How do product reviews on social media affect user’s purchase decisions?

The most popular network is Instagram, and the most wanted sales category is fashion

3 min to read
Written by: Hana Malobabić

Today, social networks are generally accepted and indispensable channels through which we actively participate in modern everyday life. Even what happens offline goes online, or at least we follow such things through online channels. In our latest Vox Populi survey, we asked respondents a bit more about their preferences and habits related to using social media and online shopping.

Everyone is a tailor of their social network

In terms of personal preferences, most respondents said that of all the social networks, where they spend an average of 3 hours a day, they use Instagram the most. As some of the reasons why they use this social network, they mentioned getting to know different people and their interests, the interesting content that fills them, and aesthetically appealing photos.

Although they use social networks and follow their content of interest on daily basis, when it comes to posting, respondents’ behaviors differ, so some users post content daily, some several times a month, and some once a month or even once every two months.

Short or long?

When we asked the respondents what kind of content they prefer, 54% of them said that they prefer textual content, and 46% said video content. Those who prefer video said they prefer the format because of the speed, fun, and shorter duration, while those who prefer textual content don’t like the fact that they are often unable to listen to audio in videos. Although someone prefers textual content, sometimes all of us watch video formats, but is their duration a crucial factor for us? As many as 87% of respondents say they prefer shorter videos, which is confirmed by the fact that 45% of them do not watch a video that lasts longer than 30 seconds.

Review me gently

Based on the respondent’s answers we learned how the Internet and social networks influence the creation of attitudes about products and purchases. The vast majority of respondents (85%) read reviews before buying a particular product or service, and 89% of them feel that reviews have an impact on their purchase decision. Slightly more than half of the respondents (58%) write reviews themselves, which is beneficial for 89% of the respondents who said that they would trust the review of another user more than the promotion of the product by the brand.

Like, share, buy

In addition to the reviews proved to be an important thing when shopping, we also inquired about how familiar are respondents with shopping on social media.

The offer of products on social networks via the Facebook Marketplace and the Instagram shop is viewed by 46% of respondents, and the category they view the most is fashion. An equal percentage of respondents also made a specific purchase via social media. Whether shopping through social media or not, 74% of respondents agreed that product price information featured on Instagram and Facebook photos is useful to potential buyers.

Newsletter

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

And be always updated with news from Dialog.

Highlights

What Awaits Us in the Communications Business in 2025?

The coming year will be defined by artificial intelligence, authenticity, and change management.

B2B influencer marketing – the power of influencing the business community

B2B influencer marketing is gaining more importance while giving businesses a chance to reach the business community and decision makers through credible experts.

When and how to write a demand letter

In case of false claims published in the media, a timely demand letter is key to the protection of brands' and companies' image.