It might clearly contradict what your mother taught you, but deep down we all care what that guy thinks.
We care so much in fact, we’ve developed millions of user-generated forums, consumer review sites and rating systems just so we can know what that guy thought of the book you’re about to buy, the movie you want to see, the cruise you’re thinking about taking and the daycare center your child might attend. We want to know if his new car needs frequent service or where he found the best meatball sub. We even care what he thinks about his dentist.
There are millions of “those guys” sharing their opinions daily. And as consumers, we’ve come to rely on their honest recommendations as buyer’s guides for many of our purchases.
As the world’s view of credibility shifts, everyone is regarded as an expert. If you’ve experienced a product or service, you have something to share. Whether it’s a glowing recommendation or a strong warning, your personal recommendation is worth more than a multi-million dollar celebrity endorsement in today’s consumer landscape. That’s because we genuinely care what that guy thinks.
Consumers have plenty to say-we just have to give them a place to say it. And that, my friends, is how consumer-generated content is born.
Sure, YouTube and Wikipedia are the most popular user-generated sites, but here are MGH’s top picks for quality consumer-generated communications as it applies to products, services and destinations.
TRIP ADVISOR: Use Trip Advisor for just about any vacation you’re planning. You can read and write reviews on every topic from hotels to local attractions to family-friendly resorts. Its unique rating system gives you a quick-glance review, but you can always go deeper with customer reviews, history and detailed maps.
CAR DEALER RATINGS: There are tons of car dealer rating sites like Dealer Rater designed to provide customers with an open forum to express their opinions on a recent car-buying experience. We’ve even seen car manufacturers work directly with dealer rating sites to send you a post-inquiry questionnaire seeking your personal experience with local dealers. In addition to providing manufacturers with detailed information, dealer rating sites give you great feedback on things like long-term service, sales staff recommendations and prices.
MOVIE GUIDES: The days of two thumbs dictating a movie’s success have ended. Now we look to tomatoes and our neighbors for glowing reviews or “wait for the DVD” recommendations. With the success of unique sites like Rotten Tomatoes consumers can get a perfect mix of critic’s reviews and message boards that give a voice to all.
SCHOOL REVIEWS: There are many types of school review services online. The best are free, and many provide students, parents and teachers the ability write and view consumer-generated reviews with complete ease. Great Schools is a great way to perform research because it combines school data with parent reviews and several different rating systems. As a compliment to their research-based surveys, The Princeton Review offers a student forum and discussion board for teens to share insight on applications and college decision making. The forum has an outstanding rapport with student participants and provides a safe outlet for teens.
SPECIFIC PRODUCT RESEARCH: If you’re looking for a review on a specific product, check out Epinions. It’s a great place to find consumer-generated insight, buy online or search other options.
For the more visual learner, ExpoTV gives consumers an outlet for their video reviews of products they love or loathe. The reviews are funny, insightful and easy to find.
All in all, consumer opinion is a valuable asset for decision makers, loyal customers and even for marketers. At MGH, we believe in the power of consumer-generated content, and we inspire it daily.
