How important are user reviews of training and courses?

Findcourses.co.uk recently conducted research to determine how important user reviews are to those choosing training and courses. The verdict is clear, crystal clear. Course reviews are not only important, but crucial, with 90% of respondents stating that reviews are extremely influential to their decision making process when considering which course / training programme to choose.

1,149 users responded to the survey, conducted by the FindCourses Global Group, in the UK (www.findcourses.co.uk), Sweden (www.utbildning.se), Germany (www.kursfinder.de), Finland (www.koulutus.fi) and on the international MBA site (www.searchmba.com) in April 2011.

Brits interested in the opinions of others when choosing training courses

82% of the 547 British participants claimed that course reviews are crucial, and another 17% that reviews are important to them. Only 1% claimed that reviews are unimportant. And we’re not alone, Swedes (94%), Germans (86%), and Finns (85%) have similar beliefs, as most users stated that reviews written by others who previously attended the course have an influential role in their decision making process. Internationally, there is no doubt about it. All respondents on the international MBA site (100%) believe that reviews have a vital role in their choice of MBA program and Business School.

User reviews are a valuable tool in the online marketing of training and courses

Transparency in online marketing is now more important than ever for a company's success. One expert has claimed that consumers are now citing product reviews as an important source of pre-purchase information (Kurt Salmon, global management consultancy, May 2011). Research shows 90% of consumers trust online recommendations from people they know; 70% trust opinions of unknown users (Econsultancy, July 2009).

Findcourses.co.uk has seen a surge of users come to Findcourses.co.uk over the last two years, to review the courses they have been on - whether they want to share their great learning experiences or voice their disappointment in an area of training.

“The value of course reviews to people when they are trying to choose the right course should not be underestimated”, advises Fredrik Andersson, CIO at Findcourses.co.uk.

The courses that tend to be most reviewed are Distance learning & e-learning courses, which may be a result of users needing security from other users before they invest in this relatively new form of training. Similarly, HR Managers often like to read reviews or case studies about Company Specific / In House training courses to see how other like-minded companies benefitted from a training provider, to give them an insight into how the training could work for them.

Reviews, whether positive or negative, ultimately enable people to get an insight into a product, service or course to see if it is suitable for them, or not. “This is why we offer our visitors a variety of opportunities to create & read reviews for the courses on our site "Fredrik Andersson says, whilst pointing out that with more than 500 reviews on site, users tend to return to Findcourses.co.uk frequently, as the site continues to grow and help users make an informed choice.

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