Top sites for business reviews in the US
Business reviews have become one of the cornerstones of modern business. Whether we’re discussing B2C or B2B companies, people have come to rely on the reviews of others when making buying decisions. And so, it’s only logical for centralized databases for reviews to emerge, to provide an all-in-one solution. As a result, business owners and professional marketers focus a lot of their efforts on building strong and top-rated presences on business review websites. In this article, Digital Dot marketing agency NYC is looking into some of the top sites for business reviews in the US. Let our team point you to the listings where you want to have your brand name show up.
Top sites for business reviews in the US for B2C companies
1. Google My Business
Google My Business (GMB) has become a very important factor in building a strong presence for your business. As both a product of Google and a business review platform, there is a lot of potential in growing your online presence through it. This is among the top sites for business reviews in the US because it caters to local communities, and expands from there. Google’s algorithm uses distance and location ranking parameters to offer online users the most optimal answer to the queries in terms of the product they are searching for. That is why local business stand to benefit a lot from GMB.
2. Yelp
Yelp is the most commonly associated term whenever anyone mentions business reviews. Whether you are the business or the customer, setting up an account on Yelp is free. And you can post reviews freely as well as respond to them. However, there are certain standards that come with the Yelp community, and being responsive and polite in your communication is among the top ones. Another factor here is one that you will come across with most sites for business reviews in the US – shining the spotlight on the positive reviews. That is why looking at reviews should always have a holistic approach to it.
3. Amazon Customer Reviews
Since most people continue to view Amazon as one of the largest e-commerce sites, it is only logical to look at it as a valid resource for product reviews. In fact, Amazon was one of the first online stores that introduced the ability to post reviews for products, back in 1995. And so, Amazon customer reviews have become a logical reference for practically any type of product out there.
4. Angie’s List
As one of the top sites for business reviews in the US, Angie’s List does have a more premium feel to it. For starters, users need to pay to become members (but it’s free to set up an account for your company). Also, the reviews have a more “high-end” feel to them, with none of the typical rants or blatant use of praises or complaints. Instead, users provide thought-out reviews, with details and arguments to support their claim.
5. Trustpilot
Although a European site by origin, Trustpilot has a fast-growing reputation that has laid roots in the US market as well. Customers are the ones that write both product and seller reviews, representing that third-party aspect. And when it comes to the sheer presence it has, this website review site has a lot to brag about. The free version allows you to create a profile and collect reviews. The paid version offers the option of sharing ratings and link review data on your internal systems.
6. ConsumerReports
ConsumerReports is a non-profit, independent product-testing organization. They give no opening for any kind of advertisement other than the quality of the product. The way it works is that they run an unbiased test on each product and offer a detailed review of the products, as well as:
- Review criteria;
- Product overviews;
- Buying guide;
- Social media sharing buttons.
No business can manipulate their way to good rankings here – it all comes down to the quality of your product.
7. Consumer Affairs
This is a very straightforward review site that operates on the basis of an “overall satisfaction rating”. Every time a company receives a review, the average value of all their reviews is calculated and updated on the company profile. Each company has a list of reviews on their profile pages, offering a very transparent insight into their rating.
One of the things that Consumer Affairs stands out for is its option to submit review recordings. Users can submit two-minute videos to discuss their experience with a brand. And as we know from recent digital marketing trends, the influence of video marketing on modern consumers is massive.
8. TripAdvisor
Although no industry felt as much damage due to COVID-19 as travel and tourism, this doesn’t change the importance of having a great review website for business owners in this niche. Whether we’re talking about travel companies, hotels, airlines, restaurants, bars, or any other type of tourist industry, you can’t go past TripAdvisor. As one of the top sites for business reviews in the US and the world, this is the website to aim high with your rankings. The website uses a popularity ranking algorithm based on:
- Quantity of reviews;
- Quality of reviews;
- The recency of reviews.
9. Citysearch
As a business review website, Citysearch is pretty typical for this category. However, the feature that makes it stand out from other sites for business reviews in the US is the ability to do a search within a specific city. So, if you were looking for a good steak in Chicago, all you would have to do is search for “best steak in Chicago”, and Citysearch would give you a list of restaurants.
Citysearch has all of the functionality as the other review sites in this category, but what makes it unique is its “best of” winners that you can search for in each city. For example, if you’re a french fry lover like myself, you can search for “the best french fries in Boston,” and Citysearch will give you a list of restaurants with excellent fries.
Top sites for business reviews in the US for B2B companies
11. FinancesOnline
With well over 2.5 million users, FinancesOnline is one of the fastest-growing platforms for finding B2B and SaaS solutions through reviews. With thousands of user reviews each month, this is a site that stands behind its values with detailed in-depth surveys from users authenticated via LinkedIn.
FinancesOnline also has an internal team that offers unbiased reviews in terms of features, integrations, mobile support, etc. As a result of this devotion to reviews, having a good ranking on this site carries a lot of potential in the eyes of Google. Therefore, it can be very beneficial in terms of growing your brand awareness.
12. Compare Camp
If you are a business owner looking to purchase a unique piece of software to give you that edge over the competition, you need to explore options. And Compare Camp is definitely one of the sites for business reviews in the US to visit in such a case. Not only does it offer reviews but it also lays out the key benefits of the product as well as any new trends in that particular industry. In addition to the plethora of categories that it offers, Compare Camp explains any varying types of products you are interested in. So, it can be quite handy for those companies that are first-time buyers for specific types of software solutions.
13. G2 Crowd
Many in the software development industry would define G2 Crowd as the “Yelp for software companies”. With over a million reviews and more than 3 million visits per month, this is a site that can definitely provide answers for companies looking to buy software solutions. It’s your typical 5-star review system, where you can also upvote or downvote other reviews.
14. TrustRadius
Another addition to the list of top sites for business reviews in the US for software solutions, TrustRadius is like a mixture of FinancesOnline and G2 Crowd. It authenticates its reviews through LinkedIn users while nurturing that five-star rating. Users can either browse and review individual companies or do cross-comparisons with other companies.
15. GoodFirms
GoodFirms is a business review site that focuses on service providers rather than product manufacturers. The goal is simple – connect service seekers with service providers. And the criteria are also very direct: Quality, Reliability, Ability. These are the metrics that this site uses to provide authentic feedback to users, in combination with elements such as:
- The company’s portfolio,
- Its market presence,
- Years of experience,
- Number of customers
- etc.
Put together, all this provides values that help GoodFirms rank the businesses.
Top sites for business reviews in the US for both B2B & B2C companies
17. Better Business Bureau
One of the most common threats that unsatisfied customers tend to make is “I’ll report you to the BBB”. And the reasoning behind this is simple. As a nonprofit site, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) functions as an “official” administrator for legitimizing businesses online. This is one of the top sites for business reviews in the US because its rankings hold a lot of weight. It holds to neutral grounds, not recommending or endorsing any business. Instead, they simply mark whether or not a certain business meets the BBB’s accreditation criteria. And earning that grade can send a clear message to your target audience, but you have to invest resources and time in getting your business there.
18. Manta
Manta is a keyword-based business review site that primarily focuses on small- to medium-sized companies. Users type in a specific keyword for the type of business they are looking for and Manta then creates a list based on that keyword, with the business information in clear view. With Manta, the actual reviews come last, giving customers the chance to explore every aspect of the business before actually getting to the reviews. So, it is a great way to build a connection with customers on their way to view your reviews. And if you are already working with a professional SEO agency, you will already have a list of keywords that you want to show up for here.
19. Glassdoor
From prospective employees to prospective customers to investors, Glassdoor is an employee review site that helps anyone. Employees can share their experiences about interviewing and working with certain companies. And that makes it an ideal solution for businesses to build recruitment programs. It is also a great opportunity to get outside insight into your business and how to make it more effective from the inside. Creating an employer account is free, and it’s easy to track and respond to reviews.
20. Capterra
When it comes to reviewing software from B2C or B2B companies, Capterra is definitely among the top sites for business reviews in the US. It’s a very user-friendly platform, that allows users to easily navigate through different software types, industries, companies, etc. Its search option allows for finding what you need through relevant keywords. Another interesting feature that Capterra offers is the ability to compare up to four companies with each other on a variety of things. And that can make a lot of difference when trying to make a decision between your top choices.
Other sites for business reviews worth mentioning
Although this article primarily focuses on sites for business reviews, there are other websites where one can find this information in addition to other data. So, here are some ideas for additional sites that serve as valuable sources of information where you can also find customer reviews:
And don’t forget your own website
The fact is that your website has just as much to show with reviews and testimonials as all these sites for business reviews in the US that we mentioned here. Let your website tell the story of your brand and the impact it has on your customers. You’d be amazed at what a dozen of positive reviews and a well-designed Reviews page can do for your online presence. All you need is the help of a web design agency to make the page and the section on your landing pages appealing for site visitors, and the guidance of a professional marketer to frame it all up.
Having your own Reviews page sends signals to search engines, ones that can earn you extra points and value. Also, by simply adding widgets that link to your company profile on some of the websites we mentioned here, you can create a very fluid system that instills confidence in your products/services. There are a lot of resources and ways out there to help you get your brand message across. Use them to your advantage.
Start building your brand awareness through good reviews
Incorporating reviews of your business into your digital marketing strategy is one of the textbook tactics in growing your online presence. By offering up transparent and positive reviews of your business, you send a strong message about the quality of your product. And modern consumers can appreciate such efforts. So, take note of the top sites for business reviews in the US that we mentioned here and start allocating resources to establishing your presence on them. For any additional questions or support in doing so, feel free to contact our team.
