We totally get it—everyone wants reviews and wants them fast. And everyone loves those shiny Verified Reviews! Just know, sometimes, unverified reviews can be just as valuable, and it's better than no reviews at all. There are two ways to look at unverified reviews:
How Amazon thinks about them
How Consumers think about them
How Amazon Sees It 👀
First off, Let’s be real—no one truly knows the secret sauce behind Amazon’s algorithms except Amazon themselves when giving out their BSR scoring. Their algorithms are constantly evolving, and by the time you’re reading this, things could have changed again!
But from what we've observed, there’s one thing that’s clear: Verified Reviews carry more weight than Unverified ones when it comes to your Best Seller Rank (BSR). But this doesn't mean that unverified reviews are bad for your book. Here’s a simple way to think about it: it might take 5 unverified reviews to have the same impact as 1 Verified Review (we're just guessing the numbers, but you get the idea!). And here’s a bonus tip—reviews with photos pack an even bigger punch! It’s like turning one Unverified review into a Verified review or one Verified Review into five. Amazon’s algorithm seems to love those extra visuals because this is more consumer confirmation that helps sell your book, and it can really help boost your BSR.
Pro Tip 🚀
As we understand it, Amazon's algorithms not only calculate your BSR based on how many and how fast your book is selling but also by how frequently reviews are posted. Sure, the first 30 days of your book launch are crucial for setting a strong BSR, but here’s the kicker—if you’re not getting consistent reviews (whether verified or unverified) posted at least once a week or several times a month, your BSR score could take a hit. Consistency is key to keeping Amazon’s algorithms happy and your book visible!
How Consumers See It 💡
Now, let’s talk about readers. Most consumers don’t even know what a Verified Review means, let alone care about it. What they do notice is quantity—how many reviews does the book have? If a book has 100 reviews and another has 1000, they’re probably going to gravitate towards the one with more reviews. Why? Because they’ll think, “Well, if a lot of people have reviewed it, it must be good!”
Consumers usually scan products in a specific way:
First: They look at how many people reviewed the book. A book with 50 reviews is more likely to beat a book with 0 reviews. A book with 100 reviews is more likely to beat a book with 50 reviews. A book with 1000 reviews is more likely to beat a book with 100 reviews. Not in every case but you get the point.
Next: They check out the star rating. If it’s mostly positive, great! If it’s filled with 1-star and 2-star reviews, that’s an immediate red flag.
Lastly: They skim a few reviews, and trust us—they’re more interested in what people didn’t like than what they did like.
Last Lastly: Don't forget the cover of your book, title of your book, the interior layout and editing, and the book's selling description play an important factor in a consumer's buying decision. 98% of the time, a purchase is made from emotion.
Of course, not every shopper follows this exact pattern, but the majority do. This is why Amazon puts star ratings and review counts at the top of the page and the actual reviews are much further down. They know that for many shoppers, just seeing those stars and a big review count can be enough to make a decision.
So, whether your reviews are verified or unverified, remember that both types matter! This is why we think it's important when creating your bounties for your books that you use a variety of different bounty types. Check out this article: How much time does it take to get the book reviewed?
Consistency is key, and reviews of all kinds help show consumers that people are buying—and enjoying—what you’re selling.