This step-by-step how to guide will show and explain how to use Surfer SEO to create better, more valuable and in-depth content for clients at ContentRefined.com

This step by step guide will show and explain how to use the tool MarketMuse to create better, more valuable and in depth content for our content marketing clients.

Geeking out on SEO tools that help us predictably rank in Google is a lot of fun… so much so that a few years ago, we started a business centered around that as a core competency

After many years of getting content created, I have had my team work on getting a great outline on what we expect in our review articles when we send them to our writers. There are many ways that you can create the articles, however, this format is one that I use with my sites as it’s one I see that has had great results in both ranking and click through rate.

The following steps will outline a more in-depth the process of creating a stellar review and getting the results you would expect from including them on your website and other online platforms:

Choosing a Niche and Keyword Research

Clients that approach us already know their niche and what products and topics their website and business will be focused on; however, they may have not already completed the keyword research that is needed to come up with the right titles and reviews for their websites.

When choosing which product to review, it is important to fully understand the niche that you will be covering. Keyword research will help to streamline search engine optimization (SEO) and bring in more targeted results, which, in turn, generate improved profits.

Keyword research helps to build up a list of relevant and important topics for the niche. When using a keyword research tool or program, it is likely that you will be presented with an extensive selection of potential keywords that could lead to generating increased traffic and sales. However, you want to narrow down this massive list to a select few keywords that are highly targeted to the particular niche to be presented. It is these keywords that will provide more inherent value for the website and drive more traffic to your website.

When narrowing down the list of keywords, you need to determine how competitive the niche keyword phrases are and narrow down the intended audience; this can be done based on the client or audience and the location in which they feel is more relevant for their rankings.

Once the list has been narrowed down, it can then be customized to more specific metrics. Keywords we select will have over 500 monthly searches and are under 30% competition. The keywords used should be able to generate more sales and should be optimized to rank higher in searches. This is an effective way to determine which products are most the in-demand and the best to be reviewing. If you are looking for some great keyword research tools to help with this process, please read our in-depth review that we did here.

Choosing the Products to Review

Once the keywords are acquired, there will be a greater idea of what products will need to be reviewed. Once the title has been generated, it is then the time to conduct some thorough research online to discover some of the best coffee makers there are currently available.

Amazon, for example, has countless assorted products to choose from and they already include a lot of the relevant information that will be needed to complete the article. However, it is never recommended to write a review based solely on the information provided on the Amazon link.

Instead, do some research, check other reputable sites, including the manufacturer’s sites, to acquire additional information that may prove to be useful in the product review article.

It is best to limit your reviews to the products that have received the most reviews and most stars. It is easier to find information for these products as well as user-generated testimonials highlighting the specific pros and cons of each—remember that very few products are perfect for everyone.

All the information gathered through the research process will then help create a more convincing, compelling, and accurate review with trusted and reliable information the reader can count on when making a final purchasing decision.

Hiring a Writer

Once you have determined the niche, the keywords, and the title for the review, it is time to find a writer that is up to the task of completing the article. If you missed my article on the best places to hire writers, you can find that here. Take into consideration the type of review that will be written, the purpose the review will serve, and what you want the review to ultimately accomplish.

For the example article of the Best Drip Coffeemakers for At Home Brewing, we are looking for a knowledgeable writer who understands the importance of keyword use and SEO and will be able to research a product thoroughly to dissect its value and key features. The review should be compelling and able to better position the website to be higher up on the go-to list of similar niche websites and it should also attract and entice visitors to visit the page, click on the links, and discover other products and services that the website has to offer.

Providing a Template

Providing the writer with a template is a good starting point for the article process so they are sure to touch on each element that is needed to create a well-rounded and complete review article. You can review the template we send to our writers here. For our coffeemaker review, we want to make sure to include all relevant information including the price range, key features of the product, and any pros and cons that there may be. The content should also be in a readable format that is easy to skim.

[thrive_link color=’green’ link=’https://docs.google.com/document/d/19kIAe9mPUul7kIIXGxcDXexrVTUpOZJ9z8pMN9wfv4U/edit?usp=sharing’ target=’_blank’ size=’medium’ align=’aligncenter’]Download the Template We Send to Our Writers![/thrive_link]

Long paragraphs will most likely be skipped over by a reader. Rather, smaller paragraphs, tables, and bullet points with appropriate headings and subheadings are an easier and more straightforward way to complete an article. It provides an easy-to-read format that can be quickly read by the potential customer and provides a clear and valuable comparison of each product that they can keep going back to without having to search within a wall of text for the information.

The following is an example of a good template to follow when completing a review article. It includes a breakdown of each section that should be included and provides an easy to read format and layout that will appeal to a reader interested in the product.

Example Template

Provide a Brief Introduction

As with traditional-style newspapers, the introduction should immediately grab the reader’s attention so they continue to read—headlines sell. The tone should be more conversational, as if you were talking to a friend, and provide valuable information that answers the initial question of the article. For the coffee maker reviews, we are looking for the best coffee makers for home brewing and we are using the article to present this information in a meaningful and valuable way.

• Begin by creating a connection with the readers
• Show understanding of the problem
• Provide a viable solution

Introduce the Product

Next, you will be introducing the products. For this review article, we provided a link, image, and relevant information of the product in the beginning so the reader knows exactly what was being discussed. We then go on to discuss a few more elements including:

• Who makes this product
• Use bullet points to discuss the key features
• Explain the purpose of the product
• Share any pros or cons associated with the product

Describe the Results

In the first paragraph of each reviewed product, it is recommended to describe the product in detail and describe the results you will achieve from using the product. The paragraph should be short but include all relevant information pertaining to the product that you may not be able to find just through the key features and pros and cons.

Testimonials

Testimonials will typically include the pros and cons of the product and why the user would or would not recommend the product. However, it is best not to be too negative and instead provide a solution to a con or a feature that may help overcome this small downfall.

A helpful review will generally include a small list of pros and cons that include three to five bullet points each.

The following is a representation of how the customer reviews are displayed on Amazon. It provides a mix of one to 5-star feedback that can be used to better determine the product’s pros and cons. It can be used in addition to other research from other reliable sources.

Buying Advice

Buying advice can be included following the product reviews or at the beginning to accompany the introduction. If it is placed at the beginning, then the reader will have a better idea of what they should be looking for regarding the products. Likewise, if it is placed at the end, it will provide a refresher and a reminder of what they already read.

Conclusion

For the conclusion, you should write one to two final paragraphs that summarize the content of the product review article.

The summary should be a brief retelling of what was discussed and explain why the review article will help make buying decisions easier. Finally, the second concluding paragraph can include a recommendation section in which a product is recommended based on the reviews.

Other Relevant Information

As you can see from the example article, the format includes the introduction and buying advice, the introduction of each product including relevant information, the name, and the link where it can be found along with general and useful information. We then go into the bullet points of key features and then the pros and cons that can be expected from each product.

The format is repeated for each of the products being reviewed. A good review article will provide between three and five different product reviews to provide the reader with a plethora of information to help with their purchasing decision

A Call to Action

A call to action (CTA) is a brief statement at the end of a product review article that engages the reader and invites them to do something. Key phrases can be used for this including:

• Find out More
• Visit our site today
• Contact us for more information
• Click here for more buying options

The CTA will entice the reader to engage in a specific action as directed by the writer of the content and will make a compelling and creative addition to your content. Keep in mind the placement, the design, and the copy of what the CTA says.

There doesn’t have to be only one CTA per article. They can be strategically placed within the article to persuade the reader to continue for more information. In review articles, for example, you can include a “Click Here” CTA that will lead the reader to other information about the product or will provide them with the link they can use to purchase the product that is being discussed.

The design of the CTA should be appealing to the reader and can even be colorful to draw their attention to it. Finally, it should be noticeable on the page and stand apart from the other text.

The text of the CTA should be brief, straightforward, clearly written, and concise. Do not be afraid to be bold and compelling here; you want results and improved sales on the products you are marketing. Make the CTA stand out and serve its purpose.

Receiving the Completed Article

Once the writer completes the article and sends it back for review, the content can be edited and then upgraded, if needed, using MarketMuse.

MarketMuse is a content planning tool that helps content marketers and content creators maximize the value of the articles they are writing. The article is pasted into the box, the keywords are typed in and the title is included. Once all this information is entered, the content is analyzed to see what changes or improvements need to be made and offers ways in which the content can be upgraded to make it a more thorough and informative piece that will do better in searches.

MarketMuse offers three scores for the content. Under Content Analyzer, you will see the Content Depth Score, Average Content Score Target, and Best Content Score Target. Next to that information, you will find the approximate word count of the content, the average word count target, and the best word count target.

The Content Score will stack the content we have provided against other content that includes related information and will then be able to identify and provide topics that will be the most relevant to the page for the site and the competitors.

It will also be able to show how similar content ranks on search engines and the average word count and content score the other sites have generated. It provides a foundation on which can be built and improved on to produce higher quality content.

Steps to Improve Content on MarketMuse

1. Enter the focus topic for the content

For this review article, we were targeted in on coffeemakers so that is what I will put in the space provided

2. Next, enter the title of the article you will be analyzing

Best Coffee Makers for At Home Brewing

3. Paste the content of your article in its entirety in the space provided under the Content Window
4. Click on Analyze next to the focus topic box on the top right
5. Wait for the information to generate including all scores, related topics, mentions, target, and competitor information
6. Finally, use this information to plug in changes to improve the article and its content score. You can simulate the change to the score under the related topics box by clicking on the blue box with the + symbol next to the related topics
7. For even more ideas on what you can include to improve the score, click on the lightbulb image, and it will provide you with several other keywords. Keep in mind, however, that some of them may not actually be related to the content you are creating, they are just offering suggestions
8. Complete the article and the improvements and analyze the content one last time to be sure that your score is above and beyond the Best Content Score Target

How to Publish the Article

• After the article has been written, edited, and plugged for improvements, it is now time to begin the publishing process. To publish the content to the client’s site, you will have to have access to their login information. Once you are able to sign in, you will then see the Dashboard.

• Once into the dashboard, hover over the Posts icon and then click Add New to input the new article that will be published.

• After clicking Add New, you can then upload the post. The Post Title or Post Heading should also be added in the red marked area and then you can place the content.

• The heading options will then be provided so you can select the proper heading to use for the content and then follow up by clicking on Paragraph as you can see in the example below.

• During the publishing process, you are also able to edit the content, add all appropriate headings and subheadings, include images or media, and then input all the SEO Information as shown below:

• Next, choose the appropriate category for the post, add any relevant tags, and the featured image
• Finally, you can post the content as Draft by clicking on Save Draft or you can go ahead and publish the post right away after review by uploading the post as Publish by clicking on the Publish Button. You will then be able to view the post to see what the final product looks like after it is published.

Choosing Images

Knowing what kind of images to include and where to get them from can pose a challenge. When looking for images, make sure that they are relevant to the content you are publishing are of superior quality, original, and will appeal to your target audience.

The images for a product review will be of the actual products so the reader will have a better idea of the style and look of the product they are about to purchase. In the case of our Coffeemaker review, other relevant images could include a cup of coffee, a travel mug of coffee, or anything related to the at-home brewing process.

Avoid lower quality images that cannot be correctly sized or appear too blurry. These types of images can actually detract from the quality of the writing. High-resolution images are best and will make an impressive and professional appearance on the site.

Just as you would include a CTA at the end of the product review, the images should also invite a call to action. The image of a steaming cup of coffee may be enough to inspire the reader to crave that cup of coffee, making it more likely that they will read on to learn about the coffeemaker options they can purchase for their own home.

Conclusion

Writing a compelling and informative product review article, while time-consuming, can lead to greater success online in terms of attracting the target market, improving search engine results, and increasing sales generation and traffic.

Hopefully, this article helped highlight the various steps involved in the process from start to finish.

It is never advisable to underestimate the results that can be achieved by writing a detailed product review article. Even statistically speaking, a consumer is less likely to purchase a product if they are unable to read reviews on the item. Reviews are especially practical for online and other web-based sources because the consumer cannot try the product before purchasing. They are relying solely on the information being provided and the reviews.

Readers will look first at the product ratings for various items and will most likely ignore any products that are rated below three stars. They will then click on the product with the higher ratings to learn more about it and then begin to compare the available reviews.

Therefore, a product review article definitely is an essential tool to include in your arsenal when it comes to improving sales, generating traffic, and seeing continued success within your niche.

If there anything you think I missed that should be included in the review post I would love to hear about it!