review websites name

32 Customer Review Sites for Collecting Business & Product Reviews

Published: July 10, 2023

We (and the rest of the internet for the past decade) have already spent some time convincing you of the importance of acquiring online customer reviews for your business. (Did you know that in a recent HubSpot Research survey, 1/3 of respondents said review sites played an important role in their purchasing decision-making process?)

But if you're new to customer reviews or not sure where to find them, let's brush up on some basics and highlight why they're relevant for your business.

In a bit of a time crunch? Use the jump links below to navigate to the exact content you're looking for.

Table of Contents

• Customer Reviews & Their Benefits

Best Customer and Product Review Sites

Customer review sites for b2c companies.

• Customer Review Sites for B2B Companies

Customer Review Sites for Both B2B & B2C Companies

Other places for consumer reviews, customer reviews.

Customer reviews are pieces of feedback given to a business based on a customer's experience with the organization. These reviews can be public or private and are collected by either the company or third-party review sites. By obtaining and analyzing customer reviews, businesses can measure customer satisfaction and improve their customer relations.

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Benefits of Customer Reviews

There are two major reasons why customer reviews are important.

1. Customer reviews are a learning opportunity for your business.

Negative or neutral reviews provide your company with an opportunity to learn and develop. You can see exactly where your business is failing to meet customer needs and remove common roadblocks in the customer journey .

For particularly poor reviews, reps can follow up with these customers and prevent potential churn. They can highlight specific pain points and craft personalized responses geared to specific problems. This makes your customer service team appear more invested in your customers' goals, which results in fewer negative reviews and increased customer retention.

2. Customer reviews are marketing and sales tools for your business.

The other major reason for obtaining reviews is the opportunity to share them with potential customers. Positive reviews can be used as customer testimonials during lead acquisition and can help you add more contacts to your CRM . In fact, 91% of consumers read at least one review before purchasing a product. So, don't just pat yourself on the back the next time you get a five-star review; Make sure everyone knows how good a job your company is doing.

With that in mind, it's not safe to assume we all know where to track down those positive customer reviews. I mean, we might all be able to rattle off one or two sites ("Yelp! And I think you can get them to show up in Google Maps, too?"), but we don't exactly have a laundry list of options at our disposal

Check out our list of the best product review websites for B2B and B2C companies. Keep in mind that every industry has niche sites, too. For instance, those in the restaurant industry may want to be on UrbanSpoon or OpenTable. This blog post won't get into sites that are specific to one industry, but it will provide review sites that apply to businesses in almost any industry.

• Amazon Customer Reviews
• Consumer Reports
• Consumer Affairs
• TripAdvisor
• Google My Business
• Influenster
• HubSpot's App Marketplace
• FinancesOnline
• Compare Camp
• TrustRadius
• Salesforce AppExchange
• Better Business Bureau
• Facebook Ratings and Reviews
• Top Ten Reviews
• Your Own Website

1. Amazon Customer Reviews

Amazon was one of the first online stores to allow consumers to post reviews of products in 1995 , and it remains one of the most important resources for consumers looking to make informed purchase decisions. Even if people can and do buy a product elsewhere, if it's sold on Amazon.com — unless it's gasoline or drug paraphernalia , that is — then many people will look up its Amazon review before they decide to buy.

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What's going to separate your product from one that looks just like it? Those shiny gold stars and good customer reviews. Products are rated on a five-star rating scale, which is broken down by the percentage of reviews per star, followed by most helpful customer reviews and most recent customer reviews.

Benefits of Amazon Customer Reviews:

• Amazon has over 300 million users who can see your review.
• Amazon's rating system is straightforward and easy to understand.
• Amazon offers a product ranking feature that rates your product's popularity.
• Amazon users are loyal — 22% won't look at competitors if they discovered the product on Amazon.

2. Wirecutter

Part of the New York Times, Wirecutter is an excellent resource for customers looking for honest, independent product reviews. All products go through rigorous testing by the Wirecutter team so readers can rest assured that their recommendations are legit.

From a business perspective, there isn't much you can do to influence ratings on this site, but it should encourage your brand to make its products the best they can be.

Benefits of Wirecutter:

• Reviews on Wirecutter are in-depth and highly researched.
• Although Wirecutter earns commission through affiliate links, they do not earn if readers return a product they recommended that they are dissatisfied with — keeping reviewers honest.
• Wirecutter gets about 12 million readers per month and serves as excellent promotion should your brand get chosen as one of its top picks.

3. Angi (Formerly Angie's List)

Geared toward U.S.-based service businesses, Angi is a "higher-end" review site, because users actually have to pay for membership. But you get what you pay for. The reviews, given on an A–F scale, are typically very well-thought-out — not a lot of that ranting and raving that's more common on free review sites. The reviews can't be anonymous, which helps cut down on fake or misrepresentative reviews, and companies are allowed to respond to the reviews posted about them, too.

It's free to set up a page for your company. Once you have yours, encourage your customers who are on Angie's List to leave reviews there — members are the only ones allowed to do it!

Benefits of Angie's List:

• Reviews on Angi are typically of high-quality since users need to pay to use the site and can't post anonymously.
• Even though this is a paid subscription service, it's free to list your company on Angi.
• If a customer has a bad experience with a recommended provider, Angi will work with both the customer and the company to resolve the issue.

Have customers located in Australia? CHOICE is an independent, member-funded consumer advocacy website based in Australia. It independently evaluates products and provides detailed reviews to its members.

The bulk of its work involves consumer rights, exposing shady industry tactics, as well as providing product reviews. In addition, it allow members to rate and discuss specific products and services with other CHOICE members. If you have customers in Australia, we recommend encouraging those who are on CHOICE to leave reviews there.

Benefits of Choice:

• Choice posts over 200,000 reviews each year and serves about 2,400 institutions worldwide.
• Since Choice evaluates products and services independently, its reviews are unbiased.
• Choice has a "Choice Picks" page where you can see the best products that it recommends.

5. Trustpilot

Trustpilot is a fast-growing, community-driven consumer review platform based in Denmark, although it has expanded out of Europe into 65 countries, including the U.S. The platform for businesses helps companies from all over the world proactively collect customer reviews. It's the customers who write both product and seller reviews, keeping it third-party verified.

While there is a basic version for free (this lets you create a profile page and collect customer reviews), the paid versions let you create customizable review invitations, share ratings and reviews on social media, and link review data to your internal business systems.

Benefits of Trustpilot:

• Over 500,000 websites are rated on Trustpilot.
• Trustpilot uses its own review system to rate its website. Based on about 136,000 reviews, Trustpilot is rated four stars out of five.
• Trustpilot has advanced SEO features that help your website rank higher on SERPs when customers leave reviews for your company.
• Trustpilot can be integrated with Shopify, Magento, and MailChimp.

6. TestFreaks

Similar to TrustPilot, the Swedish-based TestFreaks helps companies proactively collect customer reviews and write seller reviews to complement them.

Another cool addition? Its question and answer feature, which lets prospective customers post questions and receive answers directly from your customer service team.

Benefits of TestFreaks:

• TestFreaks has 100 million crawled reviews from over 15,000 sources.
• TestFreaks provides a content moderation team that analyzes content in over 20 languages.
• TestFreaks has an import feature where you can upload external customer reviews into its website.

Which? is an independent consumer review organization that tests and reviews products and then writes about them. Unlike Angie's List, it's the folks at Which? who write the reviews — not the customers. They don't accept submissions for product testing or survey inclusion, but they do encourage people to let them know about their products and services by emailing [email protected] .

While this leaves less room for you to influence whether your products end up on their site, it's still worth knowing about and checking in on this popular site, especially if you have customers in the U.K. The website has product reviews for everything from dishwashers and tablets to cars and credit cards. It tests and reviews all these products, and then writes about both its methodologies and results. It also surveys customers for things like the best and worst firms for customer service .

A lot of its content is free, but customers can become members for £10.75 per month to get access to a "Best Buys" and "Don't Buy" list, the latest reviews of products from its test labs, and access to its consumer legal advice service.

Benefits of Which?:

• Which? offers more than 8,000 free reviews.
• Which? tests and reviews more than 3,600 new products every year.
• To prove that it's impartial, Which? provides a video that shows users how it tests and reviews each product.
• Which? is 100% independent. It doesn't accept freebies from product manufactures or retailers so its reviews remain unbiased.
• Which? offers a "Safety Alert" feature that notifies users when a product is deemed unsafe. There's also a "Brand Alert" feature that lets you know if a brand has a history of creating unsafe products.

8. Consumer Reports

A nonprofit organization, Consumer Reports is an independent product-testing organization that runs unbiased tests to rate and recommend products. It has reviewed over 7.7 million products, accept no advertising, and pay for all products that it tests. (Fun fact: The company buys and tests 80 cars each year! ) This is about as legitimate as it gets. As such, there's not much you can do here "except" if you sell a product, make sure it's really, really good.

If nothing else, you could take this website as a lesson in excellent content creation. For each product it reviews, it provides the review criteria, product overviews, a buying guide, and social sharing buttons. It's all quite comprehensive and, well, helpful. Pretty much the key to great content, am I right?

Benefits of Consumer Reports:

• Consumer Reports has over 63 testing facilities — including its 327-acre auto test center.
• Consumer Reports has spent over $30 million on testing and rating products.
• The company plans to test more than 8,500 new products in 2021.
• There are over eight product categories to choose from — each having several subcategories within them.
• Consumer Reports provides an overall score for each product, so you know exactly how it compares to other products in its category.

9. Consumer Affairs

Consumer Affairs is a for-profit organization that reviews companies using an “overall satisfaction rating." This average is scored on a one to five-star scale that's updated every time a new review is submitted. Each company's page provides a list of all its reviews, which includes the consumer's star rating as well as a short explanation for its score.

Consumer Affairs also allows users to submit review recordings, which are two-minute videos where people talk about their experience with a brand. This makes the review much more compelling because you can actually see the person talk and express their genuine feelings about the company.

Benefits of Consumer Affairs:

• Consumer Affairs offers a "trending" section where you can view its lastest and most popular reviews.
• Consumer Affairs provides a demo for brands looking to buy a subscription to its service.
• The "Review Feed" feature allows you to research all of your customer reviews in one, scrolling feed.
• Consumer Affairs has a "Video Review" option where customers can record themselves giving a review.

10. TripAdvisor

If you're in the travel, hotel, airline, entertainment, or restaurant industries, you'll want to check out the reviews on the popular website, TripAdvisor. As the largest travel site in the world, it has over 225 million reviews, opinions, and photos taken by travelers. It also has some awesome content on low airfares, travel guides, rental listings, and advice forums for pretty much every location in the world you could possibly imagine. A lot of people look there before booking a trip.

The key to a successful profile on TripAdvisor is making it as close to the top of the popularity index as possible, so that people searching for information in a specific place see your listing. According to TripAdvisor , the popularity ranking algorithm is based on three key components: quantity, quality, and recency of reviews. Here's an excerpt of the advice they give businesses looking to improve their ranking:

"Quantity : Ask your guests to write reviews, and use our management center tools to remind them after they check out. Offering incentives for reviews is against the rules, though — take a look at our policy to make sure you understand what is and isn't okay.

Quality : Guests who enjoyed first class hospitality and a memorable experience are more likely to write positive reviews. Monitor what previous reviewers have written to see what worked and did not work best for your property so you can maintain and improve your service.

Recency : Recent reviews factor more strongly on your popularity rankings and older reviews have less impact on a hotel's ranking over time. Once again, encourage guests to write reviews to keep fresh content rolling in."

Benefits of TripAdvisor:

• TripAdvisor has collected over 887 million reviews for eight million companies.
• TripAdvisor Plus gives you access to discount hotel pricing for over 100,000 locations.
• The average TripAdvisor Plus member saves about $350 the first time they use their membership.
• TripAdvisor Business Advantage showcases your company's best reviews so customers see them first when reviewing your profile.

Yelp is a free review site that lets consumers rate businesses on a five-star scale. Any business can set up a profile on Yelp for free, and users can set up their own free profiles to review a business. You're free to respond to reviewers, too, but we recommend taking a balanced and polite approach to any negative reviews you receive, as Yelpers are in a pretty tight-knit community.

Yelp has also come under fire over the past few years for some slightly shady practices, like incentivizing businesses to advertise with them in exchange for gaming the search results for their business ("Pay us money and we'll push bad reviews down!"). Savvier consumers have learned to look at Yelp reviews as a whole and with the reviewer's clout in mind, instead of getting turned off by a business because of one bad listing.

That being said, it's still to your benefit to get a constant stream of positive online reviews coming to your business' Yelp account so happy customers are always at the top of your review feed — especially if you're a location-based business. Yelp profile information contains things like store hours and location information, so your profile will often turn up when people Google your business.

Benefits of Yelp:

• Yelp has roughly 184 million monthly users worldwide.
• Anyone can sign up for Yelp and it's fairly easy for customers to leave a review — making it a good source of customer feedback.
• Yelp users are a tight-knit community. Active users will provide a lot of detailed feedback for your business.
• Research shows an increase of one star in your Yelp rating can increase revenue by 5-9%.

12. Google My Business

You know those reviews that show up when you search Google for a business? Yeah, those things are on this list in a big way.

Google's Pigeon algorithm update uses distance and location ranking parameters to deliver improved local search results. So, in order for your business' website to be properly optimized for search, you'll want to set up verified accounts with local directories — especially Google's, called "Google My Business." Getting reviews, comments, pictures, and so on, especially on Google, can give you a boost in search. Only verified local Google+ pages can respond to reviews.

An added bonus? Google Maps pulls that information and those reviews into the app, so having a lot of content in there will make your business look more reputable.

Benefits of Google My Business:

• Google is the world's largest search engine and controls over 90% of the search engine marketshare.
• Google can localize your review search, meaning it will only show results for businesses located in the area that you searched.
• It's free to create and customize your Google Business Profile. Setting up only takes a few minutes.
• Nearly 10% of Google's search algorithm is influenced by Google Reviews. The more positive reviews that you have, the higher your business will rank on SERPs.

13. Influenster

If you sell consumer products, Influenster is a review site you'll want to make sure you've covered.

Influenster features customer reviews and news about consumer products — primarily skincare, beauty, makeup, hair, and other health and body products. Visitors can search the site by brand name or by a specific product they're looking for, and Influenster links to websites where visitors can buy the products.

The reviews are comprehensive and feature lots of detail and images to accompany them. So if you're in the beauty business, consider directing your shoppers to review your products on Influenster to help attract new customers, too.

Benefits of Influenster:

• There are over six million users who are actively leaving reviews on Influenster.
• Influenster users have left over 50 million organic reviews on the website.
• Influenster sends its users "VoxBoxes" where they can test out new products for free.
• Influenster helps businesses create "sampling campaigns" where you send users a sample of your product then follow up afterwards to sell them the complete version.

Review Websites for B2B Companies

14. hubspot's app marketplace.

HubSpot's App Marketplace is a space where businesses can browse through extensions, tools, and apps that connect to their HubSpot account. Some apps are built by HubSpot, while others were designed by partners and third-party organizations. Offering all of these tools in one place makes it easier for HubSpot users to add new features to their accounts that may not be included with their subscription.

The nice part about this customer review site is that it's categorized based on the product you're looking to install. There's individual sections for Marketing, Sales, and Service tools, as well as other sections like finance, workflow integrations, popular apps, and more.

Reviews are rated on a five-star scale and customers have to answer questions like, "What did you like about this product? What did you dislike about it?" and "What problem did this product solve?" These questions provide more context into the review so you know exactly why a customer rated a business or product the way they did.

Benefits of HubSpot App Marketplace:

• There are more than 500 apps featured in HubSpot's App Marketplace.
• Product pages not only list reviews, but also pricing info, notable features, and account requirements for downloading each tool.
• Customers have the option to upvote reviews that they find helpful.
• The reviews on this site provide "quality ratings" for features like ease of use, functionality, purchase value, and customer support.

15. FinancesOnline

FinancesOnline is one of the fastest-growing platforms for B2B & SaaS software reviews, with more than 2,800,000 visitors every month . It gathers thousands of user reviews every month, with each reviewer authenticated via LinkedIn to ensure only actual users share their experience with the community. User reviews are based on detailed surveys, which offer a really in-depth look at each tool. Algorithmic analysis is also a foundation for quarterly reports in the most popular categories. To balance the user perspectives, each review also includes a detailed analysis prepared by the internal team of B2B software experts, who analyze key usability factors such as features, integrations, mobile support, etc. This evaluation is then combined into the unique SmartScore™ system, which gives readers an easy reference on what the experts' community thinks about each business solution. As an added bonus, the product pages rank high in Google, so getting a few positive user reviews on their site could be beneficial for your brand recognition.

Benefits of FinancesOnline:

• FinancesOnline has roughly three million visitors to its site every month and over ten thousand detailed company reviews.
• The SmartScore system grades products on several factors including functionality, collaboration features, customization, ease of use, and more.
• FinancesOnline uses a customer satisfaction algorithm that calculates an overall score for a business based on reviews, comments, and opinions that are posted on various social media channels.
• The "Verified Quality Seal" let's users know that a business or product is reliable and trustworthy.

16. Compare Camp

Compare Camp is a B2B review site that deals primarily with business software. If you're looking to introduce a new tool or system to your company, Compare Camp can help you pinpoint the exact software that's right for you. Not only does this site show you how other people feel about a specific product, but it also lays out the key benefits of the product as well as any new trends that may be occurring in that particular industry.

When you first navigate to the site, Compare Camp provides you with a list of software categories to choose from. After you select a section, it gives you a description of the category along with a detailed list of product and company options. Compare Camp also explains any varying types of products within that section as well as the top features you should look for when buying that software. It's a very handy guide to have especially when you're considering a product that you haven't purchased before.

Benefits of Compare Camp:

• Over 100,000 companies use Compare Camp every month.
• There are over 25 product categories to choose from, including CRM Software, Sales Software, eCommerce Software, and more.
• Each category provides a "Top 10" list of the best software available in that section.
• If you're not familiar with a product, each category provides a brief description of what the software is and why you might want it.

17. G2 Crowd

If your business sells software, you'll want to be sure you have a presence on G2 Crowd. Every month, more than 5 million people looking to buy software read the 1+ million user reviews on this website so they can make better purchasing decisions.

G2 Crowd operates kind of like Yelp, but in a specific niche. Companies are reviewed on a five-star scale, and reviews cover everything from setup and ease of use to security and support. Reviewers answer questions like "What do you like best?"; "What do you dislike?"'; and "Recommendations to others considered the product." Also, you can upvote and downvote others' reviews.

Benefits of G2 Crowd:

• There are nearly 1.4 million reviews featured on G2 Crowd.
• G2 Crowd offers a video review option where users can record themselves leaving a review.
• When a customer leaves a review, you can see whether the customer is a verified user and how active they are on the platform.
• G2 Crowd allows businesses to request reviews from customers. This helps you build a pool of customer reviews for your company.

18. TrustRadius

Like G2 Crowd, TrustRadius is an online review site for software businesses. Reviewers on the site are authenticated via LinkedIn to make sure they're users (although the reviews themselves can still be anonymous), which allows users to see what their LinkedIn connections are saying about particular pieces of software on TrustRadius. This adds a layer of trust for someone reading the site.

You can use the site to browse reviews of individual companies, or compare two companies side-by-side to compare their five-star ratings, screenshots of their products, pricing details, and user comments from reviewers.

In addition to the company reviews, TrustRadius has put together a whole bunch of buyer guides for categories including talent management software, business intelligence software, core HR software, social media, and A/B testing to help people find the right product for them based on hundreds of reviews and user ratings.

Benefits of TrustRadius:

• There are over 300,000 customer reviews posted on TrustRadius.
• TrustRadius does not sell leads or ad placement. This keeps reviews unbiased and vendors can't skew results.
• TrustRadius reviews are more in-depth. On average, each review has more than 400 words.
• Each customer review is vetted by TrustRadius' research team and is evaluated for quality, depth, and detail.

19. GoodFirms

GoodFirms is a B2B research and review platform that focuses on connecting service seekers with the right software and service providers.

GoodFirms analyzes the top-performing companies and software solutions based on three important pieces of criteria: Quality, Reliability, and Ability. These metrics are further segmented into authentic feedback by customers, a portfolio of the company, its market penetration, years of experience, and serviceability. The companies are then ranked based on their cumulative research scores. GoodFirms offers quick filters to sort the service providers by their hourly rate, location, and number of employees.

Benefits of GoodFirms:

• GoodFirms has over 30,000 customer reviews and 60,000 business profiles on its website.
• GoodFirms offers a discussion platform where customers can form an online community and talk about specific products and brands.
• GoodFirms provides over one thousand unique case studies that outline new trends and technology emerging in your industry.
• When searching for a specific company or product, customer reviews can be filtered by device, location, and industry.

20. Salesforce AppExchange

Have an app on the Salesforce AppExchange? Then you'll want to keep track of your app's ratings and reviews there.

Reviews are based on a five-star rating system, and each app has reviews listed with the most helpful positive review and most helpful negative reviews first, followed by all reviews, from which users can filter by rating, date, and helpfulness. This customer review site has embraced transparency, letting users access thousands of reviews and see the number of downloads with just a few clicks.

Benefits of Salesforce AppExchange:

• There are over five thousand products that are listed in Salesforce AppExchange.
• This site features a live chat option where you can speak with someone if you have questions about a business, product, or review.
• Users in Salesforce AppExchange can comment, like, and report other customer reviews.

21. Better Business Bureau

A nonprofit site, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) evaluates all types of businesses against a set of best practices for how businesses should treat the public. It doesn't directly recommend or endorse any businesses, products, or services; it simply provides the public with information about businesses, and whether they have met the BBB's accreditation standards. It will also review both accredited and non-accredited businesses.

A business' profile listing on the BBB contains general overview information, like a short company bio and the company's accreditation status, a history of any complaints made about the business and whether they were resolved, customer reviews, and the BBB's A - F rating of the business.

Benefits of the Better Business Bureau:

• There are more than 5.4 million business profiles listed on the Better Business Bureau.
• As a government-sponsored organization, you can trust that its reviews are unbiased.
• Attaining your BBB accreditation shows that your business is reliable and trustworthy.
• Last year in the United States, BBB reviews were accessed more than 120 million times.
• 88% of consumers prefer to do business with a company that is BBB accredited.

22. Glassdoor

Glassdoor is an employee review site that helps anyone — from prospective employees to prospective customers to investors — get an idea of what a company is really like from the inside. In other words, it helps measure the more qualitative factors of things like valuation.

Employees can share what it's like to interview and work at their companies, and the site shows visitors which companies are rated highest by their employees. Many employers use it to build their employment brand so they can target and recruit candidates, but you can also use the reviews to share ideas internally for improvement among your management team.

Creating an employer account is free, and it's easy to track and respond to reviews. For example, you can set up alerts so you get an email each time a new review is posted so you can acknowledge and respond to each one.

Benefits of Glassdoor:

• There are about 90 million reviews, salaries, and insights listed on Glassdoor.
• Over 60 million people use Glassdoor every month to research a company or provider.
• Reviews are left by employees who have experience working with that company.
• When a company responds to a review, it shows you the name of the employee as well as their job title.

Similar to Glassdoor, Blind's platform provides a place employees can leave feedback about what it was like to work at a particular company — though it focuses on the tech industry. On the site, professionals can anonymously communicate with other members, ask questions, provide company insights, and get advice.

What sets Blind apart from its competitors is that it feels like you're dropping in on a water cooler conversation in your office rather than a standard review site.

Benefits of Blind:

• Employers can view discussions in real-time from verified employees.
• Get authentic, anonymous, and unfiltered reviews.
• Over 7 million users across 300,000 companies.

Manta is a marketing agency that also functions as a customer review site primarily features small- to medium-sized businesses. Rather than displaying the top customer reviews right away, Manta organizes search results based on the relevance of your keyword. Then it displays the list of companies with their contact information, so users can quickly connect with a business.

Manta is different than most review sites because it focuses more on connecting people than it does on reviewing products and services. To find customer reviews, you need to select a business, go to their individual listing page, and scroll past their features and products before seeing a review. That way, customers use the reviews as one of the final selling points for purchasing a product or service.

On Manta, the goal is to rank your business as high as possible for each relevant keyword that users can search. So long as your company is in the top search results, you'll have a higher chance of connecting with leads using this site.

Benefits of Manta:

• Manta has data on 35 million businesses spanning across 149 countries.
• Every month, Manta adds 14,000 new listings to its website.
• It's easy to leave reviews on Manta. You just fill out a star rating and write a short description justifying your rating.

25. Capterra

If you're a SaaS business, Capterra is a review site that evaluates software sold by B2C and B2B companies. It has an easy-to-use internal search engine which lets users search for software based on industry, company, or software type. Once a search processes, Capterra displays a list of companies relevant to your keyword and a brief summary describing their product(s).

Users can also compare products on the site. Capterra has a "compare to" feature which lets you select up to four companies and displays the benefits of each side-by-side. You can see everything from ease-of-use to the quality of their customer support, all in one comprehensive view. This makes it easy and efficient for users to find software that best fits their needs.

Benefits of Capterra:

• There are over 1.5 million validated customer reviews posted on Capterra.
• Capterra provides 800 categories to choose from as well as reviews for over 50 thousand products.
• Before clicking into a review, Capterra provides a brief overview of the company, its products, and its mission.
• Capterra provides a pros and cons list for each business profile. This gives users a snapshot of the best and worst features for each company.

26. HundredX

HundredX is a review site and a customer service tool . Businesses create an account on the website and ask customers to leave feedback after working with them. HundredX streamlines the process by providing tools that automatically send out surveys and collect feedback on behalf of the business. With this site, customer services teams don't have to manually seek out reviews or scan third-party sites to obtain customer feedback .

The benefit of signing up for HundredX is the reviews are private. If you get a bad review, leads can't see that feedback and be influenced by the negative comments. This gives your company a chance to correct your mistake before losing potential customers.

Benefits of HundredX:

• HundredX provides profiles for over 1,600 businesses spanning across more than 60 unique industries.
• HundredX offers incentives for users to leave reviews. Roughly 90% of its users participate on a regular basis.
• HundredX's tools helps you create an automated system for creating surveys and collecting customer reviews. This provides an ongoing stream of feedback as you continue to grow your customer base.

Online reviews also exist on sites that aren't necessarily built just to publish online reviews. Some businesses use their social presence and website to encourage online reviews ... and some brands just get them unsolicited, for better or for worse.

Here are some sites that, if you choose to (please, choose to) can serve as additional hubs for online reviews. And they're awesome, because they have enormous reach, and you have some — if not entire — control over these properties.

27. Facebook Ratings & Reviews

Did you know there's a place on Facebook for fans to leave ratings and reviews of your business? There sure is ... it's named, aptly, Facebook Ratings & Reviews. It appears on the left-hand side of your Facebook Page, and you can't move or remove it like you can other parts of your Page.

Anyone logged into Facebook can post a rating or review of a business. All they have to do is go to the Reviews section of your Page, click the grey stars to choose a rating, and then write an optional review. They can make that review public, visible to friends, or visible only to them.

Benefits of Facebook Ratings & Reviews:

• There are more than 2.7 billion users who are active on Facebook each month.
• To collect reviews on Facebook, all you need to do is set up a Facebook Business Profile.
• 2/3 of Facebook users visit a local business's Facebook Profile at least once a week.
• Facebook is a platform designed for communication. This increases the chance of having productive conversations with those who leave a review for your business.

28. Twitter

The ridiculously fast-paced nature of Twitter makes it seem like a weird place to try to accumulate reviews. But while users might not always search for reviews directly on Twitter (unless you started some kind of review hashtag, perhaps), tweets are still indexed in search results. That means a user's tweet, whether complimentary or less-than, could pop up in the SERPs when someone's searching for reviews on your business.

Not only that — there are things you can actively do with the positive tweets coming at you. For instance, we tested the element of social proof on conversions here at HubSpot, attaching three tweets that gave positive reviews on an ebook we were promoting at the time. Guess what happened? The CTA with the three tweets converted better than the CTA with no tweets. If you start to "Favorite" tweets that could serve as positive reviews in the future, it'll be easier to find them when you want to use them in your marketing.

Benefits of Twitter:

• There are over 300 million daily active users on Twitter.
• Twitter lets you communicate both publicly and privately with users. This means you can respond to customers on your feed, but also move the conversation to direct messaging if needed.
• Feedback on Twitter is very immediate. When customers want to voice an opinion about your business, they can do it almost instantly on Twitter.
• Twitter reviews are qualitative. You don't have to worry about an overall rating or satisfaction score when customers leave reviews.

29. Foursquare

Yes, people still use Foursquare. In fact, a ton of people are still using it: racking up 55 million monthly active users (MAUs) to be exact.

Not only can you check-in to different locations and businesses using the app, you can also leave reviews on Foursquare — making it another interesting platform where your brand or business could be discovered by potential customers looking for suggestions — and five-star reviews.

If your business depends on walk-in foot traffic — restaurants, coffee shops, shopping boutiques, etc. — make sure your Foursquare business profile is filled out and updated so people can find you when they go to check-in — and then ask your visitors to review you there.

Benefits of Foursquare:

• There are over 55 million monthly active users on Foursquare.
• Over two million businesses are using Foursquare to connect with customers.
• Foursquare provides marketing tools for your business. You can give special promotions and discounts to existing customers as well as provide tips for new users who are visiting your business for the first time.

30. Superpages

Superpages lets you search for businesses based on their distance from you, overall rating, industry subcategory, online videos, and even promotional coupons.

Once you find a company that you like, this site shows you where the business is on the map as well as a review summary outlining all of the reviews left for the organization. Visitors can quickly assess what other users are saying about the business and use the coupon links to get the same deals as other customers.

Benefits of Superpages:

• Customers primarily use the map/location features to search for businesses. This is ideal for small- to medium-sized businesses that many only be located in a few areas.
• Each company profile has a "view services" tab that explains exactly what the organization has to offer.
• Superpages provides a service that evaluates your brand's online reputation for free.
• Superpages is centered around local participation. So, you can trust that reviews left for your business are coming from customers in your area.

31. Top Ten Reviews

It’s hard to resist a good top 10 list. Top Ten Reviews satisfies this craving by giving visitors a list of 10, detailed reviews for every post on the site. These posts have a wide topic range as well, touching on everything from mattresses to landscaping to laptops.

There's also a "trending" bar that shows you categories that are currently popular on the site. As a business owner, this can give you an idea of what consumers are buying more of at that particular moment.

Benefits of Top Ten Reviews:

• Top Ten Reviews has reviews for products ranging everywhere from gas-powered lawnmowers to eyeglasses.
• Each review has an "our verdict" section that summarizes the pros and cons of each product as well as whether or not the website would recommend it.
• For each product, Top Ten Reviews provides the latest deals available and links users to where they can find them.
• Top Ten Reviews are very detailed. They have sections outlining the product's features, its specs, overall performance, user testimonials, and more.

32. Your Own Website

Finally, the one place where you have total and utter control: your website. It's an excellent place to publicize reviews you receive (perhaps embed some of those tweets you favorited?).

You could carve out a section of your website dedicated just to reviews and testimonials , and even include a form so happy customers can submit their unsolicited reviews.

But if you're actively campaigning for positive online reviews and you encounter happy customers who want to leave you a positive review but don't have accounts on sites like Yelp, Angie's List, or Google, it's handy to have a place on your website to publish their kind words. Consider adding testimonials to landing pages and product pages, too.

Benefits of your own website:

• You have complete control over the format and rating system for your reviews.
• You can dictate which reviews you want to publish on your website.
• Having reviews on your website is timely. People browsing your site can read your positive reviews as they're shopping for your products.

Which customer review site is best?

The easy answer is all of them. The right answer is a little more subjective.

The best customer review site for your business will be whichever one(s) your customers are using most. The more reviews you obtain, the more you'll learn about your business and how customers feel about you.

Don't forget to share this post!

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Service Hub provides everything you need to delight and retain customers while supporting the success of your whole front office

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Define Your Brand Identity for a Review Business Name

Determine your target audience : To choose a review business name idea, start by identifying the people you want to appeal to with your review brand. Consider their age, gender, interests, and preferences. This will help you create a name that resonates with your ideal customers and sets the foundation for a successful review brand.

Define your review brand personality and values : Your brand's personality should be reflected in your review business name. Think about the characteristics you want your review business to embody, such as playfulness, warmth, or creativity. Make a list of adjectives and values that align with your review brand, as these can serve as inspiration for your business name.

Identify your unique selling proposition (USP) for your review business : What sets your review business apart from the competition? Your USP should be a core element of your review business name, helping to convey your business's distinct qualities. It's important to communicate what makes your review products or services special in a way that is memorable and appealing to your target audience.

Generate Review Business Name Ideas

Combine words and concepts for a review name : Brainstorm words and concepts related to your review brand and consider combining them in interesting ways. This can help you create a unique and memorable review business name that captures the essence of your brand while appealing to your target audience.

Use puns and wordplay in your review name : Puns and wordplay can add a fun and whimsical touch to your review business name. Think about phrases or idioms that relate to your brand, and see if you can incorporate a playful twist that aligns with your review brand personality.

Incorporate a rhyme in your review name : rhyming can make your review business name more memorable and engaging. Experiment with word combinations that create a pleasing rhythm or sound, making your review business name stand out and stick in people's minds.

Take inspiration from literature, mythology, or pop culture for your review name : Look into books, myths, or popular culture for review names or phrases that could work well for your business. These sources can provide a wealth of creative ideas for a review business name that is both meaningful and memorable.

Experiment with foreign words or translations for a review name : Explore words in other languages that relate to your review brand or have a pleasant sound. This can add an exotic or sophisticated touch to your review business name while still communicating your brand's values and personality.

Test Review Business Name Options

Create a focus group or survey for your review business name : Gather feedback from your target audience by conducting a focus group or survey. This will help you understand which of your review business name ideas resonate most with your potential customers, ensuring your final choice will have broad appeal.

Test review names for memorability and pronounceability : A good review business name should be easy to remember and pronounce. Try saying your review name options out loud, and ask others to do the same. Note any challenges or difficulties people experience, and use this information to refine your review business name ideas.

Evaluate review names for emotional appeal : Your review business name should evoke positive emotions and create a strong connection with your target audience. Assess the emotional impact of your review name options by considering the feelings and associations they bring out in people. Choose a review business name that aligns with your brand's personality and values while generating a positive emotional response.

Legal Considerations for Review Business Names

Check for trademark availability of your review business name : Before choosing your review business name, search trademark databases to ensure that it is not already in use by another company. This will help you avoid potential legal issues and ensure that your review business name is truly unique.

Verify domain name availability for your review name : Having a website is essential for any modern business, so check if your preferred review business name has an available domain. This will make it easier for your customers to find you online and help establish a cohesive brand presence.

Research local business name regulations for your review name : Different jurisdictions have various rules and regulations surrounding business names. Before settling on your review business name, research your local laws to ensure that your chosen name meets all necessary requirements and does not infringe upon any existing trademarks or business names.

Finalize Your Review Business Name

Reflect on feedback and personal preferences for your review name : Take into account the feedback you've gathered from your target audience, as well as your own personal preferences. Consider which review business name ideas best represent your brand's identity, values, and unique selling proposition, while also appealing to your ideal customers.

Ensure your review name aligns with brand identity : Before making a final decision, double-check that your chosen review business name aligns with your overall brand strategy. This will help create a cohesive brand image and make it easier for customers to understand and connect with your business.

Announce your new review business name and launch your brand : Once you've chosen the perfect review business name, it's time to share it with the world. Announce your new name through marketing materials, social media, and your website. Celebrate your review business name with your customers, and use it as a foundation for building a successful, memorable brand.

For more business name ideas, you can use our business name generator

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The 12 Most Credible Review Platforms for Customer Feedback

In this day and age, next to nobody makes a decision without consulting the internet first. Think about it – what do you normally do if you need the answer to a question? Or if there’s a fact that you’d like to know? You Google it, right?

So, what do you think your potential customers do when they’re considering a new product or trying out a new business? They’re going to Google it too. And they’re going to want to find out other people’s experience by looking at review platforms.

Did you know that   90% of consumers   read online review sites before visiting or buying from a business? Reviews can not only build your reputation but also support your company’s marketing efforts, influence your campaigns and play a huge role in your overall success.

We will cover…

What is a review platform?

How do get customer reviews?

The benefits of customer reviews

The most popular review platforms, the best review platforms for b2b companies, trustradius, the best review platforms for b2b and b2c companies, angie’s list, the best review platforms for seo, google my business, bing places.

•  TripAdvisor

Review platforms are places where customers can leave feedback about products or services for others to read.

The wider the word spreads about how good your company is, the more people you’ll attract, so ideally you want these reviews to be as honest and as positive as possible. Whilst the reviews themselves are the attraction to new customers, displaying them in the ideal place is an important step in the right direction for your business. Hence, including reviews on your website and social media accounts is a good idea.

How do you get customer reviews?

The best way to encourage customer reviews is simply to ask. Quite often, customers are more than happy to give you feedback about their experiences with your products or services, especially if those experiences are positive.

Here are a few ways you could go about this:

• Put up signs, stickers, or badges in your business, or on your website,  for online review sites. This not only encourages customers to write reviews but prompts people to read those reviews too, potentially attracting new customers. Plus, badges instantly instill faith in the customer.
• Include a CTA (call-to-action) on the back of a menu, receipt, invoice, or coupon code asking the customer to leave a review.
• Automate an email campaign that is triggered once a customer shops at your business or uses your services. This way you can ensure that only the customers who experienced your brand are prompted to leave a review.   See how to do this with Zapier .
• Or, the simplest way of all, is just to verbally ask the customer. After you make a sale, give a customer a good meal or provide a great service, ask them what they thought and if they would be willing to leave a review. If you don’t ask, you don’t get!

What makes customer reviews so impactful?

Higher search ranking

Firstly, reviews help your business rank higher on search engines like Google or Bing. The more your customers trust you, the more Google will trust you and consequently, you’ll attract even more customers. A   study by Moz   revealed that reviews contribute over 15% of a website’s ranking factor. For local businesses this can really make a difference.

Better click-through rate

Not only will you rank higher on result pages, if you have glowing reviews and you add the star ratings to your website, Google will show them on the results page. Look at the example on the screenshot below. Which listing would you click on? The one with the stars, right?

Those stars are called Google Seller Ratings and can have an incredible impact on your CTR (click-through rate).   Here’s how to get them working .

Help the purchasing decision

Even more importantly, reviews are beneficial because they influence your customers’ decisions. Reviews build trust, promote confidence in your business and a couple of good reviews could be the tipping point for whether a customer sticks with you or decides to go elsewhere.

Now that you know the benefits of customer reviews, here are some of the best online review platforms for your business. Depending on your niche, you have plenty of options to gather reviews with these review platforms.

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of which online review sites fit a specific niche best, let’s take a look at the ones that are the surefire ways to get started.

Facebook Ratings and Reviews

More than just a place to catch up with friends and giggle at cat videos, Facebook can work wonders as a review platform. With more than   2.7 billion monthly visitors , it is the largest social network in the world, and it’s also in the   top 10 highest used websites   for global internet engagement. Straight off the bat, Facebook reviews will give you a huge advantage.

Having a Facebook page for your business also gives you the highest range of options of any of the online review sites listed in this article. Not only can your customers leave reviews and read the reviews of others, but they can like and comment on other people’s feedback and ask questions.

Yelp   is certainly old school, yet still used by millions. Originally focusing on restaurants, it built quite a strong reputation before branching out into almost every other industry. If you’re on Yelp, make sure to claim your business profile quickly so that you can keep track of what is being said about your brand.

Like many review platforms, you can’t edit the reviews on Yelp, but you can respond to them, so try to keep things friendly and helpful. Furthermore, Yelp helps train small businesses how to take control of their customer reviews and how to hold social events for Yelpers (a.k.a. Yelp reviewers).

Are you catering to other business owners? If you are a bookkeeper, business supplier, software company, or other business-to-business company, the following review websites will help you spread the word.

A favorite among SaaS (Software As A Service) companies, if your business sells software, you’ll want to make sure you have a presence on   G2 . As the leading B2B software review platform, they’ve collected over 1,000,000 reviews for different products and have over   4 million monthly visitors .

With a nifty LinkedIn authenticator, reviewers can post reviews or easily share their thoughts on a particular software preference with their entire LinkedIn network. This both adds another layer of trust to the readers and is an easy way to reach a potentially large, relevant audience.

G2 allows you to compare businesses with hundreds of similar services by 5-star rating, price, ease of use, quality of support, set up speed, and much more. Visitors can also upvote or downvote reviews based on their own experiences. Business owners can easily read competitors’ reviews to get a better understanding of what consumers are looking for.

Perfect for eCommerce, marketing, and other online businesses,   Reviews.io   gathers honest feedback for your business using an invite-only option. This means that customers can only leave reviews if a company requests it, via a simple email invitation.

Businesses can ask their customers to leave reviews on specific services, products, or the business as a whole. This gives companies a lot more control over who leaves feedback. As a verified Google review partner, all feedback gathered by Review.io is optimized for search results, which will further aid your SEO game. Plus, the platform has a well-designed UI, making it easy to navigate and use.

Similar to G2,   TrustRadius   focuses on software and service-based B2B companies.  Reviewers are also authenticated through LinkedIn, so setting up an account is nice and simple. Visitors can review a company alone, or in comparison with another by looking at a series of stats including 5-star rating, pricing, and in-product pictures.

TrustRadius is a particularly good tool for gathering feedback and understanding the customers’ issues and pain points. What’s more, as TrustRadius doesn’t offer a sponsored option, it’s definitely one of the most honest online review platforms out there.

If your business sells to the general public, you’ll likely do better with a review platform that is more suited to consumers. The following are great online review sites for both business-to-business and business-to-customer companies.

Another favorite with SaaS (Software As A Service) companies,   Capterra   features nearly a million reviews and an engaged and active community. Users can easily search for software based on industry, software type, or a particular product. That search is divided into almost 700 different categories – that’s a lot of data to help you find the perfect fit!

Visitors can directly compare up to four businesses side by side using the ‘compare to’ feature. Plus, another point for Capterra: the webpages for different categories consistently rank high on Google, so if you’re looking to better your SEO, then using this review platform will most certainly help. They are also backing their organic ranking with paid efforts so they basically take care of advertising for you.

Originally started as a review platform for small businesses,   Angie’s List   has developed into a high-end, reputable site. It is a paid platform, but it’s all the better for it as you don’t get the usual ramblings and nonsense that you sometimes do with free sites. Instead, reviews are a lot more thought out and, resultantly, more valuable.

The reviews are divided into categories, then they are given an A-F rating. They can’t be anonymous either, which further helps with preventing spam and fake responses. Angie’s list also acts as an intermediary between conflicts, which ultimately means that they could end up siding with you over an unfair customer. It’s free to set up a page for your company, but they also offer two paid plans for more options.

Better Business Bureau

An online review site built on trust, the   BBB   is a non-profit consumer advocacy group. They evaluate all types of businesses against a set of standards, providing the facts and letting the customer reviews speak for themselves.

Another premium review platform, the BBB charges companies to join it and, although they don’t actually force you, it’s recommended to follow the   BBB’s code of conduct . If you decide to get your business profile on the Better Business Bureau, then you’ll be able to display a badge on your site which shows customers how trustworthy you are.

When it comes to elevating your business, unless you’re a one-man-band, a lot of that hard work and effort will be undertaken by your staff. And as your business grows, so will your team. That’s where   GlassDoor , the workplace review platform, comes in.

With reviews of over 540,000 companies, you can bet that a lot of potential job candidates will want to check out other people’s experiences before they accept a job offer or even apply for a position.

Employees can rate a company on everything from the employment process itself, to everyday working life. If you get lots of positive reviews from lots of happy staff, GlassDoor has the power to radically improve your employment brand. This will help you scout out the best talent for future employment and gather feedback about what you could work on from within your business.

If the main reason you’re looking for customer reviews is to increase your credibility to search engines, we recommend using these….

The most obvious review platform to support your SEO,   Google My Business   is a free tool to help businesses manage their presence online. You simply need a verified business account on Google and your website, business name, contact information, opening hours, and location will all be neatly tied to your search listing.

Anyone searching for your business will automatically see all of these details as well. The best part? They will also see all of your reviews, giving them an instant reason to click on your site link or dial your phone number.

Bing Places   provides much the same service but, of course, for Bing users instead. But before you decide to label Bing as a lesser Google, whilst it may not be the big boy, Microsoft’s search engine still has the   second highest   search engine market share online. So, it’s more than likely, that you’ll end up with a few extra clicks and customers by adding your business to Bing.

TripAdvisor

Did you know that customer reviews for businesses   occur highest in the travel sector ?

TripAdvisor   has seriously evolved from where it started back in 2000. These days, not only are they covering hotels, holiday rentals, restaurants, and tour companies, they also feature customer reviews for spas, coffee shops, cafes, and other entertainment businesses.

Whilst a substantial portion of searches are still travel-related, people are also browsing TripAdvisor reviews before choosing a new restaurant to dine at or a new place to take the kids at the weekend. With Google searches like ‘restaurants near me’ bringing TripAdvisor a tonne of monthly traffic, it’d be well worth your time to add your business to their results.

It’s a wrap

There you have it: a nice, comprehensive list of the best review platforms broken into categories waiting for you to cherry-pick your favorites! But then what?

Then you can learn how to utilize the glowing feedback that you gathered on these platforms. Check out our article on   the power of reviews – and how to use them !

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Tired of Yelp? 14 Alternative Business Review Websites

Table of Contents

The modern consumer thrives on information. Before making a buying decision, customers have long sought out the opinions and experiences of others to find out whether or not a company is credible.

Today, this process is quick, easy, and accessible to anyone with a computer or smartphone and an internet connection. There are few better sources of information for consumers than business review websites.

Yelp is considered the top review site for marketing local businesses . However, it is far from the only reputable business review site. Others may even prove more beneficial for niche products or services.

These 14 review websites are worth looking into if you need honest feedback or ways to improve your business.

What are business review websites?

Business review websites collect customer reviews about the companies they do business with. These aren’t professional reviews, and they aren’t paid – they are from actual customers sharing their honest feedback.

For instance, say you recently hired a local company to install a fence in your backyard. After the service is completed, you can review that company on a business review website.

When you leave a review, you’ll often choose a letter or number rating. You’ll usually have the option to summarize your thoughts about the service you received.

By sharing your positive or negative experience, you help other potential customers decide whether or not to use that company in the future.

Another way for businesses to solicit honest consumer feedback is by conducting business surveys .

How can business review websites benefit your company?

Many businesses feel nervous at the thought of customers leaving them a review, but customer reviews can be a powerful tool for your company. Here are some of the ways business review websites can benefit you:

• They create social proof. If a customer is on the fence about purchasing from your business, they’re more likely to move forward if they receive a positive recommendation from a friend or family member. Positive reviews create social proof and help new customers feel comfortable doing business with you.
• They improve SEO. If you run a local business, you can’t afford to ignore business review websites. For example, receiving and responding to Google Business reviews will improve your business’s search engine visibility and increase the odds that local customers will find you.
• They help you provide better customer service. Nobody wants to receive a negative review from a customer, but it isn’t always a bad thing. If you respond to negative reviews and take steps to remedy the mistake, you could build more customer loyalty over the long run. And you learn valuable information about how to improve your business in the future.

Responding to online reviews , both positive and negative, boosts engagement and helps you steer the narrative surrounding your business.

1. Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)

Google Business Profile , formerly called Google My Business, allows you to list your business on Google Maps and show up in local search results. It’s free to list your business and information like your business location , hours, and phone number.

You can also invite your customers to leave you a review on Google.` Collecting Google reviews and responding to them shows that you care about customer feedback; more reviews will help you rank higher in Google searches.

To get started, set up and personalize your Business Profile on Google .

2. Facebook Page reviews

If you use Facebook ads for your business, you probably already have a Facebook Business Page set up. Your Facebook Business Page is a great place to stay in touch with your customers and share helpful information about your business.

It’s also an excellent place to collect customer reviews. Take advantage of this feature by turning on the ratings and reviews setting in your Facebook Page settings. From there, invite customers to leave reviews sharing their experiences with your company.

Other unexpected ways Facebook benefits businesses include helping you build an online brand, create professional bonds with competitors, and find top job candidates.

3. Angi (formerly Angie’s List)

Angi is a major name in business reviews. As a platform for accurate information about local businesses from vetted users, Angi guarantees that its reviews are legitimate.

Users pay a membership fee to access the site and write reviews, which come in the form of a letter grade. Businesses that sign up for Angi can interact with members, establish a profile, and respond to reviews about their company. The highest-rated businesses can also earn advertising for deals and discounts.

4. Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau is one of the most trusted names in business ratings and reviews. The BBB grades businesses from A+ to F based on several factors, including reviews, complaints, and business responses to reviews and complaints.

As the BBB is a trusted organization, its ratings could significantly impact a small business. The accreditation process ensures that a business makes a good-faith effort to resolve customer complaints and respond to inquiries.

This effort makes a business more trustworthy in consumers’ eyes. With accreditation (and its fee), a business can receive increased exposure online, access to workshops and webinars, and much more.

5. ConsumerAffairs

Collecting reviews for a business is just one service ConsumerAffairs for Brands offers. When a business signs up, it receives access to all kinds of resources.

This includes articles on how reviews and a strong reputation can increase revenue, how to find brand ambassadors , and how to convert negative customer experiences into positive ones.

If you’re concerned about your brand’s online reputation, the guide to choosing a reputation management service can manage your social media, perform online monitoring and reporting, and more.

6. Foursquare

While Foursquare is best known for its check-in feature, businesses that claim their listings also give customers the ability to leave ratings and tips (reviews) for other customers.

If you sign up for Foursquare for Business, you’ll be able to access user analytics, add your own tips, and offer customer rewards.

7. Glassdoor

The unique thing about Glassdoor is that it provides a way for current and past employees to rate the companies they work for. It is a vital tool for job searching, letting job seekers learn as much about a company as possible.

With Glassdoor for Employers, you can read reviews of your company as a workplace and find quality candidates for a position.

8. HomeAdvisor

This site is similar to Angi, helping customers find and review professionals for home improvement projects. All reviews are verified and go through an extensive screening process.

If you are a professional offering home improvement services, HomeAdvisor Pro allows you to connect with other HomeAdviser users in your area in search of a specific service.

9. Judy’s Book

While it’s not free to add or claim your business on this site, the perks of Judy’s Book for Business are worth it. It’s free for customers to review your business directly on the site, but if you receive other testimonials through social media, email,  letters or other sources, Judy’s Book allows you to post them on your business page at no extra charge.

With a membership, business owners also get a free mobile listing, competitor tracking, a higher search engine ranking and much more.

Expand your social media marketing efforts beyond reviews by using social media marketing solutions to streamline your campaigns and manage your posts and accounts.

Manta is a small business directory that helps local American businesses connect with consumers and each other. While customer reviews are not the site’s primary function, they are one of the site’s features.

11. MerchantCircle

MerchantCircle aims to connect customers with deals, advice and price quotes from local small businesses. Its search functions are structured primarily by city and business category. By default, it ranks the listings from highest-rated and most frequently reviewed, working its way down.

The MerchantCircle Help Center has various links to articles to help new businesses get set up.

12. OpenTable

Although OpenTable was once just for making restaurant reservations, customers can now leave reviews and star ratings. When you search for restaurants, a list based on your search criteria pops up.

One of the first things you’ll notice is the star rating under the restaurant name, the number of reviews, and the percentage of reviewers who recommend the restaurant.

If you are starting a restaurant or want to get an established restaurant on OpenTable, sign up on the OpenTable for Restaurants page to start collecting reviews and increasing your reservations.

13. PlanetRate

Unlike most other review sites, PlanetRate isn’t tied to a specific category or service. So, whether your business is a restaurant, hotel, boutique or anything else, you can register it and begin collecting reviews.

This site also allows users to write in-depth reviews specific to your business’s category, making it easier for potential customers to find the review and, therefore, your business.

VendOp’s goal is to connect people with vendors that best match their needs. A potential customer can search for vendors based on their needs and be presented only with vendors that provide those services, streamlining the search process.

The site also offers a community of real customers who share their experiences with vendors, so potential customers can gain a better understanding of who they’re working with while helping other vendors improve their services.

Jamie Johnson and Jennifer Post contributed to the writing and research in this article.

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Local Impact Awards

40 awesome review sites to fuel your business growth

By Vishal Teckchandani | Sep 8, 2023 | Marketing | 17 min read

With more entrepreneurs starting local businesses, online review websites like Google Business Profile, Angi, and Yelp have become crucial for visibility and success in the realm of commerce ( Economic Innovation Group ).

Download the white-label reputation management sales playbook today and get a rebrandable playbook to close more reputation deals.

Consumers lean heavily on review sites, considering the opinions expressed from other buyers about businesses within them before making purchasing decisions. The evidence is clear, both from data analysis and observing people around us: nearly all of us rely on review websites in various ways to inform our choices on where to shop, and what to buy ( Search Engine Journal ).

Table of Contents

• Why are customer review websites important in the buying journey?

3 advantages to adding business listings across multiple review sites

40 quality review sites for customer reviews, 7 must-know business review websites, top 3 review websites for ecommerce businesses, 3 industry-specific review websites, top 2 popular b2b customer review websites, frequently asked questions, why are customer review websites important.

No doubt agency owners understand the importance of local businesses having a strong online presence for success, but what’s changing is how reputation is increasingly influenced by various review sites on different platforms, not just Google. For instance, in 2022, Tripadvisor reached one billion reviews, and Yelp saw 26,830 new reviews generated per minute!

This lines up with our internal Vendasta data, showing that nearly two-thirds of local businesses guided by our agency partners have adopted our Listings Sync Pro tool to establish their presence across diverse review platforms – because relying on just one isn't enough anymore.

As a result, the new frontier in online reputation management is helping clients diversify their presence across review websites. This article delves into the top 40 platforms, offering guidance to your clients on amassing more reviews, refining their online presence in a targeted way, and enhancing their sales potential.

Where review sites fit in the modern customer journey

Review websites are instrumental and effectively underpin the ‘findability’ and ‘reputation’ phases of the modern customer journey, pictured below, for two key reasons:

• Increased visibility and search engine optimization (SEO) benefits: Online review websites often have high domain authority and appear in search engine results. When businesses have a strong presence on these platforms and receive positive reviews, it can improve their search engine rankings. This increased visibility can lead to more organic traffic and potential customers discovering or validating a local business.
• Social proof: Customer reviews provide social proof, which is a powerful psychological phenomenon that influences people's behavior. When potential customers see positive reviews from real people, it creates a sense of trust and credibility in the business. They are more likely to trust the opinions of other customers and feel confident in making a purchase.

Listing across multiple websites brings significant advantages for both local businesses and the agencies that support them.

• Competitive edge: Establishing a presence on various customer review websites provides local businesses with an SEO edge. Maintaining precise information across multiple listings offers a simple method to enhance discoverability. Additionally, it empowers them to connect with customers seeking highly specific or detailed insights, surpassing the usual scope of Google reviews. This is particularly relevant in sectors such as healthcare and home services, where select review platforms enable users to provide feedback for individual professionals.
• Benefit for agencies: By helping local businesses manage their online reputation across multiple review websites, agencies can demonstrate their ability to effectively monitor and respond to customer feedback. This positions them as trusted advisors and valuable partners in maintaining a positive brand image. It also leaves a strong impression on business owners, showcasing the agency's awareness of the latest review site trends and choices, and allows you to justify the cost of your services and sales of reputation management and SEO products.
• Enhanced online reputation: A consistent stream of positive reviews across various platforms bolsters a business's credibility and reliability in the eyes of potential customers. This dynamic influence directly shapes purchasing choices, driving heightened customer engagement. Moreover, local businesses actively engaged on review sites gain the power to safeguard their reputation, effectively addressing negative feedback instead of letting it fester in the public realm. This is discussed further in the video below.

• Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) [the most popular general review site]
• Yelp (a widely recognized platform for local businesses)
• Facebook Reviews (integrates social feedback with online presence)
• TripAdvisor (for travel-related businesses and attractions)
• Yellow Pages (directory for local businesses)
• Angie's List (trusted source for local service providers)
• Foursquare (combines reviews with location-based features)
• Better Business Bureau (BBB) (focuses on business ethics and trust)
• Citysearch (local guide and business directory)
• Manta (showcases small businesses and services)
• DexKnows (local business directory)
• Superpages (directory for businesses and services)
• Trustpilot (trustworthy platform for various industries)
• Thumbtack (matches customers with service professionals)
• HomeAdvisor (connects homeowners with service providers)
• Zillow (reviews for real estate and property services)
• Healthgrades (reviews for healthcare professionals)
• Avvo (reviews for legal professionals)
• Houzz (reviews for home improvement professionals)
• RateMDs (reviews for medical professionals)
• OpenTable (restaurant reviews and reservations)
• Zocdoc (appointments and reviews for healthcare)
• WeddingWire (reviews for wedding-related services)
• Care.com (reviews for care and service providers)
• Trustpilot (a reliable review platform)
• Vitals (reviews for healthcare professionals)
• G2 Crowd (reviews for software and tech products)
• TestFreaks (product reviews and ratings)
• Fyt (reviews for fitness and wellness professionals)
• Cars.com (reviews for automotive services)
• Groupon (deals and local business reviews)
• DealerRater (reviews for automotive dealerships)
• ConsumerAffairs (reviews for various services)
• Indeed (reviews for job-related services)
• Capterra (reviews for software and tech products)
• Apartments.com (reviews for real estate and rentals)
• HomeStars (reviews for home service professionals)
• Porch (reviews for home services)
• TrustRadius (B2B software reviews)
• WeddingVendors.com (reviews for wedding services)

Navigating the vast landscape of review sites can be daunting for both agencies and local businesses. Which platforms deserve a business owner's attention for establishing a presence and soliciting reviews? What sets these platforms apart? Who comprises their user base?

While a comprehensive presence on every site isn't required, gaining insight into the major players as well as some specialized and emerging players is valuable knowledge you can take to a business owner.

1. Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)

A widely recognized platform for customer feedback, Google holds immense value for businesses seeking to bolster their online reputation. Its seamless integration with Google Maps search results , and other technologies, lends it a pivotal role for every local business.

Use cases: Google Reviews provides a user-friendly channel for customers to contribute reviews directly to a business's Google listing. Positive reviews not only attract potential customers but also enhance local search visibility, resulting in increased online traffic.

Monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 17 billion (source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: The Google Reviews page of restaurant Aba in Chicago

• High visibility: Benefits from Google's search dominance and high user adoption, ensuring high visibility amongst customers.
• Business insights: The platform provides data and insights into how users are interacting with your listing
• Easy Google integration : Easily manageable through a Google business account and applications that integrate with Google.
• Anonymity: Reviewers can be anonymous and use fake names, leading to potential spam and lack of accountability, and removing a fake or malicious Google review can be challenging.
• Lack of customer support: Since reviews can't be turned off or deleted manually , profile owners must reach out to Google directly to dispute a review, which can take time to resolve.
• Nongranular information: Google Reviews often provide a broad 1-5 star rating. However, for specific establishments like restaurants , this simplicity may not facilitate the evaluation of intricate elements like food quality, service, ambiance, and location.

Businesses/industries: Well-suited for all local businesses, especially for those like restaurants competing for foot traffic. (Key tip: Ensure that your local business customers update their Google Business hours )

2. Facebook Recommendations

Facebook is one of the world’s pre-eminent platforms for interactive customer experiences. Like Google, Facebook houses a local business’s essential details including number, location, and website.

How it’s different from Google is that users are allowed to “Recommend” or “Not recommend” a business, and are then prompted to leave feedback and images about their experience, and are given the option to select tags such as “Slow service”, “No Wi-Fi” and “Fresh doughnuts.”

Use cases: Showcase customer service, engage customers on the business's Facebook page.

Global monthly active users: Approximately 3 billion (Source: Facebook).

Alt text/caption: Facebook prompts allow users to include tags such as “great for children” and “fresh doughnuts” that make it easy for consumers to easily see what others like about the business

• Social engagement: Facilitates direct interactions and personalized responses.
• Broad reach: Connects with a wide audience through social networking.
• Limited discoverability: Reviews may not be as prominently featured as on dedicated platforms.

Businesses/industries: Suitable for retail, restaurants, entertainment venues, and local services.

An established review site renowned for in-depth user-generated feedback, Yelp is essential for building credibility .

Use cases: Engage with customers, respond to feedback, demonstrate commitment to customer satisfaction.

Monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 117 million (Source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: Yelp reviews are structured similarly to Google, but the review site is tailored largely to restaurants

• Improved SEO: Yelp Check-In allows users to share details of their visit and experience at a business, which can positively impact visibility and search rankings.
• Detailed reviews: Extensive user-generated reviews provide valuable insights.
• Community impact: Active user base fosters community credibility.
• Review filter: Stringent filter can impact visibility based on criteria.

Businesses/industries: Ideal for restaurants, salons, professional services, and businesses aiming to establish a strong online reputation.

4. TripAdvisor

A travel-focused platform, TripAdvisor plays a pivotal role for businesses in the travel and hospitality industry.

Use cases: Businesses in the travel sector can benefit from showcasing customer experiences and attracting travelers.

Monthly global traffic: Approximately 150 million (Source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: TripAdvisor differentiates itself from other review websites with its travel focus. In this example, a visitor planning a trip to Wyoming has searched for “Top things to do in Wyoming” and then found the top-rated travel experiences.

• Travel focus: Centrally focused on travel and hospitality, catering to a specific industry.
• Attracting travelers: Positive reviews can attract travelers to accommodations, restaurants, and attractions.
• Complements local search: In certain scenarios, Tripadvisor gains an advantage over Google by assisting international visitors to the U.S. (or other countries) in pre-planning their experiences. This approach proves beneficial as it allows travelers to strategize ahead, avoiding the intensified competition for local visibility upon arrival.
• Travel niche: Primarily suitable for travel and hospitality businesses.
• Businesses/industries: Especially beneficial for hotels, restaurants, attractions, and tour operators within the travel sector.

5. Better Business Bureau (BBB)

BBB focuses on business ethics and trust, providing consumers with information about a business's reputation.

Use Cases: BBB accreditation and positive reviews enhance business credibility and trustworthiness.

Monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 12.5 million (source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: A review for John The Plumber on BBB for a plumber

• Ethical reputation: Focus on business ethics and trust.
• Accreditation impact: BBB accreditation can boost business reputation.
• North America: Limited to businesses mainly in North America.
• Businesses/industries: Suitable for businesses aiming to establish an ethical reputation and trustworthy standing.

6. Trustpilot

Trustpilot is a widely recognized platform that emphasizes consumer reviews and building brand trust.

Use Cases: Trustpilot is ideal for businesses that prioritize consumer feedback and seek to establish a transparent reputation.

Global & monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 83 million and 17 million, respectively (Source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: Trustpilot let’s users easily filter the services they’re looking for in their local area, such as credit unions, and then find reviews of those institutions

• Consumer trust: Focuses on building consumer trust through verified reviews.
• Wide range of industries: Suitable for a variety of businesses and industries.
• Robust presence in Europe and the U.S.: Businesses seeking transatlantic growth opportunities can benefit from the platform's substantial foothold in both European and U.S. markets.
• Paid plans: Some features require subscription in paid plans.
• Businesses/industries: Suitable for e-commerce, service-based, and retail businesses looking to build consumer trust.

7. Yellow Pages

Yellow Pages offers an online directory of businesses, serving as a trusted resource for local businesses and services.

Use cases: Local businesses can gain visibility and credibility through positive reviews on Yellow Pages.

Monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 12 million (Source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: Screenshot of reviews for a dentist in Chicago

• Local directory: Provides a platform for local businesses to reach their target audience.
• Trustworthy source: A trusted resource for finding local services.
• Lead generation: Yellow Pages allows consumers searching for services to contact the business through functions like chat messages.
• Diverse reviews: Reviews can cover a wide range of industries.
• Businesses/industries: Suitable for local businesses across various sectors aiming to enhance their online presence.

1. Amazon Customer Reviews

Amazon Customer Reviews significantly impact purchase decisions on one of the world's largest e-commerce platforms.

Use cases: Businesses selling products on Amazon can benefit from positive customer reviews, enhancing product credibility and visibility.

Monthly active users: Over 300 million (Source: Amazon)

Alt text/caption: Amazon’s reviews, in this case of a Microsoft controller, capture keywords and encourage reviewers to provide photos

• E-commerce impact: Reviews influence buying decisions on a global e-commerce giant.
• Product visibility: Positive reviews increase product visibility and credibility, especially if they achieve the ‘Amazon’s Choice’ designation.
• Product-focused: Reviews tend to be product-centric.
• Businesses/industries: Perfect for e-commerce businesses selling products on Amazon's platform.

2. TestFreaks

TestFreaks provides comprehensive reviews of various products, aiding consumers in making informed purchase decisions.

Use Cases: Businesses selling products can benefit from positive reviews on TestFreaks to enhance product credibility and visibility. It’s especially popular in Europe.

Number of reviews published: Over 100 million (Source: TestFreaks)

Alt text/caption: A retail company’s integration of TestFreaks’ user-generated content system for its ecommerce store and products

• Product reviews: Offers in-depth reviews on a wide range of products.
• Consumer insight: Helps buyers make informed decisions based on real user experiences.
• Product-centric: Focuses mainly on product reviews.
• Businesses/industries: Suitable for businesses in the e-commerce sector seeking to improve their product reputation.

3. Influenster

Influenster is an emerging platform that sends curated boxes of products to its members for free in exchange for leaving a review.

Use Cases: Influenster presents a valuable option for local businesses aiming to establish their presence or enhance the reputation of new products. It serves as an effective platform to connect with customers and foster reviews.

Members (users who leave reviews): Over 7 million (Source: Influnster)

Alt text/caption: A review page of a dog toy received by members on Influenster

• Cut-through review generation: Influenster operates on a model where customers receive complimentary products in exchange for reviews. This is advantageous for businesses who may struggle to compete on websites like Amazon, where certain categories are saturated and difficult to establish visibility in.
• Leveraged by prominent brands: Influenster is used by major brands like Dove, Neutrogena, Hasbro, and Doritos, showcasing its industry recognition and trustworthiness.
• Expense: Providing items for free might pose a cost challenge for local businesses.

Vitals is a dedicated platform for healthcare professionals, enabling medical practitioners to showcase their expertise and services.

Use cases: Agencies who are established or seeking to grow in the medical field can leverage Vitals to display their customers’ qualifications and connect with patients seeking medical services.

Number of reviews published by patients: Over 10 million (Source: Vitals)

Alt text/caption: Patient reviews of a plastic surgeon based in New York. You can see granular details including wait times and components of the rating, such as bedside manner

• Expanding geographic reach: Traditionally, individuals sought local family doctors or specialists, confining choices to in-person visits. Vitals transforms this norm, empowering consumers to explore practitioners locally or afar, even fostering virtual consultations. This amplifies opportunities for highly-rated professionals to attract a broader patient base, diverging from those with lower ratings.
• Detailed insights: Vitals encourages practitioners to provide comprehensive details, encompassing years of experience, areas of specialization, and certifications. This fosters trust-building as consumers gain insights into practitioners' qualifications.
• Granular reviews: The website prompts patients to rate various facets of their healthcare journey from 1-5 stars, spanning staff friendliness, bedside manner, and timeliness. This prompts meaningful patient connections by aligning practitioners with the aspects most important to their needs.
• Video content: Agencies can leverage video content within their client’s Vitals listing to foster a personable connection to prospects browsing reviews. See example here .
• Specialized: Primarily beneficial for healthcare professionals.
• Businesses/industries: Suitable for doctors, dentists, therapists, and healthcare providers aiming to attract patients.

2. Fyt Personal Training

Fyt Personal Training is an emerging review site that focuses on connecting users with certified fitness trainers, making it a valuable resource for fitness and wellness professionals.

Use Cases: Generating new leads is often the biggest challenge for fitness trainers, particularly for those who focus on outdoor exercise or want to get into virtual consultations. Fyt allows consumers to fill in a quiz to determine their health goals, and then find a suitable trainer, with reviews being a central part of the process.

Number of reviews published by clients: Over 700 (Source: Fyt)

Caption/alt text: Reviews of personal trainers on the Fyt website

• Fitness network: Potentially helps fitness trainers generate high-quality leads while saving time from having to do extensive, free consultations to determine clients’ needs.
• Certified professionals: Highlights certified trainers for quality assurance.
• Fitness industry: Relevant primarily for fitness and wellness professionals.
• Businesses/industries: Beneficial for certified fitness trainers, wellness coaches, and professionals within the fitness industry.

Angi’s a platform that specializes in local service providers, offering a trustworthy resource for home and service-related needs.

Use cases: Businesses in the home improvement and service sectors can benefit from positive reviews on Angi’s.

Monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 9.1 million (Source: Semrush)

Caption/Alt text: A potential customer looks for a quote for a carpeting job and is presented with options for local businesses including their ratings

• Service focus: Specializes in home and local service providers.
• Trusted source: Offers consumers a reliable resource for finding trustworthy service professionals.
• Membership fee: Requires consumers to pay for membership to access reviews.
• Businesses/industries: Ideal for home improvement, contractors, and service providers looking to connect with local customers.

1. G2 Crowd

G2 Crowd is a leading B2B software review platform that offers authentic user reviews and insights for various software products and services. It serves as a valuable resource for businesses seeking software solutions.

Use Cases: G2 Crowd is widely used by businesses to research and compare software options. It provides comprehensive reviews, ratings, and comparisons to help companies make informed decisions about their technology stack.

Alt text: A review of Vendasta by a customer on G2

• Authentic reviews: G2 Crowd's reviews come from verified users, ensuring credibility.
• Detailed comparisons: Allows users to compare software features, pricing, and user experiences.
• Market trends: Provides insights into software trends and user satisfaction.
• Focused on B2B Software: Limited to software and technology reviews.

Businesses/industries: Ideal for agencies, businesses, and organizations seeking software solutions for various functions, from marketing to project management.

2. Capterra

Capterra is another well-known B2B software review platform that assists businesses in finding the right software solutions. It offers a wide range of user-generated reviews and comparisons.

Use Cases: Capterra is a go-to platform for businesses looking to discover, compare, and select software solutions that align with their needs and objectives.

Alt text/caption: A review of an accounting firm on Capterra, which captures specific details about user experiences including cost and contributing factors to the rating

• Diverse software categories: Offers reviews for a wide array of software categories.
• User-generated content: Empowers users to share genuine feedback and experiences.
• Easy comparisons: Allows side-by-side comparisons of software features and pricing.
• Software-focused: Primarily suitable for software reviews and comparisons.

Businesses/industries: Valuable for agencies, businesses, and professionals seeking software solutions for specific operational needs, ranging from accounting to customer relationship management.

In today's digital era, online reviews wield an unprecedented level of influence when it comes to shaping the reputation of businesses. However, it's crucial to understand that the strategy for managing online reputation cannot begin and end at Google alone.

There's clear evidence indicating the proliferation of review websites and a growing preference among customers for platforms that provide specific information tailored to their interests and needs.

From well-known platforms like Google to specialized ones such as Vitals, there exists a diverse array of options to cater to various industries and objectives. By navigating these platforms strategically, agencies can help local businesses harness the potential to elevate their online presence, increase customer engagement, and fuel their growth.

In a world where online reviews can hold significant sway over consumer decisions, it's natural to wonder about their reliability and how businesses can navigate this landscape. Addressing common questions about review site trustworthiness and strategies for obtaining reviews sheds light on a topic often clouded by skepticism.

Are review sites trustworthy?

Review site trustworthiness can vary. While many sites have genuine reviews, there's also the potential for manipulated or fake feedback. It's essential to consider the site's credibility, the range of reviews, and consistency in assessing businesses. Review sites have also taken great steps around improving transparency of ratings calculations and introducing processes to take down suspected fake reviews.

How can businesses get more online reviews?

Businesses can encourage reviews by providing excellent service, asking satisfied customers to leave feedback, and making it easy for customers to share their experiences. The below video walks through strategies that you can leverage to help local business customers get more reviews.

About the Author

Vishal Teckchandani

Vishal Teckchandani is a Content Marketing Specialist at Vendasta. A newcomer to Canada, he spent the last 14 years of his career in Australia as a financial services reporter and TV host. He has written extensively about how technology companies are transforming business processes and lives, and interviewed the CEOs of global banking, payments, SAAS, and cloud storage providers including Afterpay, ELMO Software, Macquarie Group, National Australia Bank, NextDC, and Zip Co. When he’s not creating content, Vishal loves to cook, explore Saskatchewan with his family, and volunteer for his community.

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Top 23 Review Sites To Get Customer Reviews

Andrew mcdermott.

• August 11, 2020

What’s the simplest way to boost top-line growth in your business? 

With customer reviews, of course! A study showed that brands with 82 total reviews (or more) earn  54 percent more in annual revenue than average. The unsurprising downside is — review sites aren’t created equal. You’ll need to invest your time with the right review platforms to achieve consistent growth in your business. 

Which online review sites are most important for reputation management, driving visibility, and social proof? 

We’re going to get an answer to that question today. I’ll provide you with a detailed look at a variety of review platforms, outlining what works and why. 

Table of Contents

Get the reputation you deserve with grade.us, why your business needs the top review sites.

Top review websites produce disproportionate returns for your business. Reviews have a significant impact on your brand, conversion rates, and revenue. It’s important then, to prioritize the review platforms that will produce the greatest results for your business.

With the right data, you can identify these platforms.

This isn’t just about accumulating a large number of reviews (though that’s still essential). It’s about all of the other benefits that come from a strong review portfolio. These are the incentives you want to optimize your efforts around.

• Strong rankings in organic and local search results
• A steady and reliable showing in Google's search features (e.g., the knowledge graph, local pack, featured and rich snippets, etc.)
• Excellent conversion rates with consistent revenue growth
• Decreased advertising costs
• Powerful branding and improved brand perception and recall

You’ll want to optimize your efforts around the primary, secondary, and tertiary review platforms that produce these benefits consistently. Today, we’re going to take a look at the top review platforms.

Let’s get started.

Top review website #1: Google Reviews

Customers can write reviews for businesses via Google Maps. According to Google , “more than a billion people using Google Maps every month and more than 5 million active apps and websites using Google Maps Platform core products every week .”

That’s 13 percent of the population on Earth.

Why Google reviews are important

Google accounts for 57.5 percent of all reviews worldwide , across all review platforms . If your customers are going to leave a review, there is a very good chance it’s going to be on Google. If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering how is that possible ? 

Google receives 92 percent of all search visits in the United States (as of 2020), and 96 percent of mobile organic visits. Google is the number one review platform, with 63.6 percent of consumers searching for reviews on Google first. Fifty-three percent of customers visit a business within 48 hours of performing a local search on Google. It sounds like they have a monopoly. 😏

Features: Google Reviews

• With your Google My Business (GMB) account you can track reviews, set alerts, respond to reviews and upload photos, videos, and posts to your profile.
• You’re encouraged to request reviews from customers directly via a short URL that’s specific to your business.
• Business reviews appear next to your listing in Maps and Search. and are displayed for organic and location-specific search queries.
• Google doesn’t provide an official widget or embed code you can use to share your reviews. They do provide that information via their API, and you can use plugins to add that functionality to your site.

Caveats and warnings for Google Reviews

• Review gating is prohibited on Google.
• Offering reviewers an incentive to share their feedback is strictly prohibited.
• Google penalizes fake reviews by decreasing rank or banning offenders.
• Short names and URLs must adhere to Google’s terms of service , additional terms , content policy , and policies for representing a business on Google .

Bonus: Check out our compr ehensive guides on Google Reviews and optimizing your Google My Business account!

Top review website #2: Facebook Recommendations

Facebook is the most popular social network on the planet. Over time, Facebook has grown to provide users with a variety of essential services, including reviews, which they call recommendations. Users have grown accustomed to these new features over time, as Facebook has worked to act as a facilitator between users and brands.

Why Facebook Recommendations are important

Facebook states that one in three people (on Earth) use their platform to look for recommendations and reviews. According to Statista, Facebook has 2.41 billion monthly active users (more if you include Instagram and Whatsapp). More than 795 million people rely on Facebook for recommendations and reviews each year. 1.6 billion people use Facebook for local search.

Features: Facebook Recommendations

• Brands are encouraged to request reviews and recommendations from customers, provided that they follow Facebook’s policies and standards (see below).
• Facebook will show the recommendations provided by the closest friends to your customer first, this will increase your reach and make you discoverable across Facebook.
• Rich Endorsements allow customers to indicate whether they recommend your business by using tags, texts, and photos or videos. This makes it easier for customers to get an immediate sense of what your business is about.
• Recommendations can be embedded and shared on and off Facebook. They’re treated like status updates and have similar functionality.

Caveats and warnings for Facebook Recommendations

• Comply with Facebook’s terms of service , policies , and community standards when responding to customer recommendations.
• Facebook Recommendations are binary; customers are either for or against your business. There’s not much in the way of nuance.
• Facebook uses your reviews and recommendations to calculate your page’s ratings. They use a variety of factors to calculate your score, including reviews and recommendations, and the performance of other similar pages.

Bonus: Here’s our comprehensive guide on attracting more visitors via Facebook Recommendations and optimizing your Facebook business page .

Top review website #3: Yelp Reviews

Yelp is a controversial yet impactful review platform. Their site has attracted a significant amount of attention from critics, business owners, and, most importantly, customers. 

Why Yelp reviews are important

The majority of traffic to their domain arrives via Google search. While Yelp and Google have been locked in a dispute for the past six years, Yelp reviews are still highly visible in Google’s search results. Additionally, Yelp has 35 million mobile app unique users per month.

This means Yelp would still be a valuable review platform for businesses to target.

Features: Yelp

• A verified Yelp account is required to leave reviews, respond to reviews, bookmark a business, add photos and videos.
• Businesses can respond to customer reviews publicly under their customer’s review, or privately via a direct message.
• Individual reviews can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, via a direct link, or embedded on your website directly.
• Yelp allows businesses to remove competitor ads (as long as they’re willing to spend a little more for the privilege).
• Yelp provides a comprehensive dashboard for businesses that includes recent activity, Yelp ads, page upgrades, reviews, photos and videos, nearby jobs, check-in offers, and more.

Caveats and warnings for Yelp

• Yelp states that review gating is strictly prohibited on their platform.
• Businesses are not allowed to request reviews.
• Businesses are instructed to use neutral phrasing (e.g., Find us on Yelp).
• Incentives and solicitation are also prohibited on their platform.

Bonus: Take a look at this step-by-step walkthrough showing you how to maximize Yelp reviews (without asking) and optimize your Yelp business account .

Top review website #4: TripAdvisor Reviews

TripAdvisor is the world’s most popular travel app. Billions of people worldwide rely on TripAdvisor each year to find accommodations, restaurants, airlines, cruises, and more. 

Why TripAdvisor reviews are important

TripAdvisor generated 860 million user reviews and opinions across 8 million listings covering a variety of industries, including restaurants, hotels, vacation rentals, and attractions. Their website is a travel behemoth, and it’s a must-have for businesses in their core industries. Beginner and experienced travelers alike make TripAdvisor their first stop for research and reviews.

Despite the major toll the pandemic has taken on the world, travel will come back and you’re going to want to make sure that your business is ready with a beautiful impactful selection of reviews (even if they’re not as fresh as normal times.) In fact, outside of the United States, travel is already returning across the world. 

Features: TripAdvisor

The TripAdvisor management center allows business owners to manage the essential portions of their review profile, and business owners can :

• Use Review Express to invite recent visitors to share their reviews on TripAdvisor.
• Respond to reviews, answer traveler questions, and manage photos and listing details.
• Access the Analytics Suite , where you can see key metrics and performance indicators for your TripAdvisor listing.

Caveats and warnings for TripAdvisor

• TripAdvisor penalizes businesses that incentivize customers to leave a positive review. It’s a good idea to take a more cautious approach and avoid promising gifts or incentives.
• Businesses with a history of fraudulent behavior can expect a drop in rankings in TripAdvisor’s popularity index and even a red penalty notice on your profile page (to warn customers about fraud).
• An unattended page will drop in TripAdvisor’s popularity index. If you’d like a steady stream of customers, your page needs a constant stream of attention from you.

Bonus: Take a look at our detailed breakdown showing you how to get more reviews on TripAdvisor.

Top review website #5: G2 Reviews

G2 is the world’s largest tech marketplace and peer-to-peer review site. G2’s focus is aggregating user reviews for business software. G2 helps businesses and individuals discover, review, and manage the technology they need to reach their potential.

Why G2 reviews are important

G2 asked themselves this question. “Why is it easier to get unbiased information about a $100 hotel room than a $100,000 piece of software?” G2 solves a high-value problem for businesses, namely which websites are a good fit for my business. So far, G2 has answered this question for more than 4 million people in thousands of organizations.

Features: G2

• Businesses can invite existing customers to write a review on G2, they can respond publicly, share or mark a review as “helpful.”
• Automate review collection via a dedicated G2 landing page.
• Collect video reviews, add testimonial widgets, or build customer reference pages.
• Track and manage SaaS spend, including usage, contracts, and compliance with G2 Track .
• Get email notifications when prospects visit your profile and export leads to your CRM.

Caveats and warnings for G2

• G2 relies on its algorithm to monitor its platform for fraudulent reviews, including fake reviews from company employees.
• Reviews are manually screened and voted on by the community to discourage spam and unhelpful comments.
• G2 also requests screenshots of the reviewer using the product for verification purposes.
• G2 aggregates review data, using it to score business software products on The Grid, which competes with Gartner’s magic quadrant review model.

Top review website #6: Zillow

Zillow is an American online real estate database company  and the leading real estate marketplace. Users can search for real estate, apartments, mortgages, and property values on their platform.

Why Zillow reviews are important

Eighty-five percent of the homes in the U.S. are listed in Zillow’s U.S. database. They have a significant amount of public and proprietary information on home sales, properties, values, etc. Zillow receives 194 million monthly unique users (as of Q2 2019). One hundred eighty-six homes are viewed every second on their platform. 

Zillow also has more than 2 million consumer-submitted real estate agent and mortgage lender reviews on its platform.

Features: Zillow

• Real estate agents can list recent sales, listings, professional bio, service areas, photos, and videos on your profile.
• With an agent account, real estate pros can request and respond to reviews from clients.
• Manage your leads with features such as lead segmentation, lead routing, lead reporting, and lead forwarding.
• Email templates: Create, save, and send email templates to respond to common questions, comments, or concerns.

Caveats and warnings for Zillow

• Only agents and real estate pros with a Zillow profile can be rated and reviewed.
• Removing your profile removes all reviews associated with your business profile.
• Only clients who have communicated or worked with a real estate pro can write a review and submit a rating on that pro.
• A dedicated team of specially trained moderators evaluates all reviews before they are published.
• Pros can respond publicly on the site to any review they receive. Additionally, reviews can be flagged for Zillow to re-moderate.

Bonus: Our detailed guide shows you how to build a profitable real estate business using Zillow reviews in 60 days or less!

Top review website #7: Avvo Reviews

Avvo is an online legal marketplace that connects qualified attorneys with clients who are in the market for their services. An attorney’s profile includes client reviews, disciplinary actions, peer endorsements, legal guides, and more.

Why Avvo reviews are important

In a  recent interview  with BizJournals.com, Avvo stated that it generates more than $8 billion in revenue each year for lawyers and law firms. A survey  from SoftwareAdvice.com found 83 percent of prospective clients use review platforms as an initial first step to evaluate a pool of attorneys. 

Seventy percent of clients stated that they would be willing to drive further and spend more if their attorney had better online reviews than a competitor that was closer to home. Lastly, 97 percent of attorneys in America are rated by Avvo, meaning your competitors are on Avvo.

Features: Avvo

• Attorneys and law firm representatives can respond to client reviews. Attorney comments are displayed immediately.
• Reviews can be removed through Avvo’s dispute process if the review is fraudulent or inaccurate.
• Legal Q&A forum where attorneys can answer publicly posted questions on a variety of legal issues.
• Avvo uses a 1-10 rating system, with ten being superb. Your reviews do not affect your Avvo rating.
• Attorneys are encouraged to request reviews from clients.
• Attorneys should be vigilant, ensuring that they comply with the ABA’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct, specifically Rules 7.1 through 7.5 .
• There should be no quid pro quo for reviews.
• Attorneys may not solicit, encourage, or assist in the posting of fake, false, or misleading reviews.
• Attorneys may not threaten, bully, or harass the client to provide a positive 4- or 5-star review.

Bonus: How to win 4.5x more clients using Avvo Reviews .

Top review website #8: BBB Reviews

Does the BBB still have value as a review platform? Some perceive the BBB as an ancient relic for old-timers, a review platform that offers very little value. As a result, there seems to be some confusion about the BBB and the value they provide to local businesses.

Why BBB reviews are important

In 2018, the BBB received 160,175,192 inquiries (170,350,626 in the US and Canada), 835,846 complaints and settled 654,890 complaints. Statista confirms the BBB as one of the top nine sources customers used to read online reviews and ratings.  Customers are still using the BBB as a review and rating platform. If they’re using it, you should be using it too.

Features: BBB

• Any consumer who has a marketplace interaction with a business can post a customer review, anonymous reviews are not allowed.
• A BBB complaint is not the same as a customer review. They’re treated differently.
• For a consumer to file a complaint with BBB, they must be seeking a resolution from the business. BBB staff works with both the company and the consumer to resolve the issues, and BBB reports the details of that process.
• A customer review is simply feedback about their experience with a business and doesn’t require a resolution.

Advertising

• Online Directory: Accredited businesses are listed first as part of the BBB’s Accredited Business Directory. Like sponsored listings, accredited businesses are rewarded for their memberships.
• Sponsored Listings: “To help further increase your company’s visibility, the BBB offers you the opportunity to showcase your business as a Sponsored Business above the Accredited Business listings in your business categories.”

Caveats and warnings for BBB

• Businesses are expected to follow the BBB’s accreditation standards .
• Businesses also need to follow the BBB partner code of conduct .
• Your profile must adhere to its content guidelines .
• The BBB validates each of the reviews that come in.

Bonus: How to generate leads and attract new customers with reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Top review website #9: Healthgrades Reviews

Healthgrades is the leading online resource and review platform for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. They provide consumers with information about physicians, hospitals and health care providers, collecting data on more than 3 million U.S. health care providers.

Why Healthgrades reviews are important

Half of all Americans who see a doctor this year will visit Healthgrades. They’re the number one platform for patient-doctor connections. This is significant when you realize they have a large number of competitors — many with deep pockets.

Features: Healthgrades

• Professionals and clinics can register their facility with physical address, phone, fax and directions on Healthgrades by signing up at Partners.Healthgrades.com .
• Add a list of patient reviews that can be filtered by recent (the default), highest, lowest, and most helpful.
• List your biography, specialties (e.g., family medicine, pediatrics, surgery), board certifications, education, and awards.
• Add specific variations of keywords so patients can find you using local search.
• Healthgrades encourages healthcare professionals to request reviews from their patients.

Caveats and warnings for Healthgrades

• Reviews from both patients and professionals are expected to follow their review guidelines .
• Professionals should not mention or endorse specific products, including pharmaceuticals.
• Professionals should not post content that mentions legal matters or proceedings.
• Reviews with personal website links are prohibited.

Bonus: Take a look at our detailed guide – How to boost patient referrals with Healthgrades reviews .

Top review website #10: HomeAdvisor Reviews

HomeAdvisor got their start as Service Magic in 1998. Then, In October 2017, HomeAdvisor merged with Angie’s List to form ANGI Homeservices, trading on the NASDAQ as ANGI. This merger created the largest digital marketplace for home services.

Why HomeAdvisor reviews are important

HomeAdvisor connects 4.2 million homeowners to 60,000 pros, facilitating over $10 Billion in home improvement spending. Their site receives more than 4 million unique visitors to its website each month.

Features: HomeAdvisor

• Homeowners can post anonymous or public reviews to share feedback on a specific service provider.
• Home improvement pros can provide detailed information on their services, service areas, facts, credentials, website, expertise, business overview, and more.
• A dedicated team follows up on reviews to determine authenticity and all honest, objective feedback is posted – good or bad.
• Professionals have the opportunity to respond to the reviews they receive and there is a resolution process for customer complaints.

Caveats and warnings for HomeAdvisor

• HomeAdvisor verifies reviews to ensure they’re honest.
• Honest reviews are posted, whether they’re good or bad.

Bonus: How to double your lead flow, using HomeAdvisor Reviews , in 45 days!

Top review website #11: RepairPal Reviews

As the name implies, RepairPal helps you find trustworthy auto repair shops in your area. They’re a niche review platform and referral service so the consumers who rely on their service tend to be more sophisticated than generalists who frequent mainstream sites like Google Reviews.

Why RepairPal reviews are important

RepairPal doesn’t accept everyone. Instead, they maintain a carefully curated list of providers. Jill Trotta, VP/GM at RepairPal, explains. “We don’t just list anybody in our network. We’re not a pay-to-play network. You have to apply and be accepted, and once you are, we send customers to you.” Shops that are part of RepairPal’s member network meet their stringent quality standards.

Features: RepairPal

• Only customers who have been independently verified by RepairPal can leave reviews.
• RepairPal shops must offer a 12-month or 12,000-mile warranty on its repairs (at a minimum).
• Shops are evaluated by a team of ASE certified technicians to verify competency.
• Shops can respond to customer reviews.

Caveats and warnings for RepairPal

• Reviews are moderated by RepairPal staff.
• The RepairPal community can flag or notify staff of an inappropriate review.
• Reviews that are not first-hand accounts, or that violate RepairPal’s terms of service will be removed.

Top review website #12: Caring.com Reviews

Caring.com is a senior living review site. Caring.com receives visits from two groups; families of seniors and seniors themselves.

Why Caring.com reviews are important

Adults age 65 and older are expected to outnumber children by 2030. In fact, approximately seven baby boomers are turning 65 every minute. All baby boomers and 1 in 5 U.S. residents will have reached “retirement age.” Caring.com is a helpful way for seniors to identify the facility that best meets their needs.

Features: Caring.com

• Caring.com requires that reviewers have firsthand experience with the listed service provider (without being an employee or paid representative).
• Offers senior living communities the option of collecting reviews via phone call.
• Offers senior living communities self-addressed, postage-paid postcards that can be sent to seniors to request reviews.
• Almost 80 percent of Caring.com registered users are female between the ages of 40 and 69.

Caveats and warnings for Caring.com

• Caring.com is a pro-facility platform, meaning that they’re looking to protect facilities so they’re not destroyed by malicious reviewers who are looking to punish your business.
• Reviews and responses (from facilities) are heavily moderated

Bonus: Here’s a detailed guide , showing you how to attract more seniors with 5-star Caring.com reviews .

Top review website #13: Glassdoor Reviews

Glassdoor is an employment review platform; they allow former and current employees to anonymously review companies, view salaries, and apply for jobs.

Why Glassdoor reviews are important

Glassdoor amplifies employee advocacy. Employee advocacy is employee-led, company promotion that includes: employee-led recruiting, promotion, and development. It makes it easier for your organization to attract employees and customers, retain employees, and outperform competitors in the marketplace.

Features: Glassdoor

• Glassdoor reviews from employees are largely anonymous.
• Employers can respond to employee feedback.
• Employer reviews are averaged for each company. Ratings are based on user-generated reviews.
• Employees reviews are screened and verified to ensure they come from real employees at the organization.

Caveats and warnings for Glassdoor

• Attempts to game the review process are policed heavily by Glassdoor staff, employees at the target company, and the Glassdoor community.
• Review manipulation or dishonesty is publicly outed, often leading to an avalanche of negative reviews.

Bonus: Learn how you can boost your reputation on Glassdoor with our deep dive guide.

Top review website #14: The Knot

The Knot describes itself as an “all-in-one wedding planner” with “the #1 wedding app.” Their platform provides couples with the A-to-Z information, tools, and support they need to plan the wedding of their dreams. 

Why The Knot reviews are important

According to Wedding Wire’s 2019 newlywed report , reviews and photos, aside from price, are the most important features couples look for when determining which vendor they’d like to contact. The Knot reviews provide couples with the important information they need to evaluate vendors.

Features: The Knot

• Vendors can’t be added to the platform without permission. Reviewers can refer a vendor to The Knot who will reach out to the vendor.
• Couples share reviews which usually consist of first name, last initial. Users are allowed to edit their review.
• Vendors are allowed to respond to reviews, to provide shoppers with a complete picture of the events.
• Reviews can be added to The Knot message boards and forums, vendors will have the opportunity to respond to their reviews provided that they meet the following criteria .

Caveats and warnings for The Knot

• The Knot is pro couples. Their platform is oriented around taking care of and pleasing their users/customers so vendors should act accordingly on their platform.
• While no official reporting mechanism exists yet, The Knot encourages reviewers to report inappropriate reviews at [email protected] .
• Reviews can be shared in a variety of places including The Knot forums.

Top review website #15: YP

The Yellow Pages originally got their start as a business directory listed in alphabetical order. In 2013, they decided to rebrand their business to YP, adding a variety of new products and services to help businesses.

Why YP reviews are important

YP receives more than 23 million visitors to their site monthly. More importantly, YP has partnered with the Better Business Bureau, displaying ratings for listings of businesses that have earned an A or A+ rating or BBB accreditation. This shared partnership provides a significant lift to both the BBB and YP, improving the results brands achieve across both platforms. 

Features: YP

• YP users are loyal and well acquainted with the platform and seek it out directly (vs. searching in Google).
• Reviews from BBB are syndicated in YP along with YP reviews.
• Users can flag reviews they feel are inappropriate.
• Users can share reviews via Facebook, Twitter and direct link.

Caveats and warnings for YP

• Reviews can disappear without warning.
• YP is a niche platform so it would be best to build your review portfolio using YP and a variety of other mainstream platforms.

8 more review sites to get reviews

Zocdoc has expanded its service dramatically covering 40 percent of the U.S. population across 2,000+ cities. They’re used by more than 6,000,000 people each month. Oliver Kharraz, MD, The founder, and chief executive of Zocdoc, states that he comes from a family with a 300 year tradition of being doctors.  Check out our detailed Zocdoc reviews guide for more information.

Thumbtack and Angi

Thumbtack and Angi (rebranded from Angie’s List) are lead generation and review platforms for home service providers. They focus on “Mom-and-pop shops helping next door neighbors. Busy families hiring family businesses.”  We’ve got plenty of insights on Angi reviews.

Indeed is a job search engine that also provides employee prospects with reviews on the company they’re applying for a position with. Indeed receives more than 376 million visitors each month.

Lawyers.com

Lawyers.com is owned by Martindale-Hubbell, the very same people behind Avvo and Nolo. This website, along with Avvo, gives law firms access to their extensive network.

Capterra and TrustRadius

Capterra and TrustRadius , like G2, are software ratings platforms that focus primarily on SaaS companies. These review platforms help managers and decision makers choose the right software for their business using reviews from other like minded customers.

WeddingWire

WeddingWire lists more than 250,000 wedding professionals on their platform. They’re not as well known as The Knot, but they place special emphasis on making things as easy for their users/customers as possible.

A good rule of thumb with these review sites would be to focus your attention on the mainstream review platforms to start, then add industry-specific, and niche sites as you gain traction with your review management campaigns.

Use these top rated review websites to generate reviews

Your customers decide which review sites are viable for your business. Invest your time wisely, focus on the right review sites and you’ll have the tools you need to boost top-line growth on demand. 

These top rated review sites attract a disproportionate amount of customer attention you can use to grow your business.  Start with these review websites, then branch out and niche down to build a strong review portfolio that protects you from competitors, attracts customers, and establishes you as the market leader.

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Home » Building Websites » Creating Your Review Website: A Step-By-Step Guide in 7 Easy Steps

Creating Your Review Website: A Step-By-Step Guide in 7 Easy Steps

Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers. Learn more

Written and researched by:

“Our products are FANTASTIC” – every brand, ever. Of course, all businesses think what they offer is fantastic. And this is where review websites come in. These sites are powerful tools for consumers. Offering real-world insight into the brands, products, and services that are available to them. And the good news is, it’s easier than ever to set up a review site thanks to website builders and CMS platforms.

The impartial experiences shared on review sites can help inform buying decisions. This type of content is also typically more trusted than brand-owned content as a real representation of the experience a potential customer can expect to have.

In this article, we walk you step-by-step through everything you need to know to create your own review website, helping you to tap into their growing popularity.

Step 1: Define Your Niche and Audience

Before you dive into the technicalities of creating your review website , you first need to understand exactly who it will be for.

Understanding your niche will help you build a site which is purpose-built to meet your audience’s needs. On the other hand, failing to define your niche and audience can mean your website will fail to be truly beneficial to anyone.

You may already have a good idea of the area you will be creating a review site for. If not, look for a niche that is relevant to your current business offering, or the product or service you are interested in.

If you are hoping to monetize your review site, you should also take time to assess the potential profitability of your niche. Investigate the number of relevant businesses that already exist as well as the size of your potential audience.

Once you know the niche you are targeting, you need to dive deeper, finding details on the exact audience you are looking to help with your review site. This can be done in several ways, such as:

• Online research, for example, using simple Google searches to find information on those you are targeting
• Customer research, such as reaching out to your current customers to better understand their habits and needs
• Social media and other review sites, researching the type of information people ask for and provide in that niche

Step 2: Plan Your Website Structure and Features

Setting a clear purpose for your website will help dictate how it is structured. Your purpose should focus on serving your target audience to meet their needs.

Below we use an example of a motorbike review website to illustrate this point:

Their purpose may be something along the lines of:

“To provide reviews to help motorbike enthusiasts find the most reliable motorbike for their budget”

This purpose can then be applied to any decisions they make when creating their site. For example, when assessing a new website feature they may ask:

“Does this feature help our visitors find the most reliable motorbike for their budget?”

…if the answer is no, then they would likely not include it.

This approach can also be applied to structuring their website:

“What information will people need to find the most reliable motorbike within their budget”

Asking this question may result in the website breaking down its reviews based on price, such as:

• Under $5000
• $5000 – $10,000
• $10,000 – $15,000

Use your purpose to help you plan the main sections and pages of your websites. You should also take some time to outline all the essential features of your review website. For example, you may detail all the filters that visitors will be able to search through your reviews with.

When creating your plan, considerer the applicability of common website pages such as your homepage, contact page and category pages.

Step 3: Choose a Website Builder and Set Up Your Website

Now you’re armed with a purpose and a website structure plan, it’s time to pick the best website builder for your review site.

Luckily, almost all of the most popular website builders such as Wix, Squarespace, and GoDaddy include the type of functionality you may need to create a fantastic and highly functional review website.

Which one is right for you will depend on several factors such as your budget, technical knowledge, and needs. For example, Wix is a fantastic website builder for those with minimal experience in website creation, offering countless tools to help you build a stunning website. On the other hand, WordPress is great for those with advanced web design knowledge, allowing for a much greater level of flexibility.

How you get started will vary slightly based on the platform you pick. However, they typically follow a process similar to this:

Sign Up 

The majority of website platforms are incredibly easy to sign up for. Just fill out your details, confirm your email address and you’re ready to go.

Once signed up, you’ll need to pick a payment plan. Each plan will offer different features based on the price you pay. For example, the cheapest website builder plans will typically include only a domain name and a small amount of storage. More expensive plans will usually come with lots of extras such as email accounts and even advertising budgets.

Pick and Customize Your Template 

You’re now ready to get started with your website design.

It’s important to take time to pick the best template for your site, because this will have a big impact on your user experience. When picking a template, consider how it looks and feels, but also use the plan you have created in the previous step to ensure it will meet your needs.

Most website platforms will let you make edits to the templates they offer, so you can align your chosen design with your brand and provide a smooth customer experience. 

Add Pages and Organize Your Website

With your template in place and on brand, it’s time to add your pages.

With your plan to hand, this should be fairly straightforward. Systematically work through your plan, adding pages and creating the content for them. Finally, ensure that you add the most important pages to your top navigation menu .

Pick a Domain Name 

Picking the right domain name is the last step in getting your website ready to launch.

With millions of websites already live, it can be tricky to find one. Here are some tips to help:

• If your website is brand related, consider brand-related domains such as [BrandName]reviews.com
• Consider names that would be good for SEO such as [productniche]reviews.com , www.best[productniche].com or www.[productniche]advice.com
• Consider domain names that would feel familiar and/or memorable to potential visitors (without copying others in your niche)
• Avoid domain names that are too long or complicated such as www.[productniche]reviewsthatwillhelpyoufindagreatoption.com or www.[productniche]-reviews2023.com

Step 4: Create Engaging and Informative Content

Developing a content strategy will make it easier to keep things fresh for your audience while also helping you boost your rankings on search engines. Although this can seem like a complex process, it doesn’t have to be. Here are some easy steps to follow:

• Define your content pillars (the key topics you will write about)
• Create ideas, titles, and outlines for a set number of reviews (usually 3-6 months’ worth)
• Create a schedule (with deadlines) for each stage of content creation such as writing, reviewing, uploading, and publishing
• Assign key responsibilities for each stage
• Set times to review your progress

Keeping your reviews concise and focused is essential in ensuring your audience stays engaged. It’s also important to make sure that your reviews are balanced. This is because if visitors consider your reviews as biased, they are very unlikely to trust your recommendations and advice.

You may help increase your authority within your niche by including other types of content on your review website. For example, you could include a blog that offers guides and tutorials.

Step 5: Implement User-Friendly Navigation and Design

We’ve already mentioned how important it is to make navigating your website as easy as possible, but here are some practical tips to help you make sure everything is as user-friendly as it can be:

• Keep your design simple, clean, and use plenty of white space
• Prioritize your key content and only include that within your top navigation menu
• Make your website easy to navigate with clear labelling for navigation menus
• Use responsive design to ensure that your website looks great and is easy to use on all platforms including desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile
• Use visual elements to help direct the eye to the most important areas
• Ensure your website loads quickly
• Test your website regularly

Check out our guide on website navigation best practices for more tips!

Step 6: Promote and Monetize Your Review Website

So, you’ve got a great review website full of fantastic content. Now it’s time to promote your site and monetize it. Here are some tips to get you started:

Promoting Your Website

• Optimize your website for search engine rankings
• Use social media to engage with potential visitors and promote your content
• Build an email list so you can deliver new content straight to interested individuals
• Encourage social sharing by tagging relevant accounts and mentioned brands
• Build a community around your website, invite people to submit their own reviews , and reply directly to any questions or comments

Monetize Your Website 

• Sign up for associated affiliate programs and include links in your reviews
• Offer sponsored content options to relevant brands
• Provide paid membership to access exclusive content

Step 7: Optimize Your Review Website for Search Engines (SEO)

With a predicted 8.5 billion daily searches happening through Google alone, search engines are a huge source of potential traffic. Optimizing your website’s SEO to help it appear on relevant search results can be a smart way to generate a consistent flow of high-value traffic to your review website.

Here are the basics steps associated with optimizing your website for search engines:

• Research the best keywords using tools like Google Keyword Planner and SEMRush , and look for keywords with high search volumes in your niche
• Create high-quality, engaging content which targets your keywords
• Optimize your websites meta tags, titles, and descriptions to include your keywords
• Develop a strategy for building internal and external links within and to your website
• Monitor and analyze your performance using tools such as Google Analytics , Google Search Console , and built-in platform tools
• Consistently optimize and update your website based on your findings

How to Build a Review Website: Summary

Creating a review website can be beneficial both for businesses and the consumers that use them. In this guide, we’ve walked you through the seven steps you need to take to create your own review site.

Let’s recap:

• Defining your niche
• Planning the structure & features
• Choosing your website platform
• Creating high-quality content
• Implementing a user-friendly design
• Promoting and monetizing your website
• Optimizing your site for SEO

Ready to help consumers find the very best products, services, and experiences for themselves? Then why not start building your review website today?

What is a review website?

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Ratings and Impressions

This is a collection of ratings of individual given names, left by visitors to this website.

Names with at Least 200 Ratings

How to Start a Reviews Website

A reviews website provides a platform where various users can offer their thoughts and reviews on specific products and services. This provides a helpful service to your local community in helping residents determine where to spend their hard-earned money.

You may also be interested in additional online business ideas .

Learn how to start your own Reviews Website and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services .

Start a reviews website by following these 10 steps:

• Plan your Reviews Website
• Form your Reviews Website into a Legal Entity
• Register your Reviews Website for Taxes
• Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
• Set up Accounting for your Reviews Website
• Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Reviews Website
• Get Reviews Website Insurance
• Define your Reviews Website Brand
• Create your Reviews Website Website
• Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your reviews website. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What will you name your business?

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?

How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Reviews Website Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability .

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your reviews website?

Business name generator, what are the costs involved in opening a reviews website.

Because it does not require an expensive business lease or even other employees, a reviews website can be started for a relatively cheap price. In fact, you may be able to launch a small business with about $5,000. Of this money, $300 goes towards purchasing the WordPress Pro Product Review Plugin for an unlimited number of sites. If you are familiar with WordPress, you can create the page yourself from the ground up, and even if you end up buying other plugins, the total cost of site creation should be $1,000 or lower. The remaining $4000 should be invested in web hosting and advertising, with an emphasis on a diverse array of online advertisements to maximize the amount of potential readers you may reach. For instance, you may advertise via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media venues, and you may advertise directly on websites designed for others who enjoy the niche you are working in.

What are the ongoing expenses for a reviews website?

If you are able to design the website yourself, the ongoing expenses for the site are minimal: you will likely be paying $200 or less per year for website hosting, and you will pay however much you desire per month on advertising (typically $500 or less after your initial advertising push at the beginning). Depending on the deals you are able to reach with sellers and/or manufacturers, you may be spending varying amounts of your own money on the products that you review.

Who is the target market?

While using online reviews is popular for many demographics, your primary market is millennials.

How does a reviews website make money?

Primarily, a reviews website makes money from advertisers who pay a particular portion based on the number of unique views that particular pages receive. There is also the ability to make money via affiliate links, but depending on your particular market, it may be worth it to avoid doing so as it can make your business look impartial.

This business model doesn't charge customers directly. Rather, you will reach an agreement with advertisers that pays you based on how many views the pages with their advertisements receive. You may also consider creating an affiliate link model in which you receive a small portion of the sale when a customer follows a link on your site and buys the advertised product. In both cases, the exact amount that you receive will be negotiated and may vary from advertiser to advertiser and seller to seller.

How much profit can a reviews website make?

The exact amount of profit you can make with this business varies and depends on how many advertisers you have and how many clicks you receive. Some people do reviews merely part-time and are able to easily get $1000 a month. A successful reviews website may eventually become a six-figure business, but it will take time for your site to grow enough in both depth and reputation to make that happen.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Make sure you understand your specific niche and target audience and tailor reviews to what they want to know. Make sure you stay on the cutting edge and review the latest and greatest products rather than something without much buzz. Finally, never stop learning SEO and adapting your websites in order to maximize traffic and increase your views.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC) , and corporation .

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your reviews website is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services . You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website . If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history , which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a reviews business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits .

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .

Trademark & Copyright Protection

If you are developing a unique product, concept, brand, or design, it is prudent to protect your rights by registering for the appropriate trademarks and copyrights.

Learn more about trademark and copyright protection

The nature of legal requirements in distance education is ever changing, especially in regards to copyright laws. Here is a frequently updated resource, which can help keep you aware of the legal requirements .

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Reviews Website needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Reviews Website.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a reviews website

There are many different ways to advertise your business. You may purchase Facebook ads to help bring in customers via social media. You may want to do guest blogs on popular blogs related to your niche as a way of building your reputation. Make sure that your websites are designed with maximum SEO effectiveness in mind. You can create your own Youtube videos and Facebook pages, too as an additional way to reach customers without much additional investment.

How to keep customers coming back

In addition to the advertising techniques above, make sure that your reviews are detailed and relevant. People use review websites to inform their major buying decisions, so if you are very detailed and very useful, they'll keep coming back. Consider setting up an email marketing list so you can let people know when new reviews are added and other major info. Finally, consider creating retargeting ads to help bring customers back again and again.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

• All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
• Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
• Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .

Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

This business is good for those who are web-savvy, as creating an attractive and usable interface is a large part of the learning curve. It is also good for avid consumers, particularly of any kind of niche market that the product caters to. Finally, it's good for those who have used similar services (such as Yelp) extensively, as this lets you determine how you will both structure and differentiate your own site.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a reviews website?

The nature of this business means that you are primarily working from home. Any given day, you may be editing or posting user reviews, negotiating with advertisers, tweaking your website, and developing new marketing to raise brand awareness.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful reviews website?

Previous experience designing commercial websites is invaluable when you are first starting your business. Networking skills are also crucial, as this can help you find advertisers and grow your business in a shorter amount of time. Finally, any prior experience working with another reviews website in any capacity helps provide valuable information about what you should (and should not) do with your own business.

What is the growth potential for a reviews website?

The growth potential for this business is steady, and may be even stronger if you choose a particular niche that is underserved. The number of review websites has steadily grown over the past ten years, and this directly correlates to consumer trust: one study by BrightLocal found that up to 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as they do personal recommendations, creating a great potential market for your new venture.

Not sure if a reviews website is right for you? Try our free Business Idea Generator and find your perfect idea.

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Find a business mentor.

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

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Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a reviews website?

Do not underestimate the importance of finding a niche. While there are major review sites for general products, it's relatively easy to find a niche without much competition. This lets you quickly establish yourself as an authority with these products. Be sure to determine if you are trying to do affiliate marketing or not early on, as this changes the entire structure of your business. Finally, as long as the niche is viable, try to choose something you are already familiar with: it will make writing about products easier, and you may be able to start by providing reviews of things you already own.

How and when to build a team

The nature of most review websites means that you'll likely start the site by yourself. However, because everything can be done from home, you may consider building a small team of reviewers early on to help you quickly produce content so that you can compete with other sites.

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Blog – Posted on Friday, May 01

The best book review sites for enthusiastic readers.

Book lovers, stop us if you’ve heard this one before: you’ve just finished a mind-blowing book and you need to hear some discussion about it. What do you do? Dive straight into the limitless realm of the Internet and search for book review sites, of course. 

Or here’s another scenario: you’ve finished reading a novel and now you’re searching for something to fill the void. Maybe you want more of the same, or maybe something completely different to switch things up. You’ll probably also scour the Internet for ratings and trustworthy recommendations. 

Fortunately, there are endless review blogs and book review sites that you can peruse. Un fortunately, not every one of them features a wide enough variety to help you. But don’t worry: we’ve got you covered with ten of the best book review sites to satisfy the bookworm in you. If you want to cut to the chase and get a personalized pick for a book review site in 30 seconds, we first recommend taking this quick quiz:

Which review community should you join?

Find out which review community is best for your style. Takes 30 seconds!

Then read on for the full explanation of all of the best book review sites out there!

1. Goodreads 

It’s impossible not to mention Goodreads when discussing book communities: it’s the Facebook of book reviews — the ultimate social media platform for bibliophiles. If you’ve somehow managed to go this long without stumbling upon this omnipresent site, here’s the run-down: you can use Goodreads to organize, display, and discuss your virtual bookshelf with other users. 

Goodreads recommendations are based on your listed interests. You can follow authors and book influencers ranging from Celeste Ng to Bill Gates . This allows you to see all their reviews, which vary from compact one-liners to critical analysis, and watch the new reviews roll in. For a quick verdict, just take a look at the star rating that they give the book. 

Also if you like to browse lists, Goodreads compiles the best and most popular books for every genre. There’s also the annual Goodreads’ Choice Awards to celebrate each year’s new releases, where you can cast your vote or peruse the list of contenders to find a new book to read. It’s a site for every kind of reader, with abundant ways to comment and interact. 

2. LibraryThing

This is the OG of all online book catalogues and discussion boards — take a look and you’ll see that it’s an oldie but a goodie. Of course, the basic functions of LibraryThing are rather similar to Goodreads: there are millions of books that readers can add to their lists, as well as review with star ratings.

While the interface harks back to the earlier days of the world wide web, LibraryThing has a secret weapon that’ll appeal to all readers, especially modern ones: their Zeitgeist . This page displays the latest crème de la crème of the whole site, from the most popular books to the hottest reviews , which you can also write with the help of a good book review template . Just a glance shows that the readers here know how to read between the lines and wield their words!

So if you’re hoping to read or share some in-depth literary thoughts with fellow sharp-minded users , LibraryThing is the site to browse. (You can even access it without creating an account!) 

3. Reedsy Discovery 

Now, if you’re searching for some hidden gems to peruse, Reedsy Discovery ’s got your back. While our blog features everything from classics to contemporary hits, Discovery’s specialty is indie publications, many of which are accompanied with succinct comments from experienced reviewers . There’s no better way to broaden your horizon! 

Moreover, if casual and creative reviews are more your cup of tea, then rejoice: the burgeoning community of readers on Discovery can leave comments, one-line reviews, and video reviews (calling all Booktubers!) on just about any book. It’s a fun and interactive way to geek out over your favorite reads and discover all the coolest new titles you won’t find anywhere else.

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4. LoveReading 

Though it’s UK-based, this prolific site caters to audiences around the world. LoveReading is strictly a reviewing site, with a base of staff writers and carefully selected contributors, so you know the reviews are top-notch. The staff often give quite personal reading experiences in their reviews, which make their recommendations very endearing, like they’re from a close friend. They even offer you presents — well, if you think of giveaways as presents! 

LoveReading covers books from every genre you can think of. They also have weekly, monthly, and yearly list features to keep you up to date with the latest stellar releases, so you’ll never be in want of something to pore over. 

5. The Millions 

In search of reviews that really dive into the themes, metaphors, and overall executions of interesting and highbrow books? The Millions has got you covered. 

Written by a collection of seasoned critics, these reviews are speckled with memorable quotes, elegant analysis, and plentiful comparisons to other works — which means extra reading recommendations for you! If contemporary and literary fictions are your go-tos, then The Millions is the site for all your lit nerd needs. 

6. SFBook Reviews 

Those who think quantity and quality don’t go hand in hand, you clearly haven’t encountered SFBook Review . The five reviewers on the team here share two common and important goals: firstly, to follow the outpour of new titles in the sci-fi, fantasy, and horror genres every year, and secondly, to give thoughtful reviews to as many of them as possible.

This team knows their SFF niches inside out, so their verdicts are very credible. Still, their reviews are quite friendly and personal — they discuss other related books and share their reading experiences to help you make your own reading choices. 

7. Bookpage

Bookpage features all kinds of genres: from children’s books to nonfiction, from the works of household names to debut authors, and so much more. Their format is neat and straightforward — they bring you the volumes they think are most worthwhile, recommending them to you by summarizing and concisely commenting on the prose, the theme, and the plot of each chosen book.

In addition to this, Bookpage also features author interviews and articles that unearth the deeper themes and purposes of certain books. If you’re a true book lover seeking like-minded literary aficionados, this may be the perfect place for you.

8. Book Riot 

Avid readers, you’ve probably stumbled upon Book Riot more times than you can remember. While it’s not a site that individually assesses titles, it has lists for everything — from timeless literary giants to the top books in each genre. What’s more, Book Riot has lots of thinkpieces that dive deep into the way certain titles make readers feel — be it exhilarated, motivated, or enraged — and that’s really all you need to know when deciding to embark on a new reading adventure. 

Additionally, if you’d rather listen to discussions and reviews rather than read them, you'll be happy to know that Book Riot has a range of podcasts for you to choose from. 

9. NetGalley 

NetGalley is another platform bringing you new and unconventional recommendations. They specialize in connecting authors who are publishing to readers who’d like to preview and put in their two cents. While the database of books available here are not the most expansive, those that are featured are certainly worth your time. 

Readers can benefit most from NetGalley via their book recommendation site, Bookish , where the staff reviewers update you with their recent reads and in-depth thoughts on those reads. Along with that, Bookish also has book club kits, equipped with comprehension questions and discussion points, to help readers explore stories mindfully. 

10. BookBub

While it’s very similar to Goodreads, BookBub focuses more on connecting readers to books that might suit them specifically — which is partly why you’ll see plenty of bargains and deals promoted on the site.

Because of this promotional value, BookBub has quite a strong author community. Diana Gabaldon and Gillian Flynn , for instance, are constantly recommending books on their accounts. So if you’d like to tag along with your favorite author, this is an excellent website to visit. The only drawback of BookBub is that they only have community reviews from users based in the US, and you have to sign up in order to read them. 

With these ten sites, you’ll be sure to find your little community of fellow book lovers regardless of what your interests are. Here’s to exciting TBR lists and nourished minds!

If you want to try your hand at reviewing, we’ve got a little guide to help you out ! On the other hand, if you want to plough away at your books, why not consider the Kindle Cloud Reader ?

Continue reading

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6 websites you can trust for product reviews and ratings

If you’ve spent any time researching a product online , you came across a lot of resources (and if you didn't find what you were looking for, you might have given up). Whether it’s a baby stroller , educational toys for your toddler, a comfortable pull-out sofa, or the best deal on Apple AirPods , there is no shortage of brands vying for your money in any product category. Since most products require an investment, you not only want the best quality you can find but assurance that it will last.

Sourcing the best recommendations combined with adding extended warranty protection will result in not only quality products at competitive price points, but coverage to protect your product for years to come. So before you start researching and shopping around, subscribe to Mulberry Unlimited . For just $9.99 a month, you'll get coverage for all your online purchases under the same product protection plan .

Now let's talk about finding the best quality products , and what online resources you can rely on to provide solid product reviews, ratings and recommendations. We’ve compiled a list of six online resources known for providing accurate and unbiased information, from product review blogs to consumer surveys. These can be your go-to sources when you're looking for trustworthy information on the best products, regardless of the product category.

1. Consumer Reports

For unbiased, data-driven information, Consumer Reports is a fail-safe option for product ratings and reviews. As a non-profit organization, Consumer Reports has been an unbiased source of information for consumers since 1936 (before online reviews were even popular!). Consumer Reports gathers data from surveys, tests, and consumer reviews, and compiles recommendations for the best products with the goal of providing trustworthy information for consumers.

You can search the over 7.7 million products that Consumer Reports has reviewed to get an assessment of the top competing products in a specific category, a score for each product that was tested or reviewed, and other valuable insights to help you make the most informed decision possible. By searching for things like "Consumer Reports mattresses" or "Consumer Reports dishwashers", you can get tons of great product reviews.

2. Wirecutter

Now owned and operated by the New York Times, Wirecutter is another trusted source for unbiased product reviews. With Wirecutter, you’ll find recommendations and reviews based on months of research, analysis, and input from experts and consumers alike. The Wirecutter deals and Wirecutter gift guides are also very popular around the holidays, providing recommendations by gift recipients and product category.

Although Wirecutter requires a paid subscription for unlimited access, you'll still find plenty of valuable insights for free. Wirecutter can help you avoid splurging on products that don’t live up to the hype, have features you don’t need, or don't hold up to normal wear and tear .

This is also why extended warranties  are a cost-effective way to extend the life of your products. Shopping with the Mulberry extension and taking advantage of online resources to do you research can help you save money initially and down the road.

3. Good Housekeeping

Good Housekeeping offers more than just food and lifestyle information. While many people might be more familiar with the Good Housekeeping magazine, the Good Housekeeping Institute test thousands of home, beauty, tech, clothing, food and health products to find the best products for you and your family. You'll find product reviews on everything from appliances to mattresses to outdoor living spaces.

Good Housekeeping is based in New York City and takes the art of product reviews very seriously. With staff members from dozens of different disciplines including engineering, culinary, biology, and chemistry experts (and many others), the Good Housekeeping Institute spends each day thoroughly testing thousands of products in order to give you thorough, unbiased review.

4. Popular Mechanics

Popular Mechanics magazine is a publication that has been around for over 100 years, and along with its website has become a trusted source for countless consumers when it comes to product reviews. From technology to tools , you’ll find reliable, extensively-tested reviews that you can trust (as other consumers have since 1902!).

They also cover a wide range of products like fitness equipment , storage solutions, office furniture and kitchen appliances . There's even a Popular Mechanics for kids subscription, which provides lots of fun activities and games for children. If you choose to get a Popular Mechanics subscription, you’ll also enjoy a print copy of their publication, which they send out 6 times per year.

5. TechRadar

If you're looking for advice specifically on tech gear and equipment, that's what you'll find from TechRadar . This resource focuses on everything technology-related, with the goal of being your go-to source for tech-buying advice and everything else you need to buy and enjoy the tech you love.

They have a rigorous review-testing process, looking at long-term value as well. They update and maintain their reviews regularly so you can be sure you're getting up-to-date info, regardless of when a device was released. They say if you can still buy it, it's on their radar. Though they state that they may earn commission if you purchase products through their site, they are also clear that they do not accept payment for product reviews.

6. Honest Product Reviews

Although there’s a bold claim in the name itself, many consumers agree that Honest Product Reviews lives up to its name. From pet-related items to beauty products to electronics , Honest Product Reviews offers unbiased reviews, side-by-side comparisons, and a consumer-friendly format with minimal ads to make your research process a little less painful.

One important detail to note is that Honest Product Reviews does accept compensation from retailers whose products appear on their site. This means that if you choose to click on an Amazon link on their site, chances are they’ll get some kind of commission or receive a benefit in one way or another. While they still provide quality reviews, it is something to keep in the back of your mind.

Bonus resource: Fakespot

While Fakespot doesn't have a content-based website like the other six resources, it will alert you to the quality of a review as you're shopping on retailer websites like Amazon , Walmart , Sephora, eBay, and Best Buy .

When you install the Fakespot Chrome extension, it will provide you with an analysis of existing reviews on the retailer website, giving them an overall grade of A through F based on trustworthiness. You can also choose to further analyze the reviews for a specific product with the Fakespot analyzer.

Protect your purchases with Mulberry Unlimited

Although navigating the world of product reviews can be daunting, there are resources like these to make it less confusing, and more straightforward when it comes to product research.

Additionally, you can subscribe to Mulberry Unlimited to extend the life of your products and ensure that once you do find a quality product, you'll get the maximum value out of it with product protection . 

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17+ Best Movie Review and Ratings Sites (List)

In this article, we’re going to provide a list of the top, most reliable  movie review sites  on the internet.

Whether you’re a fan of a certain genre like horror or more into TV reviews than movies, we’re going to bring you a full list of the very best movie review and ratings sites out there in 2024.

First let’s cover some common questions about these movie review sites, film critique, how to make your own reviews, and more.

Let’s dive in!

Everyone’s a critic on everything these days… what’s the best movie review and ratings site out there?

Our list below is meant to be ranked based on credibility, overall popularity, and thoroughness.

Do they have a good ranking system in place to accurately rate movies?

Are they have thorough movie reviews?

Do they cover a wide range of titles?

What do people say about them?

All these questions factor into a site’s credibility.

If the reviews aren’t thorough, then what’s the point in going to that review site? You might as well just go see a movie you’re interested in and get other people’s opinions from your friends, family, and social media instead.

Also, apparently, there are some film critics out there who believe it is their job to tell everyone “how to think” about movies they’ve seen. That’s not always what people want or need from movie reviews sometimes. Each of us has our own individual tastes. We’d like to know which titles we should check out for ourselves! Assuming of course, if we haven’t already seen them.

And while this list isn’t a ranking of which site is the best, it should be pretty clear that our all-around favorite movie review and ratings site would have to be IMDb.

IMDb has it all! They have more titles than anyone else on this list, their rankings are accurate, they have more professional film critics with great credentials who write very thorough movie reviews…

Everybody knows IMDb. Critic or not, if you’re looking for a ton of movie data, IMDb’s got your back!

Who is the best film critic of all time?

Roger Ebert (1942-2013) is probably the most famous film critic of all time.

Most people reading this article have probably heard of his name. On top of that, how many other film critics have you heard of? Probably not a ton.

IMDb has a huge list of professional movie critics who write for them on their site. So, while there are many more great film critics out there… it’s safe to say that Roger Ebert is probably the best ever to do it.

His reviews went beyond just what he thought of a movie but tied it to the bigger picture of where we are in society and other broader perspective matters.

Is there such a thing as a movie reviews app?

There sure is!

Some of the sites below (mainly the big popular ones) have iPhone and Android apps that you can install on your phone and tablet devices for even better movie review access.

Is there anything other than just movie reviews that I can find on these sites?

Many movie review sites contain more than just movies. They cover television , video games , and other related entertainment topics as well.

They also contain movie data like ratings, movie trailers, news articles…

What makes a good movie review?

A good film critique should include all the following:

• start with an opening line that draws the reader in and then introduce your thesis statement (or what you’re trying to express)
• provide background information relevant to the topic at hand
• give examples using quotations from the primary source material (a movie or TV show)
• give a conclusion summarizing everything you’ve covered so far

If your goal is to write great movie reviews for any of these sites below, those are some of the elements you’ll want to keep in mind!

I saw a great movie the other day… can I review it?

Lots of movie review sites allow users to chime in and provide their own reviews.

Movies are a subjective thing, so keep your reviews as accurate and unbiased as possible.

Don’t just give it five stars because you loved it! Think about why you would recommend that people see this movie, what the best parts were, and then write up your review based on those points.

Write an honest review to help others decide whether they should see this film or not.

What do an IMDb score and IMDb ranking mean?

IMDb has two different scores for the movies it reviews.

There is the user score, which is the average of every user review.

The official IMDb score is a composite of all professional reviews of a given movie.

Rankings are then generated from the highest to lowest scores of a movie (often within a specific genre), based on the major professional reviews that have been made.

Best Movie Review and Ratings Sites in 2024

Let’s take a look at the best movie review and ratings sites in 2024.

IMDb is the world’s most popular movie review site and one of the best film sites on the web. It was founded on October 17, 1990 and has been going strong ever since.

IMDb is widely considered the foremost expert in the movie review industry online. With more than 1,200 movie critic reviews per day and about 600 million monthly unique visitors, it’s hard to beat IMDb.

What makes them the best movie review site?

Pros : They have a huge selection of films rated by critics with excellent credentials. With a massive database of more than 250 million titles, this website attracts a wide range of viewers looking to learn about movies they haven’t seen before or rediscover old favorites at home. IMDb also provides links to trailers for most movies, which is great if you want to know what all the hype is about!

Cons : IMDb is larger than any other movie review site on this list and can be difficult to navigate sometimes if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

#2 Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes is one of the most well-known movie review and ratings sites on the web and provides thousands of user reviews posted by everyday viewers just like you.

Rotten Tomatoes is possibly second only to IMDb in terms of how many people visit their site each month (around 60-80 million).

The company contains professional film reviews from hundreds of big publications like Rolling Stone, Variety, and The New Yorker.

They also show what’s hot not only in the film world, but when it comes to TV as well.

What makes them one of the best movie review sites?

Pros : They offer both professional and user reviews – a rare find on large movie review sites.

Rotten Tomatoes is incredibly easy to navigate with dozens of filter options to help visitors pinpoint their favorite genres/artists/theatres, etc. You can also check out your local theaters’ upcoming showtimes directly from the site.

Cons : Some of their scores are slightly inflated compared to IMDB because there is no score ceiling (they go up to 100%). Also, it’s not always easy to tell which critics wrote which reviews.

#3 Fandango

Fandano is one of the leading movie ticket retailers. They also have an official movie review website too, which is updated with fresh reviews daily.

Pros : Fandango offers both their own user reviews as well as professional reviews from recognized critics across America.

Cons : Popular, but not as active as IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes.

#4 The Movie Database

The Movie Database is another notable movie review site for movies released in theaters, despite being based in the UK.

Pros : The TMDb site is filled with user reviews and information on films alike, making it easy to find any film you want by just searching for its title.

Cons : Many users opt for larger sites since any site in the movie and TV review niche is going up against IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes.

#5 Letterboxd

Letterboxd is a lesser-known movie review site, but one that gets rave reviews from its users.

Letterboxd is one of the best movie review sites because they’re all about social media   – which means that visitors have more opportunities to interact with others here than on most other movie review hubs.

Their slogan is “filmstagram” because the site is centered around generating an Instagram -like filter for your movie watching experience—but this means that only people with accounts on the site can leave reviews.

Pros : The interface is sleek and easy to use. The site also lets you keep track of what movies you’ve watched, in case you wanted to go back through your viewing history later on.

Cons : To write a review on Letterboxd, you have to sign up with an email address or Facebook account first. No anonymous reviews are allowed so some users feel limited by this feature.

#6 Metacritic

Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews for media products (like video games, but also movies and TV shows).

Pros : If you’re interested in finding out what critics across America think about a movie (or game) before you buy it, Metacritic is your best chance at doing so.

Cons : Some users complain that this site puts too much stock into professional reviews compared to user reviews. Also, some movies do not contain enough reviews to generate a quality average score.

#7 IndieWire

IndieWire is more than just a movie review site – it’s also an industry news site.

Pros : The information on IndieWire is continually updated, making it one of the most reliable sources for current movie news. You can access their content free of charge too.

Cons : Most people visit IndieWire looking for the latest industry updates (not reviews), which means that you’re not going to find many (if any) user-generated reviews here like on some other websites. Also, their content is targeted towards professionals or those interested in breaking into showbiz or related fields rather than casual viewers and fans of film/TV alike.

#8 Yahoo! Movies

Yahoo! Movies is one of the most recognizable movie review sites in America.

They provide both their own user reviews as well as professional reviews from credible critics in the industry.

Pros : Yahoo! Movies is easy to navigate and lets you filter search results by type of release (DVD, Blu-ray, etc.). The site also has plenty of trailers for popular upcoming movies that are perfect if you’re trying to get an idea for what’s worth checking out on the big screen soon.

Cons : Like Yahoo in many verticals, it’s not as popular as it once was and is no longer the go-to when it comes to movie reviews.

#9 RogerEbert

RogerEbert is named after possibly the most famous film critic of all time, who wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in April 2013. In 1975, Ebert became the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.

Ebert’s brand continues through a dedicated movie reviews and ratings site.

Pros : The site’s design appears very clean, modern, and easy to navigate. Especially for casual users who just want quick notes on new films before heading off to the theatre.

Cons : This site only provides a few user reviews a day, some days none at all. RogerEbert also received criticism from its own readers when it stopped updating their database with films that had less than three stars (for some people, this meant many films Ebert himself reviewed were no longer considered worth seeing).

#10 SlashFilm

SlashFilm is a movie review site that includes photos, trailers, interviews, and other news about upcoming films.

Pros : SlashFilm has thousands of high-quality images to provide an interactive experience for users when searching for movies they might like. They also write several excellent articles each month detailing compelling topics in film/TV (for example, “The Most Underrated Meryl Streep Roles”).

Cons : There aren’t many user reviews available on this website, which could be disappointing for some visitors looking for that feature. SlashFilm is also not updated nearly as often as it should be. Also, their content isn’t focused on up-to-date info like industry news or blog posts, which makes it a less popular choice for film enthusiasts and critics alike.

#11 Moviefone

Moviefone is owned by AOL and is one of the most recognized movie review sites on the web. Like Yahoo!, the site provides both reviews from critics as well as amateur users.

Pros : The design is simple to use and easy on the eyes, which means you can spend more time reading reviews than trying to figure out how a layout works. Moviefone also has a stellar library of high-quality photos for popular movies that will leave you in the mood to watch some good TV.

Cons : The user reviews are too short sometimes – some only have three sentences before being cut off mid-sentence, leaving readers wondering what they missed out on! Additionally, Moviefone only provides the bare minimum of professional reviews from industry professionals. And, like many other movie review sites, their content is sometimes outdated and they don’t offer enough current-event news about what’s happening in Hollywood right now (e.g., “Why Ben Affleck is a Genius”).

#12 Blue-ray

Blue-ray is one of the most accurate movie review sites on the web thanks to its large database of hundreds of industry professionals and critics from around the world.

Pros : Blue-ray has a very sleek layout that’s easy to navigate, which will make casual users feel at home right away. Visitors can also search for reviews by their favorite stars or directors, which is great if you’re looking for insight from a certain critic who watches all Steven Spielberg films.

Cons : This site does not allow users to write reviews, which means it doesn’t have much content in general compared to Hollywood entertainment news websites like IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes. Blue-ray is simply an aggregator that pulls reviews from other movie review sites without actually providing any new content.

#13 What’s on Netflix

What’s on Netflix is a movie review site that offers both professional and amateur reviews of various films.

Pros : This website is great for finding movies you might like to watch online, whether it’s streaming on Netflix or another platform. It also breaks down categories based on film genre (e.g., comedy, drama) to make browsing more efficient.

Cons : What’s on Netflix has a somewhat unappealing layout, making it difficult to navigate when trying to find specific types of movies to watch. Additionally, their content is quite dated compared to other websites with industry news and new blog posts about what’s happening in Hollywood right now.

#14 MyDramaList

MyDramaList is a movie review site that offers both professional and amateur reviews of various films.

Pros : Visitors can write their own reviews on this website, which is great for users who want to share their own personal experiences with certain movies. It’s also very helpful for finding recommendations for family-friendly films or even animated features that are worth checking out.

Cons : This site has an outdated layout, so it might be difficult for some visitors to find what they’re looking for (e.g., specific genres or categories). Moreover, there aren’t many industry news updates here – most content seems to consist of blog posts about upcoming television series instead. If you want detailed industry news like what’s happening in Hollywood, try a website like Rotten Tomatoes or IMDb instead.

#15 Syfy Wire

Syfy Wire, from the SyFy channel, is a movie review site that offers both professional and amateur reviews of various films.

Pros : The layout on this website is very clean and easy to navigate, which will be comforting for site visitors who are looking for family-friendly films they can enjoy with friends and/or their kids.

Cons : This website is mainly comprised of short blurbs about new television shows or actors instead of detailed industry news like what’s happening in Hollywood right now (e.g., box office sales, film festivals). If you’re looking for more than just promotional content, try a different movie review site with more content. Additionally, most user reviews skew towards positive ratings, which isn’t very helpful if you’re looking for impartial insight.

#16 MovieWeb

MovieWeb is another large movie review site, ranked among the top 5,000 most popular websites in America (around 6 million monthly visitors). They provide movie news, TV show updates, and reviews for all genres and types of films.

Pros : MovieWeb is structured cleanly like a blog and dozens of new articles are pumped out each day.

Cons : There aren’t many movie news updates here, which means you might have to search elsewhere if you’re looking for unbiased film industry insight. For example, there are no articles about what’s happening in Hollywood right now (e.g., box office sales) or even new blog posts about upcoming films in 2024.

#17 Taste of Cinema

Taste of Cinema is a movie review site from Russia that contains both user ratings and critic reviews.

Pros : The film list and actor list pages have a lot going on to help you find films and people quickly and easily.

Cons : Its reviews aren’t updated very frequently.

#18 Crave Online

Crave Online is an entertainment news site that has a movie review section.

Pros : This site is updated regularly with fresh content. The reviews here are also written by professional critics, unlike other user-based online platforms.

Cons : Crave Online looks a little outdated and hasn’t been updated in a while.

#19 MoviGuide

MoviGuide is another large movie review platform with its own official app for Android and iOS devices to make finding local theaters easier.

They also have a community forum where people can discuss movies released in theaters recently—and even vote up/down on different titles to influence future reviews.

Pros : It’s easy to find local theaters here. The app also has a cool flashlight-like locator feature where you can turn your phone’s flash on to light up theaters near your location if they’re not visible in the dark.

Cons : Most movie reviews are based off users’ opinions only here, with no official critics’ ratings included. There aren’t any new user reviews either, so it can be hard finding recent films that people have seen.

Pajiba is another large entertainment news hub with a movie section—but their articles mainly focus on newer films that have been released recently in theaters (or even to rent and buy online).

Pros : Pajiba has a lot of user reviews on their site, which is refreshing. Their film news is also updated daily with fresh content to make sure you don’t miss anything important.

Cons : Bad movies get more attention here than good ones do – so it’s hard to find positive opinions about titles that should be considered great. Additionally, their movie section isn’t very detailed compared to other sites like IMDb or Letterboxd. Not all critics’ scores are included either; only users’ ratings are displayed so you’d have to read through many different reviews before finding one from a professional critic.

#21 Top Documentary Films

Top Documentary Films is a movie review hub that contains user and expert reviews for all kinds of documentaries—not just those released in theaters or on TV.

Pros : Their site is fairly simple to navigate with good options for sorting through content (by year, most popular, etc).

Cons : The design isn’t very original and can be slightly hard on the eyes sometimes. The documentary page itself also looks like it hasn’t been updated in a while (with some titles missing and outdated information).

#22 Rateranker

Raterranker is another lesser-known movie review site whose slogan is “your opinion can make a difference.”

Pros : This site gives you access to both professional and user reviews for all movies.

Cons : User ratings are not displayed on this website, which makes it hard for some users to know what they’re getting into before clicking on a movie. It’s also not always easy to tell which critics wrote the reviews listed here.

#23 The Indie Handbook

The Indie Handbook is a movie review site that offers both professional and amateur reviews of various films.

Pros : The site’s design is very minimalist, making it quick and easy to find most movie categories without scrolling too much. Visitors can write their own reviews on this website, which helps if you’re looking for comments from other regular users who have watched certain movies before. It provides great movie recommendations based on user-generated ratings and reviews, making it helpful when browsing the site for film suggestions to watch.

Cons : Movie ratings are not displayed on this website so you’d have to read through actual reviews before figuring out if a certain film is worth watching or not. This can be hard for some users who want to base their decisions off user ratings instead of just personal opinions.

#24 Box Office Mojo

Box Office Mojo is a movie review site that offers both professional and amateur reviews of various films.

Pros : This website can help you find new titles for streaming on Netflix or Amazon Prime if you’re looking for something to watch. It’s also great for learning more about specific actors, directors, producers, etc., which can be helpful if you want to learn more about certain celebrities who have made their mark in the industry.

This is one of the most comprehensive sites for finding information about movies in general, which is great for making decisions when browsing online or visiting a local theater. It’s also helpful for learning more about specific actors, directors, producers, etc., which can be helpful if you want to learn more about certain celebrities who have made their mark in the industry.

What’s also interesting about this site is they disclose how much a movie has made at the box office worldwide so you can be better informed about what films to check out.

Cons : Visitors can write their own reviews on this website, but not many people take advantage of this feature so you might find yourself digging through old content online. Moreover, Box Office Mojo doesn’t provide many industry news updates. If you want detailed industry news like what’s happening in Hollywood, Rotten Tomatoes or IMDb might be a better fit.

#25 Flickchart

Flickchart is a movie review site that offers both professional and amateur reviews of various films.

Pros : This website has an excellent layout with easy-to-read text, so it’s great for casual users who just want to browse content quickly. Flickchart also takes pride in its user-friendly features, such as the ability to save movies and track their progress while creating lists throughout the year. The challenges page allows visitors to view what other people are watching and create their own film lists based on similar titles or genres.

Cons : There aren’t many reviews on this website, which makes it harder for some users to know whether or not a certain movie is worth watching.

#26 Film Junk Fan Reviews

Film Junk Fan Reviews is a movie review site that offers both professional and amateur reviews of various films. What makes them one of the best movie review sites?

Pros : Visitors can post their own reviews on this website, which helps if you want feedback from other regular users who have watched certain movies before. The layout is designed with casual use in mind, making it easy for anyone to find whatever they’re looking for within minutes.

What’s also great about this website is its detailed rankings and film charts so you can easily see what’s trending worldwide and among specific groups like critics and the public.

Cons : This website doesn’t offer very many reviews or overall content compared to other movie review sites on this list, which can make it hard for some users to browse through the material.

#27 Collider Movie Talk

Collider is a movie review and news website that can be found online at collider.com.  It provides in-depth movie coverage from industry experts and critics, with articles about what’s happening in Hollywood right now (e.g., box office sales).

Pros : This website offers detailed analysis of the latest films to hit theaters, which will be helpful for site visitors who want to get up-to-date industry insight before deciding if a film is worth watching or not.

Cons : The layout on this website isn’t very clean, so it might be difficult for some users to find what they’re looking for (e.g., specific genres or categories). Additionally, there aren’t many movie news updates here – most articles consist of blog posts about new TV shows instead. If you want more than just promotional content and industry news updates, try a different movie review site with more content.

#28 Inside The Magic

Inside the Magic is a Disney-focused movie review website that provides detailed analysis from experts and fans alike.  This means they provide unbiased insight for superhero movies, family-friendly films, animated features, sci-fi/fantasy flicks, etc.

Pros : This site has detailed information about upcoming Disney film releases, which will be very helpful for site visitors who are planning to see the newest releases to hit theaters. Inside the Magic also has exclusive interviews with members of the cast and crew, so it’s a great resource for people who have an affinity for Disney stars.

Cons : The layout on this website isn’t very clean or easy-to-browse, so casual users might find themselves searching through content without being able to find what they’re looking for. Viewers should look at other movie review websites instead if they want something that looks more modern and accessible.

#29 Field Guide To Evil

Field Guide to Evil is a horror film review site that provides movie news updates as well as industry insight from critics and fans alike. What makes them one of the best movie review sites?

Pros : This website has a unique layout and design so it’s easy for casual users to find what they’re looking for within minutes. There are also lots of content options for visitors, including archives of recent articles and blog posts.

Cons : Since this site is part of a larger horror film blog, you’ll have to go through several pages if you want more than just movie reviews. Viewers should look at other movie review websites instead if they’re only searching for analysis on new films.

#30 Movies In Movies

Movies in Movies is a movie review website that offers both industry insight from critics and fans as well as information about upcoming releases.  This means visitors can find news updates about Disney films, superhero movies, crime flicks, family-friendly movies, etc.

Pros : This website has a clean and modern layout so it’s easy for casual users to browse through content and find what they’re looking for. There are also lots of content options that aren’t limited to movie reviews (e.g., TV show recaps/news), which will be helpful if viewers want more than just information on new films.

Cons : Since this site only focuses on Disney releases, it might not have as much industry insight as other websites on this list. Viewers should look at other movie review websites instead if they want something with more variety in its content offerings.

Conclusion: Best Movie Review and Ratings Sites

There are tons of movie review websites out there, but only a handful of them can actually provide unbiased insight to casual users.

The best movie review sites in 2024 will be those with clean and easy-to-use layouts so that site visitors aren’t overwhelmed by advertisements.

Viewers who want more than just information on upcoming releases should also consider other website options because not all movie review websites offer the same industry insights (and vice versa).

If you’re looking for one of the best movie review sites, check out any one of these top 5 choices: Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, Fandango, The Movie Database, and Letterboxd.

In our opinion, IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes represent the top two in the movie review industry.

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The internet continues to become a little less anonymous

• Reservations site OpenTable will no longer allow users post anonymous reviews.
• The move comes a month after careers site Glassdoor started requiring real names to use the service.
• In both cases, the companies say identification improves the authenticity of their services.

Anonymity has long been simultaneously one of the best and worst things about the internet .

Now restaurant reservations service OpenTable has decided that the benefits of anonymous posting don't outweigh the costs.

The company told Business Insider it will no longer support posting anonymous reviews, and will require diners' comments to include their first name and their selected OpenTable profile image.

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OpenTable also reversed an earlier plan, first reported by tech news site Bleeping Computer last week, that would have de-anonymized past reviews posted to the platform.

"Following feedback from our diner community, and in line with our continued commitment to trusted reviews, we are making refinements to our restaurant reviews program," the company said in a statement on Sunday. "To increase transparency, on a go-forward basis only, we will no longer be supporting anonymous restaurant reviews. This change will go into effect later this year."

The reported policy change comes a month after after Wired found that careers site Glassdoor had begun requiring users to provide their real names for account verification, though they still have the option of posting anonymous content to the company's services.

"We use your real name and email address for verification purposes only , to make sure everyone is who they say they are. After that, your privacy takes priority," Glassdoor says in an FAQ page.

One Reddit user was quick to dismiss concerns about OpenTable's change, saying, "This is how you get King Tuttle's, Emperor Nero's, and Kim Jongummm on the reservation list. Customers will outsmart this in no time."

UPDATE: April 15, 2024 — This story was updated to reflect OpenTable's adjustment after it received feedback on the policy reported last week regarding previously anonymous reviews.

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Functional Connectivity Changes on Resting-State fMRI after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review

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BACKGROUND: Mild traumatic brain injury is theorized to cause widespread functional changes to the brain. Resting-state fMRI may be able to measure functional connectivity changes after traumatic brain injury, but resting-state fMRI studies are heterogeneous, using numerous techniques to study ROIs across various resting-state networks.

PURPOSE: We systematically reviewed the literature to ascertain whether adult patients who have experienced mild traumatic brain injury show consistent functional connectivity changes on resting-state -fMRI, compared with healthy patients.

DATA SOURCES: We used 5 databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, Scopus, Web of Science).

STUDY SELECTION: Five databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched for research published since 2010. Search strategies used keywords of “functional MR imaging” and “mild traumatic brain injury” as well as related terms. All results were screened at the abstract and title levels by 4 reviewers according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. For full-text inclusion, each study was evaluated independently by 2 reviewers, with discordant screening settled by consensus.

DATA ANALYSIS: Data regarding article characteristics, cohort demographics, fMRI scan parameters, data analysis processing software, atlas used, data characteristics, and statistical analysis information were extracted.

DATA SYNTHESIS: Across 66 studies, 80 areas were analyzed 239 times for at least 1 time point, most commonly using independent component analysis. The most analyzed areas and networks were the whole brain, the default mode network, and the salience network. Reported functional connectivity changes varied, though there may be a slight trend toward decreased whole-brain functional connectivity within 1 month of traumatic brain injury and there may be differences based on the time since injury.

LIMITATIONS: Studies of military, sports-related traumatic brain injury, and pediatric patients were excluded. Due to the high number of relevant studies and data heterogeneity, we could not be as granular in the analysis as we would have liked.

CONCLUSIONS: Reported functional connectivity changes varied, even within the same region and network, at least partially reflecting differences in technical parameters, preprocessing software, and analysis methods as well as probable differences in individual injury. There is a need for novel rs-fMRI techniques that better capture subject-specific functional connectivity changes.

• ABBREVIATIONS:

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a common injury that, nevertheless, can pose difficult diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. 1 Conventional neuroimaging including CT and structural MR imaging plays a key role in mTBI assessment and management, such as the identification of intracranial hemorrhage, but it has limited sensitivity for the detection of underlying abnormalities that have no clear macrostructural correlate. 2 Advanced neuroimaging has been used during the past decade in an attempt to characterize more subtle post-mTBI neurobiological changes.

After mTBI, it is believed that disruptions occur in the organization of large-scale brain activity. 2 Blood oxygen level–dependent functional MR imaging has, thus, been used to study changes in intrinsic brain connectivity. In particular, functional connectivity (FC) as reflected in low-frequency blood oxygen level–dependent fluctuations of resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI), 3 and its organization into various resting-state networks 1 , 4 has been used in an attempt to understand the injury.

Approximately a decade ago, a comprehensive review of fMRI in mTBI by McDonald et al 1 included a mere 2 studies of resting-state changes following mTBI. Since then, there has been an explosion of literature in this area. Part of the challenge in interpreting these results is the diversity of brain regions and networks studied and the great variety of methods that can be used to analyze FC in rs-fMRI. Common approaches include correlational methods (relying on selections of ROIs and/or seeds and correlating the corresponding rs-fMRI signal time-series with time-series of all other voxels [ROI/seed-to-voxel] or other ROIs/seeds [ROI/seed-to-ROI/seed] to map connectivity 5 ) as well as independent component analysis (ICA; decomposition of brain-wide rs-fMRI into independent spatiotemporal components that can be correlated to determine connectivity 6 ), both of which may be performed in a static fashion using the entire time-series or in a dynamic fashion using a sliding-window approach. Graph theory can also be used to study FC at either local or global levels. 7 Finally, regional homogeneity is commonly used to measure synchronization of low-frequency fluctuations of a particular voxel with its nearest neighbors, 8 while fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations quantifies low-frequency oscillations as a reflection of local spontaneous activity. 9

In this systematic review, we explore the current literature on FC in mTBI regarding whether adult patients who have mTBI show consistent FC changes on rs-fMRI, compared with healthy patients. We summarize thematic findings in terms of FC changes following injury and comment on discordances that are observed.

• MATERIALS AND METHODS

Database Search

This study was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; ID CRD42022360114) and performed as per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Diagnostic Test Accuracy (PRISMA) guidelines.

In November 2022, five databases (“PubMed,” “EMBASE,” “Cochrane Central,” “Scopus,” “Web of Science”) were searched for research published since 2010. The search strategy used the keywords “functional MR imaging” and “mild traumatic brain injury” as well as related terms. Search terms can be found in the Online Supplemental Data.

Inclusion criteria were the following: peer-reviewed human research 1) performed in adults older than 18 year of age; 2) written in English; 3) involving the use of rs-fMRI; 4) including a measure of FC; 5) published in or after 2010; and 6) comparing patients with mTBI with healthy controls. Blast/military traumatic brain injury (TBI) was excluded because military-related blast injury has a unique mechanism relating to propagating pressure waves. Sport- and athletic-related injury was also excluded because many such studies occur either in pediatric subjects and/or specifically feature individuals exposed to repetitive head impacts and repeat TBI. Of course, many studies may have included a number of these types of etiologies without distinguishing their results from those of other etiologies. Consequently, we were able to exclude only studies whose entire cohort had one of these mechanisms. Specifically, exclusion criteria were the following: 1) preclinical animal studies; 2) inclusion of pediatric patients younger than 18 years of age; 3) reviews, meta-analyses, books, case reports, or case series; 4) moderate or severe TBI; 5) cohorts of only sports- or athletic-related TBI; 6) cohorts of only blast-related TBI; 7) cohorts of only military TBI; 8) cohorts of only repetitive TBI; and 9) only task-mediated fMRI studies.

All results were screened at the abstract and title levels by 4 reviewers (S.D., S.A., J.W., L.S.) according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Each study was evaluated independently by 2 reviewers, with discordant screening settled by consensus. Two reviewers (S.D., S.A.) performed full-text data screening and extraction, with disagreements settled by consensus.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

We excluded the following categories: article characteristics (title, author, journal, year), cohort demographics (time since injury, age, sex), fMRI scan parameters (ie, TE, TR, scan duration, scanner model, and magnet strength), data analysis processing software, atlas used, data characteristics (including analysis method applied, studied ROI or network, connectivity measures), and statistical analysis information (method, multiple-comparison correction).

FC changes were graded on an ordinal scale from −2 to +2: −2 and +2 denoting studies reporting only decreases or increases in FC, respectively; −1 and +1 denoting studies reporting mixed results with most areas showing decreased or increased FC, respectively; and 0 if no changes were reported. If there were an equal number of areas with increased and decreased changes, we assigned an ordinal score of 0 but noted that there was equal change in each direction.

For all studies, time since mTBI was binned into either <1 month, 1–6 months, or >6 months, with some studies having multiple evaluations at different time points. For these studies, results were examined separately for each of these time periods.

Of note, in some cases, the whole brain was evaluated by ICA, and several resting-state networks were subsequently identified as independent components. In most such cases, the identified components were specific named resting-state networks; for these studies, we report the individual networks and their changes, as well as the whole brain and its change as a conglomeration of the network changes.

Risk of bias and applicability were assessed by 3 reviewers (S.D., S.A., J.W.). Each study was evaluated by 2 reviewers with disagreements settled by consensus. The case-control version of Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for this assessment. 10

Our initial search found 10,946 results, 2405 of which were duplicates and were removed before screening. The remaining 8541 underwent title and abstract screening from which 107 results were considered for full-text review. Four of these could not be found online and may have been abstracts or conference papers. Among the 103 remaining results, 19 were only abstracts and 18 did not meet the criteria for inclusion (9 studied the wrong population, 6 did not compare with a healthy control group, 1 was not in English, 1 was not peer-reviewed, and 1 was not an rs-fMRI study). Full-text data extraction was ultimately performed for 66 studies ( Fig 1 ). 2 , 4 , 8 , 11 - 73 A summary of these articles can be found in the Online Supplemental Data.

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PRISMA flow diagram detailing study identification, screening, and inclusion.

Risk of Bias

The case-control version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for assessment of the risk of bias. Representativeness of cases for Shumskaya et al 70 was thought to have unclear applicability because only fronto-occipital injuries were included. Otherwise, there was appropriate selection, comparability, and exposure for all studies, because subjects with and without mTBI were clearly distinguishable and verified through interview.

Cohort Characteristics and Technical Parameters

These studies included a median of 31 healthy controls (interquartile range [IQR], 20–42). Depending on the time since mTBI was evaluated in the study, studies with subjects scanned within 1 month of mTBI included a median of 48 (IQR, 28.5–56.5) subjects, studies with subjects scanned between 1 and 6 months of mTBI included a median of 25 (IQR, 23–42) subjects, and studies with subjects scanned >6 months from mTBI included a median of 28 (IQR, 20.5–50) subjects. Thirty-eight of 66 (57.6%) studies did not specify the mechanisms of mTBI. Among the 28 that did, traffic/motor vehicle collisions were by far the most common etiology (18/28, 64.3%).

On average, the healthy control cohort consisted of a mean of 47.6% women (SD, 12.6%) with a mean age of 36.6 (SD, 6.7) years, and the mTBI cohort consisted of 43.6% women (SD, 14.3%) with a mean age of 36.6 (SD, 7.0) years.

Regarding the MR imaging scanner, 60 studies (90.9%) used a 3T magnet, 5 studies (7.6%) used a 1.5T magnet, and one (1.5%) did not specify the magnet strength. The mean TE and TR were 29.1 (SD, 4.4 ) ms and 2082.1 (SD, 308) ms. The mean rs-fMRI duration was 7.4  (SD, 2.5) minutes.

Processing software used across all the studies varied from statistical parametric mapping (SPM, Versions 5, 6, 8, 12; http://www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/spm/software/spm12 ), FMRIB Software Library (FSL; http://www.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/fsl ), Group ICA of fMRI Toolbox Software (GIFT; http://mialab.mrn.org/software/gift/ ), Analysis of Functional NeuroImages (AFNI; http://afni.nimh.nih.gov/ ), medInria ( https://med.inria.fr/ ), Data Processing & Analysis of Brain Imaging (DPABI; http://rfmri.org/DPABI ), FreeSurfer ( https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/DownloadAndInstall ), the graph theoretical network analysis (GRETNA; https://www.nitrc.org/projects/gretna/ ) toolbox, to the Resting-State fMRI Data Analysis Toolkit (REST; http://rfmri.org/REST ).

Connectivity Changes

Across 66 studies, 80 distinct areas were collectively analyzed 239 times at least at 1 time point (Online Supplemental Data). Sixteen analyses included multiple time points (<1 month between mTBI and the scan, 1–6 months, and >6 months) (Online Supplemental Data). The most common analysis approaches used were ICA ( n  =   106), ROI/seed-to-ROI/seed ( n  =   62), and ROI/seed-to-voxel ( n  =   32), followed distantly by graph theory methods ( n  =   17, Online Supplemental Data), ICA-based dynamic FC ( n  =   14), regional homogeneity ( n  =   4), and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations ( n  =   4).

The most-commonly analyzed areas and networks were the whole brain (45 analyses across 37 studies), the default mode network (DMN) (32 analyses across 25 studies), and the salience network (SN, 13 analyses across 10 studies). Studies that separately analyzed patients with and without postconcussive symptoms are explicitly labeled in Supplementary Table 2 (Online Supplementary Data).

Figure 2 shows panels of histograms of FC changes in the whole brain, the DMN, and the SN, with respect to scans performed <1 month since mTBI, 1–6 months since mTBI, and >6 months since mTBI. By comparing the left half of each plot (frequencies of −2 and −1) with the right half (frequencies of 1 and 2), we can get a sense of the relative frequency of decreased-versus-increased FC. For example, <1 month after mTBI, there were 9 more analyses that found decreased FC across the whole brain compared with increased FC (7, −2 studies; 8, −1 study; 1, +1 study; and 5, +2 studies), possibly suggesting a trend toward decreased whole-brain FC acutely after mTBI. These changes may persist 1–6 months post-mTBI in the whole brain, whereas there are 5 studies that found decreased FC versus none with increased FC. At >6 months in the whole brain, as well as all time points with the DMN and SN, the differences are not as robust.

FC changes, categorized on an ordinal scale and separated by the time since injury. −2 = only decreased FC changes, −1 = more areas of decreased FC change than areas of increased FC change, 0 = no FC changes ( black ) or the same number of areas of decreased and increased FC ( gray ), 1 = more areas of increased FC change, 2 = only areas of increased FC changes (changes all relative to results in healthy controls). Gray bars are separate from black bars , ie, 3 studies found an equal number of areas of increased and decreased FC in the DMN at <1 month. Eight found no changes, so a total of 11 studies were classified as a 0.

In the past decade, many more approaches to studying mTBI using rs-fMRI have been developed and applied. The 2012 review of McDonald et al 1 found only 2 studies evaluating the effect of mTBI on resting-state FC, one of which looked at the thalamus with ROI-to-voxel and ICA approaches and another that looked at the DMN and the task-related network with an ROI-to-ROI approach. 4 , 72 In comparison, this present review includes 66 studies using any of 9 analysis methods to study a total of 61 distinct areas, demonstrating how much the literature has grown in the interim.

In part, because of this growth, the data we reviewed show immense heterogeneity with respect to FC changes, even among studies that evaluate the same networks or ROIs using the same techniques in the same timeframe since injury. Most reassuring, control and mTBI groups, on average, were similar in both age and sex distribution, and nearly all studies were performed on 3T magnets. Besides variability in methods as noted above, probably one of the most challenging aspects of studying mTBI arises from the heterogeneity of the injury itself and the manifestations of injury. This issue continues to plague the field because injured individuals are inherently difficult to categorize. In addition, another source of variability among studies likely arises from technical sources such as scan parameters, preprocessing methods, brain atlas selected, and so forth.

When analyzing FC changes, we focused on 3 main regions: the whole brain, DMN, and SN, because these were the most widely studied. There was a slight predilection toward decreased whole-brain FC early after mTBI (<1 month of injury), though the heterogeneity of the results precludes drawing any strong conclusion. Also, there was no definite trend across time, though more studies showed decreased FC within 1 month of injury compared with 1–6 months or >6 months after injury, suggesting that perhaps functional hypoconnectivity is the dominant response immediately following mTBI and is followed by recovery with time.

The underlying neurophysiologic changes following mTBI are not yet fully characterized, so it is difficult to confidently identify a biological basis for acute hypoconnectivity. Increasing evidence points to cerebrovascular injury as a key hallmark of mTBI, characterized by disrupted cerebrovascular reactivity and neurovascular coupling. 74 Studies using arterial spin-labeling to quantify CBF after mTBI report inconsistent findings, with suggested reduced CBF acutely after injury and varied responses in the subacute phase, similar to our findings regarding FC after mTBI. 75 Because cerebrovascular disease is known to influence network connectivity, there may be a link between FC changes and CBF changes. 76 In any case, it is clearly possible that there is a temporal evolution of connectivity changes across time after injury, and this is reflected in the literature.

Limitations include exclusion of studies consisting entirely of military, sports-related mTBI, and pediatric patients. Moreover, some studies included a small number of participants with sports-related mTBI; we were unable to exclude FC changes from only these specific subjects, so they do contribute to our results. Second, due to the high data heterogeneity, we could not be as granular as we would have liked. For example, we were forced to bin FC changes into arbitrary temporal categories, which likely limit our view of temporal changes after injury. It is certainly possible that there are more nuanced temporal changes within or across these bins that were not feasible to capture; and, in fact, the current results suggest that this possibility may be true. Similarly, for the sake of practicality, we present FC changes on an ordinal scale based on the number of regions within each study found to show FC changes; however, this particular metric may not well-capture FC changes in mTBI. We also were not able to report the location of FC changes due to the amount of data analyzed. Finally, we did not perform subgroup analyses on patients with persistent symptoms, though the Online Supplementary Data do include information on studies that looked at ROIs/networks in asymptomatic-versus-symptomatic patients. We hope that our conglomerated data summary makes it easier for future investigations to identify and analyze subsets of these studies to answer more focused questions.

• CONCLUSIONS

rs-fMRI is a noninvasive method to study FC of the brain that has been increasingly applied over the past decade to understand underlying functional brain alterations after mTBI. Due to a variegated landscape of rs-fMRI analysis methods and the still relatively naive understanding we have of mTBI, we find immense heterogeneity in the literature. We see a slight tendency toward decreased whole-brain FC within 1 month of mTBI, though group-based fMRI analysis at the present time does not easily reveal clear concordance among published studies. This issue may relate to a combination of underlying heterogeneity in the mTBI population as well as current limitations of rs-fMRI group-wise analysis methods. As a result, the present study is also limited in its ability to parse temporal differences and nuanced changes in connectivity across studies. There is a need for an improved description of subjects with mTBI as well as new rs-fMRI approaches that better capture subject-specific alterations of brain connectivity.

Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text and PDF of this article at www.ajnr.org .

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• Received October 30, 2023.
• Accepted after revision January 22, 2024.
• © 2024 by American Journal of Neuroradiology

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UC Law professor’s article named a Dukeminier Award recipient

Congratulations to Professor Ryan Thoreson , whose law review article “ Discriminalization”: Sexuality, Human Rights, and the Carceral Turn in Antidiscrimination Law" , 110 Cal. L. Rev. 432 (2022) was named a 2023 Dukeminier Awards winner for the best scholarship on sexual orientation and gender identity.  

In his article Professor Thoreson discussed states’ turn toward carceral punishment as a means of sanctioning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, particularly as LGBTQ rights grow across the globe. The carceral turn has been scrutinized in racial justice and feminist literature, but few LGBTQ scholars have contended with the growing use of incar­ceration globally to punish offenses like discrimination, degrading or insulting speech, or conversion practices. The use of carceral punishment to deter and punish these offenses—what Professor Thoreson calls discriminalization—raises questions about whether or when incarceration is appropriate to address affronts to equal dig­nity.

The Dukeminier Awards were initiated by The Williams Institute and students at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law to acknowledge and distribute the best published law review articles concerning various aspects of sexual orientation and gender identity law. Recipients of the award will have their article republished in the Dukeminier Awards Journal of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law . The goals of the journal and its awards are to encourage scholars to begin or continue writing about sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy; provide valuable recognition and support for scholars, law students, and lawyers who write in this area; and provide easy access to each year’s best scholarly materials for those outside of legal academia, including lawyers, judges, other legal actors, and policy makers.

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