How Are Average Star Ratings Calculated and Managed on RateMyAgent?
Star ratings on RateMyAgent play an essential role in showcasing customer feedback. This article explains how average star ratings are calculated, managed, and updated, addressing common scenarios where discrepancies may arise.
How Are Average Star Ratings Calculated?
The average star rating is determined using the following formula:
Summing All Received Stars: Add all the stars you've received from your reviews.
Dividing by Total Reviews: Divide the total number of stars by the total number of reviews.
For example:
If you have received 51 five-star reviews and 5 four-star reviews: - Total stars = (51 × 5) + (5 × 4) = 255 + 20 = 275 stars. - Total reviews = 56. - Average = 275 ÷ 56 = 4.91 (rounded to 4.9).
This calculation explains why your star rating may display as 4.9 despite having a majority of 5-star reviews.
Why Doesn’t My Star Rating Change Immediately After New Reviews?
Adding new reviews, even with high scores, doesn’t always result in an immediate increase in your average. This depends on how the additional stars affect the overall calculation. For instance:
If your rating summary includes: - 54 five-star reviews (270 stars), 5 four-star reviews (20 stars), 3 two-star reviews (6 stars), and 1 one-star review (1 star). - Total stars = 297. - Total reviews = 63, resulting in an average of 4.8.
Adding one more 5-star review increases the total stars to 302, and the total reviews to 64. This results in a recalculated average of 4.79, rounded up to 4.8, meaning sufficient additional high ratings are required to visibly push the average higher.
What is the Threshold for a 5-Star Average Rating?
To achieve a full 5-star rating, the average must meet or exceed 4.96, as the system rounds up from this value. For example:
If your current rating is 4.94, based on 18 five-star and 1 four-star reviews, you would need 10 additional five-star reviews to reach the required threshold for rounding up to 5 stars.
A simple formula is:
Total Stars ÷ Total Number of Reviews ≥ 4.96
If the average falls below 4.96, such as 4.936, the system rounds it down to 4.9.
What Counts as a Verified Review and Why Does It Matter?
On RateMyAgent, only verified vendor reviews contribute to certain statistics and awards, such as the Review-to-Sales Ratio (RSR). To qualify as verified:
The review must be unique and tied to a property sold within the calendar year.
For example, if you have reviews for three sold properties but only two are verified, you need three more unique vendor reviews to meet the eligibility criteria.
Conclusion
Understanding how star ratings are calculated and updated on RateMyAgent helps you manage expectations and improve your profile’s visibility. By consistently gathering verified, high-rated reviews, you can enhance your average over time while ensuring data accuracy during manual inputs.