Today’s task in the 31 Days to Build a Better blog is another writing challenge – I’d like you to write a ‘review post’.
I know that many bloggers already write ‘reviews’ on their blogs but you can never have enough practice on this type of post.
The web is increasingly being used by people to research purchases and help them make decisions.
I’ve not got any stats on this but looking at the types of words and phrases that people type into Google to find my blogs there’s some strong anecdotal evidence that people are actively using the web to seek advice – reviews on your blog position yourself well to meet this need that people have.
The other great thing about review posts is that they show you have opinions on your topic – this makes an impression upon readers and increases the likelihood that they’ll see you as an authority or resource on the topic that you’re writing about.
Reviews Not Relevant for Your Blog?
You might be thinking to yourself right now that your blog isn’t suited to ‘review’ posts. You don’t write about products and can’t think of any books that might relate to your topic?
Fear not – all you need to do is think a little creatively to still be able to do today’s challenge. Here are a few ideas:
- Review a book
- Review a movie or TV show relevant to your audience
- Review another website in your niche
- Review a restaurant if you’re a food blogger
- Review an article from a magazine or website
- Review a hotel, tourist destination or airline if you’re a travel blogger
- Review an outfit that a celebrity is wearing if you’re a fashion blogger
- Review a speech given by a politician if you’re a political blogger
- Review a gadget if you’re a tech blogger
- Review a tool or piece of equipment relevant to your niche
- Review an exhibition or gallery if you’re an Art Blogger
- Review a toy if you’re a Mom or Dad Blogger
- Review an instrument if you’re a music blogger
Really the list could go on an on – there’s so much scope with this type of post.
Tips on Writing Effective Reviews on your Blog
- Give an opinion – people read reviews to help them make a decision. As a result they want opinions – so don’t be afraid to give them. If something that you review is not very good – don’t be afraid to say so. This builds credibility with your audience and shows that you’re willing to give real advice.
- Give a Rating – Tied to the ‘opinion’ point above – I find that when you give some kind of concrete rating in a review that readers generally respond well.
- Be balanced – giving an opinion doesn’t mean you can’t be balanced. Reviews that give both positives and negatives are more rounded and helpful to readers.
- Think about keywords – as you’re writing your review think about the words and phrases that people will be searching for in search engines to find this information. It’ll vary from topic to topic but I find words like ‘price’, ‘problems’, ‘review’ etc are often search for. Also make sure you use the name of the thing you’re reviewing at least a few times (especially in the title). Don’t let your review become dominated by keywords (write for people as your primary audience rather than search engines) but do use your common sense to also optimize your post well for SEO.
- Make Comparisons – one thing I find readers respond to well is when you compare a product with another in its class. If you’ve already written a review on the thing you’re comparing to make sure you link between them.
- Don’t be Afraid to use an Affiliate Link – if there’s an affiliate program associated with what you’re reviewing don’t be afraid to use it. Different bloggers will have different stances on this one but in terms of pure conversion rates on affiliate links – a well written and balanced review can be very good at driving sales.
- Say who it’s good for – ‘is this right for me?’ is a question that many of your readers will be asking. As a result – share who you think a product, service etc is right for. Tied to this – if appropriate talk about how you’d use a product – what reasons would someone need or use it. Also any tips to help those who do buy the product to use it can really lift a review. The more you can tie your review to the real life of your readers the better.
- Be Personal – I find that it is often the more personal reviews that tell the story of using something that seem to connect with readers the best when we publish reviews on my photography site. Making a connection with your readers by sharing your story and even showing real life pictures/video (as opposed to or in addition to official product pictures) can really make a difference.
- Visuals Count – on that note, anything that can help your readers visualize the product you’re reviewing will help. Use pictures, videos, screen captures, diagrams etc wherever you can to add depth to your review post.
- Give Details on How to Get the Item – if your review is about something that people can buy or get for themselves give as much relevant information on how they can get it and how much it’ll cost.
If you have any further tips on writing reviews I’d love to hear them below.
Once you’ve written your review post for today please share a link to it below and tell us how you found the exercise. You can also feel free to share in the forum post dedicated to this task.
Want More?This task is a sample of one of the tasks in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Workbook – a downloadable resource designed to reinvigorate and revitalize blogs. Join over 14,000 other bloggers and Get your Copy Today. |
This post has given me some additional ideas for my blog. Throughout my blogging life, I never thought that I can write a review of so many things. There were blogs focused on specific niches and I always had the mentality of reviewing something that would reward me monetarily only. Probably that is the biggest obstacle in our mindset. We can succeed only if shed that.
The best thing about product reviews is that your readers see you as their leader who would do anything to tell his readers if the product is really going to benefit them.
Currently I’m preparing a review for my blog about a Think Tank photobag and this article gave me some ideas and guidelines which I didn’t think of. Thanks!
My blog is all about book reviews.
I’ve something to add: Be Authentic.
If something is bad, just say it’s bad. Tied in to point #7, just because it’s bad for you doesn’t mean it’s bad for other people.
I have been doing reviews(mostly books) on my blog. I do have a book review planned for this weekend. Will put it up shortly.
Great tip! I can’t wait to try it – should liven things up a bit if nothing else.
James Hofheins (@jwhof on twitter)
Service – The Action Form of Love Blog
http://serviceafol.blogspot.com
I review movies, restaurants and hotels mostly.
I write reviews on softwares and freewares on my blog .
Haven’t done this before and those tips are really a great guide for me. Thinking of doing it ASAP.
I have recently reviewed a book called “Six Degrees” and reviewed Jamie Oliver’s restaurant in Oxford. I don’t think I did both tasks very well because there was a lot of other information included in the postings. Have a look @ Janet’s Abruzzo Edublog : http.civitaquana.blogspot.com
Great tip. Our DIY travel site is based 100% on reviews of tours, operators and activities on our island. The format works for us!
I have an upcoming book review planned. I think I’ll go back and rework it a bit based on your suggestions. Thanks, once again, for not only giving us a productive task, but giving us advice on how to do it well.
The college students in my classes are feeling a little sad right now about coming to the end of their college experience. I’m feeling a bit the same as we are coming closer to day 31 of this challenge. I’m going to miss the focus this has given me. Thanks.
Yes, this will yield good result. I must try, thanks for this tip.
Glad to see the book is ready Darren. How many reviews do you think YOU will get? lol
I have been writing reviews for sometime in another place and I sometimes review books at Audible, Internations, Amazon and such places.
Be nice if someone would review my book on Amazon.com – really hard to get reviews over there. I have plenty at Amazon co.uk. So anyone interested I will endeavour to get a copy to them. Subject matter – is Spanish based ie Alicante.
Nice tip. Btw I have read somewhere that we can earn money for reviewing products
I love writing reviews, especially for products I love or need.
I have a review and a giveaway posted today for a set of Rubbermaid Storage Containers. You can check it out if you would like.
http://www.savingdollarsandsense.com/2009/05/rubbermaid-review-giveaway.html
Kristie
A review is also a great way to get recognized by search engines.
My review of Dave Ramsey’s Town Hall For Hope live event, landed me on the front page of google’s “Town Hall For Hope” keyword. It’s been a nice stream of targeted traffic early on for my blog.
Awesome idea. I’m getting started now.
Acyually you can apply these concepts on blogs, forums, quite everywhere.
For instance, when I receive a personal message on Twitter, I go and see the sender’s site. If I like it, I usually post a short article about one of his/hers posts and send a trackback. I do not get something back all the times, but it is worth it, because even if it is one out of ten I can always build good relashionships.
I’m one of those who uses the Interent for advice. I never thought about purposefully giving some beyond a book or movie review. Thanks for all the other review ideas.
Nice tips here… just bookmarked and will try write my next review with this post in mind. One thing I like to see when reading a program revivew is some details of the program or service, that indicates that the reviewer has actually had access to the product or service. To many posts reviews that smells like “I’m trying to sell, not to inform”. One of my reviews includes nice details about what you get for your money:
http://www.mymoneyblog.info/2009/04/is-fapturbo-a-scam-or-does-it-work/
You are welcome to comment on it here, or on the post. Critcism makes us better :-)
I’ve been reading your blogs and would like to thank you. I’m a working mother who’s earning some 800 euros/month working 7 hrs mons.-fris.I, l, like many others-am desirous to increase my family’s income and as can be judged from my website I’m still quite very amateur so I really find your blogsite very helpful for inexperienced bloggers. Thank you again.
I’ve reviewed books before, but not products.
Your suggestion on reviewing a product then adding affiliate information was interesting. I’m a journalist and just beginning to do marketing, so I’m unsure what appropriate for bloggers to do.
I’d like you to cover in the course what’s ethical to do in terms of blogging and marketing. For example, would you ask an author to be a guest blogger monthly and put an ad for their book on your blog?
Also, what do you recommend bloggers do about use of materials and photos? I follow what I learned as a journalist: attribute information used with a link and don’t use any photos from .com or .org sites.
Rita, The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide
I have just posted a review of “Abruzzo” on my blog trying to incorporate some of the tips from this challenge. I had a really great time doing the research but I gave myself a time limit to make it a bit more challenging for myself. The review does NOT cover everything about Abruzzo but it gives a little personal insight, which I hope is worth reading.
Thank you Darren for setting up this particular challenge!
Today’s post, my guilty little pleasure. Coronation Street:
http://newlifeasnewwife.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-confession-sunday-mornings.html
I write mini reviews of the books I have read. Does that count?
My blog is a rarity in that we don’t have a niche, but strive to cover a wide variety of topics (in fact, I have begun marketing is as a “web magazine that covers a world of topics every week”). We have reviews on ocassions, ranging from straightforward book reviews to restaurants and business (although the vast majority of the articles are not reviews)
I’ll use affiliate links if I stand behind the product/business, but not just to make a quick buck. I link to my Amazon aStore for the books I review, for example, because I shop at Amazon.
http://www.observingcasually.com/
I have learned that giving facts, good or bad is what reviews are all about. Giving a bad review is bad for the blogs. If I get a poor product, I simply pass on the review. Posting good stuff keeps people longer than being negative. Waiting patiently as ever for tomorros 31 day post….
Hey Darren!
Interesting analysis..
Concrete examples would be the likes of John Chow’s blog and Jeremy’s Shoemoney..
– Wakish –
I would like to comment on someone who suggested skipping a bad review.
If a reader is looking for information, he/she wants the good and bad points. If it’s a bad product, say that it’s a bad product because it is helping the readers understand the product.
I spend money on the items I review. If it’s not worth the money, I will make sure my readers know that. It’s not as if the product is free.
agree. i already done hundreds review and it really attract people to read.
I just did my first reivew a week or so ago – about an art exhibition on art & ecology, the area that I have been blogging for the last year. I got a request to re-post on the UK RSA Arts & Ecology blog!!! So I’ll have to do some more :-)
Here’s a recent review post I wrote:
http://sparklife.info/blog/2009/03/book-review-alec-greven-talk-girls/
It is actually a really popular post because it it is somewhat controversial. Although it was an honest opinion here, do people think it is a credible effect to aim for?
There are a lot of popular websites in my niche (MSN dating is one) which give TERRIBLE dating advice… and I’ve thought about having a regular article exaplaining through the terrible advice they give (kind of like a review I guess). The thing stopping me would be if this would make me come across as elitist or arrogant, which I am not. What do people think? :)
Thanks,
Sam
Well, people like to read review about a product. Review gives them more information about a product. It’s true that I’m afraid to review something which not suitable with the blog niche that I bring in. But, from your tips above, it has helped me a lot. Thanks!
I’ve put up a few reviews about travel gear and books on my site. While I thought they were good (and have driven plenty of traffic to my blog), I realize there were some things I could have done to make them better.
http://www.havepack.com/kelty-redwing-3100-review/ – that’s one of the popular ones about an awesome travel backpack.
As always, thanks for the tips Darren and this program is really helping me a lot.
Review posts usually seem to take me so long to write. And I’d been meaning to write a review all week, thanks for the push.
I wrote a review on the book
The Intellectual Devotional by David S. Kidder and Noah D. Oppenheim.
After reading your post I included a couple of things that I probably wouldn’t have included before.
Nice post darren – it is true that a good bunch of people like to read reviews and furthermore it is a good way to generate revenue on a blog.
I see mostly review posts get more comments. I reviewed Apple products and that gave some response.
Did two things at once. Updated an old review post.
I will only write a review usually on a product that i am promoting or when i dislike a very popular product because i like to show my opinion. I never promote a product in review i have not used or do not believe in.
As always a good tip. Fortunately I wrote a review post a few days ago. :) Check it out and give me feedback if you want to.
the athlete’s guide to yoga
I decided to review Twitter which I had just joined a month ago, you can read my finds here.
http://commoncentsmom.com/2009/05/03/my-first-month-on-twitter/
I was going to write about an Education and Business Alliance meeting I attended on Friday, and I was wondering how to organize it. Your assignment for today helped me frame it as a review. I don’t expect it to get a lot of readers for it, but it does help establish my creditability for those who do read it, or even read the title.
It does give me ideas for other reviews though, so thanks for the assignment.
http://blog.beckitrue.com/http:/blog.beckitrue.com/2009/05/03/review-of-technology-education-business-alliance-meeting/
I did a review of a local homeschool conference that I attended. It got a few comments from readers :)
Thanks Darren ,
Reviewing books , diet pattern ,lifestyle what would be the blog that i currently working on . As i said earlier some were , i just started blogging so new to all this .. sorry folks .. bu thanks for all the tips for writing a good review ..
Regards
Sudeep
Writing a travel blog makes doing a review post easy. Many of my posts are a review of an particular area, viewpoint, hotel, restaurant, helicopter flight, hike, whitewater raft trip, itinerary, route, highway and others. One of the reasons I began my blog was to share my love of traveling in the Western U.S.
I wrote a review of a new hotel that just opened in December in Monument Valley on Navajo land. Here’s the link:
http://www.traveltothewest.com/?p=413
Thank you for your comments, I appreciate any ideas you can share with me!
Wayne
Thanks a lot! I will use these tips for my review site! Cheers!
If we write review, is this our pagerank will be down as well ? ?
thanks
I haven’t necessarily written a post directly aimed at a review of a product, service, or company yet but I have mentioned certain services that I feel are the best in their field.
For instance, my blog is about helping people to understand and create successful blogs and one way of doing that is to teach bloggers about backlinks and link building. What I would do in that post is to incorporate the short form of a review in the post of some SEO firms that I believe can really help out bloggers.
Here’s my review, it was posted a while back though I’d like to think that it still counts!
http://systemfailnews.blogspot.com/2009/04/systematic-review-godfather-2.html