15 Product Review Blog Success Stories [2024]
A product review blog typically includes a description of the product, as well as a rating and review. This can be anything from reviewing gadgets to books to software.
To start a product review blog, you need to have strong writing skills and be familiar with the available products. You should also have a good understanding of how to market your blog and generate traffic.
The recent trend that is making this business more popular is the growth of social media. With more people using social media, businesses are looking for ways to connect with their customers. Product review blogs provide businesses with a way to connect with their customers and generate positive reviews.
Starting a product review blog is a great way to share your opinion on different products. This type of blog can be very profitable, as you can generate revenue through advertising and affiliate marketing.
In this list, you'll find real-world product review blog success stories and very profitable examples of starting a product review blog that makes money.
1. Tooltester S.L. ($1.32M/year)
Robert Brandl, the founder of Tooltester.com, came up with the idea after struggling to find information about website builders online while starting his own travel blog.
He quickly recognized the demand for reviews and tutorials of web tools and launched Tooltester.com to fill that gap.
The business has since grown to generate around $120k per month in revenue and has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing European companies.
How much money it makes: $1.32M/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 9
Tooltester.com is a website that provides reviews and tutorials for website builders, hosting companies, live chat tools, and email marketing software, with a current revenue of around $120k per month and has made it into the Financial Times ranking of the fastest-growing European companies (FT1000) two years in a row.
2. Foreword Reviews ($1.08M/year)
Victoria Sutherland, founder of Foreword Reviews, came up with the idea for her business while working for a small press magazine. She noticed that independent publishers were not getting much coverage and saw an opportunity to provide long-form reviews for these smaller presses. With her background in advertising and a passion for books, she started Foreword Reviews to fill the gap in the market and support indie presses.
How much money it makes: $1.08M/year
How much did it cost to start: $15K
How many people on the team: 7
Foreword Reviews is a media company that started out as a magazine with a print run of 7,500 copies, serving as a brochure for publishing services including foreign rights exchange and digital content, and twenty years and some intense pivots later, it has become one of the most profitable in the book business.
3. Urban Tastebud ($612K/year)
Bryan discovered subscription boxes while working on a gluten-free menu blog. His article about the best gluten-free subscription boxes became successful, which led him to focus on niche-specific subscription boxes.
How much money it makes: $612K/year
How much did it cost to start: $210
How many people on the team: 0
Urban Tastebud is a profitable affiliate marketing blog specializing on subscription box reviews that now draws in $51,000 a month; the founder started by writing quick easy-to-read list articles and has remained profitable for 9 years by his consistency while focusing on growing his content and using social media platforms such as TikTok and Pinterest to increase traffic.
4. Fin vs Fin ($480K/year)
Alex Goldberg, the founder of Fin vs Fin, started the business as a "dumb side project" with his ex-boss-turned-side-hustle-partner. They initially focused on comparing fintech startups, but pivoted to reviewing wellness products after noticing the influx of venture capital in the industry. With their first sale earning them a $10 commission, they realized they had a proof of concept and kept growing the business with high-quality content and partnerships. They went from making enough to cover their car payments to reaching $500k in revenue in just two years.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 10
Learn how the founder of Fin vs Fin turned a "dumb side project" into a profitable media business generating $70k in profit per month, by committing to creating a "dumb blog" and consistently experimenting with strategies to attract and retain customers.
5. TechJury ($360K/year)
Deyan Georgiev came up with the idea for Techjury.net after experiencing frustrations with dishonest laptop reviews and wanting to provide unbiased information. Despite initially struggling to monetize the site and facing challenges with SEO, they focused on organic traffic and quality content, which eventually led to success. Techjury now makes $30,000/month in revenue and helps over 200,000 people find the best software and products.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 13
Affiliate website Techjury.net achieves $30,000/month in revenue after a very slow start by disrupting the industry with unbiased reviews, achieved with a small team of 13 and attracting over 200,000 visitors a month, with founder Deyan Georgiev attributing their success to handpicking his team and treating people with respect.
6. Cogneve, INC. ($180K/year)
Alexandru Stan, a serial entrepreneur and tech investor, came up with the idea for Tekpon.com after realizing that many people buy software but never use it, creating a $30 billion/year problem in the US. With his experience in the industry and previous successful exits, he saw an opportunity to help people and companies choose the right software for their business. Since its launch, Tekpon.com has attracted thousands of customers and is working towards becoming one of the main marketplaces for software.
How much money it makes: $180K/year
How much did it cost to start: $425K
How many people on the team: 8
Tekpon, a software marketplace launched by Alexandru Stan, is helping individuals and companies combat a yearly $30bn issue of buying and never using software, generating $4,000/month, and has secured investment from private angels and two VCs with hopes of becoming a unicorn within the next three years, all while holding one of the largest Facebook groups for founders: Entrepreneurs and Startups, with over 65,000+ active members in the last 60 days.
7. Parkdale Brass ($120K/year)
Shawn Santiago, the founder of Parkdale Brass, came up with the idea for his business while working as a web developer for a digital agency that created cannabis websites. He noticed that most existing cannabis products had similar designs and were made from materials that often arrived broken. This inspired him to create his own brand, focusing on classic, luxury, and durable designs using brass. Since its launch in 2019, Parkdale Brass has gained recognition from prominent publications like Forbes and Weedmaps and has seen an average of 10k in monthly sales.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 1
Parkdale Brass specializes in mindful cannabis use and their high-end, vintage-inspired brass pipe, The Brockton Mk2, has been featured in Forbes and Weedmaps, with the company now seeing approximately $10k in monthly sales and focusing on expanding their product line and B2B sales.
8. onlinecasinoguide.in ($120K/year)
Arjun Patel, a dedicated casino player and SEO manager, noticed a lack of online casino information for Indian players. Combining his expertise in SEO and his passion for casino games, he created onlinecasinoguide.in, an online casino affiliate that provides honest reviews, game guides, and bonus offers. With a monthly visitor count of 30K, the platform has become profitable and Patel plans to expand into other emerging casino markets in Asia and South America.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 0
Indian founder Arjun Patel created online platform onlinecasinoguide.in which provides honest reviews, guides and details about casino sites and promotions in India, gaining 30,000 monthly visitors through dedication and patience in building a solid SEO foundation.
9. AquariumStoreDepot ($120K/year)
Mark, the founder of AquariumStoreDepot, came up with the idea for his business after realizing his passion for aquatic animal keeping. He had been involved in the hobby since he was 11 years old and decided to turn it into a business after reading books like "The 4 Hour Work Week" and "End of Jobs." He started with a Shopify site and initially struggled to gain sales, but found success through organic SEO, Pinterest, and in-depth articles on his website. Despite facing challenges such as negative SEO campaigns and mergers/acquisitions from competitors, Mark remains dedicated to his passion and plans to continue growing his business through partnerships and content creation. He uses tools like Ahrefs to improve his SEO strategy.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3K
How many people on the team: 1
AquariumStoreDepot is a highly-profitable business in the niche market of aquatic animal keeping, averaging $8-10k per month with a high revenue month of $13k, and expanding over time from dropshipping to proprietary agreements.
10. SexualAlpha ($120K/year)
Dainis Graveris, founder of SexualAlpha, started his journey in the sexual wellness industry after working in web design and pursuing his passion for dance. While seeking ways to improve his own sex life, he realized the potential in helping others by providing unbiased sex toy reviews and sex education. With a website that now receives 900K visits per month and generates $10K/month in affiliate commissions, Dainis aims to continue expanding his company's reach and breaking the stigma around sexuality.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 8
SexualAlpha is a sexual wellness blog that provides honest sex toy reviews, with 900K visits per month and making around 10K/month on affiliate commissions, created by founder Dainis Graveris through intensive research and a strong passion for teaching people about sexuality.
11. INDMND ($120K/year)
Andrew Dunn, the founder of INDMND.com, had years of experience in the content industry and saw the profitability of SEO and affiliate marketing through Adam Enfroy's success. He leveraged his knowledge and skills to build a website focused on link-building and content creation, which quickly gained a domain rating of 40 and over 140 backlinks in just two months.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 1
INDMND.com is a profitable B2B media company that specializes in acquiring attention for the world's largest software companies, with over 140 backlinks and a domain rating of over 40 achieved through massive link-building efforts and excellent content creation.
12. Points Panda ($45.6K/year)
Freddy Lansky, the CEO of Points Panda, came up with the idea for his business after realizing the value of transferring points to airlines for discounted business class flights. He started by offering award booking services to friends and family before turning it into a full-fledged consultancy business. Through consistent content creation and strategic partnerships, Points Panda has steadily grown and aims to expand its team in the future.
How much money it makes: $45.6K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 5
Points Panda is a points & miles travel blog/award booking consultancy business that helps people maximize their points; the business began after CEO Freddy Lansky realized he could turn his passion for booking award flights for small “hassle fees” into a thriving business.
13. SelectSoftware Reviews ($40.5K/year)
Phil Strazzulla, founder of SelectSoftware, came up with the idea for his business after building a personal brand in the HR space through a weekly whiteboard video series. He realized that HR professionals were struggling to choose the right software for their needs, and saw the opportunity to create an online review site, similar to NerdWallet or WireCutter, for HR software. With organic search traffic growing at 30% per month and revenues hitting $1k per month, SelectSoftware has gained traction in the market.
How much money it makes: $40.5K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50
How many people on the team: 0
VC-turned-entrepreneur Phil Strazzulla, who previously built a successful b2b SaaS business, shares how he bootstrapped an online review site for HR software into a viable business with over $1k monthly revenues in just 3 months through organic search traffic growth and selling high intent leads.
14. Super Smash Cache ($24K/year)
Cy, an award-winning sex blogger, started her review blog, Super Smash Cache, after realizing the lack of honest information about body-safe sex toys. With a background in biology and art, Cy wanted to create a platform that challenged assumptions about sexuality and provided a space for sexually expressive individuals. Today, her blog has amassed over 11,000 followers on Instagram and brings in around $2,000 a month through affiliate commissions, sponsored posts, and banner ads.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $14
How many people on the team: 0
Sex blogger turns a free WordPress blog into a $2,000 a month part-time digital business by investing in education, self-hosting, and building relationships within the NSFW community.
15. Cybernium Inc. ($12K/year)
Cybernium Inc founder, Itai Danan, came up with the idea for his flagship online property, Neocamera, when he realized he needed a digital camera for a trip but knew nothing about them. Recognized as an expert in digital cameras, he decided to publish a 4-step Digital Camera Buying Guide to help others, which eventually grew into a digital camera review and resource website that now attracts up to 1.3 million unique monthly visitors and generates around $1,000 per month in revenue.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $350
How many people on the team: 1
A software engineer turned founder started a digital camera review website as a side-hustle which turned into a successful online publication with up to 1.3 million unique monthly visitors, generating around $1,000 per month, attracting visitors through guest posts, focusing on desirable quality content, and through answering popular questions on Stack Exchange, providing helpful advice for other entrepreneurs.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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