The art of writing product reviews

Last updated on July 5th, 2024 at 12:56 pm

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So as you all know I’m a product reviewer and tester. I’ve been writing product reviews for nearly 20 years. Most were for products I purchased and eventually I joined a few sites where I could request products for free or at a discounted price. Which in turn led me to create my blog.

That being said there’s an artfulness to writing a product review. Yes anyone can post a two or three sentence review. But some products need more. Also, let’s be real has anyone ever bought anything when a review reads simply “It works great.” Or “It’s junk.”

Where to start

Granted not all products need a thorough or long review. Some can be a few sentences long and you cover all your bases. But other products may require a more in-depth review. This goes for reviews you write for your own purchases or if you are working with a brand or a website. You can always keep these things in mind.

Some of the things to consider before you start your review are:

• The type of product you are reviewing
• What you liked
• What you disliked
• Any key factors such as is it great for kids, pet owners, etc.
• Usage such as indoor or outdoor or seasonal product
• Texture, taste (food or drink), color, etc.

Lastly the most common reminder would be to add size for instance if you are writing about a table cloth or end table. This can also be said for shoes, clothing, or any furniture or outdoor products.

What next?

After you’ve tried the product for a few days possibly a week. Again this may depend on the product. Once you have figured what you like and what you don’t like you can make notes or a quick list. You can also note any other key features you thought were worthwhile as well.

For example if your writing about shoes you would review the fit, comfort, and shoe type. If you liked the color or overall shoe design or type. Also did the show fit well. Were the straps or laces long enough or did they seem too short. Things of that nature.

Once you have those ideas in mind you can set to work creating your review.

How to start your review

I always try to start my review by adding all the likes first. Granted not all products will be a great fit for everyone. Yet if you start off with the good points of the product adding the cons will add a balance for the review.

What I mean by this is going back to the example of a shoe review. I would write the following:

The sandals from XYZ brand were comfortable. They have nice arch support and great cushion throughout the base. I didn’t have any blisters. The soles have are slip-resistant and are thick. However I felt the straps could have had more stretch to them. They move well when you walk but when you put them on I felt they were a bit snug. I would suggest possibly opting to size up a half size if available for more optimum comfort. Besides that I felt the sandals were a great fit.

Again not all reviews have to be all good or all bad. There is always a mix because every product varies. So do the people who use them. I may like something and someone else may not. But I still had some of the key points of the product and what i liked about it. I also added what I disliked towards the end of the review. I know some brands may not like having all the cons of a product listed from the start.

I also like to post about the likes because most people who ware looking up reviews want to know the likes first. Granted many like to know the dislikes as well. But once again you can’t just share all the pros of the product because not all products are 100% great for everyone.

Other things to consider

Once you have your review written or at least the key points in mind. Make sure you include anything you might think someone may be looking for. You may be asking what do you mean? What i mean is more key points. That I may have left out of my review shared above. Such as size, color, or style type. I alluded to design in the show example review but I could have added the color is green and white or blue and red. I also didn’t list size either. Or if the shoe was a bit too narrow or too wide for me.

So go back to double check these key factors before publishing your review.

So an updated version of my show review would be the following:

The sandals from XYZ brand were comfortable. The color is perfect for summer. It’s a bright blue and white stripe design. They have nice arch support and great cushion throughout the base. I didn’t have any blisters. The soles have are slip-resistant and are thick. However I felt the strap closures could have had more stretch to them or be a bit longer. They move well when you walk but when you put them on I felt they were a bit snug. I wear a size 9 the sandals fit but could use more stretch. I would suggest possibly opting to size up a half size if available for more optimum comfort. That being shared the width was perfect for me. Besides that I felt the sandals were a great fit.

As you can see I added anything I missed in the first draft of my review. Again this doesn’t have to be for every product but it’s always good to keep in mind.

The final things to double check

There are a few final things you need to double-check before deciding to finally post your review. Some of them are pretty basic such as checking your spelling and or grammar. Also, try to make sure your review is concise which means it’s informative without being long-winded. Or that it doesn’t have running sentences. Another thing to check is for punctuation. it can be easy to leave off a period or a comma if your typing too fast. Another thing I forgot to mention was that you should at least name the product once in the review. It doesn’t have to be the full name but at least a mention of XYZ product.

Your final review should look similar to the previous shoe review example. Again since all products vary some need more details than others.

My final shoe review would be the following:

The sandals from XYZ brand were comfortable. The color is perfect for summer. They are a bright blue and white stripe design. They have nice arch support and great cushion throughout the base. I didn’t have any blisters. The soles are slip-resistant and thick. The straps have a simple clasp closure. The straps have some stretch to them allowing the closure to snap into place. However I felt the strap closures could have had more stretch to them or been a bit longer. They move well when you walk but when you put them on I felt they were a bit snug. I wear a size 9 the sandals fit but could use more stretch. I would suggest possibly opting to size up a half size if available for more optimum comfort. That being shared the width was perfect for me. Overall I felt the sandals were a great fit.

Before you post your final review make sure you double-check for any errors. You can also read the review again to make sure you are happy with it. You’re also free to make any edits or changes too. Besides that if you think the review is to your liking and the liking of the brand (if your working with one) go ahead and submit your review.

Posting your review

Once you post your review you’re done. If you are working with a brand or a website you can follow up with any requirements you need to send their way.

Like with anything writing reviews take some skill but once you master the basics you can add your own style to them. You will also learn which products may require an in-depth review as opposed to a quick or simple one.

Once you learn the art of writing a review you it will come easily. You begin to see things differently with each product.