We Love Testing | In Conversation with Our Top Reviewers

In this special feature we’ve been speaking with some of our most senior We Love Testing reviewers, finding out a bit more about them and getting some tips and tricks on how they create such great review content. Keep reading to hear what they had to say.

1. Which is your favorite Anker product review you’ve done? Why?

@joshuad11: My favorite Anker product review I’ve done has been PowerCore+ 26800 PD because it was one of the first portable chargers on the market to support Power Delivery, and I felt as though I was knowledgeable enough on the benefits of the new technology to help spread the word.

@gAnkster: My favorite review that I’ve done is the Eufy robovac 30c because I put a gopro on the robovac. It was a neat and creative way to review the product. Using the gopro video to review the product made me like a sports announcer or something as the robovac navigated around my work and my house.

**2. What’s your work process or strategy for creating your reviews?**

@joshuad11: After extensive testing of the product, I begin by making an outline for my review with the points I want to cover. Next I create a script and think of shots I could get to show while I’m talking. I then record several minutes (preferably 10-15) of footage of the product in different environments. Always remember, you can never have too much b-roll. Finally, I tightly edit my video with Final Cut Pro so that it’s not a waste of my viewers’ time.

@gAnkster: I begin by thinking of the most off-the-wall thing I can think to do with the product. I want my reviews to be unique, so I try to think of things others won’t think of. Unboxing videos are great, but there are so many of them out there. I want my reviews to stand out for their entertainment value as well as their testing of the product. For written reviews, I also use header tags (## and ### in Markup) and keep each section to fewer than five sentences. This makes it easy for people to read. It also helps remind me to have some standard elements - like a summary at the beginning and a list of cons at the end.

3. In your experience, what should a good review include?

@TheCharneco: A good review could include the product first and foremost (pictures or videos). Everyone wants to see it and how it looks in person with someone holding it. A good review should also include the technical specifications, specifically calling out some of the key features that really sets the product apart from the rest. It should also have the product in use. If it’s just a write-up reviews, then go into detail about how it works and how you use it. Throw some pictures of it in use as well. If it’s a video, then show it being used and how you use it and how others might potentially use it. Show off it’s positives and don’t be afraid to talk about something you don’t like as well. We all have favorite products and devices with things about them we just don’t care for. That’s alright. It makes the review more human and relatable.

@Heynickhere: DETAILS! Don’t just read the specs. Why do I love this thing or not love it?

4. Do you have any special skills that help you make quality reviews?

@TheCharneco: Honestly, sincerity, and a good deal of knowledge on the product. It doesn’t take long to read the packaging and learn the key features. It helps to dig a little further and learn as much as you can about it before review it to give the most accurate and detailed review possible.

@Heynickhere: I can be brutally honest. If I don’t like something I suggest it for the next design.

@joshuad11: I feel as though my editing skills really help me make quality reviews. Without proper editing, a video can look sloppy and it can seem like it was thrown together in a few minutes without much effort. Tight editing not only improves the viewing experience, but also is generally much more efficient in communicating the essential information.

@gAnkster: I know how to edit video using Camtasia, I can create high-quality images with my DSLR, and I have a degree in creative writing. I understand how people read and comprehend material and the helps me write in ways that people can actually read. Also I have a Masters degree in education, so I spend a lot of time thinking about how people learn things and remember information. I use educational and creative writing tricks to make my reviews more interesting and memorable.

5. Do you feel as though you’ve learned anything or gained any insights while making reviews?

@TheCharneco: I’ve definitely become more comfortable in front of the camera and learned to roll with the process. I’ve gotten over the insecurity of looking silly on camera and decided to go into it enjoying it no matter what happens. I want to make them genuine and true-to-life. When writing up reviews, I’ve learned what the community and external readers care about and want to see.

@joshuad11: Absolutely, I have further enhanced my videography skills (trying to set up unique shots) and editing skills. I have also learned that if you know your target audience, and make quality videos, people will come. I have only uploaded about 20 videos on my channel and have already achieved decent success, with 115,000+ views total!

**6. Are you a journalist, YouTuber, or someone else who reviews products for a living? Do you have plans to become one?**

@TheCharneco: I do have a review channel on YouTube (Random Reviews). I would love for the channel to take off one day and this become what I do for a living. I know the chances of that happening are very slim, but it’s still fun to dream.

@joshuad11: I do not review products for a living, but I have made a small amount of money off YouTube. In the future, I plan on rebranding my channel to Anker Insider and also creating detailed discussion videos about the weather as a part of my career.

**7. What do you think of We Love Testing? Do you have any advice for us on how to improve the program?**

@TheCharneco: I like the new layout for We Love Testing a lot! I think it was a good idea to go to the survey system. It allows users to be more honest about their testing process and ideas as well as more discrete.This allows everyone to have a fair chance without worrying about what the community thinks and how many likes they get on their posts. I do think it might be nice to have a few We Love Testing programs for new users or users that have never been chosen before. I do feel like there are several of us that enter a lot, and do a thorough job testing, but have done it a good number of times. It would be nice for the rest of the community that have not had that opportunity to have a better chance to get their feet wet in the program.

@Heynickhere: I think it is a great program! Use the feedback us reviewers provide for future products!

@gAnkster: I LOVE the we love testing program. I just wish it was more regular and predictable. It’s hard to plan when you aren’t sure if you are going to be chosen or not. I’d REALLY like to be a part of the Anker Ambassador program so I can know that I have a review to complete every two months or so. That would help me plan and budget time for the reviews and ensure that I make the best reviews I can.

**8. Do you have any words of advice for people less experienced at making reviews, or who have not yet joined We Love Testing?**

@TheCharneco: I think it would be great to have a thread setup with users who are willing to talk to others that may have questions about the process as well as how/where to begin when creating reviews. We could volunteer our time to talk to other community members either in the comments or through a direct message and share some of our experiences about what works and what doesn’t and what they may want to consider when applying and/or testing. I hope all of this helps some!

@Heynickhere: Try it! Like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get at it!

@joshuad11: Don’t worry about getting a good camera. Great content is all that matters. Add a unique perspective to your videos. Don’t make them the same as everyone else’s. Make them stand out. Viewers appreciate varying perspectives, even if they wouldn’t share the same one.

@gAnkster: Make reviews because you love doing it - don’t worry about how many people view them or how many We Love Testing events you get selected for. If you have fun reviewing the product and it brings you joy, that’s all you need to know! Just do it for the fun of it. When planning a review, try to think of at least one thing that NO ONE else is going to do and add that to your review plan. What is it about your location, job, and place in life that lets you do something that others are not able to do? Answer that question first, then let it lead you to what you want to include in the review. If you base your review on something you like doing and that’s part of your personality, you’ll never write a bad review. Finally, make sure you go the extra mile to include an image or video of the SPECIFIC thing you are talking about in your review. These visual elements let people encounter your thoughts visually. Most people have trouble picturing things in their minds - it’s your job to make it easy for them to see what you’re talking about.

It’s been a real pleasure getting to know more about these regular community members. Hopefully you’ve been as impressed as we have with the creativity and dedication they pour into every review. If you think you have a great idea for a review and you want to get involved, keep a look out for future We Love Testing events—maybe it will be your turn next.:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
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Great response from these members! Thanks for sharing it with us!

Sad to see it’s only for video reviews rather than blog reviews as well :confused:

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@AnkerOfficial Thanks for sharing this insight with the community members … looking forward to getting into this list sometime in future :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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This was a great read! Thanks to @AnkerOfficial and all the great members of this community :blush:

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Sorry @AnkerOfficial

I don’t like this post cos a lot of us have been ignored.

The problem is… We European’s are continually ignored especially with, we love testing, events. To post this, smacks us in the teeth.

Plenty of us work bloody hard on Anker, answering questions, posting interesting stuff, reviewing WHEN WE GET something to review… Which is bloody rare if not American.

You keep on n on about wanting new members, and to push the brand, while at the same time ignored a few of us on here, and of course a massive market that’s going to a lot easier to snag once Brexit finally happens.

Of course you being a massive tech company was aware of the market opening in UK, and as such you were pumping this potential market with your brand? Oops nope you haven’t.

Then just to run salt in our ignored wounds, you post this, like we aren’t hard working members.

Sorry but this has really pissed me off.

PS
this is not aimed at any of the gang, you do work hard…

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You don’t even make YouTube videos.?!.?.!.! Why the salt?

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Maybe there will be another one for written reviews!

Just seems like people generally have more questions about how to make videos.

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Interesting read into what members go through in implementing a review. Good points were made and may be helpful to the community.

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I gained a lot of knowledge and pointers/tips for my future reviews. Thaks guys. I’m glad you guys shared this useful information with us
@joshuad11
@gAnkster
@TheCharneco
@heynickhere

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Thanks anker I will use these for my testing :+1:

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Oh ja, all reviewers in the future will find there all they need to write really qualitative reviews…
Hope these advice will increase the quality of such reviews in the future a lot.

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To produce a video may be more difficult than to write a review.
But the steps and the content should be the same.

But may I tell you something.
I know how to handle american English, sometimes better to say “slang”.
But there may be others who don’t.
So please my friends speak as clear and “slang free” as possible. :grin:

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Thanks for sharing @AnkerOfficial! Lots of great advice here.

I love doing the reviews and would love to get into video reviews but I hate being in front of the camera and talking on the camera. I’ve been trying to get my wife to be the face in the reviews since shes got a much prettier face and better on camera than I.

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Interesting insight from ‘senior reviewers’ there @AnkerOfficial …though was kinda surprised @tank or @TechnicallyWell didn’t make the cut for some of their reviews :confused:

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Interesting to read, always looking for ideas to improve reviews.

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Nice responses

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We have invited more people to share their experience with us, but only receive some of replies :innocent:

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Never got an Invite, so I wasn’t one of them

Thanks bud, also surprised @TechnicallyWell wasn’t asked

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Some interesting tips and points about making better reviews and content for anyone new looking to get into it.

It’s always nice when you see likes on your content from @AnkerOfficial themselves!

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