9 Best Practices for Writing Product and Service Reviews
Publishing high-quality reviews products and services you either sell directly or recommend can offer your small business many benefits, including reducing customer anxiety, increasing customer trust, and boosting your business’ credibility. To help consumers discover your product or service reviews when searching on Google, it is important to follow a few product review writing best practices. Keep reading to learn more about Google’s product reviews updates and discover a few best practices for writing product and service reviews.
Google Product Reviews Update
In April 2021, Google announced an update for product reviews that was aimed at boosting the visibility of quality reviews. In December of 2021, Google rolled out another product reviews algorithm update that influences the ranking of product reviews on search engines. The second update comes after Google users' feedback showed that consumers trust reviews that have evidence of the actual products being tested, and that many prefer to have more than one product purchasing options.
In light of these two algorithm updates, more best practices for writing product and service reviews are being introduced, taking effect in a future update.
Best Practices for Writing Product and Service Reviews
In order to write quality, high-ranking product and service reviews, follow these best practices that are ultimately inspired by Google’s guidance on reviews:
- Present proof of a consumer’s experience with visuals, audio, and/or any other links that can authenticate such reviews. In-depth content with high quality visuals or video walkthroughs makes an excellent source of proof.
- Evaluate the product/service from the consumer's perspective. Focus on the features, benefits, use cases, etc. that are important to the end-user. Make sure you include firsthand, original research.
- Clearly outline both the pros and cons of the product or service in an easy-to-consume visual manner. Do not make it difficult to understand both the positives and potential negatives of a product.
- If you are reviewing a new model/sequel, make sure you also highlight key differences between the new model and previous models. Discuss how the product or service has evolved and addressed past issues to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions.
- Provide quantitative metrics for gauging products on different aspects of performance. Do not just give anecdotal statements. Instead, back up your statements with hard numbers and facts.
- Highlight why the product or service you are reviewing is truly unique. Do not be afraid to compare the product head-to-head with close competitors as many individuals look for “Product A vs. Product B” comparison searches. If your data is in-depth and high-quality, these product comparisons can also lead to additional clicks from searchers who may have been exclusively looking for the competing product.
- Include links for multiple sellers so that consumers can purchase from the merchant of their choice. If available, incorporate at least two options for purchasing to give customers the ability to make an informed decision when selecting a seller.
- For any of the aforementioned details in your review, include links to supporting information (e.g. case studies, manufacturer specifications, instruction manuals, etc.).
- Lastly, showcase why you are the expert and are qualified to thoroughly review the product or service of interest. Make sure you clearly demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about the product and avoid these 5 mistakes that can impact your E-A-T and authority as an author.
Simplify Customer Review Collection with Reputation Management
Are you looking to collect reviews directly from your customers instead? Gathering quality product reviews can be frustrating and time-consuming. Fortunately, there's a better solution for collecting customer reviews. Check out the following benefits of utilizing our reputation management services at Igniting Business:
- Automates the collection process of online reviews
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- Promotes the display of positive reviews on Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)
- Sends friendly request reminders for client feedback
At Igniting Business, we have designed our reputation management services to help small businesses build their online credibility and boost SEO. For more tips on writing product and service reviews, or to learn more about our reputation management services, contact us today!
