Last updated on January 18th, 2019 at 03:02 pm
Are you struggling to convert readers into buyers? If so, today, we are going to look at some tips that will help you write some amazing affiliate reviews for the products and services you recommend to your visitors.
Why Affiliate Marketing?
I’m a huge fan of this type of monetization because if done correctly, you can make without a lot of traffic. Which means that it’s perfect for beginners who are just getting started.
Now it doesn’t mean that all you have to do is set up a blog and the money starts coming in. What it does mean is if you choose low competition keywords and write amazing helpful content and recommend products and services, you stand to make commissions.
If you’re completely new to blogging and have no clue what it takes, this free training will give you a better understanding of what it actually takes.
I recommend getting started with a website, but read this article if you want to test out a product and are not ready to create a website of your own.
What Is A Product Review?
A product review is nothing more than sharing your own personal experiences or opinions and benefits about a specific product.
As bloggers, there are tools, software, and products that we use to run our business. If you love it and know that it will change someone’s life, then you can write a review based on your own opinions.
This is what I did when I started using KWFinder and it helped me increase my organic traffic, in fact, you can read my review here.
Why Reviews Work So Well?
While I personally don’t write a ton of reviews, because I like to focus on the products that I truly recommend and have helped me. I know there are a lot of bloggers who are constantly writing them because they work so well.
Think about your buying decisions, it usually goes something like this:
- You read about a product or service and you wonder if it will help you.
- Your next step is to go to Google and type in “name of product review” or “name of product discount.”
- Chances are you’ll spend quite a bit of time reading those reviews before you make a decision.
I know that I do this when I am considering investing in something new for my business, especially, if it costs a lot. I’m not the type of person who just decides to do something and then does it without any second thoughts.
There’s a lot of people just like me, they don’t make any big purchases until they read a review online. If you can learn what it takes to write an honest analysis of products or services you recommend, you have the opportunity to make great income.
How to Write Affiliate Reviews And Actually Make Money
If you’re reading this blog post, I am sure that you know what affiliate marketing is. If not, then you need to read this blog post, it simplifies everything for you. Now let’s get into some tips that have helped me increase my conversions and hopefully, you’ll notice a difference as well.
#1 Use The Product Yourself
One of the things that can help you write amazing product reviews is if you actually use the product yourself. It’s hard to write an honest product review based on your opinions, if you don’t use it.
Yes, you can write a great review even if you don’t use the product, I’ll cover that in a bit. But the type that have worked really well for me are the ones where I actually use the product or service.
I’ve found it easier to write one if I have first hand knowledge of it. It’s easier to share your honest opinions about something if you have first have experience with it.
Otherwise, you’re just writing the same ole review that everyone else writes. I personally love reading the ones that share their personal opinions.
If I wanted the same old generic one that everyone writes, then I know that it is just someone who is trying to make a quick sale. They have probably never used the product before.
Now This Doesn’t Mean
That you can’t take the time to write an in-depth review for something that you have used in the past and no longer use. You can, in fact you should.
You can explain why you no longer use it. For instance, you found something better, this is the perfect opportunity to write a product name vs product name.
#2 If You Can’t Use It Research Everything About It
I know that it’s virtually impossible to only write reviews on products that you use, especially, if you make money with the Amazon affiliate program.
This is where you would make sure that you do great research. This means that you would want to read other people’s reviews about it to see what they say, Amazon is perfect for this.
It will take longer to write, because you don’t have any personal experience with it. However, it’s not impossible to make money from products or services that you yourself don’t use.
Another thing you would want to make sure you do, is let your readers know that you don’t use it. Don’t try to come from it as though you use the product.
Instead come at it as though it’s a product or service that you would like to use in a future date, or something like that. If you lie, they will be able to see right through you and know that you only care about making a commission.
Treat your readers just like you want to be treated and you’ll be fine.
#3 Be As Thorough As Possible
Whether you’re writing based on your opinion or have are doing the research type, you need to let your readers know everything about the product.
Put yourself in their shoes and write what you would want to know about the product. Make sure that you write an unbiased review that helps them make the right buying decision.
You’ll want to make sure that you mention the:
What do they need to know about the features that are relevant to your audience such as:
- Will it allow them to save time?
- Can they save money by buying it?
- Will it make them feel a certain way?
- What kind of lesson can they learn from their purchase?
- Have there been a lot of complaints from buyers?
If you can convey how this product can help them with their problems, you should be able to convert a certain percentage of people who are ready to buy.
#4 Mention The Downsides Too
One of the worst things you can do is trying to write everything in a positive eye about the product or service. It doesn’t matter how much you love it, there’s always a drawback.
As I mentioned earlier the more thorough and honest you can be will only create a positive effect on your sales. So don’t try to hide anything because you’re scared you’ll lose your commissions.
Be sure to include everything about the product such as:
- Is the interface difficult to maneuver?
- How is the customer service?
- Is the price actually worth it?
- Maybe there was a product upgrade that you weren’t made aware of?
- Is it slow to load?
This will just prepare your readers about what to expect and will provide them with more knowledge about whether or not to buy. Plus, they will know that they can trust you and might come back the next time they want to buy something.
#5 Include Visuals and Videos If Possible
Everyone loves visuals, that’s why they say an “image is worth a thousand words.”
One of the best ways to increase your conversions is to provide images and videos. I especially, love walkthrough videos that explain everything you need to know about the product.
This is why so many people create those unboxing videos, they like seeing the actual product before they buy.
By sharing screenshots of the product or videos, you are helping someone take a sneak peek inside before they buy. Here’s an example of a great review that I read when I was deciding whether or not to get a month of SEMRush.
It was written by Robbie Richards and he nailed the review. It answered all my questions and he even went as far as to offer a freebie that is related to the product.
Yes, I ended up going through his link to get SEMRush. I figured if he went through that much trouble, then he deserved the commission.
Biggest Mistakes Most People Make
Now that you know how to create a review, let’s look at some of the biggest mistakes that most people make when trying to earn affiliate income.
Not Every Piece of Content Should Be A Review
When new bloggers realize they can make money by promoting other people’s products, most of them make the mistake of writing only reviews.
If you want to learn how to start affiliate marketing the right way, you need to realize that you can’t do that. People who come to the Internet are looking for information that:
- Solves problems
- Entertains
- Educates
- Look for information
- Research
- and etc, in fact here’s some different ways people use the Internet.
If all you’re doing is writing reviews, you’re missing out on a lot of traffic. Your readers want to read articles that will help them accomplish something or solve their problems.
You’re doing them an injustice if all you’re doing is writing tons of reviews. It’s also hurting you because you are limiting yourself with the type of content you’re writing.
Avoid using Banners
I’ve seen so many people stuff banners in their sidebars, footers, and in their content. Heck, I’ve been known to use that strategy.
I can tell you from experience it just doesn’t work as well as it used to. Banner blindness is real and people just don’t click on them like they used to.
This is why so many people are moving away from Google Adsense to the most popular ad networks where you get paid per impression.
Neil Patel wrote an article that states 54% of users won’t click on banner ads because they don’t trust them. Based on my personal browsing experience, I can’t remember the last time I clicked on a banner.
Who knows maybe you’ll have better luck than I’ve had when using banners. If you do use them, make sure that you use them sparingly.
I can tell you that I’ve had better luck with them in my sidebar than I have using them in my content. Just in case you wanted to test it out on your site.
Write About It Once
Many people make the mistake of writing a review about the product or service and that’s it. They don’t take it a step further and write more articles talking about it.
If you really want to make money as an affiliate, you need to learn how to write from different angles on a particular topic.
For instance, I have been using KWFinder for about two months now and I absolutely love it. It’s made the process of finding the right keywords for my blog posts.
Since I love it and I know how much it has helped me increase my traffic, I’ve already written 3 blog posts about it. You can check them out here.
Articles I’ve written on KWFinder:
- How to Find Low Competition Keywords You Can Rank Quickly
- KWFinder Review Features and How to Use It
- How to Use KWFinder Tool to Help You Get Results
Three articles in 3 months all coming from a different angle about a product that I love and use. As I continue to use the software, I am sure that I will be able to write more articles.
This helps your audience really understand your recommendation, and you’re answering all the questions that they may have before they decide to purchase it.
If you’re using something that you absolutely love, then sit down and write about it. Make sure that you write about it and mention it more than once.
People don’t usually buy the first time they read about something. Studies have shown that people usually buy after the seventh time of seeing something.
You’re doing yourself and your audience a disservice if you only mention it once.
In It Just for The Money
Look, I get it that you started your blog in hopes of earning income. Heck, I started this blog because I wanted to walk away from my WordPress freelancing business.
Anyone who is running a self-hosted WordPress blog has monthly expenses they have to pay. We all want to make money so we can afford to keep our blogs running.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t want to make money from your blog or that you shouldn’t try. What I am saying is that you need to keep your audience in mind.
This means that whenever you post a piece of content on your blog, you have to know that you’re providing valuable content that can help your readers.
You won’t make it as an affiliate marketer if all you care about is making sales. If your content sucks, your audience will be able to tell you don’t have their best interests in mind.
You’re going to need a lot of content to create a successful blog. This is the main reason that I always say it’s important to pick a blog niche that you’re passionate about.
It’s hard to write content on something that you don’t enjoy just in hopes of earning commissions. Trust me, I’ve been there and done that. It won’t work for very long, you’ll burn out and quit.
Or you’ll resent your blog because you hate writing about the niche you chose.
Related: How to Find the Right Niche For Your Blog (With Examples)
Final Take Away
Making money with a blog doesn’t have to be difficult. Yes, it takes time and it won’t happen overnight. But if you’re enjoying the journey and writing amazing content, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t make any affiliate sales.
Your job is to provide the best information possible that helps your readers with their problem. If you can create a website that helps your readers, then you’ve done your job.
Don’t focus on making money, it will come with time. Most bloggers give up way too soon because they focus too much on the money.
Blogging comes with a learning curve and so does making money with affiliate marketing. If you can get past the hurdles and give it time, I have no doubt that you will succeed online.
Focus on writing content and promoting that content. Eventually, you will find your loyal fans that love everything you write and will buy the products and services you recommend.
You can’t expect people to just buy if they don’t know or trust you.
Hand Picked Articles for You
- 9 Affiliate Marketing Tools That Will Help New Bloggers
- Can You Really Make Money Promoting Products Online
- How to Get Affiliate Links On Your Website Quickly
Do you have any tips for writing affiliate product reviews? If so, please share them in the comments below.
