There are plenty of ways to make money through affiliate marketing and Writing Reviews is one highly effective way to do so. When people are thinking about buying a product online, they’ll often look to reviews to help them determine whether something is worth buying.
Those who write reviews and then include their affiliate link can make a great deal of money this way. Reviews can work well with physical products as well as information products. Information products to tend to have higher commission rates, but there’s no reason why you have to limit your reviews to one type of product.
Writing Helpful Reviews
If you’re going to be Writing Reviews, you should make them as helpful as possible. You might think that it doesn’t do you any good to mention any negative aspects of a product but if you do nothing but wax lyrical about something, people might not believe you. A balanced review (even if it does lean toward the positive) is going to be more believable.
Some product reviewers choose to write in a style that reviews multiple products in the same product family with a “good, better, best” ranking. If you’re reviewing three diet ebooks or three kits that help you convert your car into a water hybrid, or three affiliate marketing e-books, you can share information in great detail with potential readers.
Did You Actually Use The Product?
It is going to be obvious to a lot of people whether or not your review is full of substance or written mostly from the content found on the product’s sales page. It is a wise idea to buy the product and truly review it.
Not only will you potentially benefit from using the product but you’ll also: get a discount if you buy through your affiliate code, and have true inside information that can help you write a really great review.
Besides, if the product isn’t up to par, chances are that there will be a money back guarantee so in many cases, there’s no risk to you.
Where Should You Publish Your Review?
One of the great things about doing reviews as a way to make money with affiliate marketing, is that you can publish them in many places.
Here are some suggestions:
- Your own review site or blog that you host on your own domain.
- A Free blogger, MySpace, or other hosted blog.
- Web 2.0 pages like HubPages, Tumblr, and Squidoo.
Drive Traffic To Your Product Reviews:
You can promote your reviews as well to drive targeted traffic to them so that anyone searching for the keyword: “product name review” is likely to be directed to your helpful review and your affiliate link.
Don’t hesitate to do keyword research and optimize your reviews for SEO so that you can achieve as much traffic as possible. Some review sites also make use of PPC (pay per click) and banner advertising.
Word of Warning
Be sure to positively review only products that you believe are truly deserving of a positive review. If someone buys a product on your recommendation and you’ve falsely made claims, that person may return the product later on and you’ll face a chargeback and a possibly tarnished reputation.
Finding great products and providing truly helpful information by Writing Reviews on them, you can make a potentially substantial affiliate marketing profit.
About Sean Rasmussen
Hello Sean,
Thank you Sean, You have given me a break through with this “Writing Product Review” – I have been trying to think of what “Niche” to explore, and with reading your information David and I have come up with an idea. Will let you know as soon as we have taken Action on how we go. Reading here has given me so much more than the prize money could ever give us, It has given David and I the information to move forward on the internet For that we could never say thank you enough.
Cheers
Lisa
Hi Sean,
Writing reviews on products with your affiliate link to the product in the review sounds like a brilliant idea. There does seem to be a lot of potential in marketing a product in this way. Everyone wants to know something about the product they are wanting to buying to be able to make the right choice. What better way to give them this info but to write a review on it.
Thanks Sean.
Hi Sean,
I agree with Jill. I think it’s an excellent idea. But, is there any conflict of interest that you should declare before you write a product review of something you will get a commission for?
Not sure, as long as you give your honest opinion about the product and just let them know where it is available (via your affiliate link) they still have the choice to click it or not.
Otherwise it can happen that someone likes the product, wants to buy it, but doesn’t want to give you the commission, even so it doesn’t cost him/her any more. So as long as you are honest with the review I don’t see a conflict of interest.
This does seem to be a common practice. Is there a danger that with so many reviews floating around that customers could think that they aren’t genuine?
What has been your experience with them and how have they been received?
Probably it’s best to establish yourself as an honest and serious source of information. That will put some weight behind your review.
Great tips! Heed with caution and don’t jump in before rushing in to review a product when you can only see dollar signs in front of your eyes.
Reputation is everything in the internet world. It’s hard to find people you can trust.
Hi Sam
I was thinking along the same lines. I would only review a product if I personally owned or used it and I knew the company was in integrity.
The product may be great but the company may not or the other way around. Your word, once you have written it in down the form of a review or recommendation is out there for everyone to see. You have no control over it once it has been published.
Product reviews are a great way to pass on information and to give your opinion on a product. As Samantha pointed out reputation is important when working online, so make sure you only review products you really know and give a fair review of your experiences.
Hi Renee,
Excellent advice from you and Sam. I’ve made mistakes choosing and promoting affiliate products before so I’ve learned how important it is to only promote products you really love.
Also, a genuine product review is vital. This is your reputation. If you recommend something that isn’t great, people will remember you and they won’t believe anything else you say.
Product reviews definetely are searched for by potential buyers…and they more often than not are not to concerned who they purchase the product through so you may well pick up a sale from another persons pre sell page
Hi Jazz,
Very good point on making sure I don’t let a possible conflict of interest get in the way of an honest review. Care is needed.
I’m seeing why Sean says it’s important to test the product before writing a review.
Hi Witty Sam,
Very good point and valuable advice. It’s possibly I could have fallen a that trap like that, if not aware of the pitfalls. Writing a review while seeing dollar signs is a mistake I want to avoid at all costs.
I’d hate my honest reputation to be blemished.
When asked to write a product review and if I really like the product and Knew the company well I would consider carefully now.
What I often see in a product review that put’s me off is when the reviewer uses second person narrative all the time “when you use this product, you will find, you can’t find better” etc.
I prefer if the reviewer writes from their own experience in first person replacing the “you” with “I”.
I am not infallible either so it is a reminder to me a well!
The only problem with this strategy is that you have to get the product first! Ok, I guess for ones that you need to use yourself (e.g. YOTA), but for a whole blog dedicated to reviews – wouldn’t that be expensive?
I supose one could ask for freebies in return for inclusion in a review blog.