There is no one way to write a product review and comparison article, and there is no one reason to do so. Companies can feature articles on their blogs comparing their product to that of a competitor. Bloggers, on the other hand, can make money by comparing and reviewing various products and including affiliate links next to them.

This type of content can be beneficial for marketers in different ways. For example:

• It can be used to increase brand awareness by carefully combining keyword research with high-quality content. 
• It provides genuine benefits for consumers who feel lost in their search for the right product. This is especially important given that 96% of consumers distrust advertisements and brand statements. 
• Writing product review and comparison articles that have a high rank on SERP provide an excellent chance for small companies to increase revenue via affiliate marketing.

Whatever the reason for writing comparison articles, certain practices have been shown to work better than others. We will discuss them here and provide examples to help you out.

Do Thorough Research

Keyword research, or simply typing the product name into Google and adding words like vs., or, versus, compare, is the best way to find products to compare. Keywords will be used to conduct more in-depth research. 

Finding competitors, however, is only the beginning. If you’re serious about writing an excellent product comparison article, you should be a specialist in that field. Learn all of the technical details for each product, as well as the industry’s current trends and, most importantly, the consumers’ pain points.

Finally, the article should be of high quality, which you can’t achieve unless you are thorough.

Cover Everything Readers Would Be Interested in

Source: depositphotos.com

Remember that the goal of these articles is to be as useful as possible. You write them to provide consumers with as much knowledge as possible so that they are able to make an informed decision when buying a product.

When creating content with the readers’ best interests in mind, you need to stay as objective as possible. Another critical step is to identify the most common pain points within the target audience segment and analyze each product in light of them. This way, your readers will be able to make a more informed decision without having to look elsewhere for information.

For a great example, take a look at Sfgate’s best mattress review. It’s concise, yet it covers everything that someone who’s looking to buy a mattress would want to know. If you want to learn more about the mattress you think is best for you, there is a link that will take you to a highly detailed review of it. You can’t make it any easier for readers to find what they’re looking for.

Structure the Article Logically

One of the most popular article structures is by category because it is the most thorough and simple to follow. In every category, you will first write about one product, then another. Readers can easily see the key points and search for the details they need. 

For example, if the price is the most influential factor in purchasing, readers can quickly leap to the price section without searching for it deeply buried within the article. For a great example, take a look at how Progressive Foam categorized their review into key comparison points that would interest their readers. A person choosing between insulated vinyl siding and fiber cement would want to learn about how each fares in terms of composition, appearance, energy efficiency, durability, maintenance, cost, installation, and warranty, 

Another approach is creating a list of advantages and disadvantages of each product, like in this article comparing crane system designs. Start with one product and write a list of pros and cons before moving on to the other products. 

This method ensures that each competitor gets equal attention and time. If you don’t give every product equal time in the center of attention, it may reveal you are biased and cause you to lose credibility.

In short, the goal is to structure your product review or comparison article in a way that’s most beneficial and logical to your target audience and the things they’re looking to learn. 

Add Some Media

Source: depositphotos.com

If you have a long comparison article and want to keep your reader’s attention, include some media. Infographics, images, videos, or even podcasts can assist you in avoiding long blocks of text. They will add context to the content.

Furthermore, every one of your readers has a preferred learning method. Readers value a lot of copy, while visual learners might appreciate looking at photos, watching videos, and examining infographics. Audible learners will enjoy hearing a podcast.

For a good example, take a look at how Office Interiors went the extra mile and even included a video in their article on inkjet vs. laser printers. 

Format Your Comparison Table

When creating a comparison table, you want to make sure that the formatting is clear and straightforward. Eliminate unnecessary facts and anything superfluous to avoid confusing your readers.

The text should be more readable and scannable. Don’t include too many product features, details, and descriptions. Using tables allows you to sum up the characteristics rather than adding extraneous phrases or words.

Of course, the reason why you’re creating a comparison table is for the content. The design will make it more digestible and visually appealing, but what the readers are looking for is the key product information. 

This article from River Pools features a great comparison table – straightforward, concise, and designed in a way to make things super-simple for the reader.

In Closing

Product reviews and comparison articles are a great addition to your content marketing efforts. Follow these best practices to help you produce the kind of content your target audience will appreciate – which will definitely help you build trust and boost your brand.