We live in a digital era where technological interventions are at the core of society. These shape our everyday life and have become an integral part of a functioning society. Activities and services which used to be based on in-person features are now striving in the digital realm, influencing everything from the products we buy and the services we choose. As more and more products and services have embraced online technology, so has consumer behavior.

One massive online trend among consumers has been to rely on online reviews for a critical lens to navigate products and services online. Consumers leverage these reviews to assess services before making a commitment, and this consumer behavior encompasses all types of online activities, from online shopping platforms and cloud computing services to online casinos and gaming platforms. For operators and companies, reviews can be leveraged to enhance visibility, drive engagement, and also improve user experiences.

The influence of online reviews

The influence which online reviews hold cannot be overstated. Online review statistics show that in 2024, 95% of consumers said they read Google reviews before purchasing or engaging with a service online, which is an increase compared to 2020 when it was just 63% of consumers that read the site’s reviews. For Trustpilot, 89% of global consumers check online reviews as part of their buying journey. The prominence of review sites like Google, Yelp, Trustpilot, and specialized platforms are crucial for businesses, especially those operating in the tech space, since these reviews are the first touchpoint for customers with the brand.

Reviews are not only crucial for product-based businesses, since they also extend into service-oriented industries. These for example include software-as-a-service (SaaS), IT solutions, and online casinos. Take the online casino industry as an example: Reviews in the online casino industry are significant, since the market is highly competitive. Casinos therefore rely on user reviews in building trust and attracting new players.

The special case of online casino reviews

As already teased previously, online casinos are a prime example of how reviews can either make or break a business. The gambling industry has migrated to digital platforms, and as a result, players are now relying on online reviews to choose where to gamble. As the variety of online casino platforms continues to grow, market competitiveness increases, and the large variety becomes overwhelming for consumers. This is where online casino review sites like Casinostugan is crucial for players to compare and contrast the services and game selections of various casino platforms.

Unlike traditional e-commerce, where it is somewhat simple to assess product quality, online casinos are also subject to scrutiny regarding fairness, payout speed, customer support, and the level of security. This is why players turn to review platforms like Casinostugan to compare and contrast opportunities. For operators, maintaining a positive reputation on such platforms is critical to attract and retain players. Many casino operators therefore actively manage reviews, respond to feedback, and address negative comments transparently, in an attempt to create a trustworthy brand image.

How online reviews impact conversions

Research also found that online reviews have a direct impact on sales. Statistics shows that product pages featuring reviews achieve a higher conversion rate and more revenue per visitor compared to pages without reviews. This pattern goes across various industries, also for tech-based services. Whether it being for cloud storage, cybersecurity tools, or casino platforms, reviews can drive customer action as it provides social proof.

An interesting aspect is that a large number of reviews, even if they include some negative feedback, can still enhance credibility. This is because the average customer expects a balanced mix of reviews, resulting in users trusting platforms more when both positive and negative reviews are present. This added authenticity helps customers make more informed decisions.

How business leverage reviews for tech-based services

As much as reviews have many great features for consumers, so is it a tool for businesses to leverage as well. Online reviews have a power which businesses with tech-based services can harness, but this requires a strategic approach.

By seeing customer reviews as an endless source of opportunities, companies can improve their approach to customers, and how to meet changing consumer demands. Reviews does contain a lot of information that can be translated into tangible and feasible actions by any tech-based business.

Encouraging user feedback

For any business that wants to leverage reviews for improving services and products, it is crucial to encourage customers to leave reviews. There are various ways to achieve this through various channels such as email campaigns, social media, and during interactions with customer service. Most users are willing to provide feedback, with 70% of consumers saying they would be willing to leave a review if asked to do so.

Asking for feedback also entails doing it at the right moment. This can for example be after a service has been provided or when a milestone has been reached, since this can help the businesses increase the volume of reviews while also maintaining a steady influx of fresh testimonials.

Responding to reviews

One item that should be key in a strategy for leveraging reviews is responsiveness. For consumers, the interest is not just in reading reviews, but also to see how companies actively engage with feedback. More than half of consumers (53%) expect a reply to negative reviews, and 89% of consumers are more likely to use a business that reply to reviews.

However, it is not all companies that realize these potentials of responding to reviews. Statistics show that 87% of businesses do not address negative reviews at all. So, to sum up, for tech services, responding to reviews will allow the company to address customer concerns, while demonstrating that the company cares about the experiences and voices of their customers.

Speaking of negative reviews…

So, as we are speaking of negative reviews, there is no doubt that these are inevitable. However, they can also be turned into opportunities. Companies with a small percentage of negative reviews see a higher revenue than companies only having positive feedback. In other words, statistics actually show that the revenue for companies is higher with a percentage of negative reviews, and that this number diminishes for companies with fewer negative reviews.

This might seem contradictory, but negative reviews have a degree of authenticity which customers appreciate. For companies, addressing these negative reviews quickly and transparently can help retain customers, while also improving the service by resolving any outstanding issues.

Fighting fake reviews

In the past years, fake reviews have become an everyday challenge for companies. About 75% of consumers expresses concern about fake reviews, which is reflecting a growing awareness of the presence of such fake reviews. For tech services, and especially for online casinos and software solutions where trust is key, maintaining review integrity is critical to continuously foster trust. As a result, it is a necessity for businesses to actively monitor reviews for authenticity, and to flag and remove content that is not authentic.

Take the example of Google, which took drastic measures against fake reviews. The site deleted around 55 million reviews in 2020 that were deemed to be fake. It can be worth it for companies in tech spaces to implement a similar strategy based on review moderation tactics to detect suspicious patterns and take action. On the flipside, this is where comparing sites like Casinostugan is a great tool for consumers to leverage. At Casinostugan, reviews of online casinos are constantly monitored and updated by experts, which provides players with a great level of trust towards the reviews. Relying on expert reviews is a great way to ensure high quality of the review.

Showcasing reviews on websites and utilize reviews for SEO

Choosing to display reviews on websites is an effective way to influence purchasing behavior of consumers. Numbers show that product pages with visible user reviews see a higher conversation rate, since they provide useful information to potential customers, fostering a good environment for making informed decisions.

Online reviews are also a powerful SEO tool. Freshly user-generated content such as reviews will go in and improve a website’s search engine ranking, which makes it easier for potential customers to discover the page. Google and other platforms prioritize companies with regular review activity in search results, as this provides trust and transparency for online users, and this will consequently boost visibility. Encouraging this type of continuous feedback means that businesses can ensure continuous relevance and stay competitive in the ever-changing tech landscape.

Incentivizing reviews

Many companies have started to boost review generation by having incentives available for consumers. Incentives offered by companies include discounts, coupons, and exclusive features provided in exchange for feedback. The only flipside to this strategy is the slippery slope towards biased and inauthentic reviews.

It is important to maintain transparency and ensure that reviews based on incentives do not become biased and inauthentic, as this can undermine the reputation of a company. It is therefore important to manage this approach carefully.

Concluding remarks

As the world is becoming more and more digital, trust has become everything. This is why online reviews have become an essential tool for consumers and tech-based businesses alike, to maintain a high level of trust and interaction for the best user experience. Whether it being software companies, cloud service providers, or online casinos, reviews provide valuable insights about user experiences which ultimately can influence buying decisions.

Encouraging feedback and responding to reviews have become a crucial part of a strategic approach for companies who want their customers to be satisfied and feel heard in the vast landscape of online interactions. In industries built on trust, which is especially the case for online casinos, online reviews about online casino sites are crucial for players.

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Adobe is joining several other players in the generative AI (GAI) space by rolling out its own model. The Firefly Video Model is powering a number of features across the company’s wide array of apps. At Adobe MAX, the company announced that some of those are available in beta today.

is a Premiere Pro feature that Adobe . It enables editors to add generated footage and audio to the start or end of a clip. This can help cover a transition or edit if the required shot isn’t available. All editors need to do is drag out the beginning or end of a clip. Adobe says the tool can also correct eyelines and actions that change unexpectedly in the middle of a shot.

Adobe it worked with professional video editors over the last year to better understand how GAI could help resolve some issues in their workflow. While Generative Extend might give them the footage they need, other creatives may be less enthused. It may mean that reshoots are no longer required, taking days of work (and income) away from the cast and crew.

That said, Generative Extend is only intended for small tweaks. The feature is also limited to a maximum resolution of 1080p for now, so it’s not exactly cinema quality.

In September, Adobe its (similar to and ) and image-to-video features. Those are now available in the Firefly web app in beta, thought you may have to join a waitlist.

Adobe says that, like with other Firefly generative models, both the Firefly Video Model and the features it powers are designed to be safe for commercial use. Its Content Credentials watermarks are applied to whatever the video model outputs.

Elsewhere, Photoshop is Adobe , with Generative Fill and Generative Expand now running on the latest Firefly Image Model (the company says this can generate images four times faster than previous versions). The Generate Similar tool is fairly self-explanatory — it can generate variants of an object in the image until you find one you prefer. Adobe released those features today.

In addition, Adobe is adding a neat feature to the Remove tool, which lets you delete people and objects from an image with ease, like Google’s . With Distraction Removal, you can remove certain common elements with a single click. For instance, it can scrub unwanted wires and cables, and remove tourists from your travel photos.

Meanwhile, Frame.io V4, said to be the biggest update to the collaborative photo and video production platform since it debuted nine years ago, is available to all users. Adobe has entirely redesigned it to, for instance, improve workflows and upgrade the video player. It also emerged that Canon, Nikon and Leica will support , which allows for direct uploads of photos and videos to Frame.io. Adobe says that means most major manufacturers are now supporting C2C.

The League of Legends 2024 World Championship will be shown via IMAX in the Wanda chain of theaters in China.

Yes, gaming is going everywhere. Here’s another example. IMAX will broadcast the tournament in up to 200 Wanda locations across China over the next three weeks, including this weekend’s quarterfinals (October 17 to October 20), the semifinals (October 26 to October 27), and finals (November 2).

The events will be shown in exclusively in IMAX in Wanda theatres — the largest cinema chain in China. Four Chinese teams—Bilibili Gaming, LNG, Top Esports, and Weibo Gaming—have advanced to the quarterfinals, which is expected to spur interest among local audiences.

The release in IMAX locations was overseen by IMAX’s Streaming and Consumer Technology division. The group continues to test new technologies to expand the company’s connected theaters with new live experiences, including its sellout presentation of the NBA Finals in Hong Kong and Taiwan earlier this year.

IMAX China Holding, TJ Sports and Wanda Film teamed up on the deal. It’s going to be the first-ever esports event presented live in IMAX. The League of Legends World Championship will be available in up to 200 Wanda IMAX locations across China.

Powered by IMAX Live, the broader visual perspective, heart-pounding audio, and razor-sharp details of all the in-game action will take audiences to the edge of their seats and beyond, delivering an immersive viewing experience for esports fans.

This major new offering comes as the latest in a series of moves by IMAX to widen the aperture of its content offerings to cinema audiences. Combining the appeal of the globally popular esports IP, Wanda’s robust theater network, and IMAX’s stunning audiovisuals, the collaboration is set to attract a new and passionate audience group to theaters.

“From esports to sports to music, our content portfolio in China is more diverse than ever — as demand for IMAX grows and we become a destination for awe-inspiring experiences of all kinds,” said Daniel Manwaring, CEO of IMAX China, in a statement. “We are excited to achieve this groundbreaking cooperation with TJ Sports and Wanda and advance our live strategy in China, launching the world’s first IMAX esports live event with the famed League of Legends.”

In June, the 2024 NBA Finals were shown live for the first time in selected IMAX theaters in Hong Kong and Taiwan, allowing cinemagoers to witness the thrill of the games together with their fellow fans. In July, over 150 IMAX theaters in North America live-streamed the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, presenting an immersive experience to viewers half a world away from the action.

Beyond the excitement of major sports events, IMAX brought a unique experience to music lovers at the start of the year, with the music documentary “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” creating a concert-like atmosphere resulting in the best New Year’s Eve box office in IMAX China’s history.

The upcoming screening of the League of Legends championships will once again expand the scope of immersive experiences available to cinemagoers at IMAX, allowing an even wider range of audience groups to celebrate their passion together with fellow fans.

The latest version of Frame.io, Adobe’s review and collaboration platform for Video and photography, is rolling today, making it easier to manage sprawling creative projects in a single app. Available for all users on web, iPhone, and iPad, Frame.io V4 is the biggest update to the platform since it was launched in 2015, according to Adobe, and adds new tagging and collaboration features that make it feel more like a workflow management tool, such as Trello and Asana.

It includes the “metadata” tagging model that was introduced in beta earlier this year, which allows users to assign custom tags like media type, assignee, due date, social media platform, and more to their files, making them easier to manage and review. Projects can also be broken down into new “Collections” folders that automatically update to reflect any changes or comments made to work, creating a smoother collaboration process for teams or multiple users.

Climate change is top of mind across the world. Carbon emissions—acting as greenhouse gases—trap the sun’s heat, which leads to global warming. The world now warms faster than at any point in recorded history. As the warmer temperatures change weather patterns, they pose risks to humans.

The fossil fuels that generate carbon emissions—coal, oil, and gas—contribute significantly to climate change. They account for more than 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions.

Redbox kiosks have been a familiar sight across the country since the first ones went into operation some 20 years ago.

But changing technology and the expansion of streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ have seen the DVD vending machines fall out of favor, and earlier this year Redbox’s parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

While some of Redbox’s 34,000 or so kiosks are still operational at places like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Kroger, those businesses are now making plans to switch them off for good and get rid of them, the Wall Street Journal reported.

But the removal process isn’t as straightforward as you might imagine as the machines weigh a hefty 890 pounds and are often anchored onto a concrete base.

Still, that didn’t stop North Carolina resident Jacob Helton from acquiring his very own Redbox machine after he struck a deal with a contractor that had come to clear it from outside his local drugstore.

Helton told the Journal that he wanted the kiosk because “Redbox is important in the history of American media. Its collapse marks the end of the video rental era.”

Each Redbox kiosk can hold around 600 movie DVDs (they also offered games until 2019) and Helton plans to give away the ones in his machine and replace them with his own DVD collection.

Whether the kiosks are sent to the scrap yard or snapped up by enthusiasts like Helton, retailers will be keen to offload them at the earliest opportunity. Walgreens, for example, spends around $184,000 a month to power nearly 5,400 of the machines, and they’re taking up space that can be used for other facilities.

One removal company based in Alabama said it’s so far taken away nearly 50 of the kiosks and gathered around 20,000 DVDs for recycling, collecting up to $200 per removal and up to $70 for the scrap metal.

With so many machines still dotted around the country, and the removal process set to take some time, it’ll be a while yet before the iconic Redbox machines disappear entirely from the urban landscape.