I love product reviews. They're useful, informative and often point me towards the buying decision that's right for me. Apparently 70% of online shoppers seek out a product review before they buy. (Haven't you checked out reader comments on Amazon?) But, you know, they vary in quality enormously. So I got thinking - what makes a blisteringly good product review?
This informative article shares five tips that will help you next time you write a product review.
First – really spell out in detail who this product is for. Give a good buyer's description. If it is software, is it for beginners, intermediates, or experts? If it's a product – say a kitchen appliance – do you need to be a gourmet cook to get the most out of it? Try to give your views on who the ideal buyer would be.
Second – describe the product in real detail, warts and all. People want to know exactly what's in the box, so include everything – dimensions, weight, accompanying instructions, guarantees, delivery details. If something wasn't quite right for you, say so.
Third – always provide a picture of the product. Better still, upload a video. The latter is extremely powerful – remember those YouTube videos of the first iPhones being taken out of the box? A buyer can relate immediately to it. And you could record yourself using the product, showing what it does, good and bad.
Fourth – don't be scared of being blunt if you feel there is a shortcoming. You're much more credible if you are honest; if there isn't anything negative in your product review, people will smell a rat. (Of course, if you are really ecstatic about it, that will come over as well.) And if there are rumours of a negative in the market place (weak signal on a smartphone, for instance, and you find the opposite, you can turn the negative into a positive comment.)
Fifth - next steps. Don't leave the reader or view hanging on in mid-air. Be sure to tell them where they can buy the product. Give the download URL, the contact number or the address of the product manufacturer. Give the price, shipping details and any rebate coupons that may be available. Tell them where they can find more reviews, if they want them.
If you enjoy writing product reviews you could find that you have an income generating opportunity. After you have written ten or twenty, you can build a web 2.0 site (i.e. a website with pages that are really interactive) and drive traffic to it. But your reviews will need to be punchy, authoritative, and useful – so follow these five tips! My best to you.