> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.nearmedia.co/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # More Reviews, Google CPL +19%, Empathy v. Autocracy - URL: https://www.nearmedia.co/review-trust-google-cpl-19-empathy-v-autocracy/ - Published: 2022-12-02T17:55:02.000Z - Updated: 2022-12-02T18:00:24.000Z - Author: Greg Sterling - Tags: News ### Users Want Review Transparency The state of reviews is fraught. Reviews remain highly influential but consumers are [more skeptical](https://uberall.com/en-us/company/press-releases/study-67-of-us-consumers-say-fake-online-reviews-a-growing-problem?ref=nearmedia.co) and generating [fewer of them](https://www.nearmedia.co/google-review-growth-slowing/) now. In addition, Google is using AI moderation to [nuke more of them](https://www.nearmedia.co/a-guide-why-are-my-google-reviews-missing/) (ahead of an [EU crackdown](https://www.nearmedia.co/tech-defeat-in-eu-local-etail-pickup/)). A new [survey](https://blog.yelp.com/news/survey-reveals-what-makes-reviews-trustworthy-to-consumers/?ref=nearmedia.co) from Yelp finds that consumers (77%) are reading more reviews than before. (They read at least five reviews before making a decision.) Yet only 28% are on guard for fake reviews. People who think they might have seen a fake review turn to still more reviews to gather additional information about the business. However, 71% said they'd shun a business if they saw "fake or compensated online reviews." Specifically, people who see fake reviews say: they ignore the business (34%), find another business (27%) or report the fraud (24%). Moreover, 85% say they trust reviews with text over stars only. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-02-at-7.08.01-AM.png) Source: Yelp **Our take:** - One takeaway: people see *more* reviews as the antidote to fake reviews, because they have few actual alternatives (but see: experts, TikTok). - The survey also found that people want to see all reviews to assess veracity themselves, including filtered or "not recommended" reviews. - The paradox in the market is: people [rely on reviews more than ever](https://www.nearmedia.co/consumer-trust-in-reviews/) but are also more distrustful and concerned about fraud. ### Google Ads: CPL Up, Conversions Down Google Ads is the most widely used PPC platform and still performs well. However, it's getting more expensive. That's not news. But a recent benchmarking [report](https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2022/11/10/search-advertising-benchmarks?ref=nearmedia.co) from Wordstream gives us lots of specifics. Average CPC has gone up slightly (2%) and CTR has remained stable (YoY). However, more importantly, cost per lead is up and conversions are down. While it varies by industry, CPL is up an average of 19% and conversions are down 14%. The most obvious explanation is inflation and consumer caution. As the chart below indicates, the average CTR is 6.3%, CPC is $2.96, conversion rate is 7.26% and CPL is $40.74\. Again, all these vary widely by vertical. For example, Arts & Entertainment has the highest CTR of 23 industries studied (16.3%) and the lowest CPC ($0.85), while lawyers has a CTR of 4.7% and the highest CPC of $8.46\. Fashion has the lowest conversion rate (1.2%), while Physicians & Surgeons has the highest, with 13.9%. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-02-at-8.42.21-AM.png) Source: Wordstream **Our take:** - In Q3, Google saw its slowest revenue growth in a decade. Some companies have pulled back or [deemphasized paid search](https://www.nearmedia.co/airbnbrand-google-review-location-antitrust-wildcard/). - If you evaluated campaigns by looking only at CPC and CTR, you might be deceived into thinking nothing was "wrong." - There are tactical (funnel and keyword) implications in these findings. Plus, organic and social content strategies are more important than ever. ### Behind the Battle over Twitter A four-day workweek experiment involving 33 companies, mostly in the US and Ireland, was just [pronounced](https://www.4dayweek.com/us-ireland-results?ref=nearmedia.co) a "resounding success." It represents the culmination of what might be called the worker empathy or worker empowerment movement, coming out of COVID. Remote work is also a major piece of that. Indeed, WFH has become an employer-employee [battleground](https://www.npr.org/2022/06/05/1102744672/remote-work-from-home-return-to-office-covid-pandemic-workers-apple-google?ref=nearmedia.co) as COVID has declined. While many CEOs wanted/want their workers to return but struggle to enforce that, their champion has arrived in the form of Elon Musk, who told his workers [return or quit](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-10/musk-s-first-email-to-twitter-staff-ends-remote-work?ref=nearmedia.co). The growth of employee power, driven in part by worker shortages, has caused resentment among bosses [who are skeptical](https://www.nearmedia.co/instacart-v-amazon-social-distrust-productivity-paranoia/) of employees and don't think they're productive at home. Accordingly, Musk's autocratic management style has [many fans](https://www.platformer.news/p/why-some-tech-ceos-are-rooting-for?ref=nearmedia.co) in [Silicon Valley and beyond](https://www.reuters.com/technology/metas-zuckerberg-says-some-elon-musks-twitter-content-approach-might-work-2022-11-30/?ref=nearmedia.co). There are echos of old-school battles between labor and management. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-02-at-9.29.14-AM.png) Source: DALL-E **Our take:** - Musk has defied the conventional HBR wisdom and is being celebrated as "bold and creative." His management style is disastrous. - Part of the reason many people are rooting for Twitter to fail is that they don't want to see him "get away with it." The subtext is about power. - Musk's employee disrespect is wrong on its face and from a utilitarian POV. Yet if Twitter survives, he will be "vindicated." ## Short Takes - **Average GBP** sees \~8K monthly impressions, [4.2% conversion rate](https://streetfightmag.com/2022/12/02/influence-of-reviews-on-conversion/??ref=nearmedia.co). - **Google** searches [using "in-store](https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/holiday-deals/??ref=nearmedia.co)" have tripled in 2022\. - Google [introduces](https://www.seroundtable.com/google-business-profiles-messaging-with-faqs-for-automated-responses-33789.html?ref=nearmedia.co) automated **GBP FAQs** for customers. - Zuckerberg, Musk try [to focus antitrust ire](https://www.axios.com/2022/11/30/zuckerberg-apple-policies-not-sustainable?ref=nearmedia.co) against **Apple**. - **iPhone** makes significant [market-share gains](https://www.counterpointresearch.com/apple-reaches-highest-ever-monthly-market-share-china/?ref=nearmedia.co) in China. - **Mozilla** buys into the metaverse [with two acquisitions](https://betakit.com/mozilla-acquires-canadian-founded-startups-pulse-active-replica-to-fuel-metaverse-strategy/?ref=nearmedia.co). - Epic's **RealityScan** [enables](https://www.engadget.com/epic-games-realityscan-ios-213549896.html?ref=nearmedia.co) real-world objects to become 3D models. - New Balance [creates](https://www.marketingdive.com/news/new-balance-snapchat-ar-shopping-voice-tech/637753/?ref=nearmedia.co) **Snap AR,** plus voice gift concierge. - **GPT3-powered email** might [improve SMB customer service](https://twitter.com/dannyrichman/status/1598254671591723008?s=12&t=Gqk8qkaSvM-7CM2nOrR1uw&ref=nearmedia.co). - **Amazon** [said](https://press.aboutamazon.com/2022/11/amazon-announces-biggest-holiday-shopping-weekend-ever?ref=nearmedia.co) holiday shopping weekend was its largest ever. - Nearly **20% of online transactions** last weekend [may have been fraud](https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/380276/18-of-us-ecommerce-transactions-were-fraudulent.html?ref=nearmedia.co). - Nearly half of **Europe's SMBs** [are in "survival mode](https://thenextweb.com/news/if-european-smes-are-going-to-survive-they-need-tech-more-than-ever?ref=nearmedia.co)." - Opinion: The [future of Twitter](https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-12-01/elon-musk-s-free-speech-twitter-won-t-die-look-at-telegram?ref=nearmedia.co) ... is **Telegram**. - Concept: "**Maximum Viable Product**" [might stop "feature creep](https://debugger.medium.com/its-time-for-maximum-viable-product-eec9d5211156?ref=nearmedia.co)." Listen to our [latest podcast](https://www.nearmedia.co/memo/). [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2021/02/near_memo_banner.png)](https://nearmedia.co/memo?ref=nearmedia.co) How can we make this better? Email [us](mailto:gsterling@nearmedia.co) with suggestions and recommendations.