Product reviews are all the rage today in affiliate marketing. They give buyers an idea of what to expect from the product and a link where they can buy it. If you know how to create good product reviews, you’ll boost your sales.
But most people don’t understand the basics of writing them. Your product review shouldn’t sell to the customer; it should provide them with information. They’re not searching for reviews in order to see a sales page. They want information and if you provide that information, you’ve got a better chance at getting conversions.
The Science Of Structuring
Structuring your product reviews is all-important. You should have a template that you use for every review and you should test these templates to find the best one. Once you find one that converts, stick to it.
There are many ways to go about it, but here’s what works for me:
- The title should basically be ‘(Product Name) Review’ and not much more. This is just search engine fodder, so don’t worry about getting too creative. It should tell the reader quickly and simply what they’ve found.
- The introduction should just introduce the product and possibly mention the reader’s pain, problem or question. Don’t make it too long and keep it relevant. .
- You should start the body with the product’s features and their benefits. Bullet points or short paragraphs are good. Here, the reader is wondering what the product promises to do.
- After you’ve gone over the features, describe in-depth how the product works based on personal experience (or other reviews). At this point, the reader’s asking, ‘Does it work?’
Experiment with structures a little and see what works. As an experienced product review writer, I know that there are lots of different templates that work.
Be Honest
People know when they’re reading something that’s promotional hype. Because of this, it actually increases your conversion rate if you’re honest about the product’s shortcomings. After you’ve gone over the features and benefits, always include a few honest disadvantages.
Don’t say: ‘One downside is that this product is crap!’ While some reviewer might have said that, you should pass over it. Instead, look for things that could be improved about the product. Think about things a person really should know before they buy. If you’re a good writer (or you hire a good writer), you can take the bite out of those negatives so that they won’t turn people off from buying the product.
The FTC Doesn’t Like Fake Personal Reviews
Also, keep in mind that it’s illegal to fraudulently claim that you own the product when you don’t. Because of this, you might want to either actually buy it (of course!), or cite other reviews, like those on Amazon. Instead of saying, ‘When I used this product, I thought that…’ say, ‘Online reviews say that when they used this product, they thought that…’ ‘Online reviews of (product name)’ is often a good keyword phrase to use as well.
If done right, product reviews are a great way to get traffic to the product you’re promoting. Amazon and other online merchants have made it easy for you; all you need to do is crank out those reviews.
From the Author:
I write web content – www.gregscottwrites.com. I’m also an Internet marketer, writing coach, and musician (okay, I don’t make any money on that last one). I write quality content on any and all topics but specialize in IM, self-improvement and alternative spirituality. I also blog about Japan at www.blogitjapan.com
Hi Chris,
These are
great tips on writing product reviews. I know I am naive, but I really believe that if you write about it (endorsing it) you should, in fact, have used it. I also think a review that refers to what other reviewers thought of the product is kind of lame. If you sell a product, you should have tried it, stand behind it and honestly know what it does and doesn't do. I agree with you, I think potential customers pick up on dishonesty and honesty. For those that sell a variety of products, I would think that a template would be very valuable and time saving.
thanks Ann. I can't take credit for the article though. I posted it but it was written by Greg Scott. I do agree with you however that it's critical to have used a product that you are reviewing. It's so easy to see through people that write reviews for money without having actually used or believing in the product they are writing about.