Why are reviews such a powerful part of content marketing?
Because they’re real. They tell the truth. And they help buyers feel confident before they ever pick up the phone.
In this episode of Endless Customers, I sat down with IMPACT Coach Allison Riggs to break down why review content is more than just testimonials. It’s one of the most strategic and underused tools for building trust, improving SEO, and guiding confident purchase decisions.
Too many companies dismiss reviews as something to collect passively, but Allison makes it clear: this is content with serious conversion power. From how reviews influence search engines to how they help buyers self-qualify, we walk through exactly why they should be front and center in your content strategy.
This episode covers:
Why companies overlook reviews (and why that’s a costly mistake)
The Law of the Coin and why transparency wins
How review content supports both people and AI tools
The 3-part review strategy that builds serious buyer trust
If you’re not using review content strategically, you’re leaving money—and trust—on the table.
“Reviews are often treated like an afterthought,” Allison said. “They get overshadowed by the flashier Big 5™ topics like Cost and Price.”
We work with hundreds of clients, and reviews consistently rank at the bottom in terms of the content they’re publishing. That’s a mistake. Because reviews, whether they're about your own products or industry-wide solutions, are a buyer's shortcut to clarity.
Part of the reason is that reviews just aren’t seen as "strategic." They’re often considered too simple, too reactive, or even too risky. But that thinking misses the mark entirely. Reviews are dynamic. They reflect real-life scenarios, expectations, disappointments, and wins. They’re mini case studies written in the buyer’s voice.
When you ignore reviews, you ignore your greatest credibility engine. Today’s buyers crave authenticity. They’re not looking for a brand to tell them what’s great. They want real stories from real people. That’s where trust is built. And it’s also where your brand earns its keep.
So if you're letting reviews sit in the background, it’s time to bring them front and center.
Reviews aren't just about you. The power comes from evaluating products, services, and even competitors in your space.
Most companies stop at customer testimonials. They might share a few nice quotes and leave it at that. But buyers today want more than surface-level praise. They want the gritty comparisons, the side-by-side breakdowns, and the insights that only someone on the inside can provide.
Allison broke it down beautifully: “We trust reviews because we assume they come from real experience, with no hidden agenda. That’s the kind of content that makes someone lean in and say, ‘Okay, I believe you.’”
This means being willing to evaluate everything in your space, not just your own offerings. That includes writing honest reviews about the alternatives your buyers are also considering. It could be a competing software platform, a similar product from another manufacturer, or a different service provider in your industry.
Yes, this requires a bit of courage. But the upside is huge. When you position yourself as a brand willing to help your audience compare all their options objectively, they begin to trust your intentions. That trust pays off.
So go beyond the basics. Write in-depth comparisons of different brands, models, or approaches. Call out the good fits and the bad fits. Share what the user experience is actually like. Help buyers decide what’s right for them, even if that means not choosing you. That’s where the magic happens.
And yes, your competitors might squirm. But your buyers? They’ll stick around.
We call it the Law of the Coin for a reason: Every product or service has two sides. One side is the good fit. The other? The bad fit. And if you’re only ever talking about the upside, you're not giving your buyers the full picture—or the respect they deserve.
Every purchase decision has a flip side. There are reasons someone should absolutely buy your product. But there are just as many reasons why someone else probably shouldn’t. And the truth is, most buyers already know this. They’re going to dig until they find both sides of the coin. The only question is whether they find it from you or someone else.
As a business, you have a choice: You can allow buyers to discover your "elephant," your product’s biggest drawback, on their own. Or, you can lead with radical transparency and say, "Here’s our elephant. It’s important you know this before making a decision."
Reviews are the perfect vehicle for this kind of honesty. They let your buyers see both sides of the coin clearly. A mom of five reading a review about an SUV that fits all her kids and their soccer gear? She's all ears. A single guy who commutes alone? He’ll probably keep looking. And that's exactly the point.
The buyers of today are savvy. They’ll do whatever it takes to find both sides of the story before making a decision. Smart companies, those that understand what it really means to be trusted, will help them get there faster by showing the pros and the cons openly.
“Would you rather disqualify the wrong buyers early,” Allison asked, “or have them buy and regret it later?”
That mindset doesn’t just win business. It wins loyalty. Because when your buyers sense you care more about their decision than closing a sale, they never forget it.
One of the toughest parts of this approach is talking about the bad stuff. Nobody likes doing it. But if you're not upfront about the drawbacks, someone else will be. And they'll do it on their terms, not yours. Allison reminded us that consumers are already searching for this info.
“The pros and cons are out there,” she said. “Wouldn't you rather be the one explaining them?”
Yes. Yes, you would.
Take Yale Appliance, they started writing brutally honest reviews of the products they sell, down to reliability, known issues, and even how long they typically last. Their suppliers weren’t thrilled at first, but over time, the feedback made the products better. And their customers trusted them more.
That's the kind of long game that wins.
We’re seeing clients hit a new level of success by combining:
This trifecta gives buyers a full experience. It brings together different learning styles and levels of depth. Someone doing early-stage research might just want to skim a video. Someone closer to buying might want to read every detail on a landing page. And others might use both.
One HVAC client, Allison, mentioned creates all three for every brand they carry. And here’s the key: They don’t cherry-pick. They give each vendor the same treatment. That means every brand gets:
This makes the experience feel objective, helpful, and consistent across the board. No gaps. No bias.
It also means buyers don’t have to dig through random forums or Reddit threads to get real insights. The company is doing the work for them, which builds confidence and shortens the decision-making process.
And when it all lives on your website? You’re not just educating buyers, you’re earning their trust in real time.
No one believes a company that only has perfect reviews. In fact, seeing only glowing feedback can raise red flags. It feels too polished. Too manufactured. And in today’s age of transparency, that’s not a good look.
If you’re removing negative reviews, you're doing more harm than good. You’re not just hiding information, you’re breaking trust. Buyers want the full story. The good, the bad, and everything in between.
Allison shared a client story where the business used to delete bad Google reviews. The intention was to protect their image, but it backfired. Customers are savvy. They expect to see some bumps. A few negative reviews? Totally normal. What matters most is how you respond.
“We can turn a bad review into a great customer experience,” Allison said. “Just be open, own it, and show how you're fixing it.”
The best move? Reply publicly. Acknowledge the issue, explain what went wrong, and share what’s being done to make it right. Even better, invite the reviewer to try your product or service again. That shows growth, maturity, and genuine care.
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being real. And real earns trust.
Here’s something that might surprise you: AI is already pulling in reviews and summarizing them.
You've probably seen this on Amazon. A new AI-generated summary gives you the gist of all customer feedback without reading every line. That’s just the beginning. Tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s Search Generative Experience are doing the same, scanning user reviews across platforms to build an informed, AI-generated overview.
Your reviews are training the bots. And if those reviews aren’t helpful, transparent, and rich with context, you’re not showing up the way you want to in AI-powered search experiences.
If your competitors are creating better review content across more platforms, that’s what AI will surface. Not you. And in an increasingly AI-first world, that’s no small thing.
“We’re not just writing for people anymore,” Allison said. “We’re writing for people and the robots.”
That means you’ve got to do both: Create content that educates buyers and content that feeds the algorithms. Reviews do both brilliantly. But only if you’re honest, comprehensive, and consistent.
You don’t need to overhaul your entire content strategy overnight. But you do need to begin. Start with the building blocks. Create a structure that prioritizes transparency, consistency, and usefulness.
Here’s a simple checklist to get rolling:
Pick one product or service to start with. Just one. Build out a written review. Make a simple video. Create a dedicated landing page. Then, rinse and repeat.
Small steps. Big results.
If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: “Don't shy away from any and all reviews that you can get and give,” Allison said. “Whether it’s about your products, your services, or your industry.”
So pull back the curtain. Let buyers see the full picture.
They’ll thank you with their trust and their business.
Want to build trust with honest review content? Talk to our team about implementing a review strategy that helps buyers make faster, smarter decisions. We’ll show you how to build the trust engine your business deserves.
Allison Riggs is a Head Coach at IMPACT. She trains sales, marketing, and leadership teams to embrace a culture of radical transparency within their organizations, empowering them to become the most trusted voice in their space.
Email her at ariggs@impactplus.com
Connect with Allison on LinkedIn
Why are reviews more than just testimonials? Because they offer depth, comparisons, and help buyers self-qualify by showing the full picture, not just praise.
What kind of review content should we create? Start with written reviews, video walkthroughs, and comparison landing pages for key products or services.
Should we include bad reviews on our site? Yes. When addressed openly, they build trust and credibility. Buyers trust honest brands.
How do reviews affect search rankings? AI tools and search engines scan review content to summarize buyer experiences. Rich, transparent reviews improve visibility.
Where do we begin with review content? Pick one product or service. Write a detailed review. Add a video. Build a dedicated page. Then repeat for others.