Location information generated from opt-in data can provide hotels, restaurants, gas stations and any other physical locations with a ton of resources to target existing and prospective customers. The data not only forecasts future searches, but predicts behaviors and motivations.

Survey results released by TripAdvisor on Monday suggest the online channels that influence consumers on where to dine. Ninety-four percent of U.S. respondents report that they have based a dining decision on online reviews, and 60% have been influenced by restaurant photos.

While U.S. consumers rank the highest, those in the United Kingdom rank the lowest at 87%. Countries across Europe rank somewhere in between.

TripAdvisor’s “Influences on Diner Decision-Making Survey” examines the dining behavior of more than 9,500 consumers throughout the U.S. and Europe. It also factors in the triggers that lead consumers to choose a restaurant.

Most businesses, from dental facilities to retailers, depend heavily on accurate online reviews as their main source of marketing. Many send emails either asking the customer to rate or share their experience. 

The Department of Business Administration, Seoul National University of Science and Technology published a study in May 2018 that analyzes the helpfulness of online reviews, specifically for products found on Amazon.com. The results show that reviews for different product types have different psychological and linguistic characteristics.

Restaurant owners frequently measure their success by their TripAdvisor Popularity Ranking, which is based on the quantity, quality and recency of reviews. But for owners to start to truly understand what entices consumers to visit their restaurant the company recommends they first claim their listing for free on TripAdvisor, according to a TripAdvisor spokesperson.

In TripAdvisor’s research, mobile search remains the tool of choice to find a restaurant, with up to 79% of respondents reporting that they regularly research restaurants nearby via their phone. The majority of respondents say they make reservations online and order food delivery both at home and while traveling.

More than 85% of U.S. respondents said they have read a Management Response to a TripAdvisor review, with the majority noting that they found it helpful and that it encouraged them to try a restaurant, despite a bad review.

It appears that restaurants rely mostly on reviews because they spend very little time on advertising and marketing.

 A TripAdvisor marketing study released in 2017 shows that in the U.S., nearly half of those participating in a survey spend less than 10% of their time marketing. And just 17% of U.S. survey respondents have hired a dedicated marketing employee, with 1% reporting that they have used an outside marketing consultant.

When restaurants do invest in marketing, social media at 82%, print advertising at 68% and online listing services like TripAdvisor at 56% are the top three channels in which U.S restaurants invest their marketing dollars. In the U.S., 13% of respondents report paying for a professional reputation or social media monitoring service to help them out.