This week, we will focus in on another popular type of online review: that of a particular place. Restaurants are the most popular types of places to review, and we have a whole guide dedicated to that type of review that will run later this week, but we think it is important to start by sharing some tips on writing reviews of places in general.
People don’t often think to review places. Usually, people write about places, their history, their beauty, and their significance, and leave it at that.
Why not include an evaluation of a place you write about in a travel Hub? By adding a Ratings Capsule to a Hub about a place (be it local or foreign), you can bolster your work with additional utility and make it more alluring in search results (again, people see the stars presented in your Hub’s Ratings Capsule and may be more compelled to click on it as a result).
What we recommend is writing travel Hubs, as well as Hubs about local sights, places, and attractions, that include reviews as well as general information. Here are some tips on doing so successfully:
Go for a list format: We recommend titles like “Best Restaurants in Berkeley, California”, “Pet-Friendly Vacation Lodges in New England”, or “Museums for Kids in Rome, Italy”. This enables you to write location-based reviews while avoiding competition with Google results, which often crowd out other online articles with local business listings and Google Maps results.
Utilize the Map Capsule: This adds utility and visual pizzazz to your location reviews.
Include additional history, facts, and details that are associated with the location. Additional information strengthens your personal opinions and makes your Hub more likely to catch searches from those looking for related niche topics.
Add lots of images and original photos: A picture is worth a thousand words!
Perhaps you had decided not to enter this month’s Rigorous Review Contest because you did not have any particular products you wanted to review. We hope these tips have opened your eyes to a whole new world of online reviews.
Go forth! Gather those old vacation photos and notes! Take a spin around town and take photos of all the major hangouts! Then come home and share their background- paired with your personal evaluations and a Ratings Capsule– in a contest entry. Just be sure to read through the official rules and qualifying requirements before hitting “Publish”. 🙂
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