# Where We Rate: The Impact of Urban Characteristics on Digital Reviews and Ratings
## 5 Discussion
The findings from FS 1 suggest that the proximity to dense, active urban zones remains a key determinant of consumer engagement, supporting its strong predictive power in the model. In our study, the relationship between residential density and review volumes further illustrates how stable population clusters near venues ensure frequent consumer interaction and feedback. Furthermore, the alignment of pedestrian density with this theory highlights its role as a proxy for a catalyst of foot traffic, reinforcing the significance of dense, accessible urban zones in shaping digital consumer behavior. The comparable importance of FS3 (or together with FS4) to FS1 indicates that visitors' scores are influenced not only by the immediate surrounding environment (e.g., population density and foot traffic) but also by the venue's strategic position within the urban network. A place located at a highly central node may benefit from increased exposure and better accessibility, aligning with urban mobility theories that emphasize the importance of both local density and global connectivity. Our findings reveal that pedestrian density plays a crucial role in shaping both review volumes and visitor scores, a result that aligns with [PERSON] et al. [20], who highlighted the significance of pedestrian activity in influencing social media engagement. However, our research extends this understanding by incorporating dynamic pedestrian data, such as peak-hour movement, and centrality features to evaluate its impact on consumer behavior. This dynamic- and network-based approach provides a more granular understanding compared to previous studies. A deeper analysis of centrality measures reveals nuanced impacts on prediction outcomes. Specifically, primal centrality metrics, such as betweenness and closeness, improved the prediction of visitors' scores by highlighting well-connected nodes within the network. These measures reflect how accessible or integrated a venue is within the broader street network. Conversely, dual centrality measures, which evaluate segment-based connectivity, had limited effectiveness in predicting review volumes. This indicates that while network-level integration impacts the perceptions of venues, localized factors may drive review generation. Moreover, our integration of geometric street features, such as sinuosity and the proximity to main roads, addresses a gap in the existing literature. [PERSON] et al. [26] suggested that review volumes depend primarily on trustworthiness, but our study shows that urban spatial configurations can also play a significant role, adding a new layer to the discourse on digital consumer behavior. Also, the findings of this study align with the analysis conducted in [11], which demonstrated the influence of spatial correlation with digital footprints in the self-organized city of Matera, Italy. Our results suggest that the spatial variables emphasized in [11] may have differing impacts in certain contexts; for instance, the negative effect of centrality metrics on review volumes in Melbourne implies that while broader network-level integration improves consumer experiences, the act of leaving a review is more affected by localized factors, such as the pedestrian density around the venue, the street geometry (e.g., sinuosity or proximity to main roads) or the venue's specific spatial catchment area as defined by Voronoi polygons. The study highlights the dual influence of the broader urban structure and immediate local factors on consumer behaviors. While centrality and pedestrian flow data inform network-level engagement trends, features like street sinuosity and proximity suggest that localized elements also shape consumer decision-making. This interplay suggests that strategies targeting venue success must consider both macro- and micro-scale dynamics. The analysis also underscores the importance of geometric measures: street sinuosity and the proximity to roads.