Are Customer Reviews More Persuasive Than Copywriting?

Copywriters have been making excellent money for decades. Their expertise and ability to create relevant and polished copy have helped countless brands attract new customers and stand out among their competitors.

Can it be really so that customer reviews can be more persuasive than even the most engaging copy produced by professionals? 

Let’s see how that’s possible and what it could mean for your business.

The Power of Customer Feedback

Customer feedback is incredibly powerful because it often comes across as more authentic and relatable. Michael Levin from CBD.market says that it’s actual proof that someone else has used a product or service and taken the time to write about their experience. 

It’s also relatable because that other person is in a similar situation, which makes their opinion valuable. When you see that someone has a genuine opinion on something - be it good or bad - it builds trust. 

Even if you don’t know the person, their review holds real value and influences your decisions.

According to numerous researches, about 98% of customers read online reviews before making a purchase.

Copywriting vs. Reviews

Copywriting (a body of text that highlights features, benefits, and use cases, often in combination with emotional triggers) can also persuade people into buying and might even be your business’s only option if you’re just getting started.

But the issue is that, no matter how well-written, you know that someone was paid to write the words you’re reading, which makes them less valuable. 

Sure, copy can be helpful, and you might even learn important things about a product. But you can’t fully trust it because it’s not actually based on a paying customer’s experience and opinion.

So, when it comes to trust, reviews hold more weight. This is one big reason why customers often scroll past a product’s description to read reviews.

How to Use Reviews in Content Marketing?

The first and most obvious place to use reviews is on your product pages, which describe what you offer, along with use cases and benefits. People who visit such pages are likely already interested in your product and want to learn more about it, as well as whether it meets their needs.

By including a review or testimonial, you can boost your conversion rate to some degree. There is a clear link between reviews and conversion rate.

Emails are also a good place to mention or outright promote a product or service through favorable reviews. While some marketers claim that “email is dead” (they’ve been saying it for over a decade), it remains an excellent marketing channel that you must leverage. 

Here are some tips for adding customer reviews in marketing and content materials:

• Mention specific outcomes or for clients. Use short and informative snippets that clearly explain how your product helped the customer solve their specific problem.
  
  
• Use more than text if possible. While a written review can work great, you should also look to gather photos (like screenshots) and even videos from happy customers. Even a brief video of a real person praising your product can make a huge difference, especially on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
  
  
• Group your reviews by category. As you start getting more reviews, consider the theme of each and start grouping them. This is a good way to highlight specific aspects of your product or service through social proof.
  
  So, when a potential customer wants to know how easy your product is to use, what specific issue it solves, or how it performs, they can easily access multiple reviews from real people.

When Copywriting Still Matters

Customer reviews are incredibly powerful, but that doesn’t mean copywriting is no longer important. Great copy still plays a key role in how your brand connects with people and drives sales.

While reviews help build trust, copy provides structure. It tells people what your product is, who it’s for, and why it matters.

Without solid copy, things can feel vague. You’re relying on customers to connect the dots themselves, which often leads to confusion.

A good copywriter knows how to highlight benefits, answer objections, and speak in a way that resonates with your audience. Plus, copy ensures your message stays consistent across all channels, your website, emails, ads, and more.

The most effective strategy? Use both. Let your copy guide the reader and set the tone. Then let reviews support that message with real, relatable experiences.

When used strategically, customer reviews can elevate any page or email, boost your credibility, and make people more likely to purchase from you. 

Together, they’re much more persuasive than either one on its own.