Blogging Reviews, Part 2: Organizing Your Review

A few weeks ago, I wrote about some questions you should ask when writing a review. I wanted to follow-up that post with some tips for how to format your review. A well-structured review can keep the reader engaged and convey your expertise on the subject.

Introduction

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you your introduction needs to grab the reader’s attention and drag them into the article. There are a few things you can do with a review to make that happen. I like to start with an anecdote that relates to the type of product I’m talking about. Be sure to mention the product by name and give a one sentence description of what it does. Then, tease some of the pros and cons of the product. Something like this:

Product X, the new widget from XYZ inc., lacks some of the features you’d expect on a widget, but makes up for it with some rather unique design choices.

Also, if you have a logo for the product, that belongs with the introduction.

Description

After the introduction, describe the product. Include the most important features and, if appropriate, a brief explanation of how to use it. Try to keep this section as unbiased as possible. You want the reader to have a good understanding of what the product does before you get into whether or not it does those things well. That said, it would be appropriate here to mention features you couldn’t get to work.

Criticism

Now we get to the real meat of the review. Go into detail about what you liked and didn’t like about the product. Be sure to explain what you expected the product to do, and in what ways it failed or exceeded your expectations. Also mention how long you used the product and the conditions under which you tested it. If you can, include your own photos/screenshots from you using the product.

Summary

To finish your review, summarize the important aspects of the product. A “pros and cons” chart can be particularly helpful. And don’t forget to include where the product can be purchased, how much it costs, and, if possible, a link to purchase.

I’m not a big fan of most ratings systems. If your system goes from one to five, most things are going to get a three, which isn’t very helpful. And the greater the range, the less meaning the values have. I prefer a simple Yay or Nay to this question: Will you continue to use this product?

What information do you include in your reviews? Let us know in the comments.

Written by Billy Mabray from NewsGoat
Posted on May 1st, 2009 and filed under Blogging, Writing
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