How to Write Great Reviews That Drive Traffic to Your Affiliate Links

Did you know that 92% of customers read online reviews before deciding to purchase a certain product? In the age of hyperconnectivity, buyers are well-versed in finding information online and weighing whether or not they will get value for their money. Naturally, they want to ensure that the product they buy will live up to the expectation it set, and they do so by researching how other people were satisfied with it. 

That being said, online reviews are definitely the bread and butter of affiliate marketers. If you’re in the affiliate business, you know how important it is to write a review that will engage and completely consume potential customers, as well as drive them toward making a purchase.

But that’s easier said than done.

Quality reviews should educate the reader who is intrigued about a certain product or service. They should be comprehensive, honest, and trustworthy, and target people who are in the consideration or the purchase phase of the sales funnel.

So, how exactly do you accomplish this?

To make things easier for you, we decided to create a guide on this topic. Read it through to learn how to drive more traffic to your affiliate links and ultimately – generate more revenue.

1. Analyze the Product/Service You Plan to Review

Getting all the info, all the pros and cons in one place is the main reason why people read reviews. Writing a good one starts with thoroughly analyzing the product or service you plan to evaluate.

You need to objectively examine the product or service in question, and go beyond what the company that created it has to say about its benefits. The key to analyzing it well is to completely switch to a customer point of view.

The more time you spend attentively evaluating the product/service, the more content and facts you will have for your article. Remember: you are investing your time into reviewing this product/service in order to save people their time and money, and set their expectations straight. Your recommendation has direct value for them.

Here are some of the questions you should ask yourself while analyzing the product/service:

• Who is this product/service for and what problem does it solve?
• What is this product’s USP? What makes it stand out on the market?
• What is the price of this product/service? Does the price justify the benefits?
• Are there any hidden costs attached?
• What are the pros and cons?
• How do you use it?
• Is it convenient? What are some of the additional perks?

If you don’t get the chance to actually try the product/service you’re reviewing, you need to invest the time in researching and checking credible sources online, as well as existing reviews on YouTube, online forums and different communities.

Based on this research, you’ll be able to map out trends and facts, and then form your own opinion and write the article. If you really feel like going the extra mile, you can contact the manufacturer or service provider itself for additional details.

2. Outline the Article While Bearing in Mind the Target Audience

Once you analyze the product/service, it’s time to organize the outline of your article. While some affiliates might prefer to share their opinion in a non-structured, ‘dear-diary’ manner, it’s always better to bear your goal and target audience in mind.

Although reviews are opinion-based, readers expect to easily access information they want and need. The format of your article should help them in doing so. You can use free editors such as the Hemingway app to check the readability score of your article. 

There are many ways to ensure a clear structure when writing an online review. Here, we’ll propose two different ways:

• Standard online review 
• FAQ-like online review

For standard online reviews, the outline should look something like this:

1. Title
2. Introduction that contains the affiliate link which leads to the product/service
3. Bullet points that serve as table of contents (you can even add quick links here to make navigation easier for users; these bullet points should address main features, functions, pros, cons, etc.)
4. Subheading for the first bullet point (followed by a paragraph that elaborates on the point)
5. Subheading for the second bullet points (followed by a paragraph that elaborates on the point)
6. …
7. Final verdict that again contains the link to the product/service

When it comes to FAQ-like reviews, the structure is pretty self-explanatory. You should put yourself in the shoes of customers and list all the possible questions they might have about the product or service.

With FAQ-like reviews, the idea is to offer all the answers they need to make an informed purchase decision. If the list turns out to be lengthy, you can group the questions in several categories to make the reading experience more pleasant. Of course, don’t forget to insert the affiliate link.

3. Follow the Q.U.E.S.T method

When it comes to writing online reviews, original content and exclusive information that cannot be found elsewhere is the key to success. This is how you’ll generate more clicks and steadily increase your revenue.

You can follow the Q.U.E.S.T method for best results. More precisely, you should focus on:

• Quality
• Uniqueness
• Experience
• SEO
• Trustworthiness

Here’s what you should bear in mind when writing online reviews:

• Style and tone
• Solid logic and arguments
• Offer emotional incentives (include the ‘feel good’ factor)
• Comprehensiveness
• Good formatting
• Include additional media
• Optimize content with relevant keywords for SEO benefits
• Be honest and never try to trick your readers

It’s important to adjust your style and tone to your target audience. Avoid using expert jargon: write in a clear manner, using the language your readers will understand.

If you want to build credibility and encourage your site visitors to trust you and your judgement, you shouldn’t ignore the cons of the product/service. Try to see if there is a way to show how benefits outweigh the shortcomings, but never lie to your readers. It would be ideal to work with great brands or through the affiliate network that is of high quality so that you don’t have to deal with ethical dilemmas as such.

When writing reviews, it’s important to think about the emotional selling point, not just the blunt functionalities of the product/service. You need to answer the vital question for potential customers: what does that product/service do for them, how does it make their lives better, easier, or more joyful? 

Also, make the article visually pleasant. You can include a summary box or quick links at the beginning of the article, add original photos, GIFs, even videos. Ensure that the information is complete and well-rounded: use visuals to complement the text and illustrate your point.  

To maximize your reach and ensure great visibility in search, conduct a keyword research before writing your review. This way, you can use relevant phrases to optimize your article for better ranking positions. This shouldn’t take much of your time, but it can make a huge difference for your visibility. More qualified traffic means more revenue.

Now, Do You Feel Ready to Write Your Online Reviews? 

Thank you for reading our guide on the best way to create online reviews that drive traffic! With this systematic, three-step approach, you’ll be able to optimize your process of writing online reviews. This method has proven to be the best as it helps you easily tick things off the list and streamline your writing more effectively.

In the end, online reviews are there to communicate with potential buyers and help them make an informative purchase decision. You’ll notice that, the more reviews you write, the easier it will get. With practice, you will gradually adopt the method and start producing reviews in less time. Make sure to measure results and fine-tune your process to fit the expectations of your target audience. You can always ask for explicit feedback from them to improve future reviews.