Consumer Behavior: How Blogs and Reviews Affect Customer Choices

This essay delves into the significant influence of blogs and customer reviews on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions. It explores how online feedback, including customer reviews and blogger posts, shapes consumer choices, influences brand perception, and ultimately impacts sales. The paper highlights the increasing reliance of consumers on digital technologies and online information to gather product insights and make informed decisions. It emphasizes the role of blogs and reviews in introducing new products, shaping consumer mindsets, and providing valuable information about product quality, pricing, and utility. The essay also discusses the importance of social connections, the impact of negative reviews, and the strategies employed by businesses to leverage blogs and reviews for marketing and promotion. The analysis covers the use of bloggers and customer reviews as a reliable source of information to minimize risk, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive sales growth. The role of e-commerce platforms, the importance of customer feedback, and the influence of both positive and negative reviews on consumer behavior are also considered. The paper concludes by emphasizing the critical role of blogs and customer reviews in modern marketing strategies.

Running head: Consumer Behavior
Consumer Behavior

Consumer Behavior
"Blogs and Customer Reviews"
Blogs and reviews are nowadays mostly preferred by the people of the society. At the
time of purchasing a product, they focus on the reviews given by the customers and also on the
blogs which are posted by the Bloggers. The customer review is actually the feedback which is
given by the customers according to their experience. The feedback given by the customers can
be negative as well as positive. Blogging is a medium of conveying information in which the
bloggers post the content and pictures of a product by elaborating the places and giving their
feedback on the products and services. It is a platform which can be used to interact with the
masses at large scale (Ballantine and Au Yeung, 2015). Blogging is considered as a popular
source of information for the public and has also become famous search engine optimization
tool. It is because Yahoo and Google focus on the blogs updated by the people on a regular basis.
Blogs are considered as a source of media that helps to spread new among the public at large.
So, this paper will emphasize on how blogs and customers reviews are an essential factor
that has its influence on the purchasing decision of the customers (Zhang et al., 2016). Through
internet, the customers accumulate all the ideas related to the products with the blogs and
reviews. The information which is available on the internet has an impact on the mindset of the
customers. The information which is mentioned in the blogs and reviews changes the thinking
pattern of the customers. The customers start relying on the information which is mentioned by
the fellow customers and bloggers (Jones and Kim, 2015).
In the present situation, the customers are giving emphasis on the digital technologies and
every individual is focusing on clinging to the digital means so that information can be gathered
easily. Nowadays people are purchasing products with the help of digital technologies like for
ordering the products and also to check the review of that product, focus is given more on the
digital technologies (Ahuja, 2015). Before purchasing a product the customers explores through
the reviews and blogs so that accurate decision can be taken towards purchasing the products.
The power of taking a decision is related to the views and blogs posted on the social media sites.
If the reviews are posted are negative then the consumer will change their mindset and will not
be biased to purchase the products. Also blogs and customer review help to introduce new
products to the market as the customers get aware of the products through blogs (Gu and Ye,
2014).
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Consumer Behavior
Customer review and blogging effects the purchasing decision of the consumers. People
give more time on reading blogs and customer review so that information can be achieved of
each and every sector. The review and blogs give impact on the thinking of the customers. While
reading blogs and reviews the mindset of customers changes. If the customer has a negative
image of the product it can be changed to perceive the positive points and also it can provoke
them to purchase the products and services. It is a tendency of an individual to consider that
information which is given by others who has actually used that product (Jarreau and Porter,
2018).
If a person says that a particular product is worth buying then another person will also
have a positive perception. By utilizing the online medium it can be easy for the people to gather
more information. By reading the customer reviews and blogs the customers can also know the
prices of the product and can take decision accordingly. When an individual is confused in
selecting the products of a similar type then they focus on reviews and blogs so that right product
can be selected. If the blogger gives wrong feedback then it can create a negative image in the
mind of the customer towards the products and services of the company and it can be difficult for
them to trust the product of the company (Kim, Kiousis, and Molleda, 2015). Therefore, it can be
evaluated that customers can easily take correct decisions by giving emphasis on blogs and
customer reviews.
By reading blogs and customer review it can be easy to select the product with low risk.
When the bloggers and customer gives their review then it helps the customer to find out the
actual utility of the product. If the utility of the product matches their requirement then they
purchase the product without giving any other thought. At the time of purchasing the product, the
customer always go through the blogs and reviews of the customers so that accuracy of the
product can be checked and also they can take the appropriate decision. Customers always focus
on blogs and reviews because they consider it as a reliable source to gather the overall
information. They feel safe at the time of purchasing the product. Reading blogs and review
posted by the consumers, is one of the source which they consider to minimize the overall risk.
They will select those products only on which the customer review and blog written by the
blogger is positive so that risk can be reduced to a minimal value (Wu et al., 2017).
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Consumer Behavior
When bloggers visit any outlet they share their feedback and opinion. Also, there are
small businesses who call the bloggers to promote their products and services in the large
audience. It is one of the best opportunities for the company to give knowledge to the large
audience (Ho, et al., 2015). They also give the review to the owner of the business. If the quality
is not according to the standards then they give suggestion to improve the products according to
the customer's demand. This is a form of a quality check which is conducted by the blogger.
Through this marketing strategy, small businesses can achieve success in a most effective way.
By referring to blogs customers feel connected and satisfied and they can avail the services
without being hesitant. There are many bloggers who create a bond with the customers so that
the customers can purchase the products which they want from the market without any confusion
(Sari, Alamsyah, and Wibowo, 2018).
Bloggers like to give their suggestions and also love to share their ideas and experience
with a large audience so they do this by posting pictures on the blog so that people can get the
information and avail the services and the products. Also, the products and services are rated by
the bloggers; if they are giving low rating then customers will not prefer that product and the
negative image will be created in the mind of the customers (Krestel and Dokoohaki, 2015). The
sale of the company is also affected by the customer review and blogs posted on the social media
sites. A good rating means good quality products or service, so the customers tends to purchase
or avail the service in an effective manner. By good customer review and blogs, the company can
easily enhance the market share which will directly impact on the overall profits (Floyd et al.,
2014).
Example: the fashion blogger is invited to various new outlets so that they can take
pictures and post it on their blog. If new designs and pattern are good then customers will be
tempted to purchase the item and demand for that product can be increased. Blogging is also
considered as a platform in which small businesses can promote their products. The business can
be promoted as there are many followers of the page and they see the post and are attracted to
purchase or avail the services. There are also many companies who send their items to the
bloggers so that they can review it and post on their blogs. When they post the pictures on their
blogs, it influences the purchasing decision of the customers.
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Consumer Behavior
Blogs and customer reviews are also related with the social connection. By posting
pictures on the social media platform the bloggers try to connect with the large platform and
maintain their social connections with the people. The major reason the customers make a
connection with these sources is to avail the information in reference to the products which are
not available in the market in an easy manner (Chen and Lin, 2015). Customers focus on
collecting the information from various sources and make a common conclusion which can help
to purchase or avail best service available in the market.
Bloggers are famous on the online and offline platform as it is seen that the best blogger
give their own purchasing experience which helps the customers to make an accurate decision
regarding the purchase of the products. Bloggers offer accurate information and also the detailed
information like of food they offer, price, quality, taste and post the pictures so that customers
can see the post and can set their mindset accordingly. Sometimes customers also ask questions
from the bloggers which help them to choose best among many choices available to them in the
market (Colton, 2018). So, in this way, it is seen that the decision of purchasing is affected if the
customer focuses on the blogs and customer review.
Blogs and customer review assist the consumers to avail the best product and focuses on
enhancing the satisfaction level of the customers. When customers set their mindset to purchase
a product or service of high or low quality they first emphasize on the reviews and blogs so that
views and opinions from different users can be gathered easily. When a product of high range is
purchased the customers gives emphasis on taking feedback from their closed ones like from
neighbors and family members and by considering the opinion and views they take a decision
whether to purchase the product or not (Mehmood and Abedin, 2017).
It can be analyzed that the retail outlets emphasize on the attracting the customers
towards their products and services but they also focus on taking feedback and views from the
customers so that other customers can know about the new product and service introduced in the
market. It is seen that there are many new websites who launch their product. They give
advertisements on the social media platform so that customers can gain knowledge about the new
product but when any customer purchases the product they ask to give a review on their page so
that other people who are confused with the purchase of the product can take a quick decision in
less time. The review given by the customer is important as it helps to enhance the sale and also
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Consumer Behavior
create a good image in the mind of other customers. Review by the customers is given in the
form of rating or in writing the comment below the product page (Scherer, Wünderlich and Von
Wangenheim, 2015).
Example: if an individual is confused in buying the product from an e-commerce
platform and is concerned about the quality, then customer review plays a great role. They can
read the reviews given by the other customers and can take a correct decision with satisfaction.
To find out the negative and positive aspect, the customers also read the reviews given by the
other customers as they are the ones who have actually used that product. So, it is one of the
major factors that help to change the mindset and also helps to take correct decisions.
Also, in the recent scenario it can be analyzed that bloggers have most of the followers
and to promote their product the companies create contact so that they can reach to a large
audience in less time. The customer reviews also plays a major role as it is seen that if views are
negative then it cannot be possible for the company to attract more customers and also to achieve
goals and objectives in an effective manner.
In the concluding part, it can be stated that nowadays' more and more people are focused
towards the blogs and customer review so that they can purchase the best out of many choices.
The blogs and reviews by the customers help them in offering accurate information about the
product taste, price, and demand. By sitting at home the customers can take correct decisions
whether they want to avail a particular service or not. This is the best platform that helps the
customer in influencing the purchasing decision.
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Consumer Behavior
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