The Wall Street Journal just did a great piece on how bloggers are now becoming the target for PR firms, as bloggers have the ability to create the buzz for new products by just showering bloggers with free stuff. They even highlight mommy bloggers as being a great resource to hype up their products, television shows, & movies.
“Who says you can’t buy love? Trying to tap into the burgeoning power of blogs as promotional tools and fed up with the jaded attitudes of professional critics and TV feature writers, studios and networks are flooding bloggers with free stuff in hopes the flattered recipients will reward them with positive coverage. Flowing into the trough is everything from fancy gym bags and toasters to video iPods and free trips. Some networks — in the spotlight this week as they unveil their fall schedules to advertisers — have even borrowed a term from the technology industry to describe the strategy: blogola.” WSJ
As a mommy blogger, I have had the opportunity to review tons of great products out on the market. Being on the mailing list of these public relations companies has been a dream come true for my family. Who wouldn’t want to try products before they come out? Who wouldn’t want to be able to give their opinions (good or bad) on things that they receive and provide feedback to companies on what moms really want?
We get probably four to six requests daily to review products and of those requests I may pick one or two. I try to pick products that fit well with my audience and the ones that I think you all would enjoy hearing about. Some of them are affordable and some are not, but I like to also highlight ways that moms can organize or run their homes more efficiently. I try to do my best to pick work-at-home moms and support what they do, as so many people have supported me in getting our site to this point. I try to share without compromising my integrity and always disclose to the companies that it will be a very honest review, which may/may not be very flattering.
Do you guys enjoy seeing products featured here? Do you take the opinion of mommy bloggers into account? Are moms selling out by featuring products on their blogs? If the tables were turned around, how would you respond to an outpouring of free stuff?
I think it’s great. I’m not a big enough blogger to rate being a reviewer, but I find myself reviewing things just ’cause. I am not usually going to spend money on something untested – but if I know it has another mom’s seal of approval, I’m much more likely to buy it.
And you get free stuff. Who doesn’t like that?
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I enjoy reading the reviews, mainly because I’m so excited for you at all the cool stuff you are getting! The companies that beg you to review their stuff know where you are coming from and what your readership is, so they shouldn’t be kidding themselves in terms of the market demographic. Budget is usually the bottom line for me, so I won’t be buying a lot of the items you review simply from the cost perspective, but I enjoy hearing about them and knowing what’s out there. As long as you’re being honest in your report and upfront about its being free to you, then it’s totally ethical.
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I would respond very well to an outpouring of free stuff! I wish I had folks asking me to review their items too…
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I think it is fantastic! You put a lot of time into this, and there is nothing wrong with a few perks from it!
Again as long as you are upfront and honest about the product and the fact that you are receiving something for the review. I look at the blogs as a magazine of sorts. There is advertising and reviews mixed in with the stories, tips and tricks. The blogs are just much more personal and interactive.
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I am a product reviewer and absolutely love it. I’m still waiting to be contacted by the “big guns” but one day my day will come and I’ll be on the “big product reviewers” list.
Keep ‘em coming. I love to read what other mothers, like myself liked most about a particular product.
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I think it is awesome. I will be hosting my first Blog Tour for a PR firm the first week in June, and they are sending me 5 sets of free books. One set for me and one set for my readers.I love to read and theses are authors that I enjoy and would likely buy the books anyway, so it will be saving money!
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Let’s face it, moms don’t get much excitement in their lives. Blogging is something that can create some of that “juice” and community. Getting freebies is just more icing on the cake. It is an important topic, though. So great that you are putting thought into this. I think it’s fine to accept as long as you stay unbiased. If you are offered a product and don’t like it, then say so on your blog. We all like to hear firsthand about the products out there.
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