January 21, 2025
What are the key drivers in shaping consumer trust in local businesses?
When researching local businesses, consumers in 2025 are turning to a mix of digital tools and personal recommendations. A recent survey by Chatmeter highlights the diverse methods people use to gather information before making decisions, particularly when choosing restaurants or local services.
A significant 36% of consumers prioritise reviewing menus to understand food options and prices before dining out. Meanwhile, 16% rely on online reviews or personal recommendations. Location convenience matters to 10%, and 9% are influenced by photos showcasing food and atmosphere. Younger generations, especially Millennials and Gen Z, lean more heavily on online reviews (19%) compared to Boomers, who primarily check menus first (47%).
Reviews
Online reviews play a crucial role in dining decisions. As many as 46% of consumers won’t eat at a restaurant without first checking reviews, with 30% looking at them or photos while seated at the table. Gen Z leads this trend, with 44% consulting reviews or photos on-site, compared to 20% of Boomers.
Local services
For local services, 31% of consumers favor online reviews, followed by personal recommendations and checking service and pricing details, both at 21%. Trust in reviews varies, with Google Reviews deemed the most reliable, especially among Gen Z (42%), while Boomers prefer the Better Business Bureau (28%).
Building trust through quality reviews
Trust in reviews hinges on authenticity and quality. Consumers are skeptical of AI-generated reviews (53%), those lacking detail (52%), or poorly written ones (47%). Photos significantly boost trust, with 44% of Gen Z wary of reviews without images. In addition, a strong presence of reviews enhances trust, with 95% more likely to trust businesses with many reviews.
When comparing local businesses, consumers look for a 4/5 average rating (52%), reviews with photos (51%), and a large number of reviews (46%). Responding to reviews publicly can also set a business apart. Photos are crucial, especially images of food (41%) for restaurants and before-and-after shots (22%) for services, particularly among Gen X.