What does it mean to be a savvy consumer? A savvy consumer is someone who puts more weight in their friends’ opinions and independent product reviews. Before we buy a new gadget or try a new restaurant, most of us look at the reviews on Yelp, Facebook and Google+ to make sure we’re not wasting our money on something that is useless.
Unfortunately, not all reviews are reliable. Some are useless and anger some, while others are so glowing that they are too good to be true. The best reviews are the ones that walk in between. Regardless of the consumer experience, they offer up the type of information that’s invaluable to those making an informed decision.
This article offers tips on how to write an effective review that will resonate with all readers:
1. Leave out names
One of the biggest criticisms of online reviews is that too many of them are malicious and targeted at specific employees of the company, instead of addressing the actual issue. If the sales rep is there only temporarily, or if the manager quits a year later, your review is already useless and outdated. Instead, discuss the experience you had with the company and how the products and/or services met your needs.
2. Create content that has substance
When writing a good review, it’s important to avoid frills and convoluted sentences. Get to the point as soon as possible. After all, this is why the reader is reading the review in the first place. Think about what you would want to know if you were looking for reviews on that product.
3. Weigh the pros and cons fairly
Avoid generic phrases that praise or criticize the product or service. Write about what is provided by the company and what the product does or does not do. Don’t brag about the pros or criticize the product too much. Have a balance of pros and cons in your review and maintain a decent word length for each.
4. Compare with other products
Compare the product with other products on the market, and tell your readers why the current product is much more or less effective and worth or not worth every penny. Use concrete examples, such as differences in features, to explicate your argument.
5. Re-read the review
Re-reading the review before hitting the publish button will help you clear some of the repetition you had when you first wrote it. You can also get a fresh perspective when you return to the writing piece after a small breather or break.
Writing a review is a big responsibility, especially when your opinion matters to someone reading it. Believe in what you promote and stick with only the facts when criticizing it.
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