Hi,
In my opinion, Google definitely does take certain reviews into account when ranking sites. What I mean by that, is reviews that can actually be measured numerically.
These are the two types of reviews that I believe affect rankings:
- Google + reviews
- Reviews using schema to markup the rating
Both the above can be easily measured by using the number of stars, points etc (which all represent a percentage out of 100%).
By using a very simple algorithm, you could collect this information from across the internet and calculate how well on average a particular website (this can also be done for products, recipes etc.) ranks with the public.
We have also had our fair share of negative reviews (it has to be expected) and have actively sought to increase our positive ones (honestly and naturally) to combat this. For us, it seems to have worked successfully.
What's your opinion on this?