image source: Devas T. Rants and Raves
Did you know that moms are the #1 consumer group in the country? Yes ma’am. We pretty much control all the spending. 
It’s no wonder major companies like partnering with “mom bloggers” to get our insights into their brands. I love being able to provide this direct feedback and give input about products and services that my family uses. I also enjoy showing other parents what’s out there, how it can benefit their family, and whether it’s worth buying or not. It’s nice to know that companies value what we have to say and actually make changes based on those insights.
I’m by no means an expert, but over the last couple years I’ve learned a thing or two through working with various brands, marketing agencies, and PR companies. From time to time I get emails from my readers asking me for tips on how to do product reviews, as well as how to get started with the process. So I’ve decided to come up with some product review “etiquette,” if you will.
If you (loosely) follow these guidelines I guarantee you’ll continue to get offers to work with companies, and who knows what awesome opportunities will come from that. After all, the blog world isn’t so unlike the “real” world – it’s all about who you know.
My Top Ten Tips for Writing Product Reviews
1) Don’t Sell Yourself Short – Do you think that bag of sugar-free lollipops was worth the 45 minutes it took you to draft, compose, and revise that blog post? (If you do, that’s fine – no judgments here). Just be sure the benefits outweigh the costs for you. I cringe when I think about some of the reviews I agreed to early on, and all because I was just so “grateful” to be asked.
Know that it’s perfectly fine to ask for some alternate form of compensation if you aren’t pleased with what has been offered. And, if that company can’t/won’t meet your needs, it’s also okay to walk away. Other opportunities will come.
Lesson Learned: Know your worth.
2) Don’t Burn Bridges – You’re not going to be interested in every pitch that comes across your desk. But it’s nice to respond with a brief “Thanks, but no thanks,” type email. PR people always seem so surprised when they get this from me… which leads me to believe that many bloggers aren’t taking the time to write back and let them know that they simply aren’t interested.
I’ll admit, sometimes I get so busy that I fail to send this courtesy email. With the holidays around the corner our house looks like F.A.O. Schwartz as I receive products to review for my Holiday Gift Guide. So this has happened more times than I care to admit. But as a general principle I do think it’s a nice practice to at least acknowledge receiving the email.
Lesson Learned: You never know when that same person will have an opportunity that does pique your interest, and he may just remember those bloggers who were polite enough to take the 2 minutes to respond to him.
3) Less Is More – This is a valuable lesson that I learned a while back from a good bloggy friend, Onica of Mommy Factor. I have a tendency to be verbose – both IRL and in my writing. This doesn’t bode well when you’re busy with numerous other blogging deadlines. Writing super long reviews is both time-consuming and, frankly, emotionally draining. I had expressed this to Onica, and she took a look at one of my posts to see what I meant. She was appalled. She stated flatly, “That is way too long. That’s 3 blog posts in one!”
I needed to hear that. She was right. In my naturally gregarious style I had gone on and on and on… long, flowery sentences and descriptions and reaallllyyy giving an in-depth analysis of the product. Well, guess what I learned? No one cares. And no one wants to read all that – not the company who sent you the product, and certainly not your readers.
Lesson Learned: Be detailed enough that your reader is able to get a sense of the product – but keep it succinct!
4) Believe in the Product: You don’t have to love it to the point that you’re ready to be Brand Ambassador for the company. But don’t agree to the review if you don’t even like it. If you’re a mom like me who isn’t a fan of cleaning and housework – don’t agree to review the latest broom/mop technology set. If you don’t own a grill and you hate barbecuing outside, don’t agree to review the latest grill covers or BBQ tools set. What’s the point? You’ll end up resenting the product, put off writing the post, and that lack of enthusiasm will be apparent in your lukewarm review of it. Leave such products to bloggers for whom that’s their niche interest.
Lesson Learned: To thine own self be true – your review will read in a much more authentic way. Your readers will otherwise sense your phoniness, and it’s a turn-off.
5) Don’t Lose Sight of Your Goals – In the beginning, you may be so excited to get any kind of pitch that you agree to everything. But don’t forget why you started blogging to begin with. It’s easy to get caught up in all the reviews and giveaways, especially once the offers start rolling in. But at some point you need to take a step back and say, “My blog is about abc and written for people who love reading about abc. Is reviewing xyz advancing my personal goal to one day be on Oprah and speak out about abc?”
Sure, it may be fun to do the review and giveaway – who doesn’t love free goodies? But the more consumed you become in meaningless reviews, the further you are moving from your goals.
Lesson Learned: If your aim is to generate more traffic you will certainly achieve that through doing a thousand giveaways (relevant or otherwise). But keep in mind that the traffic will come organically if you pour that same time/energy into writing rich, quality content related to your blog goals.
6) Be Professional in Your Writing – It takes 2 minutes to spell-check your blog post, and 5 minutes to ask a good friend to read it over if you know you’re prone to grammatical mistakes. There’s nothing more unattractive than a blog that reads poorly. It probably goes without saying that PR companies seek out quality writers, as do your readers. Your blog is your brand, and that is an extension of you. So whether you’re reviewing products or simply posting cute and funny little family anecdotes – it’s generally a good idea to put your best foot forward.
Lesson Learned: You never know who is reading you, and what opportunities you could be getting (or losing) based on your writing style.
7) Be Professional in Your Personal Presentation – Simply put, be mindful of how you’re presenting publicly. People are watching – your readers and companies with whom you might potentially work. How you carry yourself online will be a direct reflection of the brand that you work with. So, whenever possible, avoid getting into public, nasty disputes via your social media channels.
I’m not talking about having an exchange with a peer that is merely a difference of opinions. Sometimes discussions get intense, and that’s okay – if both of you remain appropriate and respectful throughout the exchange. But save that ugly Twitter meltdown, or that Facebook status update cursing out your friend, for your private/anonymous profile – not the place where you’re trying to build your brand and your reputation.
*Note* Even aside from trying to “impress” brands – know that it’s also very tacky and unladylike to have a full-fledged, vulgar public rant.
Lesson Learned: In this case – image does matter. Carry yourself with class!
8) Pay It Forward – To me, there’s nothing more ridiculous than a selfish blogger. There are abundant opportunities to go around. If you find yourself at a point where your cup runneth over with opportunities – share a few with your bloggy friend who is new to the game. Before deleting that email, don’t be shy about posting about opportunities you aren’t taking on sites like The Product Review Place. You know the saying about “One man’s trash?” Tis true.
Lesson Learned: Remember the folks who helped you when you were just a newbie? Now it’s your turn!
9) Separate Business From Pleasure: Consider starting a “sister blog” that is strictly for your reviews. How obnoxious is it when you go to a fav blogger’s site, all excited to read some sweet or funny story about their adorable little Hannah. But instead, you’re bombarded with giveaways and reviews and event recaps and all this other social media “crap” that you aren’t interested in. You only wanted to see pictures of little Hannah in her duckling costume – you didn’t come here to read about the latest innovation in electric toothbrushes!
You’d be surprised how many readers think this way. So, unless you created your blog specifically to review products and hold contests, I’d recommend either doing such posts in moderation (I’m talking like, maybe every 2 out of 10 posts can be a review/contest)… or consider branching off slightly to do your product reviews. Wait, don’t panic! It’s not an entirely new blog. It would be the same blog, but reserved for another area.
Lesson Learned: Remember your followers. What do you think they want to read? Cater to that… otherwise your blog becomes an exercise in self-indulgence. And sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t.
10) Did I say I had 10? Well I was just kidding. I just drew a blank…… if any more tips come to me, I’ll update this post.
Let me know if you found this helpful…. I’ve got many more ideas for related posts if you’re relatively new to the blogosphere and are seeking the advice.
Seasoned reviewers, feel free to include your tips below!
