by Barbara Whitlock

Created on: August 07, 2007   Last Updated: February 06, 2009

The Internet captivates consumers. What movie to see this weekend? What new book to purchase? Where to find the latest electronic gadget? What new car to buy? Where to find the hot restaurants? Once advertising, with a sprinkling of consumer reports, drove purchases. Now web-browsing consumers - estimated at 700 million - seek information on the Internet before committing money to a venture. This creates a high-demand and competitive market for Internet reviews. Let the writer beware!

Google search results for the following keywords provide evidence:

'Review': 1,130,000,000 'Book review': 425,000,000 'Product review': 354,000,000 'Play review': 303,000,000 'Car review': 201,000,000 'Movie review': 125,000,000 'Restaurant review': 52,700,000

Not only is the review-writing market competitive for Internet writers, but web browsers move at a rapid pace. To write an effective review, writers need to grab a reader's attention with an enticing lead, while quickly convincing him that the writer knows about the topic under review, that the article is informative, insightful and entertaining to read - all worth a few minutes of reader attention.

To capture attention:

Leads must catch a reader's eye but quickly inform. It is vital that writers get the name of the book, product, play, movie, car, etc., in the first sentence of the article. Never make reviews wordy. Compare these leads:

(a) A night on the veranda, breezes blowing the salt from your margarita as your eyes follow the horizon to your lover's penetrating stare. A flashy red car pulls in front of the restaurant, and you wander over to take a peek. The Legacy 300B model, newly issued by Mercedes last month, leaves you spellbound.

(b) Flashy, sleek, with superior engineering, Mercedes appeals to the sports racer in all of us with its new Legacy 300B model.

The opening paragraph of a review article should provide all the essential facts relevant to a reader's choice. For book reviews, tell the title, author, date of publication and publisher. Movie release and play running dates (at least generally) should be included. The cost and availability of a product provides quick, key information for the reader.

Cultivate trust:

Writers should assume a healthy suspicion in the mind of the reader. You need to persuade the reader that you know something about the topic you are discussing. Emphasize your direct experience and provide some credentials. Also, persuade the reader that the movie, book, play, or product is important to

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