Learn How to Write a Product Review, and Make More Money as an Affiliate
Want to get into affiliate marketing? If you’re a good writer, you’ve got a huge advantage because you can handle all the writing for your website. You’ll need to learn how to write static pages for your site, blog posts, other sites, and email marketing messages to send to your list. But there’s another skill you’ll want to master: how to write a product review.
Reviews are a superb form of content for affiliate marketers to produce. By design, they offer benefit to a prospect and they’re a natural piece to include links to the affiliate product’s sales page.
However, in order to write a review that actually motivates click-throughs, there are a few steps and secrets to know. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:
1. You’re not selling in a review, you’re providing information.
Present the information honestly and accurately. Tell readers what the product is and what it does. You’ll also give your own experience of using the product (it’s always best if you HAVE used the product!). But you’re not writing an ad or sales letter. If your review sounds at all like a Ginzu Chopping Knife infomercial, you did it wrong.
2. Stress the benefits.
Break out your very best storytelling skills. It’s always best if you can paint a picture or create sort of a mind movie that helps your readers picture themselves in the situation, using the product. What makes the product different? Who benefits from the product? Talk about a situation where someone used the product and what they gained. A story like that gives an odd sense of social proof – even though your reader doesn’t know the product user. Remember that people are most motivated buy products and services that solve problems. In fact, we tend to be more motivated to escape pain than to move toward what we want.
3. Present yourself as an unbiased reviewer.
Point out any drawbacks to the product or service you’re reviewing. However, be sure to counter those drawbacks subtly. It’s like when you go to an interview and they ask you to tell them your weaknesses. You turn them into strengths, right? Do the same with any drawbacks the product might have. For example, if it’s more expensive than other comparative products, that’s a drawback. But it may also offer more in-depth information and strategies – this would override the obvious drawback.
4. Include the product details.
While some buyers are already halfway sold before they read your review, just because they are already excited about the product, some need more. In other words, subjective information is great but people also want to know the details. What does it cost? Where can they purchase it? And are there any promotions they should know about that can save them money? Remember that there are different types of buyers out there. Some take nothing more than an enthusiastic suggestion. Others need to see how what they’re about to buy can help others. Some are motivated by competition, as in “your competitor is using this, so why aren’t you?” And others want to gather as many facts as humanly possible before hitting the buy button. Keep this in mind and write to all of your potential readers so no matter what their buying style is, they can get what they need from your review.
Tips from the Affiliate Marketing Pros
- Your goal in a review is to presell the product or service subtly. Take care to watch the language you use. Stay away from the hype. And make sure to present yourself in a credible manner if you want to present yourself as a legitimate expert on your topic.
- Always be honest about the fact that you’re an affiliate for the product. Most people don’t care and they may respect your honesty. The FTC requires this disclosure now, too, so it’s not optional. Authenticity and transparency are more than the latest internet marketing buzz words. It’s the law. It’s also good to include a blurb that reassures your readers that when they buy through your link, they won’t pay extra but they will help to support your blogging efforts.
- Combine reviews of several like products in one article or post. You can be an affiliate for all the products or only some of them, the choice is yours. This is a good opportunity to do a round-up or top 10 list where you compare and contrast similar products.
Reviews are a great form of content for an affiliate marketer. They provide value and offer all the benefits content offers for business growth and profits.
Just Be YOU
No matter what topic you’re writing about, at this point in the evolution of the Internet, you’re probably not the only one. In fact, if you are the only blogger writing about that product, that’s a red flag. We all fall prey to Imposter Syndrome, where we wonder why anyone would possibly listen to little old us. But that’s baloney. People prefer to buy from people they know, like, and trust. If you can build a relationship with your readers that helps them feel connected with you, there’s no reason they wouldn’t rather buy through your link than anywhere else.
Learn how to write a product review and you can help a whole bunch of people all at the same time. Buyers get the information they need to make a buying decision. Sellers get to make more sales. Affiliates get an easy way to add content to their sites and provide value to their readers.
Want to Master Affiliate Marketing?
Learning how to write a product review is just one way you can make money as an affiliate. It used to be a pretty straight-forward way to make money online, but it’s gotten a bit more complicated as Google and social media got more sophisticated. Some say affiliate marketing is dead as a doornail. As usual, others are too busy making money to get into that argument.
Theoretically, you can get all the information you need for free by researching affiliate marketing online. However, that puts the task of sorting through what’s good or bad, current or dated squarely on your shoulders. As a rule, my preference is to learn from someone who KNOWS what works now. By getting expert guidance, it’s easier to skip right past tactics that worked years ago but that will get you shunned by Google now. Learning takes time! Trial and error can work, but it’s probably one of the most expensive ways to learn. That’s because of the time component.
Instead of going all mad scientist on your own, trying to crack the code and make some money as an affiliate, I’d recommend getting this course. It’s got lots of tools and training, and best of all, you can start for free.
And yup, you guessed it… I’m an affiliate for this course. So, if you try it out (for FREE!) and then buy it, they’ll send me a little bit of bacon money.
I am just starting my blog and this is great info thanks so much
I haven’t done any product reviews yet but thank you for this guidance for when the time comes!
I have yet to do any of these, but I really want to try to do some in the new year.
Fantastic, April! A new item on the “Ta-Dah!” list, huh?
I have done product reviews a few times, but only on my own, never paid reviews. This is so helpful to know how to approach it the next time I write one.
Glad that’s helpful! And good to know how to do it BEFORE someone wants to pay you!
I think these are some great tips for people starting out with afflicate marketing. I come across so many bloggers that worry about what if they don’t like the product. Like you said, just be you! People will be glad to hear the truth
Really the only way to keep one’s integrity, right?!
Love this, super informative and everything I would have said. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by! Always feels good to have an experienced blogger’s thumbs-up!
These are great tips. I tried affiliate marketing through Amazon and didn’t get enough sales to stay active in it. I definitely will be trying these tips!
I get that! For Amazon to really work, it seems like you’ve got to have a TON of traffic. There are more efficient ways to make a living 🙂
I’ve always wanted to master Affiliate marketing, but I haven’t used any of the products that are part of the list. Is it possible to still go at affiliate marketing and write product reviews without using it yourself?
Great question! With product reviews, it’s really got to be something you use yourself if you frame it as a real user’s experience. There certainly are ways to write them based on research only, though… but in that case, the reviewer wouldn’t make any reference to having used it. That happens all the time!
These are really helpful tips – I don’t do too many reviews, but will definitely use these pointers next time I do…
Glad you found them helpful!
I have never done a product review before but have been looking into doing it! These tips really make it clear cut!
Fantastic! Glad it’ll be helpful to you when you do reviews.
Very well put, all around. I had to write book reviews sometimes in my pre-blogger life, so I never struggled with this as much as many bloggers do – but everything you say here is spot-on. Super guide for those just starting out in this area!
Thanks! Pass it along to anyone you know who might be looking into blogging and affiliate marketing if you think it would help.
I used to do reviews on amazon, before I got into blogging. I haven’t fully decided if I wanted to go with the review route for my website yet, im still debating it with myself.
It’s one great way to monetize your blogging, for sure!
This is very helpful to be honest, if I ever think I will do affiliate marketing, I will look at your post
Thank you for this article, it’s very helpful if I ever need an affiliate marketing I will look at yours
Good idea! Bookmark, away!
I might reconsider this matter this year. I’ve always been interested and have dabbled a little but often bailed out. Good reminder of the advantages. 🙂
Hope it helps you if you decide to give it another go!
I’ve done a few product reviews and wish I would’ve read this before doing so. Great advice, thank you!
Great! Now you’ll know for next time and it should be a lot easier. Harder than it looks, right?