Read the Three-Star Reviews

When you're getting ready to write about a product, it's tempting to start with the sales page.

That's where you'll find all the features, benefits, and reasons the company thinks you should buy it.

But those are the company's words. They don't necessarily reflect how customers feel about the product after they've actually used it.

If you want to understand what people really think, spend some time reading the reviews.

I've written about the quiet customer — the people who never say anything but are still telling you something. The reviews are where the ones who did speak up finally get heard.

And here's something I've found interesting about reviews. The most useful ones aren't always the five-star or one-star ratings.

They're often the three-star reviews.

Think about it. Someone leaving five stars might simply say they love the product without explaining much else. Someone leaving one star might be upset because their package arrived late or something went wrong with the delivery.

But someone leaving three stars often has a more detailed story to tell.

They bought the product expecting it to solve a problem. Some things worked, others didn't, and they're willing to explain what happened.

That's valuable information when you're deciding whether something is worth recommending.

What were they hoping for?

When you read these reviews, pay attention to why someone purchased the product in the first place.

Maybe they wanted to save time on a task they were tired of doing manually. Or they were looking for something easier to use. Then maybe they hoped a particular feature would make their life simpler.

Those reasons tell you what matters to potential customers.

And when you're creating content, that's where you should start.

Instead of repeating a list of features, talk about the problem that made someone look for the product in the first place.

Where did the product fall short?

This is where the reviews become particularly useful.

Someone might say the product works well but takes too long to set up. Another person might say it's perfect for beginners but doesn't have enough features for someone with more experience.

Those details help you understand who the product is actually suited for.

You don't have to pretend every product is right for everybody.

In fact, explaining where something falls short can help people make a better decision.

And when someone realizes you're willing to point out a product's limitations, they have a reason to take your recommendations more seriously.

Pay attention to the words people use

Companies have their own way of describing products.

They might talk about improving productivity or streamlining a workflow.

A customer is more likely to say they're tired of spending every Sunday evening doing the same paperwork.

Both might be talking about the same problem, but one sounds like a sales presentation and the other sounds like an actual person.

When you're reading reviews, pay attention to those everyday expressions.

They can help you explain a problem in language your audience recognizes.

That doesn't mean copying someone's entire review into your content. It means understanding how people describe their experiences and using that understanding when you write.

How to put this into practice

Choose a product you're already promoting or one you're considering.

Find somewhere customers have left reviews and start with the three-star ratings. If there aren't many, look at four-star reviews that mention something the customer didn't like.

As you read, make a few notes about why people bought the product, what disappointed them, and how they described their experiences.

Don't make a decision based on one review. Keep reading and see whether the same issues come up repeatedly.

If several customers mention that a product is difficult to set up, that's worth knowing.

If people consistently praise one particular feature, that's useful too.

You might even discover a problem with the product that makes you reconsider promoting it altogether.

And that's fine.

The whole point of doing this research is to understand what you're recommending before asking someone else to spend their money on it.

It's the same thinking behind only recommending what you'd buy twice. The research is how you find out if a product actually clears that bar.

One last thing

Don't go into the reviews looking only for comments that support what you already believe about a product.

It's easy to notice the positive feedback and overlook anything that makes you question your recommendation.

But the criticism might be the most useful part of your research.

You don't need to agree with every reviewer, and not every complaint will be reasonable. What matters is whether you can recognize patterns and make a fair assessment.

The next time you're preparing content about a product, spend a little time reading what customers have to say.

You might come away with a better understanding of the product, and a much better idea of what your audience actually wants to know.