Product Reviews Make Great Content If…
Product reviews among bloggers and blog readers have gotten a bit of bad rep over the past few years, as many companies send products to bloggers for free along with a set of talking points or benefits to mention that have been crafted by their PR team and Advertising Agency. Let’s just say the end result wasn’t always an honest review of the product.
That said, I think there’s still a place and a need for good product reviews and they can make great content for your blog but you’ve got to do it right. Readers can spot a phony review from a mile away and it will hurt your credibility. An honest review of a product you’ve actually used on the other hand can be very helpful. Check out a review post I did on the editorial scheduling tool I use to manage my blog:
Only review products you’re actually using and are finding helpful or worth the money. Don’t review something just to make a quick buck on a sponsored post or affiliate commission. Keep the big picture in mind. You want to be a source of value for your readers.
Additionally, I recommend you only review the products you’ve bought yourself. Mention that in the review as it adds a lot of credibility to your product review but it’s also a good filter for what to review. If you wouldn’t buy it, then why would you expect your readers to fork over their hard-earned money?
Use the product and put it through its paces. How is it working? How is it holding up? What do you love about it, what do you hate about it. Who would you recommend it for and is it something you’ll continue to use. That’s all the valuable information that your readers are looking for. Use your own pictures and possibly even unboxing videos and demos if you can.
Don’t be afraid to point out anything you don’t like about a product. Let your readers know if you think it’s a deal-breaker, or if not, how you’re getting around it or why you’re continuing to use it despite the drawbacks. Maybe a kitchen appliance isn’t easy to clean, but it does such a great job that it’s worth the messy clean-up job.
Mentioning anything you don’t like about a product again lends credibility to your review. and your readers will pay more attention and be more likely to take you up on the recommendation if you sound credible. Try it.
Implement these tips and product reviews can become a very educational, popular and potentially profitable part of your blogging schedule.
I hope you join me and follow along in this 30-Day Challenge. If you haven’t already done so, you can sign up for the daily emails where I’ll share the day’s post and some other bits and pieces with you here. And feel free to invite other bloggers who may find this information helpful.
P.S. You know being a good biz owner and blogger isn’t easy, you’ve got to stay organized. If that is something you aren’t doing well and you have a cluttered workspace to prove it, grab my list of 101 tips.
