Top 25 Online Reputation Stats Everybody Should Know in 2023

by Net Reputation March 4, 2023 Reputation Management Blog

Online reputation management is a new concept to most businesses in 2023. It has always been around, typically referred to as your reputation or industry standing. Formerly tracked by word-of-mouth actions from customer to customer in hopes you generate more business. 

In this digital era, your reputation or online presence can act as a double-edged sword.

90% of Americans claim that when they Google themselves, the results are not pleasant. 

Most individuals, unless you are a celebrity or under the public eye in any way, tend to yield little to no online reputation.

Think of your online reputation as your safety net in life, if you ever get knocked down, your online reputation can make the difference between you staying down and bouncing back on your feet in full stride.

Whether you are a business owner trying to expand or an individual looking for a new job, home or even dabbling in the realm of online dating, these online reputation stats are sure to put you in the right state of mind. 

Nobody wants to visit a business with a bad reputation, people trust online reviews now more than ever. You have little to chance when it comes to reputational risk. A poor reputation can cause resolute harm and have detrimental effects on your future, both personally and professionally.

By reading and working to obtain the statistics below keep in mind, it is imperative that you work around the clock to build, manage, monitor and maintain a positive reputation.

Online Reputation Stats About Your Career

On a professional level – would you do business with anyone who has negative reviews online? 

For most Americans, the answer is no. 

Individuals tend to care more about their reputational standing online more after a major change in their life has transpired. Maybe they lost their job suddenly, perhaps they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and got arrested. Or maybe they are looking to change careers but forgot about some embarrassing posts from back in college that are lingering on page one of Google.

Whatever your situation is, the following online reputation stats are important to note if you are planning on improving your life professionally.

Regardless of whether you care about your online search results or not, employers will be looking you up. For this reason, it is imperative that you make yourself as marketable as possible online.

Showcasing your best attributes and what you can bring to an organization.

Here are the top online reputation stats for your career:

1. 57% of potential employers have decided to NOT hire an applicant after viewing their social media profiles
2. 77% of recruiters in 2020 check LinkedIn as a primary source for career information pertaining to each applicant
3. Less than 50% of employers refrain from hiring an individual whom they cannot find online
4. Businesses with a poor reputation tend to pay 10% more to their employees
5. 95% of job employers say the hiring process is beginning to pivot towards free media controlled by the applicant (i.e. social media, public records, and word-of-mouth)

So whether you are a current job seeker or looking for personal recommendations to land that promotion, what the internet says about you has everlasting impacts on the success you will have in your life. Be proactive about your reputation, stop waiting for a crisis to emerge before you decide to act.

Online Reputation Management Stats Dealing with Education

As a young individual, you make stupid mistakes. Whether you post an embarrassing photo from a drunken night out with your friends or you stupidly decide to broadcast the use of illicit drugs on platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram or YouTube.

Whatever the case may be, it is important to understand how influential the internet can be on an adolescent’s future. So if you are the parent reading this or a smart teen looking to better their future please watch what you (or your kid) post online.

Think of social media as a “working resume” for yourself. When you take a step back and think logically, you understand that your social media profiles show the truest side of you. 

Whether it be that you come across as contentious in comments, post scandalous photos or show no regard for others’ feelings. 

College admission advisors are privy to the fact that your college application only shows one side of you as there is seemingly endless free personal information about you online.

Here are some of the most notable online reputation stats in regards to bettering your education:

6. 36% of college admission offices research each applicants’ social media profiles
7. 85% of American teens between the ages of 13-17 have dedicated social media profiles
8. 45% of American teens think their social media accounts have no impact on their future
9. 36% of the time college admission advisors say social media has worked in the applicant’s favor

Furthermore, one important factor to consider is that college applications are typically only viewed by one individual. Where he/she will make the decision that will impact your future academically. For situations such as these, there really is no second chance or even time to explain yourself. 

Don’t post anything online that you wouldn’t want your mother to see.

Important Online Dating Reputation Statistics

You can be 20 or 55+ years of age, however, the world of online dating never gets easier. With all the apps available on your phone these days, finding that match seems to be easier than ever before. But is it?

With search engines such as Google as our disposal, blind dates that are set up online never tend to really be that “blind”. In 2020, thanks to people-search sites such as WhitePages or Spokeo, you can essentially find out where a person lives with only $10. 

Thanks to these people-search sites you can find out everything you need to know about that individual before you ever go on your first date. This includes their contact information, details about their relatives, links to their social media profiles, even their criminal history (if applicable).

Adversely, if you are the individual who is being researched, which you are, you need to make sure your online presence is impeccable. Prospective dates are 100% likely to research you in some form before you meet in person. 

What will they find about you on Facebook? What about Google? 

Are you confident that your search results are positive? 

Thanks to studies from organizations such as the Spiegel Research Center, they recommend you review all of your social media profiles routinely to make sure they showcase the best version of you.

Here are some additional online reputation statistics to help your online dating game:

10. 77% of people Google their match on sites such as Tinder, Bumble, and Match.com
11. 42% of individuals judge their prospective date purely off their social media profiles
12. 25% of matches on dating sites claim they reverse image search on Google (in hopes they prevent themselves from being “catfished”)

Business Statistics Impacts by Reputation Score

As a business owner, there are endless factors that you must be aware of as you attempt to scale and grow. One of the most influential assets you control is your online reputation management efforts. 

Learning how to respond to negative reviews, how to ask an average consumer to leave positive feedback online takes finesse and convincing at times. This is also true when figuring out where you stand amongst your competitors can all lead back to your reputation and online presence.

This is especially true if your potential consumer is already skeptical about your product or service in the first place. Customers are smarter than you think and scan reviews and ratings digging for “dirt”. 

This always goes for fake reviews, which we typically see on Amazon from Chinese wholesalers trying to “hype up” a product for more sales.

Business owners must know that their online reputation is constantly under scrutiny. Unless you are an established brand such as Apple or Nike, maintaining your online reputation is an ongoing battle.

In recent articles, we have covered the best ways to respond to bad reviews and negative criticism on review platforms. 

If you cannot discredit the testimonial, be respectful, attempt to make amends, and take responsibility. This goes a long way as new customers may view that bad review in the future only to be reassured by reading your response.

As the reputational risks for businesses can seem daunting and endless, here are the top online reputation stats businesses need to keep in mind as they continue to operate in this digital age:

Top online reputation stats for businesses

13. Businesses show a 58% increase in revenue after claiming 4+ business profile listings online
14. 50% of a company’s market value derives from their reputational standing
15. 33% of online users search for local businesses on a daily basis
16. 81% of consumers will wait longer and pay more from a reputable business

Online Reviews Reimagined Through Online Reputation Stats

As a consumer, you always look to for the best deals, lowest prices, and reputable brands as you shop online. So why would you expect your customers to act differently? 

As a small business, you must make around the clock efforts to generate as many positive reviews as possible.

However, this comes with a caveat. Not everyone in the world is going to love your business, as that is just the harsh reality. It has become more apparent in recent years that individuals tend to only leave their thoughts online after a bad experience.

It is rare that you see a customer post a review saying “The staff was pleasant and helped me with everything I needed”, but instead businesses tend to get bombarded with an influx of disgruntled testimonials. 

When this happens the best thing you can do is to work to amend the situation. Take responsibility and address the points made by the customers to the best of your ability. Also, and this is important, take the conversation offline! 

The last thing you want to happen is to get into a heated debate with a customer online. Especially since your future customers may see this and it will act as a huge deterrent, losing you countless amounts of potential customers. 

As Stephen Covey says, think with the end in mind. But until then…

Here are our top online reputation stats when it comes to online reviews:

17. It takes 40+ positive reviews to “cancel out” a negative review
18. Businesses that respond to at least 25% of their reviews see a 35% increase in revenue
19. 70% of potential customers will abandon cart (or bounce) after seeing 4+ bad reviews
20. 93% of potentials customers confirm that they purchase from a brand after seeing positive reviews for that product
21. Businesses with a star rating between 3.5 and 4.5 have reported the highest ROI on their reputation management expenses.

At the end of the day, the world of online reviews holds fake reviews, unfair reviews and other forms of negative feedback. However, most customers still know the difference and stay away from reviews altogether. 

These individuals tend to trust a local business’ online reviews at face value and then make their own opinions for themselves after leaving the business.

Conclusion: Final Online Reputation Stats for the Road

In summation, as an individual who exists amidst this digital revolution, ensuring a positive reputation is not only imperative, but it is crucial to your overall success in life. 

Whether you use these stats to increase conversion rates for your online business or help potential buyers make better purchasing decisions. The online reputation stats mentions in the proceeding sections showcase how an ideal business/person should operate.

Here are some final online reputation stats we wanted to conclude with:

22. 50% of all businesses do not spend more than 20% of their time working to improve their online reputation
23. 89% of businesses agree to the fact that managing their reputation leads to an increased ROI (return on investment)
24. 90% of the world’s population only looks at the first page of Google
25. 90% of potential customers take the time to read a review prior to engaging with a business

That’s all folks! Thanks for tuning in again with NetReputation for another informative blog on online reputation stats everybody should know in 2023.

If you or someone you know is struggling with a negative reputation for themselves or their business, please complete the form below. One of our knowledgeable reputation strategists will contact you within 24 hours with options on how you can work to improve your online reputation.

by Net Reputation

NetReputation was founded in 2014 by Adam Petrilli, a results-driven leader dedicated to empowering individual and business success on the web. Our award-winning process and team of online reputation management specialists allow us to remove, suppress, repair, and monitor your online presence. Within our first two years, we were recognized by some of the world’s leading business publications for our company growth. Today, NetReputation operates offices in Sarasota, Florida; and Kansas City.

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