How to Write a Website Review Essay

Writing a website review essay is not as difficult as you might think. If you have ever written an opinion piece or review article, you can use the same strategies and techniques. And if not, this post will help you get started.

However, before looking at the tips, here are the important features your website review essay must consider.

Features of a website review Essay

The Design

The design of a website is one of the crucial features to include in your review. It is the blueprint for the site and includes graphics, text, and other elements. It’s the first thing people see when they visit a site, so it’s important to look at its appeal and ease of navigation. The review also entails looking at its layout and color scheme to give a detailed review.

The Content

Content is any information an author presents on the site and can be in text, graphics, audio, and video. It also refers to the amount of material available on a particular topic or subject and how it is organized.

In addition, content can be objective or subjective.

Objective content presents facts without taking sides or giving personal opinions about them. It also presents accurate information without persuading anyone into thinking or believing something else.

On the other hand, subjective content presents personal opinions about certain facts.

Some aspects to consider in finding how to review a site’s content are;

• Looking at the site’s content and seeing whether it is helpful.
• Look at the site’s content and make sure it is relevant.
• Look at the site’s content and see if it is up to date.
• Look at the site’s content and see if it is complete.

The intent of the Site

As you review a website, it is important to consider the site’s intent and whether that intent has been achieved. The best way to figure out what a site is trying to do and whether or not it’s done so effectively is by reading the website’s homepage.

• The home page should clearly state the site’s existence and its objective. If this information isn’t readily available on your first visit, read through their “about us” or “mission statement” pages or any other page that gives an overview of who they are and what they do.

After determining the site’s mission statement or similar, ask yourself the following questions to determine the level of intent achievement

• Did they answer all of my questions?

• Did they provide me with enough information or provide too much information?
• Would I trust them with my money or personal information if I were one of their customers/clients/consumers?

The Site’s Fundamentals

A site’s fundamentals entail the basic aspects of a site. These include

• Site map. A clear and accurate site map is essential for any website, particularly large ones. It helps visitors navigate around the site and find what they need.
• The navigation. Does moving from one section to another take minimal effort, or are there unnecessary steps along the way?
• Review whether the hyperlinks work and if they are helpful.
• Loading speed. Consider how long the site takes to load
• Help and FAQ section. Look whether these are in existence or not
• Are the payments secure and guaranteed if it is a commerce store website?

Tips of writing a website review essay

Now that you know what aspects to review in a website, starting to write is much easier. However, following these tips will be vital to churn out a good piece.

1. Research and identify a website

Site identification is one key aspect of writing an excellent website review. Even though you can write a review on any site, you should be careful in your choice. However, your freedom may be limited if your instructor gives a site, but it does not mean the review will not be perfect.

The best way to choose a site is to choose one with all the mentioned aspects. This is because you will have more content to write about than if a site lacks most features.

The most important thing to remember is that you must read the website carefully. Take notes on all its features and how they impact your overall impression of the site. If you’re having difficulty deciding how to feel about a certain aspect of the site, try analyzing one feature at a time.

Additionally, this step helps you understand what the website is about, what it’s trying to achieve, and what it’s trying to do for its users and owners. With this information, writing the review will be much easier.

Further, you can take some notes when doing your research. Note-taking helps you see, hear and feel the site. You can also write down the website’s name, who created it, and when it was published. Then go through each page on the site tour and jot down what peak-of-the-moment impressions they give off and any positive thoughts or feelings they evoke in you.

However, when you begin writing, start by describing what kind of site it is. This part includes whether it sells products or services, provides information or entertainment, and so on. You can also discuss its purpose behind existence and how successful that has been so far.

2. Use screenshots

Screenshots are a powerful tool that can make your website review essay outstanding. This is because images help a reader understand your point easily.

Further, website reviews have many aspects that are better explained through screenshots. Features like the appeal, sitemap, design, and navigation are better if accompanied by images; thus, you should always include them.

3. Go deeper than what is unseen

Sometimes your review may be targeted at website developers and not mere people focusing on the physical aspects of the site. This means that your review should go beyond the seen and include a review of the structure, widgets, and HTML, among other deeper aspects.

Therefore, your audience and instructor’s instructions will largely determine how your review should go.

4. Be Comprehensive

Generally, reviews should be comprehensive, and website reviews are not exceptional. These reviews aim to help readers make an informed decision about a website and whether it will be helpful or not.

Further, a review should not be written as a listing of what a product’s website has to offer or any promises made by the company. Rather, they should provide the reader with information about the site and then close off with your opinion based on what you have found.

Therefore, you should be as detailed as possible and not omit any information that can help readers decide.

5. Include pros and cons

When writing your final draft, make sure that you include all pros and cons of using the site along with any suggestions for improvement. This helps you come off as trustworthy and unbiased and thus makes your essay help many readers.

Conclusion

We hope this article has given you a clearer idea of what to do when writing your next website review essay. And even if it may seem daunting, these should now help you write a better piece.

Now that we’ve covered all the steps to writing a website review essay, it’s time for you to start. Be sure to keep in mind everything we’ve discussed so far, from the aspects to include to the tips.

If you follow these steps carefully, then there’s no reason why you can’t write an amazing website review essay that impresses your professor.