Writing a Comprehensive Review
Until writing reviews becomes second nature, please print this page out and use it as a guide.Write in a conversational tone, from one Mama to another. Write a review that you would want to read!
(You can view reviews on this site for examples of what we are looking for)
In your review, include the following:
- An image (We will be providing this for you in an email, if it comes with the product/book).
- The name of what you are reviewing, what ages it is geared for, and the price. Also include in this section, the name of the publisher or company. We will provide these details for you, as well.
- What comes in the product package (This is only needed for toys and games. Not for obvious items, such as books).
- If the product does not come with everything that is needed, list here what will need to be purchased in order to use it (i.e. batteries).
- How did you and your child use this product? How many times? Over what period of time?
- What was your overall impression? What does it look like? What kind of quality is it made of?
- What are its strengths?
- What are its weaknesses?
- How did your child respond to the product? First response? Repeated responses to it? (i.e. they grew bored within two days of getting it. They kept returning to it, even a week later).
- Would you recommend it? Why, or why not?
- Misc. opinions here: Would you pay the price this book or product is? What could improve the product? Was it better than you expected? What would you like to see as a possible follow-up product? Was it for the appropriate age range? Include any additional thoughts here in this section!
Some additional thoughts when writing reviews:
- We want honest reviews. However, honest does not mean rude. Even if you, or your child, did not care for the product, we ask that you attempt to still give one or two positive statements about it, and then state the negative in a kind and truthful manner.
- Our goal is to have tours scheduled a few weeks after you have received the product. This gives you and your child a chance to test it and review it before you have to post about it. We suggest you write your review as soon you are ready to write it and then save it as a draft, to be published the day of the tour. It’s best to write when the information is still fresh in your mind, not weeks after testing the product/book out.
- We will be checking all blog sites 24 hours after the product tour to make sure you posted!
- If the product did not arrive in time for the tour, please at least post the image and press release info on your blog, and then put up a review at a later time after you have had a chance to try it out.
- Please do not post your review until the scheduled tour day! Our goal is to have everyone’s posts hit search engines on the same day.
- Take the extra step to write a thank you somewhere on your review to the author/publisher/creator/company of the product, for allowing you to review the product. *** As of October of 2009, it is now a legal requirement to state on your review that you received a review product in exchange for the review!***
- Once your post is up, have it pinged on Pingomatic.com.
- Go the extra mile and post your review on sites like Walmart.com, Target.com, ToysRUs, or Amazon.com. Mention you did this in your review, at the bottom, and link to it, so the provider of the book/product can go see it!
