How a Positive Review Helps Fellow Travellers Make Decisions

Sadly, the urge to write a review usually stems from a bad experience. We feel compelled to speak up and warn others as a wronged customer. When highly satisfied, we just don’t feel that same pull to share our experiences. We’d rather enjoy the moment and then move on with a pleasant memory. To other travellers, though, a good experience is just as important to hear about as a negative one.
Positive Reviews Reinforce a Decision
Writing a bad review can prevent others from going to a place. After all, who wants to sleep in a hotel with bad staff or eat in a restaurant with poor quality food? But let’s consider the reverse: would a good review convince someone to choose one place over another? Maybe.
Travellers have little to go on except brand recognition and the words of others when researching things to do and places to go. Pointing out the good spots that you discover expedites this process. It also proposes a second point-of-view should the institution you review have negative comments in the mix.
How to Frame the Review
The quality of a positive review hinges on its details. Reviews consisting of shallow statements like “good” or “I had a great time” are not substantial enough to educate fellow travellers. If you commit to a review, spend time contextualizing it with meaningful details. Details are what can help travellers relate to your given situation and decide if your positive experience will translate into a similar one for them.
On Word of Mouth, the author recommends starting a conversation through a positive review—that is, encouraging readers to reach out. This is an excellent gesture; there may be other areas of travel you can help with too.
Unfortunately, only some review channels facilitate conversation (or at least unmediated conversation). Travel forums host decent conversation, but the best platform is your own travel blog. Here, you can write in full form and reply to comments.
Travel blogging also adds authority to your opinion. Posting to a forum is often done anonymously, whereas your site contains a bevy of information about you and how to get in touch. Examples might include links to your own social media, email and phone.