Thursday, July 19, 2012

Blogger reviews

I recently read some posts on a forum about bloggers making requests to review products and there were a lot of negative comments about it. For those of you that don't know, this is how it works: A blogger sends a request to review a product. If accepted, the company sends them a free product to try and review. The blogger then takes 1 to 2 weeks to try it out, take notes and write the review. They post it on their blog and tell you what they think. Sometimes the company will even host a giveaway through that blogger so you can win and try the product too.

What does this accomplish? For the blogger - it gives them a chance to try new things for free, build their fan base, and share the things they learned with their readers so the readers can make a more informed decision on products before making a purchase. For the company – it means more interest in their websites or place of business. Which then, can lead to more sales and growth.
Companies or individuals who decide to take a chance and give away something for free could get more sales and growth. There are no guarantees though. Are bloggers really just looking for handouts and freebies? Some of them might be. You can tell a good reviewer by the reviews. The more details put into it, the more time taken to make sure it’s well written and easy to understand = the more they care about what they are doing and saying.
What does all this mean for the readers? You can see for yourself pictures of the product that aren't touched up or photo shopped, read what a real person who has used it, thinks and knows about it, and make a decision that's more informed about the product or company. Most people buy things based on what they hear about it right? Your friend tells you, "Hey I just found this amazing deal on a super pair of shoes at So and So's." They show them off and maybe even let you slide your foot in to get a feel. What are you likely to do? Well, if you need or love buying shoes - you will probably head to that store and spend money there. Basically, you will be listening to a review.
That's what review bloggers are supposed to be about. Helping you see and experience something before shelling out your hard earned cash on something that might not be worth it to you later. So if you are a skeptic about review bloggers - I hope you can see them in a new light and maybe understand why some of us do what we do and ask for things like we do. And the rest of you readers out there - I hope this makes things a little more clear on what my purpose is when it comes to reviews. I will be completely honest about things. I won't write a rave review just because something was given to me free. Nor will I endorse something I don't believe is worth it. Hopefully soon, as my numbers of readers and followers grow both here and on my Facebook Fan page, you will see more reviews and maybe I can even start giveaways. Thanks for reading!

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