It’s rare these days for a consumer to buy a product without doing any prior research. Before you make a reservation at a new-to-you restaurant, you might ask a friend if they’ve been. If they’re effusive, you’ll make that reservation. If they tell you the shrimp gave them food poisoning, we’re sure you’d find somewhere else – or at least avoid the seafood starter!
Similarly, when buying products or services online, consumers like to know what other people think of it before committing. According to BrightLocal, 82% of consumers read online reviews before buying. It’s clear that product reviews are crucial to a business. They help consumers make important decisions. A brand’s reputation can be improved by good reviews. The customer can gain insight into the product’s usability before purchasing.
So now you know that they’re so important, you’re probably wondering how to write a product review. Well, it depends on what type you want to go for! We’ve rounded up an example product review article (or four!) to show you how to write a product review that will mean more converted customers and sales.
But first, what are some product review examples?
These are the main types of product reviews you’re likely to find online:
- Professional reviews from industry experts
- Buyer’s guides (independent reviews for the consume)
- Blogger reviews
- Affiliate reviews
- Customer reviews
We’ll take a look at each type to demonstrate how to write a product review in each case. Except, of course, customer reviews.
Important!
If you own a business, please do not try and play the system by writing your own ‘customer reviews’. This year there has been a huge crack down on fake reviews on eBay and Facebook. Not only is it bad practice, but it can damage your business’ reputation.
Instead, try sending out reminder emails to customers who have recently bought one of your products. A gentle nudge asking them to leave a review often works, especially if you remind them how crucial reviews are for small businesses.
Now, let’s move onto some examples of how to write a product review.
1. Professional reviews
Technology is one of those industries where people rely heavily on expert reviews. Tech products and services are often expensive, so making the wrong choice is not an option for many consumers. Asking friends and family isn’t really that helpful here either. Unless they happen to be a tech expert, it’s likely they can’t give you a very in depth review.
Thankfully there are websites such as Software Informer to make a client’s decision-making easier. Software Informer covers a huge range of programmes and software and provides comprehensive reviews.
The first thing you’ll notice about the above screenshot is how organised it is, with tags and clearly delineated boxes. This is crucial on a site where there are an overwhelming number of reviews.
The star rating system makes it easy for customers to see at a glance whether they’re interested. Once you click into a review, they give you the essential facts of the product at the top:
You can see that this example product review article is very straight-forward, mainly sticking to the properties of the software. It’s not effusive or overly complimentary, as the site needs to maintain its professionalism.
2. Buyer’s Guides
Buyer’s guides provide a similar round-up of reviews, but usually they are not in one specific niche. Websites such as Which? are independently run, meaning they can be completely unbiased. They cover a huge range of products, bringing together reviews from many different sectors.
These websites use a slightly more informal tone than the professional review sites. They feel more like they’re on the customer’s side. For example, let’s look at how to write a product review article for a buyer’s guide using this Nespresso-compatible Pods article.
They set out exactly what the article is going to do in the introduction – note the friendly tone of the writing.
As Which? is funded by customers, you need an account to see the details, but you can still see below the clear, informative way they lay out their facts:
They include the essential information at the top, and then the review underneath in an easy-to-read manner. This format makes it easy for the consumer to scan the list and glean the information they most need – such as price.
3. Affiliate Reviews
You can find reviews for products and services on all sorts of websites, not just ones designated solely to reviews. Niche websites everywhere make the most out of affiliate marketing by creating round-up posts which contain affiliate links. If you own an e-commerce store selling products you don’t manufacture yourself, reviews are important here too.
Round-up posts are one of the most popular, as they are easy to read and give the buyer a lot of options to consider. Let’s take a look at an example for how to write a product review in listicle format.
Creative Bloq is an arts and design inspiration website with a vast array of articles. They cover everything from industry news to product reviews. Check out this listicle featuring the best office chairs (and note the pertinent theme too, as more people are working from home).
Keep the title short and to the point. Don’t jump straight into the list either – write out a nice introduction so the reader knows what to expect. These types of posts are also great for increasing social media traffic – you’ll notice the social media buttons at the top.
The list itself follows the same format all the way through.
There’s always a picture so that the customer can see exactly what the product looks like. Then all the essential information is listed in an easily scannable list at the top. The website keeps the review fair and balanced, listing both pros and cons of each chair. Then the body of text expands on the product’s key selling points.
Of course, at the side, you’ve got direct links to the products at various sites. This is handy for both the reader and the website, as they’ll earn commissions when someone buys something via that link.
Blogger Reviews
Although blogger’s are also likely to make use of affiliate links on their sites, their reviews are often a lot more in-depth and personal than affiliate reviews or professional reviews. They might have been gifted the product in exchange for an honest review, which is something you can do if you own a business.
Bloggers are known for their friendly tones and personal approach. They often tell stories with their posts, rather than simply trying to sell a product (which still might happen!).
There are thousands of examples of excellent blogger product reviews out there. Take this double roller blinds installation review from The Carpenter’s Daughter, or this one of a greenhouse from Down To Earth. You’ll notice straight away that these reviews are so much more in-depth than the round-ups. Often the product is the sole focus of the blog post. This allows for more room for photos and getting into the particulars.
Product reviews such as these allow the reader to see exactly how the product might function in their own homes (or gardens). They’re incredibly valuable to a business, as they often have a trusting relationship with their readers!
Still don’t know how to write a product review? Call in the experts!
Not sure how to put together that converting product review for your website? If you need a helping hand when it comes to writing product reviews, let us help you! We can help you increase customer conversions on your site with our product review writing service. Get in touch today to see how we can help.
