Image courtesy of joeltelling.

Not only are product reviews an exceptional tool to drive traffic to a website, but they are a great way to overcome a bout of blog writer’s block. When you are out of ideas for fresh content a product review can be a fairly quick and easy post to write. And a well-written review becomes very valuable content as shoppers seek them out regularly. Product reviews are also an excellent marketing tool for affiliate marketers to pre-sell products. (Note: When using reviews as affiliate marketing tool, be sure to understand and comply with the FTC rules and guidelines for disclosing affiliate relationships and using testimonials.)

To be effective, a product review must be believable. Here are a few tips for writing great product reviews.

1. Answer these questions in your review:
   • What does the product promise?
   • How well does it achieve those goals?
   • Is it a good value?
   • What are the drawbacks of the product?
2. In addition to writing a single product review, consider comparing two similar products. Consider what features to compare. If you talk about the cost of one product, be sure to talk about the cost of the other. If you have a bias toward one product, be honest and tell readers that you prefer one over the other but don’t leave out features or drawbacks simply because they place a preferred product in a darker light.
3. Be honest. You want visitors to respect your opinion and in the case of affiliate product reviews, make a purchase. Write the review as if talking to a friend. This not only enhances the copy because it’s written conversationally, but it will ensure that the review feels genuine to its reader.
4. While it is possible to learn enough about a product to review it without trying it, I don’t recommend it, especially when you’re first learning to write reviews. Again, consider your readers. How might they react if they buy something based on your review and then learn that you never tried the product?

Product reviews can end up being some of the most frequently read content on your sites. Use them to your advantage to not only attract visitors, but to build trust.

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