With 2025 almost behind us, we’ve taken a moment to look at how Hellopeter has grown over the past year. Many of the updates made a noticeable difference in how people share feedback and how businesses build trust.
This year, we focused on strengthening the foundations of trust: improving platform integrity, refining how ratings work, making reviews more meaningful, and amplifying the voices that need to be heard.
“2025 was about removing the barriers that slow down progress. We rebuilt core parts of the platform so that in 2026, we can move faster, deliver more impact, and continue giving businesses and consumers a place where trust truly matters.”
– Alon Rom, CEO of Hellopeter.
With that vision front and centre, here’s a closer look at the biggest updates, campaigns, and milestones that shaped our Hellopeter Community’s year.
A Platform Evolving: Key Features We Rolled Out in 2025
From security enhancements to richer reviews, this year’s updates were all about quality of data, insights, and the customer experience.
1. Reviews That Are Richer and More Meaningful
This year, we introduced a minimum 10-word requirement and a one-word title for every review.
Why it matters:
- Clearer feedback and more value
- Better context for businesses
- More credible insights for customers
This seemingly small change had a major impact on review depth across the platform.
2. Ratings Now Reflect Only the Most Recent 12 Months
We’ve updated how ratings work so they reflect businesses as they are today, not what they were like years ago.
Therefore, their star rating and review count now look only at the past 12 months, giving customers a true sense of their current performance.
And with our new interactive trends chart, visitors can explore how a business’s rating has changed over time. It’s a much fairer, more transparent way to understand reputation.
It’s important to note that older reviews are not gone. Customers and businesses can still filter to view those.
3. Stronger Security Through OTP Verification
We strengthened the backbone of the Hellopeter platform by implementing one-time PIN (OTP) verification for every reviewer.
That simple extra step has made a big difference and is aligned with trusted international review platforms. This one added step has already had a real impact, reducing fake accounts and filtering out unreliable reviews, and creating a safer, more trustworthy space for both businesses and consumers.
4. WhatsApp Reviews Took Over
WhatsApp reviews truly stepped into the spotlight this year, becoming the most popular way for South Africans to share their experiences on Hellopeter.
Consumers love how quick and familiar it feels, and businesses are seeing noticeably higher response rates as a result. It’s a clear sign that mobile-first, conversational feedback is becoming the new standard.
In 2025, on average, 51% of Hellopeter’s reviews were written via the Hellopeter WhatsApp chatbot.
5. Voices for Change: Our Women’s Month Impact
One of the most meaningful moments of the year was our Voices for Change campaign in partnership with Women for Change, a non-profit organisation fighting gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa.
Here’s what made it powerful:
- Every review and business signup in August resulted in a donation made
- Many joined the movement through stories and awareness
- Influencers across TikTok and Instagram helped amplify the message
- We highlighted inspiring women leaders creating impact in their industries
Read insightful stories of women leading the way in their various industries.
It turned out to be more than a campaign; it became a message our community helped amplify in a big way.
Our Top Social Moments
2025 was a big year for community conversations on social media.
On LinkedIn
Our Women’s Month leadership features were a standout hit.
On TikTok
Our Valentine’s Day Cape Town Vox Pop had the community hooked.
On Instagram
The Voices for Change x Women for Change collaboration resonated deeply.
On Facebook
Our “Local is lekker” push for small business reviews sparked heartfelt engagement.
On YouTube
Tutorials like How to Create a Hellopeter Business Account set new view records.
Success Story: Super Communications
Super Communications proved the power of authentic customer feedback.
This year, they:
- Achieved the #1 spot in three industries
- Reached a TrustIndex of 9.6
- Built a reputation rooted in transparency
Their story shows what’s possible when businesses lean into customer voices.
Behind the Scenes: Insights from Our Team Leaders
Our team worked through a year of growth, innovation, and collaboration. Here’s what they had to say:
“The WhatsApp Invite was the most dangerous weapon this year – slicing through customer apathy like a legend… and our team stood strong through every Cloudflare outage and every moment of chaos.”
– Anna Beukes, Customer Success Manager
“This year was defined by perseverance, partnership, and performance. Most importantly, we earned trust.”
– Phillip Gouws, Brand Strategist
“We experimented boldly, and that mindset helped us turn challenges into opportunities for meaningful progress.”
– Carlyn Evertson, Web Developer
“Design is where storytelling meets purpose. Every pixel this year was crafted to spark trust.”
– Khanyisani Makhathini, Multimedia Designer
Looking Ahead to 2026
Now that the heavy lifting is done, we’re heading into 2026 with more room to innovate, refine, and give both businesses and consumers even stronger tools to build and recognise trust.
Thank you for growing with us. This platform moves forward because you show up, share your experiences, and value honesty as much as we do.
Here’s to a 2026 filled with progress, impact, and stronger customer voices.
