At Fit Healthy Momma, our team of real moms use a 7-step user generated content (UGC) approach to curate real-life experiences when reviewing products from DTC brands.
Our 7-Step Review Procedure
Below, you can read our 7-step review procedure that we go through on every product review with our moms.
Step 1 – Identify Brands That Create Products Specific For Moms and Women
Myself and the moms research and find DTC brands that create products specific for moms and women. We then collaborate on which products we would like to test ourselves.
We do this in a number of ways:
- The DTC brand must be trustworthy – we find legitimate stories on the brands, read hundreds of customer reviews, and make sure their customer experience is top-notch. This includes an excellent buying experience on the brand's website, a superb shipping process and a verified return policy that the brand sticks to.
- Make sure the brand isn't making outrageous claims – outrageous claims are a huge red flag to us, so we stay away from brands that use them. We base this off of reading their claims on their website and verifying the team behind the brand that are making claims.
- The brand must be solving a specific problem – we found the most successful and trustworthy brands solve specific problems.
- The brand must have a professional team of experts in their related field – you'll see this with some of the most successful supplement brands. We found that the most trustworthy brands have a team of experts, such as doctors, to back up what they say.
Step 2 – Match Products With Our Moms' Personality and Lifestyle
Each one of our moms have a unique story, what they struggle with and how they shop online. After we vet the brands, we then meet and talk about the brands, the products they sell and who it's a good fit for. The moms then choose which products they would like to test and review. We never assign a product review without the product matching the personality and lifestyle of the mom who is reviewing.
Step 3 – We Buy The Products To Remain Unbiased
When we first started Fit Healthy Momma in 2019, we used to take products from the brand, try them and then review them. However, it left the door open for what we like to call, brand bias.
Those days are long gone for us, and we now purchase the products ourselves and ship it to the reviewer. This ensures the product reviewer still gets the full customer experience and has complete freedom when testing the product before writing the review. All reviews will be un-biased.
Step 4 – Test The Products For As Long As It Takes
Once we match the product with the mom, she then uses the product for as long as it takes. Sometimes, this can be the brand explaining how long, or short, it will take for the product to solve the problem.
Product Example: Supplements
Reviewing supplements can be very tricky, and what works for some, may not work for others. We understand this, which is why our moms take the supplement for the full duration that the brand recommends.
Some supplements take longer than others. For example, a probiotic supplement may take 60-90 days to reap the benefits and see better gut health results. Or, a sleep supplement could provide instant results, but does it keep working over the long haul?
Step 5 – Rate The Product Across Key Aspects
After using the product for as long as it takes and gathering enough data, our mom who used it will rate the product across key aspects on a 1 through 5 star rating system. All ratings come from the reviewer's unique experience with the product.
The Key Aspects We Rate Depends On The Product
We'll always rate the brand, customer experience, quality, value and effectiveness of the product. You may come across other key aspects, such as taste, that we believe is something a user would want to know based on the specific product.
The Breakdown of Star Ratings
- 1-Star Rating – Stay away from this product, it didn't work at all
- 2-Star Rating – The product has a lot to work on, but isn't totally out of the picture. It's still wise to shop around for alternatives
- 3-Star Rating – The product worked, but still has flaws and needs improvement.
- 4-Star Rating – The product works very well, but might still have some drawbacks
- 5-Star Rating – An outstanding product that does exactly what it says and we feel confident recommending it to our readers
Step 6 – Write The Review Based On Personal Experience
All of our moms have their own unique perspective because they used the product for the appropriate duration. They then have enough data and their own opinions to write about the product based on their personal experience. We believe this UGC approach will help other moms and women make better buying decisions.
Step 7 – Document The Journey (User Generated Content)
Each mom takes unique images, and sometimes video, of the product they review and how they used it. You will always see the mom with the product, using the product and sharing their thoughts on if it solved the problem or not. This helps other shoppers out there hear it from someone who has actually used it by providing evidence of use.
What Happens After The Product Review Is Written?
Our moms are “on-call” to answer questions you leave in the comment section. We will also re-visit the product if the mom continues to use it. This ensures our product reviews are always up-to-date and relevant when shoppers are reading our reviews.