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.
Product Reviews Make Great Content If…
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 to your readers. In my case, I also like doing product reviews to showcase the photos I took of the product. Check out these great cat scratching boxes that my cats love and I’m not just saying it because I photographed them. This is also another great example of how to creatively connect your blog posts. I’m really glad I’m doing this 30 day blogging tips challenge because it’s having me go back and take a second look at some of my older blog posts and reshare and connect them to newer blog posts.
Additionally I recommend you only review products you’ve bought yourself. Mention that in the review. 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, 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. Who would you recommend it for and is it something you’ll continue to use. That’s all valuable information that your readers are looking for. Use your own photos 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. 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 just started a post about a popular hotel where I stayed recently. People love it, and I did too. But there were a few things that I think people need to know before they go. Thanks for giving me tips and permission to share my experience with my audience.
I do reviews but only on products I would use or books I actually want to read and I’ve found somethings weren’t to my liking or didn’t work and I always post both the positive and negative because when purchasing products I like to know both. Have a good weekend and thanks for sharing a post on product reviews which isn’t easy.