UNDERSTANDING THE INFLUENCE OF ONLINE REVIEWS ON BRAND REPUTATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1234/ijebs.v2i1.109Keywords:
Brand Reputation, Digital Engagement, Online Reviews, Sentiment Analysis, Value Based ConsumptionAbstract
This systematic literature review examines the multifaceted relationship between online reviews and brand reputation in the digital age. Through comprehensive bibliometric analysis of publications from 2015 to 2024, the study identifies five distinct research clusters that collectively illuminate the complex dynamics of how consumer-generated content shapes brand perceptions. The analysis reveals that online reviews influence brand reputation through multiple dimensions: valence (emotional sentiment), volume (quantity of reviews), veracity (authenticity), and interactivity (engagement patterns). The emotional content of reviews, particularly negative sentiments, demonstrates disproportionate impact on consumer perceptions through negativity bias mechanisms. Review quantity serves as both a direct signal of brand popularity and a statistical buffer against occasional negative experiences. Authenticity concerns increasingly moderate review influence as consumers develop sophisticated methods for detecting potentially manipulated content. Beyond static review elements, the interactive dynamics surrounding reviews—including management responses and community engagement—create additional reputation effects that transform potential threats into opportunities for demonstrating brand responsiveness. The research further identifies significant cross-cultural variations in how reviews function across different market contexts, necessitating culturally calibrated reputation management approaches rather than standardized global strategies. Technologically, artificial intelligence applications are transforming review management capabilities through advanced sentiment analysis, topic identification, and response assistance. The study contributes to theoretical understanding by integrating previously siloed research traditions, extending signaling theory, identifying temporal dynamics in reputation formation, and advancing methodological approaches for studying review influence. For practitioners, the findings provide actionable frameworks for developing integrated organizational capabilities that effectively manage reputation across the increasingly review-centric digital marketplace. Future research should address longitudinal effects, comparative cross-cultural dynamics, technological evolution, and ethical dimensions of review management to further enhance understanding of this critical aspect of contemporary brand management.
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