The Dos and Don’ts of Using Reviews in Your eCommerce Content

Consumers know what eCommerce businesses want from them: sales! But how often do eCommerce businesses ask themselves what consumers may want from them?

The answer is simple. Consumers want a good product.

But it goes deeper than that. Knowing that what you’re buying virtually is what you’re getting in reality is crucial. That‘s why between 89-95% of customers say they read reviews about a product before they buy, according to a report by Statista Research Department. Because eCommerce doesn’t allow for try-before-you-buy, the customer review is now worth its weight in marketing gold.

However, tying testimonials and reviews into engaging content can be tricky. Here are the dos and don’ts of incorporating reviews into your content.

Do use testimonials.

If your business can find a few customers who love your product, ask them why they love it, what drew them to the product, and why they would recommend it to someone else. If you have these three answers, engaging content is nearly ensured.

Don’t make your audience click on to your reviews page.

But, you say, we have so many good reviews, I want my customer to read them all! And they will. Research shows time and again that consumers search out reviews for online products. What consumers don’t enjoy is feeling like they’re being led. We’ve doubled down on trust and authenticity. The same applies here. Trust your audience to read more reviews if they feel they need to.

Avoid superlatives.

We’re very excited you’ve chosen this awesome content-generating product! It’s the absolute best and yields incredible results! A total game-changer for any eCommerce business looking to take their business to the next level!

If the above pitch doesn’t convince you, the same style won’t work on your audience either. Consumers aren’t normally convinced by reviews that read like captions on an Instagram influencer account…

Be honest.

…instead, look for honest reviews to highlight. A considered review, even without superlatives, is more effective than a blandly written rave. Above all, your audience would rather make an informed decision based on honest content than feel patronized by empty words, or worse, duped altogether.

Don't underestimate your reviewer.

When encouraging your customer base for reviews or testimonials to use in content, remember that the value of the review is only as valuable as the reviewer who writes it. Find reviews that read well on the page or testimonials that feel like real stories.

Your audience wants to be confident when they engage with eCommerce. Curated reviews presented in a trustworthy fashion will help them claim that confidence.