Why Your Reputation Matters
A RESEARCH-BACKED PERSPECTIVE ON THE POWER OF REVIEWS
Our software was created, and continues to evolve, in response to powerful trends in consumer and donor behavior. On this page, you’ll find the research and insights that inform our mission: to help honest businesses and nonprofits grow by amplifying the voices of the people they serve.
Consumers Rely Heavily on Online Reviews
93% OF CONSUMERS
SAY ONLINE REVIEWS INFLUENCE THEIR PURCHASING DECISIONS
Why it matters: This underscores the critical role of reviews in the buyer's journey.
How Raising Reputations helps: We make it easy to collect reviews automatically, ensuring a steady stream of fresh, persuasive social proof that strengthens buying confidence at every stage.
Reviews Influence Donor Decisions
80% OF NONPROFIT DONORS
SAY ONLINE REVIEWS INFLUENCE THEIR GIVING DECISIONS
Why it matters: Your nonprofit’s review profile can tip the scales between getting a donation — or not.
How Raising Reputations helps: We help you ethically collect and spotlight reviews from supporters, clients, and volunteers, turning everyday experiences into donation-driving credibility.
Great Reviews Equal Higher Revenue
31% MORE MONEY
CUSTOMERS SPEND 31% MORE WHEN A BUSINESS HAS "EXCELLENT" REVIEWS
Why it matters: Reviews don’t just influence whether someone buys, they also affect how much they spend.
How Raising Reputations helps: We make it easy to collect and display your best reviews across the web, boosting both your credibility and your average transaction value, without the cost or complexity of traditional marketing.
Engagement with Reviews Boosts Sales
144% HIGHER SALES CONVERSION
WHEN SHOPPERS ENGAGE WITH ONLINE REVIEWS BEFORE A PURCHASE
Why it matters: Reviews don’t just build trust, they drive sales.
How Raising Reputations helps: Our platform turns your reviews into powerful sales tools by showcasing them on your website, in search results, and across key platforms, increasing buyer engagement and revenue, all from one affordable dashboard.
Digital Donors Are More Valuable
48% MORE VALUABLE
NEW DIGITAL DONORS ARE 48% MORE VALUABLE TO A NONPROFIT THAN THEIR OFFLINE COUNTERPARTS
Why it matters: Digital donors give more and are easier to engage long-term, but they also research more before giving. A weak online presence can cost you valuable gifts and support.
How Raising Reputations helps: We help you earn trust with today’s research-driven donors by showcasing real stories and 5-star feedback in the places they’re already searching. It’s one of the highest-return investments you can make.
Reviews Are a Prerequisite to Visiting a Business
90% OF CONSUMERS
CHECK ONLINE REVIEWS BEFORE VISITING AN UNFAMILIAR BUSINESS
Why it matters: A weak or missing review presence can stop customers before they ever walk through your door.
How Raising Reputations helps: Our local visibility tools ensure your top reviews show up where it counts, like Google, Yelp, Facebook, and 70+ other review platforms, increasing your chances of being discovered and chosen by new customers.
Donors Look for Evidence Before Giving
75% OF NONPROFIT DONORS
SEEK INFORMATION ABOUT A CHARITY'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS BEFORE GIVING
Why it matters: Donors want proof that your nonprofit is making a difference, not just making promises.
How Raising Reputations helps: Our platform helps you capture success stories that demonstrate results, turning testimonials into tangible evidence of your effectiveness.
High Star Ratings Influence Consumer Choices
94% OF CONSUMERS
WILL CONSIDER USING A BUSINESS WITH A FOUR-STAR RATING
Why it matters: Maintaining a high average rating can significantly improve your ability to attract shoppers.
How Raising Reputations helps: Our built-in alerts and response management features help you identify and address feedback quickly, preserving your average star rating and showing customers you care.
Reviews Help Donors Understand Your Work
90% OF NONPROFIT DONORS
SAY ONLINE REVIEWS HELP THEM BETTER UNDERSTAND A CHARITY'S MISSION AND WORK
Why it matters: When you share real voices from your community, your mission becomes more clear, relatable, and trustworthy.
How Raising Reputations helps: We organize your reviews into clear, searchable categories tied to programs, outcomes, and services, giving donors a quick, meaningful way to connect with your mission.
Reviews Are Extremely Important in Buying Decisions
75% OF CONSUMERS
SAY REVIEWS ARE "EXTREMELY IMPORTANT" WHEN MAKING BUYING DECISIONS
Why it matters: When reviews carry this much weight, even one missing or outdated review can cost you a sale.
How Raising Reputations helps: Our customizable review request system sends perfectly timed messages that generate a consistent flow of reviews, keeping your reputation current and convincing.
Closing the Trust Gap for Charities
70% OF NONPROFIT DONORS
SAY IT'S ESSENTIAL TO TRUST A NONPROFIT BEFORE GIVING, BUT ONLY 20% OF THE PUBLIC SAY THEY "HIGHLY TRUST" CHARITIES
Why it matters: Donors value trust more than ever, but the public’s confidence in nonprofits is declining. This gap can cost mission-driven organizations critical support.
How Raising Reputations helps: Your reviews are trust signals. Our platform empowers nonprofits to ethically amplify their credibility by making it easy for supporters to share their real experiences, creating a transparent, community-led narrative that builds trust and bridges the confidence gap.
The Right Message Increases Donations
74% OF NONPROFIT DONORS
SAY A COMPELLING REASON CAN MOTIVATE THEM TO INCREASE THEIR DONATION AMOUNT OR GIVE OUTSIDE THEIR REGULAR SCHEDULE
Why it matters: Emotion and trust drive generosity, and your reviews can deliver both.
How Raising Reputations helps: We help you highlight emotionally compelling reviews, and present them automatically on your website, donation pages, and outreach campaigns to inspire giving when it matters most.
Positive Reviews Drive Action
72% OF CONSUMERS
WILL TAKE ACTION ONLY AFTER READING A POSITIVE REVIEW
Why it matters: If customers can't find positive reviews about your business, many will move on to your competitors.
How Raising Reputations helps: We help you showcase glowing reviews directly on your website and in search results, making it easy for potential customers to see exactly why they should choose you.
Consumers Are Reading More Reviews Than Ever
76% OF CONSUMERS
SAY THEY READ MORE ONLINE REVIEWS NOW THAN EVER BEFORE
Why it matters: Review consumption is skyrocketing and consumer behavior has shifted. Reviews are no longer optional, they’re a core part of the buying process.
How Raising Reputations helps: We simplify the process of generating and managing a steady stream of reviews so your business keeps up with modern buyer expectations and stands out where it counts.
Trust in Online Reviews Equals Personal Recommendations
88% OF CONSUMERS
TRUST ONLINE REVIEWS AS MUCH AS PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Why it matters: Building trust is essential for customer acquisition and retention.
How Raising Reputations helps: Our review system and customizable displays make it effortless to highlight your credibility across your website, social media, Google profile, and much more.
Impact Stories Build Trust
61% OF NONPROFIT DONORS
WANT TO SEE PERSONAL IMPACT STORIES ABOUT HOW CHARITIES HELP PEOPLE
Why it matters: Impact stories connect emotionally, and motivate giving far more than generic mission statements.
How Raising Reputations helps: Our platform makes it easy to collect feedback from your community and turn it into searchable, visible impact stories across the internet, your website, and social media - anywhere donors are deciding to give.
Reviews Influence Volunteering Too
81% OF VOLUNTEERS
SAY REVIEWS HAVE HELPED THEM DECIDE WHERE TO VOLUNTEER
Why it matters: Your reputation affects more than just donations, it shapes your volunteer pipeline too.
How Raising Reputations helps: We help you build a powerful public presence that highlights positive stories from clients and volunteers, attracting like-hearted supporters ready to get involved.
Consumers Prefer Reviews Over Influencer Marketing
88% OF CONSUMERS
PREFER ONLINE REVIEWS OVER INFLUENCER MARKETING
Why it matters: Authenticity wins. Real voices carry more weight than paid promotions, especially in today’s skeptical market.
How Raising Reputations helps: Our platform elevates genuine customer and client experiences, helping you build trust without relying on expensive influencers or ads.
Multiple Review Platforms Influence Decisions
61% OF CONSUMERS
LOOK AT 2-3 REVIEW SITES BEFORE MAKING A BUYING DECISION
Why it matters: Your presence across multiple review platforms increases your visibility and credibility, which matter now more than ever.
How Raising Reputations helps: We connect with 70+ review sites, so you can monitor and manage your reputation from one easy dashboard, saving time while amplifying your credibility everywhere people search.
Responding to Reviews Enhances Trust
76% OF CONSUMERS
SAY BUSINESSES THAT RESPOND TO REVIEWS ARE MORE TRUSTWORTHY
Why it matters: Engaging with customer feedback demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction.
How Raising Reputations helps: Our real-time alerts and AI-suggested responses make it easy to reply quickly and build trust, without writing every word from scratch.
Responding to Reviews Influences Buying Decisions
48% OF CONSUMERS
SAY THAT SEEING A BUSINESS RESPOND TO REVIEWS MAKES THEM MORE LIKELY TO BUY
Why it matters: Engagement builds trust. Customers want to know you're listening, especially when feedback is public.
How Raising Reputations helps: Our unified dashboard lets you respond to reviews from dozens of platforms in one place, so you never miss a chance to show potential buyers you care.
Consumers Expect Businesses to Respond to Reviews
94% OF CONSUMERS
EXPECT A BUSINESS TO RESPOND TO NEGATIVE REVIEWS
Why it matters: Timely responses to reviews can mitigate negative perceptions and demonstrate customer care.
How Raising Reputations helps: We send instant notifications for new reviews, so you can respond fast. Or let our team of experts handle it for you, if you'd rather stay hands-off.
Review Responses Can Offset Negative Feedback
86% OF CONSUMERS
SAY THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO OVERLOOK A CRITICAL REVIEW IF THE BUSINESS RESPONDS AND SHOWS COMMITMENT TO CUSTOMER SERVICE
Why it matters: A bad review doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker, unless it’s ignored.
How Raising Reputations helps: Our tools help you catch critical feedback and respond sincerely, showing future customers that you care enough to address opportunities for improvement.
Responding to Reviews Encourages More Reviews
70% OF CONSUMERS
SAY THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO WRITE A REVIEW IF THEY SEE THAT A BUSINESS RESPONDS TO OTHERS
Why it matters: Your response drives customer participation, and you get more reviews simply by showing up and replying to the ones you already have.
How Raising Reputations helps: We help you build a review-rich culture by making responses quick, visible, and meaningful, encouraging even more customers and clients to share their stories.
If asking for reviews feels awkward, we’ve got your back.
Start your free trial and let our system ask for you.
Collect reviews for the next 14 days for free. No credit card required.
