How it works

How Our ROI Calculator Works

Built on public data and published research, with clear limits.

Research-based estimates
Free to use
No personal data required

Methodology

We combine your public platform data with published research and simple capacity checks. Examples below use typical U.S. restaurants.

1

Fetch your public ratings

We use your Google Business Profile and optional Tripadvisor URLs to read your current rating and review count.

2

Set realistic targets

Choose rating targets and monthly new reviews. We weight platforms by importance.

3

Apply demand uplift curves

We estimate visits associated with higher ratings using research. This is correlational, not causal.

4

Check capacity and costs

We cap demand by your capacity and subtract staff/software costs to estimate net impact.

What the research says

Academic research finds higher online ratings are associated with increased revenue, especially for independent restaurants in the U.S. Results vary by market.

Ratings correlate with visits

Higher star ratings are associated with more visits and revenue.

Independent restaurants benefit most

Smaller operators can see stronger effects than chains.

New reviews sustain trust

A steady flow of authentic reviews supports discovery and credibility.

No guarantees

Results vary by market, competition, seasonality, and execution.

A practical example

An illustrative U.S. scenario with typical numbers. Edit yours in the calculator.

Current vs. improved reputation

Current Situation:
Current monthly revenue — $50,000
Current average rating — 4.0 stars
After Improvement:
With targets — 4.6 stars, +10 reviews/month
Projected monthly lift — +$1,500 (estimate)

Important limitations

Published research observed that higher ratings are associated with more visits and revenue. Use these estimates responsibly.

  • This shows correlation, not causation—results depend on execution.
  • Capacity constraints can limit upside potential.
  • Seasonality and market competition affect demand.
  • Data quality matters; verify URLs and ratings are accurate.

Academic source

Based on published research; read the paper.

Reviews, Reputation, and Revenue
Harvard Business School research (Michael Luca)
Read the study

Ready to see your estimate?

Use the calculator with your real numbers.

Takes 5 minutes
Uses your real data
Completely free

Only your email required • No credit card • No commitment

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