How Can I Tell If I’d Be a Good Beta Tester?
If you’ve landed on this blog post, then congrats! You’ve just taken the first step toward becoming a beta tester. The biggest misconception about becoming a tester is that you have to be super techy — not true. Our community of beta testers represents a wide range of skill sets, passions, and demographics. A successful beta test gathers feedback from testers representing that product’s targeted customer base. Many of the tech companies we work with value our community for its assortment of testers from all walks of life. So if you’re interested in becoming a beta tester, these are the questions you should be asking yourself to help you take the leap!
Are you interested in new tech products?
Betabounders are passionate about emerging technologies. Whether you enjoy reading technology-related news articles, streaming Apple Keynotes, or you’re the first to try out new tech products like fitness wearables or Amazon Echoes — you’re well on your way toward becoming a great beta tester. To be a beta tester, you don’t have to be able to build a hardware product or know the inner workings of mobile app coding. You just have to have a genuine interest for new trends in tech (whatever that means to you)!
Are you a good writer?
Do you enjoy writing? As a beta tester, you have to explain why you’d be a good fit for a specific test, as well as submit written feedback. Written feedback can include discussion posts, bug reports, surveys, suggestions, journals, etc. You don’t need to be on the writing level of an award-winning author, especially since all writing you’d do as a tester would be short-form. However, if basic-level writing gives you anxiety, or isn’t your strong suit in general, then that’s something to weigh as you consider becoming a beta tester.
Do you enjoy helping others?
Participating in a beta test is a very collaborative environment. When asking yourself if you’d be a good tester, it’s important to consider how much you enjoy helping others. If another tester reports a bug, are you willing to spend time trying to replicate it? Or, if another tester shares an interesting change to the product, would you be willing to contribute your thoughts to that conversation? As a tester, you’re not only helping a developer team improve their product but you’re also helping fellow testers share and have discussions regarding their feedback.
Are you good at following instructions?
When you follow a cooking recipe, do you follow it to the letter or do you tend to improvise? When you’re unboxing a new product, do you meticulously disassemble everything or rip it open and figure it out on the fly? If you’re good at following instructions, then you’d be a great tester! When participating in a beta test, you may be given specific instructions for opening a beta product package, downloading a software program, installing a new device, mailing a product back, etc. Our team of Test Managers look for individuals who are good at following instructions. So if that’s you, then beta testing might be a great fit!
Are you a creative problem-solver?
Some of the best beta testers we’ve worked with were able to think outside of the box. For example, you might be participating in a beta test where that product’s development team is struggling to simplify their product’s setup process, draw more attention to a specific feature, or effectively market the product to customers like yourself. Product developers use beta tests as an opportunity to test their product’s performance and overall customer acceptance in the hands of real people in real environments. As a beta tester, you have the opportunity to help brainstorm creative solutions to these real, product-specific problems.
Do you have spare time?
Be honest — how busy are you? Our beta tests can last anywhere from two weeks to two months. Before becoming a beta tester, it’s important to make sure you can devote enough time. Once you’ve been selected as a tester for a project, you can expect to spend anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour a day playing with a product and submitting your feedback.
Most Betabounders are beta test hobbyists — they apply to beta tests when their schedules permit or wait until a particular opportunity sounds especially intriguing. Our team works with you to ensure you’re never overwhelmed in a beta project. That being said, it’s important to be mindful that participating in a test is a commitment and you need to ensure you have the appropriate amount of time to give.
If you answered “yes” to all of these questions, then you’d probably make an excellent beta tester! If you haven’t already, we invite you to join our community of beta testers (and don’t forget to tell your friends). If you have any questions about becoming a beta tester, please email us at hello@betabound.com or comment below.