The power of words: how emotional review writing boosts customer loyalty

The Power of Words: How Emotional Review Writing Boosts Customer Loyalty

Research from Bayes Business School examines how companies can design review platforms that not only attract feedback but also inspire lasting customer loyalty. The findings indicate that emotional reflection in review writing can shape both recommendations and future purchases.

Emotional vs. Factual Review Writing

According to Bayes researchers, writers are more likely to recommend products and buy again when they express their feelings rather than describe events factually. This emotional engagement enhances their connection with brands and services.

Study Insights

The research, co-authored by Dr. Wanqing Zhang, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Bayes Business School, in collaboration with scholars from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, analyzed how language choice in customer reviews affects later behavior.

Three studies demonstrated that writing emotionally charged reviews led to higher rates of product recommendations and repeat purchases.

Example Prompts for Emotional Engagement

Questions like “How did this product make you feel?” or “What was the highlight of your visit?” encourage emotional reflection.
By contrast, prompts such as “What are the pros and cons of this service?” or “Describe your experience” tend to elicit more analytical responses.

Field Experiment

The first of the three studies involved a field experiment with 4,016 customers using an online household services platform in China. Results confirmed that encouraging emotional reflection increases the likelihood of continued engagement with the company’s services.

Author’s summary: Emotional writing in online reviews helps transform ordinary customers into loyal brand advocates, strengthening both trust and re-engagement.

Bayes Business School — 2025-11-07