 5. Multiple Aspects – Google’s numerical scoring system covers more than just the overall rating of a location. Multiple aspects can be reviewed and ranked for further fine tuning of a locations popularity. With more reviews per location, this could be a determining tool to those who are attracted to certain aspects.
- 6. Reviews Offsite – The revamp to Google’s reviews of businesses includes a tool that shows reviews of the same location as seen on other websites. Links will take you to their respective websites for additional reviews featured on those sites.
- 7. Similar Places – One of the more interesting attractions is the Similar Places area after the reviews themselves. This displays other locations nearby and their user ranking if there is one.
Being unique has been the base of Google since its inception. Instead of following what others may be doing, Google puts effort into what else they could be doing. While some of these efforts have failed in the past, this is how a perfect system is forged. Through trial-and-error, Google has developed tools, algorithms, and a community base that is ever growing displaying why they are one of the most used companies on the Internet.
About Brandon Leibowitz
