How to write opinions

...check Ciao's help pages for how to do this.

When you have the right category, you can write your opinion. Although I would not recommend typing directly into the box - for one thing, your computer might crash, and then you would lose it. For another, your first attempt at a review is unlikely to be your best effort, unless you're a highly gifted writer. This review I'm currently writing is in about its tenth draft, stored on my hard ...
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~~~~~~ How can you turn your opinion into a review? ~~~~~~

It's important to understand what Ciao is. It's not a message-board, or a forum for people to discuss products. It's a commercial consumer site which has millions of people surfing in to find out about products they're considering buying. That's why you're more likely to get a higher paying product in technology reviews than in writing about crisps or chocolate. ... more

Everyone has an opinion. That's at least part of why we're writing on Ciao. So long as you stick to the guidelines (no plagiarism, no racism etc) and write something about the product whose category you're writing in, you can write whatever you like. Ciao does not censor reviews, so if you came here to rant because of a faulty product, or to rave about the latest CD you bought, that's OK. You can write anywhere between 120 and (I believe) 5000 words of your choosing, and submit your review.

Do make sure it's in the right category, however, or it won't be read by people who might be interested.

• Important point for newcomers •

Do NOT click 'write a review' immediately when you've finished reading this, if you want to write a product review!

If you do, you'll submit something to the 'how to write opinions' topic.

Instead, use the search box to look for your product in the database, and when you've found it then you can write your review. If you can't find it, then you can request a new product - check Ciao's help pages for how to do this.

When you have the right category, you can write your opinion. Although I would not recommend typing directly into the box - for one thing, your computer might crash, and then you would lose it. For another, your first attempt at a review is unlikely to be your best effort, unless you're a highly gifted writer. This review I'm currently writing is in about its tenth draft, stored on my hard drive in 'Notepad'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Is that all there is to it? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, no. If you do the above without any thought about what you're writing, particularly if you write several 120-word reviews per day, then you're likely to get some negative ratings: Somewhat Helpful (SH), or perhaps even Not Helpful (NH).

Does this matter? Not in one sense. It all adds to the database, and you've expressed your opinion. But you won't earn any money with those ratings, and after the flurry of member reads while your review is still on the 'new-in' list, you probably won't get any more. In the general product listings, reviews are sorted according to usefulness. You'll also lose 'community points' and may never get a coloured dot next to your name, but nobody's obliged to take any notice of dots or points.

So if you're not here to earn money, you don't want people to find your reviews particularly helpful, and you don't care about coloured dots, you might as well skim or ignore the rest of this review (don't feel obliged to rate it), and continue to write whatever you like. The same is true if you only (or mainly) write in the café. That's the place where you really can write whatever you like within Ciao's terms and conditions, but it won't earn you a penny.

~~~~~~~ Still here and wanting to earn money? ~~~~~~~~~

It won't be a fortune, but if you find a product with a little pound sign after it, you should earn half a penny per positive member rating ('Helpful' or higher). Two pound signs means a penny per positive rating, three pound signs means two pence per positive rating. If you manage to write the first review for any product (this usually happens if you've requested it because it isn't already there) then you'll earn double the amount for the first month.

If you spend time reading, rating and commenting on other members' reviews, then people will get to know you and will be more likely to read yours. So long as they get positive ratings, your pennies will slowly mount up. You may even receive an extra bonus in the Premium Fund which is awarded monthly.

• Bad news for those who are not in the UK •

Unfortunately you can only actually claim the money you've earned on Ciao if you have a British bank account.

~~~~~~ How can you turn your opinion into a review? ~~~~~~

It's important to understand what Ciao is. It's not a message-board, or a forum for people to discuss products. It's a commercial consumer site which has millions of people surfing in to find out about products they're considering buying. That's why you're more likely to get a higher paying product in technology reviews than in writing about crisps or chocolate. Not many people use search engines to get reviews on Mars Bars, but if they're looking for a new printer or breadmaker, they may well want to find out what ordinary people think of the ones they're considering, before spending significant amounts of money.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Who are we writing for? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It can be easy to assume that we're mainly writing for other Ciao members. In the café, that's true. And yes, we hope that everything we write will be read, rated, and possibly commented on by other members. But the main reason for writing consumer opinions is for consumers who are NOT Ciao members. That's what keeps Ciao in business - it allows them to pay us, and also to keep the site going.

For the site to be a commercial success, then, it must attract visitors who are not members. Clearly it does so. Look at the review list of one of the long-standing members, and go back a few pages. You'll often see, under 'reads', a two-digit number followed by a three or even four-digit number. The first is the number of member reads, the second tells you the hundreds (or thousands) of times the review has been read in all - the difference is the reads by non-members, ie the surfing public. Unfortunately we don't get paid for non-member reads, but these are the people we should be writing for primarily.

• Important point •

Don't assume that readers will have read any of the other reviews on the topic. If yours is the most highly-rated, it may be the first one (perhaps the only one) that a consumer will see. So while you shouldn't treat your readers as aliens who know nothing, do ensure that your review is a complete review of the product. Say everything that you think would be helpful if somebody was trying to decide whether to buy it or not. Never refer them to other reviews, either your own or anyone else's.
It's also important that you don't write your reviews as if they're messages to your friends - even though, when you've been around a while, you may feel that other Ciao members are your friends. Don't ever start a product review by saying 'Hello fellow Ciaosters!'

Even more importantly, don't say, 'Those who regularly read my opinions will know... '. It may be true, but it's no use to somebody who's never even heard of Ciao before. This may be your hundredth opinion about beauty products, but it could be the first one that a consumer has read. Think of yourself as a writer who is completely unknown to the readers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What should you include in a review? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ciao state in their 'help' section that reviews should include relevant information that will help people in their buying decisions. They also say that reviews must be based around your own experiences. It's no good simply finding out what a product is like if you haven't actually used it yourself, preferably over a period of time.

However not all information is actually relevant. For instance, on a food product we're not supposed to write a full list of ingredients. On the other hand, we can certainly refer to specific ingredients if we have something to say about them. Are you horrified by the number of artificial colourings? Were you expecting more vegetables than are listed? Is the meat content far less than the product's name would lead to you suppose? Then say so!

Allergy information is also important. If the product is clearly labelled with these, then that's a plus point that you could mention. If not, you may need to point out obvious ingredients which are likely to cause adverse reactions - any dairy product, nuts, wheat, and soya are prime contenders. A likely reason for consumers researching food products online is to find out whether they're suitable for their family. This is also relevant to beauty products, which could potentially cause skin reactions.

Calories and fat are important to many people too, particularly if you're reviewing a diet product. Don't just quote a list of nutritional information, but discuss what the figures mean in context. Information is usually given per 100g. What portion size are you likely to eat? What would you serve with it? How does it compare with similar products?

I try to look at everything with a 'consumer' eye. Before I get to writing a review, I often jot notes about products. Why did we buy them? What did we previously use, and how is this different? What is it supposed to do, and how successful is it? How easy is it to use, and what drawbacks (if any) have we found? Would we buy the same product again?

• Title •

This is a matter of personal taste. The most useful title, from a search engine point of view, is probably one that makes mention of the product itself, or something about it. If you like puns or alliteration, by all means use them; I don't personally like titles that are sexually suggestive, but sometimes they do draw in a few extra member reads. They're unlikely to help with consumers reads, though. Someone searching for porn sites probably won't be very happy landing on a review of a packet of crisps!

• Introductions •

If you have an introduction before describing your product, it should be brief, to draw the reader in. It should also be relevant to the product in question. You don't need to chat about what you were doing last week when you came across the product, or why it's taken you three weeks to submit your review because Ciao has been so slow to add new items! On the other hand, depending on the product, it may be useful to describe briefly what kind of person you are and why you opted for this particular item.

For instance, if you say, 'This isn't the kind of book I would normally buy, but I saw it on special offer on an airport stand last week and thought it would pass the time pleasantly on my flight....' that immediately tells the reader two things:

(1) you're writing about a book you wouldn't normally buy. That's good, because if they're researching this book, it's probably not one that they would normally buy either.

(2) It's easily available, and sometimes on special offer.

If in your introductory paragraph you also mention briefly whether you liked it or not, whether it fulfilled your expectations, and whether you did indeed find it a good book for a flight, then you've answered the vital questions for anyone who's only going to read the first paragraph. It's also likely that you have hooked them to want to know more.

Equally you could skip the introduction entirely, and start writing about the product straight away. In many cases this is the best technique. It's also another reason for writing your review in a word processor and reading it through at least an hour or two later, before submitting. Sometimes I begin by writing an introduction, as it helps me to get into the right mood for writing my review, but when I go back to read it with a consumer eye I realise it's rambling and irrelevant so I cut it out.

• Packaging •

You do not need to describe the dimensions of any product, nor to say in detail what words are written on the box! Consumers may be ignorant of the item in question, but they're not stupid. On the other hand, a brief mention of how you spotted the product may be relevant. Did the colour make it stand out on the shelf? Was the box a different size to those around it? Was there a smiling face that attracted you? There's nothing wrong with saying what your first impressions of the product were, but you don't have to go into lengthy details about it.

• Pros and Cons •

Ciao tell us that ideally any review will give both the good and the bad points about something. You may feel that the item you are reviewing has no good points at all (or no bad ones) but there's bound to be something, if you think about it. The most delicious chocolate bar in the world probably has high fat content, and may be unsuitable for those with lactose intolerance. The worst film you ever saw may still have had one actor who performed well, or some attractive scenery shots as the credits rolled.

As well as describing the good and bad points of the product in your review, do fill in the boxes for 'pros and cons', since these are the first things that consumers will see when browsing the listings. Putting 'See review' does not help anyone.

• Your opinion •

I've noticed a trend in recent months. People arrive on the site and often write very short reviews which express their personal opinion, but little more. Comments advise them to add more detail to their reviews, and those members who stay around will gradually write more and more helpfully. However sometimes the balance swings the other way, and they start writing reviews which are full of information and detail, but which give almost no personal viewpoint.

These reviews are not what Ciao wants! Factual information can usually be gleaned from a manufacturer's web-site. You do not need to give the history of the company who produced your item, nor should you list everything else this company makes. If you have an opinion about some extra information, that's fine. Otherwise it's unecessary. Give as much detail as is relevant to a consumer, and no more. What is vital is to give your own experience of the product, what you think of it, and why.

• Suitability •

It's important to state who, in your opinion, this product is suitable for. If you're thinking of reviewing a place such as a restaurant or a holiday resort, stay observant while you're there, and keep notes if you can. You may have a wonderful (or terrible) time; others may think differently. Is it suitable for disabled people, for instance? What about small children? Do families look harrassed or are they relaxed and having fun?

If you're reviewing a product, think about why you liked or disliked it. How do you think your friends would feel about it? Ask them if possible, and find out the reasons if they disagree with you. Is it simply a matter of personal taste, or are there features which weren't important to you, but which mattered to them?

If your product is intended for children, then it's very important to give your opinion of the ideal age-range. That doesn't mean simply quoting what's on the box by itself. Do you think the estimate is reasonable? Try the product out with children of various ages. Sometimes toys say they're unsuitable for children under three because of small parts, but is the toy actually very enjoyable for a child of 18 months so long as you're careful, and so long as the child has stopped putting things in his mouth?

As for children's picture books, there's little point describing your reaction to it if you haven't read it to a child, or discussed it with a child who's read it. You might find the pictures delightful, but if they don't appeal to children then there's not much point buying it for a child. You might think the text is nicely laid out and in simple enough language for a beginner reader. But unless you've talked to a beginner readers, you won't know if it's really suitable for them, or whether they'll find it condescending and boring.

Of course you should give your opinion too - is the subject matter over-complex? Is it the kind of book you would be happy to read aloud over and over again, or do you think it's very dull? Is it a book you'd want to keep even when your children have outgrown it?

• Price and availability •

It's important to give approximate prices of a product where relevant, and where it can be bought or found. If you're writing about something you haven't bought recently (or can't remember the price) try searching online. The Argos catalogue is a good indicator of prices of many household and electronic goods (www.argos.co.uk) and the Tesco price check (www.tesco.com/price_check) is very good for food and toiletries, showing the prices at Tesco and some other large supermarkets. You can often look at supermarkets' own web-sites too, and browse their online shopping section to find current offers. Amazon.co.uk is the ideal place to find prices for books, CDs and DVDs.

• Grammar, spelling, punctuation and layout •

If you're writing reviews to communicate your opinion to other people, then it's important to stick to standard conventions that are understood by most adult English speakers. Writing in teenage 'textspeak', or missing out capital letters doesn't work. If you've never been much good at writing, then ask for advice - people are usually happy to help. Keep a dictionary by your computer, and perhaps a thesaurus too. Check grammar rules at relevant web-sites, or buy a basic literacy text-book.

Most Ciao reviewers don't consider themselves professional writers, but as soon as you start earning money here you are technically a freelance writer. So if you're going to take this reasonably seriously and plan to stick around, it's worth taking some care over your presentation. It could even be the start of a new career.

That doesn't mean you need to be a perfectionist. The odd typo isn't a problem, although I would recommend reading and re-reading your reviews before you post them. Use a spell-checker if you're not a natural speller, but there's no substitute for reading it carefully yourself. A spell-checker will not discover if you've missed the 'l' out of 'public', or the second 'r' out of 'prostrate'! Nor will it tell you if you've used 'bare' instead of 'bear', or 'there' instead of their', or (as is all too common) 'defiantly' instead of 'definitely'! If you're not certain whether you've used the right words, ask a friend to proof-read.

The same applies to grammar and punctuation. Some people can do these things correctly without thinking about it; others find them trickier. Run-on sentences are very difficult to read, so check that you've inserted plenty of full stops where necessary. If a sentence continues over more than three lines it's probably too long. Reading on a computer isn't the same as reading in a book, and short sentences are much easier to comprehend than long ones. Keep your paragraphs short too, hitting the 'Enter' key twice after each one. The format of reviews isn't very wide, so you may need to use more separate paragraphs than you would naturally.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And finally......... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't take the site too seriously. It's easy to spend far too long each day on Ciao, but it's no substitute for real life. Ignore the 'charts' you'll find on the member centres, and don't worry about community points or exact ratings. So long as most of your ratings are H or above, preferably with the highest percentage being VH, then you're doing fine. Don't agonise about how you can make a review slightly better simply because a few members have rated it as H rather than VH. It doesn't matter! Different people find different things helpful.

Once you've been here a few months, and have found your own style, it's best not even to look at your ratings. Don't worry about people disagreeing with your opinion - it's a healthy part of the site, and useful for consumers to see that not everybody necessarily agrees with the review writer. I've been here since August last year, and after my initial fervour of writing wore off, I've limited my reviews to three or four a week at most. I find it better to spend more time reading and rating than writing, and would rather see 50-60 member reads per review than write three times as many and get 15-20, as I did when I was new and writing more.

I've experimented with writing about various products, and with different styles and layouts. We all have to find our own voice, and although it's useful to read other reviews, there's no point trying to emulate somebody else's style. Never write just for the sake of it. If you can't think of something to write about, then don't! Read and rate instead, or take a few days away from Ciao. Wait until you have something you really want to say with useful experience of a product, that can be of benefit in consumer research. Then plan your review well, think about it over a few days, structure it logically, include personal experience throughout, proof-read thoroughly ... and watch the pennies trickle in!

 

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