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Types of Reviews (and When to Use Them)

Treating product reviews, brand testimonials, structured surveys, and user‑generated content (UGC) as interchangeable misses the mark on their distinct strategic value.

Types of Reviews and When to Use Them

Review Formats and Their Strategic Roles

Each review type serves a different purpose—explore the comparison below to understand which formats drive which outcomes, and how to use them together for maximum impact.

Product Reviews

Primary Goal:

Drive conversions on product pages

Best For:

Individual SKUs, product detail pages

Key Features:

Star ratings, detailed feedback, photos

Company Reviews

Primary Goal:

Build overall brand trust

Best For:

Homepage, checkout, brand pages

Key Features:

Service quality, shipping, support

Experience Reviews

Primary Goal:

Gather structured insights

Best For:

Post-purchase surveys, segmentation

Key Features:

Custom questions, targeted feedback

Third-Party Reviews

Primary Goal:

Improve search visibility

Best For:

Google, Trustpilot, industry platforms

Key Features:

SEO benefits, external credibility

Visual UGC

Primary Goal:

Drive emotional engagement

Best For:

Social media, ads, product galleries

Key Features:

Photos, videos, authentic usage

Primary Value vs. How to Execute

Now that you've seen how each review format lines up side-by-side, let's unpack them one by one. We'll start with Product Reviews - why they're your frontline conversion driver, when to lean on star-ratings vs. text feedback, and how to get the richest possible submissions.

Product Reviews

Tied to individual SKUs and typically shown on Product Detail Pages (PDPs).

Primary value:

Increase conversions, enrich PDP content, support long-tail SEO.

Execution tip:

Aim for context-rich submissions that include photos and specifics (e.g., "Fits true to size" with a photo).

Company Reviews

Reflect the customer's end-to-end experience—from ordering and shipping to support and returns.

Primary value:

Build trust with new shoppers; fuel CX and operational improvements.

Execution tip:

Display these prominently on your homepage, footer, and checkout flow to reassure hesitant buyers.

Experience Reviews (Survey-Based Feedback)

Collected via structured surveys post-purchase, often tailored by customer segment or product type.

Primary value:

Identify experience gaps, capture rich insights, and guide segmentation.

Execution tip:

Tag reviews by product or persona to enable personalized email campaigns and PDP enhancements.

Third-Party Reviews (Google, Trustpilot, etc.)

Hosted on platforms outside your control but highly visible in search and discovery.

Primary value:

Improve local SEO, reinforce trust in high-intent search journeys.

Execution tip:

Monitor and respond publicly to show transparency and strengthen brand reputation.

Visual UGC (User-Generated Content)

Photos and videos created by customers—often included with reviews or shared socially.

Primary value:

Boost ad performance, increase time-on-page, and drive emotional engagement.

Execution tip:

Tag UGC by product and aesthetic (e.g., "cozy," "outdoorsy") to enable smart deployment in ads, PDPs, and email.

The Review System in Motion

Your review ecosystem should function as a connected system — not a collection of isolated parts. Each review type plays a specific role in reinforcing trust and driving performance across the customer journey:

Product reviews

close the sale at the decision point.

Company reviews

build pre-sale trust and credibility.

Experience reviews

power operational and UX improvements.

Third-party reviews

expand your reach and influence beyond your site.

UGC

enhances storytelling and emotional connection.

Together, they deliver:

  • • Higher on-site conversion rates
  • • More personalized and authentic marketing
  • • Cross-functional insights for marketing, CX, product, and operations

Quick Win Checklist:

Are your product pages filled with fresh, media-rich reviews?

Are you collecting and displaying company reviews after purchase?

Have you launched any experience surveys to gather detailed feedback?

Are your third-party reviews recent, and are you actively replying to them?

Is your UGC library tagged, organized, and ready for reuse?

You don't need to activate every review type overnight. But identifying your gaps is the first step in building a high-impact, scalable review strategy that supports growth across every part of your business.