Key Findings:
- Across verticals, the conversion lift for visitors who encountered Q&A content was 51.2%, showing that the mere presence of Q&A can positively impact conversion.
- When visitors interact with Q&A content, however, the impact is much higher. Interacting with Q&A leads to a 138.3% conversion lift, on average, across verticals.
- The verticals with the highest Q&A visitor conversion lift were Consumer Appliances & Electronics; Automotive & Motor Sport; and Luggage & Bags.
- The verticals with the highest Q&A interactor conversion lift include Automotive & Motor Sport; Furniture; and Manufacturing.
All three forms of UGC — ratings and reviews, Q&A, and user-generated imagery — have a positive impact on conversion. However, Q&A has always reigned supreme as having the largest impact on conversion.
In 2021, there was a 194.2% lift in conversion among visitors who interacted with Q&A content, up significantly from the 157.1% conversion lift reported in 2020. Perhaps more than any other type of UGC, Q&A content bridges the gap from the in-store to online shopping experience, enabling shoppers to find answers to the questions they would have asked a retail associate, but from the comfort of their own home.
Given the high conversion impact of Q&A content, we analyze the conversion impact across different verticals. In our analysis, we looked at both the conversion lift by visitor (those who saw review content on the product page they visited) and Q&A interactor (those who interacted with review content on the page they visited). We’ve also shared the average conversion rate for each vertical as a baseline.
The verticals with the highest Q&A visitor conversion lift were Automotive & Motor Sport (+121.9%), Consumer Appliances & Electronics (+112.5%), and Luggage & Bags (+97.9%). Interestingly, Automotive & Motor Sport (+226.6%) also enjoyed the highest conversion lift from visitors interacting with Q&A content. With a Q&A interactor conversion lift of 223.9%, the Furniture and Manufacturing verticals tied for second place.
Across verticals, the conversion lift for visitors who encountered Q&A content was 51.2%, showing that the mere presence of Q&A can positively impact conversion. When visitors interact with Q&A content, however, the impact is much higher. The average conversion lift for Q&A interactors was 138.3% across verticals.
Five Snackable Data-Backed Q&A Display Tips
- Make it easy to ask a question. Many brands and retailers allow users to submit a question up at the top of the product page, as well as down in the Q&A section itself. This is a smart move, as visitors who click to ask a question have a conversion lift as high as 139.3%.
- Put your Q&A front and center. You want to highlight your product features, of course, but don’t bury your Q&A section. One in four consumers say they are less likely to purchase a product if there isn’t a Q&A section on the product page. This number is even higher — 33% — among Gen Z shoppers.
- Answer quickly. When shoppers ask a question on a product page, they expect a fast response. 56% expect to get an answer within 24 hours, and 21% expect an answer in four hours or less. Dedicate a team member (or two, or three) to responding to Q&A as they come in.
- Crowdsource answers. Your existing customers are product experts, so enable them to answer questions too. Plus, our previous research found that 94% of shoppers value answers to answers that are posted by verified buyers who have already purchased the product in question – compared 45% for answers from the brand or retailer.
- Encourage voting. If a shopper finds a response to a previous customer’s question to be particularly helpful, they might opt to tap or click a “like” button. These ratings allow people to sort through the best of your Q&A – and those who click the helpful icon convert at a rate that’s 192.9% higher than average.
More Benchmarks
UGC Benchmarks: Review Influence on Online Traffic to Product Pages
More Reviews and Stronger Average Ratings Increase Product Page Visits
Visual UGC Benchmarks: Av. Interactor and Impression Conversion Lift
Modest conversion lift for Visual UGC impressions; but Visual UGC Interactions more than double conversion
Ratings & Reviews: Av. Interactor and Impression Conversion Lift
Simply Seeing Reviews Lifts Conversion by 20%, While Interacting With Reviews Lifts Conversion by 128%
Ratings & Reviews Benchmarks: Visual UGC
Despite Increasing Importance to Consumers, Average Media Coverage for Most Brands Hovers Around 37%
