Almost 90% of consumers are influenced by reviews read on social media.
3XE is a digital search and social media marketing conference examining how people use social media.
More than 600 experts and global marketing professionals have arrived in Dublin today for the seminar.
Director of 3XE Digital Anthony Quigley said the process of researching products and services has moved online, saying: "If you're thinking about buying something and you get references from a lot of other people, that's going to make your decision a little bit easier."
Meanwhile, Irish people are spending more time online than they are sleeping.
A new survey shows that we're spending more than eight hours a day on the internet, with more than half of people admitting they could not live without it.
The study by MediaCom has revealed that people are spending most time on social media, with Facebook the most popular website.