With the recent surge in online shopping, it's becoming increasingly likely that a customer will never actually see a product in the flesh before making a purchase. As a result, more and more people are turning to independent product reviews to help them to make the right buying choices.Product reviews are big business, and they can have enormous impact on a product's success.
Why do it?
There are many reasons to write product reviews:
- To improve your writing skill.
- To share your experiences / get things off your chest.
- To make friends.
- To increase your internet presence and reputation.
- To make money.
Making money appears last on our list because it's unlikely to replace your day-job unless you were writing fifty or so a day.
How Pay 2 Review websites work
There are companies such as dooyoo.co.uk and ciao.co.uk who will pay writers a nominal fee for sharing their experiences of products and services. Such websites earn money from ad-revenue that is generated each time a customer seeks out one of their reviews.
Some review websites pay their writers based on the number of views their review receives; others pay a small flat-rate fee (such as 50p) which is then supplemented by a small additional sum for each view (typically 1p).
How to get started
Both of the above websites are free to join without invitation or referral and require no qualifications or quality exam. Some higher-paying review websites may only accept new members by invitation, or may only publish and pay for reviews that reach a minimum quality standard.
Once you are signed up, you are typically free to choose for yourself what you want to write about. Some review websites offer additional incentives to write reviews for particular products such as prize contest entries or a higher payment.
Never pay to join a pay 2 review website. The usual caveat for avoiding scams also applies here: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!Building your reputation
The product review community is highly supportive. Most review websites carry out quality control by allowing reviewers to rate one another's articles. Articles rated highly may receive special awards such as being featured.
When someone rates one of your reviews highly, it is common courtesy to do the same in return (provided the quality of their reviews justifies it). Successful reviewers know the importance of this networking, and - though writing is typically considered to be a solitary experience - it's possible to gain new friends through reviewing.
The rules
As you might imagine, all websites that allow you to publish anything online have rules. Most of these will be obvious such as omitting expletives and offensive material. Remember, also, that while you are fairly safe in stating your opinion, be careful when stating facts. For example, it's fair to say that your TV broke after a year, but it is not fair to suggest that the particular brand of TVs in question are designed to break after a year.
Another rule of such websites, which may seem obvious, is that you must have owned or at least used the product or service you are reviewing. Generic reviews are usually quickly seen through by the review community and you will face suspension if you attempt to review things that you have no real experience of.
Most review websites also require you to exceed a certain number of words for a review to qualify as being payable. Typically such a word-count is between 100-500 words.
Remember that anything published online is accessible to anyone and everyone! Never include personal details and never write anything that you wouldn't want your mother, father, son, daughter, friends, co-workers, or even your boss to read.Conclusion
Product reviewing is unlikely to pay all your bills, but it can be a therapeutic way of voicing your opinion. It is also a great way of improving your writing skill and, who knows, you may even make a few new friends. It doesn't cost anything, so give it a shot!
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