Are product reviews really important to your content marketing? Considering that 88 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, according to BrightLocal, the answer is an overwhelming “yes!”
If you work with an affiliate site, you should absolutely consider writing product reviews. They’re an effective soft sell promotional tool. And they help move prospects down the sales funnel when they’re making choices on their final options for purchase.
You may feel conflicted writing a product review as a marketer. While you want to rave about how great your product is, you know that’s not the appropriate tone for a review, nor will it appear authentic to the reader.
To develop compelling product reviews for your content program, consider these 6 golden rules:
Be honest
Always be honest. No product is perfect and readers will clearly recognize hype-only reviews. Address the positive features as well as some of the drawbacks. Convey the facts in a friendly, approachable tone. Skip the jargon.
Keep it brief
Strive to hit on the key points within one to two paragraphs. There’s no need to create long-winded reviews – that’s what the sales page is for. Discuss the product in general and entice the reader to click and learn more.
Use the product
If possible, see and use the product before writing the review. This will help you develop an authentic opinion for better copy creation. If this is not always possible, look at the sales page and research what others are saying on the Internet to create the review.
Don’t always give it 5 stars
Most product reviews have a rating system, the most popular of which seems to be up to five stars. You don’t always have to rate products as five stars – four here and there will increase credibility.
Don’t keyword stuff
Tracking keyword density in a product review is generally a waste of time. Write as you would naturally. You do need to include the product name, of course; another good golden rule is to do so in the first and the last sentences.
Go for the negative
Negative reviews attract a lot of attention, capture a reader’s curiosity and intrigue them enough to learn more and click through. You need to be crafty, though, in your copy. A basic example: a particular vacuum is far too small for a mansion and is better suited for an apartment dweller.
For some great insights on other top formats for your content marketing, check out this post on Brandpoint’s best picks.
