Its natural to surf the web for reviews on products you are interested in buying to find out the good, the bad, the ugly. In fact, its smart! But how do you feel about bloggers marketing products to you? Bloggers have quickly become a hot spot for PR reps to get the word out in front of a consumer, especially a mom consumer, and offer up great products and reviews to put that companies name in front of your eyes. I know I get asked daily to talk about a variety of things (and btw, I turn down most of it unless I feel like it will benefit my visitor in some way).
For the blogger, we get the feeling of acting like Santa Clause and giving away some cool stuff to our users as a thankyou for coming by and being a part of our community. As the company, it gets direct interaction with the people, in a medium that commercials and magazine ads just cant provide. And Ill be honest, it makes us here feel slightly ‘cool’ to offer up a product that we, ourselves, cant afford to buy. Some products we giveaway, we are contacted over, and some, we seek out for reasons. MomDot carries a variety of PR pushed products, Mom Owned business pushed products, and products we wanted to fill a need for in our contests.
Now here at MomDot, we prefer to focus on smaller companies and mom owned companies. We do our best to fill our contests and interviews with moms that are trying to make it. In fact, MomDot was started on the premise that all people should come together to cross promote each other. As an online business owner myself, I was always seeking out a way to share my product with consumers, and I was asking bloggers to do it. I actually wanted a place where a mom doesnt have to give up a review in order to have us share the page (hence the interviews). We always leave that completly up to the mom if she wants a review, but do not require it to give her front page eyes. Its our goal to direct you to a new product, a new blogger, a new friendship or something that fits your needs that you never thought of. Its not our goal to push Walmart, Target, and KFC, kwim?
But how do you feel about Moms blogging about things like Dole? Dole for example gave us a nice $100 prize to give out to a lucky winner and I just couldn’t resist it. I use Dole. We actually buy Dole Fruit cups. I wasn’t lying when I say my daughter eats them every day. I know that my grocery bill is high and I wanted to pass that awesome prize on to someone that needs it. But then I started to wonder…….am I selling out?
Am I doing the very thing that I didn’t want to do? I don’t get anything OUT of running these types of PR contests. They don’t pay me, I don’t get free products, any traffic I get is from us working our butts off to list the contests out and is not necessarily the traffic I am looking for. Am I being USED? OMG! I could be….in fact, I am sorta working contracted here with no pay. Or is it me using them?
So are blog contests and reviews an epidemic that has gone rampid on the net? Are blogs nothing more then big advertisements? OR are bloggers just filling a natural need that people need to know what to buy, so why not give it to them? Almost every blog I have been to has run a contest or review in the past 30 days (or is trying to get into it). The net is also full of mommy bloggers running reviews from Mom Central, Team Mom, RoleMommy and a variety of other companies set up to drive up google rankings for the links they are pushing. Somedays I am unsure what the real reviews are versus the “take our product and love it online” reviews.
Have we gone to far to push the product? Has the blogging community sold out to get a free shirt or an affiliate buck at the end of the day?
You tell me.
I do reviews & giveaways on my site. I think that it is fine as long as the blogger is upfront with their readers AND the products are actually ones that matter to the core blog readers.
I don’t think its a sell out. I think its fun:) Who doesn’t like free stuff hehe. I just think it needs to remain cohesive to the blog. I don’t like reading things that clearly someone was paid to do because it just doesn’t fit.
Shannon
Vogue Mum
Rock Star Maternity
Domestic Engineer’s Union
I trust the opinion of the bloggers that I read. As long as reviews are done with honesty and integrity I actually enjoy them. I prefer knowing about a product before purchasing it and you are not going to get the inside scoop from ads or websites. I enjoying hearing from Moms that use the products or have tested them out. It saves me from wasting my money on something that is not good.
Hey Trish, thanks for clarifying – I love momdot and don’t want it to change! There was another mombiz/blog site that went totally to the ads so I just don’t want that to happen here! Thanks for providing an awesome site!
I love what you do here. As you and I have already spoken about this, I’ve wanted to do reviews and giveaways, but I’d like to do similar to what you do, and support WAHMs and introduce new products and such to others. I love trying new things and sharing my experiences with others. It seemed natural for me to do the same with my blog. I just haven’t gotten started yet.
I do not think you are selling out. I don’t think anyone is. I think every mom is just trying to help their family in any way they can
No, I don’t think you are selling out. Everything that you have put up is something us moms would use. It doesn’t matter if it’s big or small, as long as it appeals to moms. I have been introduced to so many new products that I never would have heard of if it wasn’t for you.
I think you can tell when someone is being honest about a review and when someone is just singing it’s praises. I think companies appreciate honesty, because it gives them areas to improve in. Now I’m not saying it’s good to completely trash a product, but if you like most things about it, and just not a few, it’s great to say that. I love reading another mom’s opinion about something. It makes it seem more interesting to me, and if I like what they say, I am that much more apt to buying it.
I think this is a great site! I love all the components. I love the mixture of reviews, giveaways and fun typical blog posts.
I have no problem with seeing the “big” names on here. In my mind I see mom dot as a site for mom’s. If it’s a product/company that you think us mom’s use (or would use if we knew about), I’d love to see it. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s a small or large company.
I think that as long as you are honest about the product you are reviewing and/or giving away, it’s okay. It’s nice to be able to come to a site you trust when you are thinking about buying a specific product yourself. Momdot isn’t all about reviews and giveaways either. There is real talk from real women, I think what you guys are doing is GREAT!
I think as long as you aren’t afraid to be honest about things, you’re fine. And you folks don’t strike me as being the shy wallflower types…
Like many others have stated, it is balanced out,It isnt like these big companies are taking over your homepage, i seen that you rotate the giveaways on the main page, so each one gets its exposure, but none more than others. I dont think you have sold out.
And itsnot all about the giveaways, i mean look at the forum, its a happening place! the regular visitors come here to interact with the other bloggers, and
I love momdot, you have intoduced me to a lot of online boutiques (ive never heard of ESTY before i came to momdot) and blogs that i would have never read before. And liek Cat said, the blogs i have on my reader, i found though a giveaway listed on another blog, i enjoy reading other blogs, and giveaways do attract!
All in all, i do not think youve sold out at all, i love the way Momdot is run and i love the all the bloggers here, which is why im here all day..everyday!
I think you have the perfect balance of content and giveaways. Momdot is one of my favorite sites. There’s always something new and interesting for us. Whether it is a giveaway or a funny/interesting/serious personal story. That’s why I keep coming back!!
I like this site; it’s why it’s on my Google Reader, and why it’s usualy the last site I visit… so I can spend the most time here!
I do believe blogging should be about balance, and I think you’ve struck that here.
I don’t care about national products vs. mom products, although the stuff made by moms usually fills a need you didn’t even realize was there. I just think it should be a nice balance of giveaways/reviews and other content. There’s all kinds of stuff to read on here. And it keeps coming throughout the day. That’s another cool thing about this site. If I check in the morning, something new will be there; if I check later that night, something new will be there. I like that.
“Selling out” never crossed my mind.
There are some blogs out there that I don’t read because it’s like reading a giant commercial. But, I don’t see any harm in trying to make a buck if it’s done with a vision and intent. When I started my blog, I knew full well what I wanted to do, it has a focus and a theme and if I can maintain that while producing valuable content AND bring in a few dollars why the heck shouldn’t I?
nan, actually i asked bissell to give me a steam cleaner so I could give one to the users…that was a request. Part of our giveaways, we offer our sidespace while we are running the contests, as a thankyou.
So that was me going to them for a need, not them coming to me.
I kind of went through the same wondering when my blog mommyzabs was getting requests…. I thought the service was fun, and could easily become a hobby (I love products, I graduated in product development…) As a solution I teamed with another friend with an english degree and we created Does Mommy Love It? That way I still have my personal mommy blog with all the relationships I love…. and I still get to try great products and meet the great people behind them, and then turn around and give away the products that we love. I will say though that since we started having more requests… we end up mostly only with good reviews because we are choosing things we love… where as when we were smaller we had more of a variety of things that didn’t live up to standard and things that did.
In the next two weeks I’ll be doing a Pillsbury review and I was hesitant at first… but after really getting used to using their recipe site and combining it with the new product they sent me I really like it and think it’s a good give away… And dole… girl that is always on my shopping list. I hope to win that one
I think the key is evaluating your purpose and making sure that is what you are doing. I don’t think someone is a sell out if they set up a blog to do it. AND I don’t think it is a sell out if people change their minds of how they want to use their blog. BUT it is up to them and their choices
I feel that all these blogs have opened up doors for us little start-up businesses. I love learning about other mom products – without these alternative avenues, we wouldn’t be able to support eachother.
Now, if all your advertising becomes national companies (I notice Bissell is here), then I would say you’ve sold out. So keep the majority of ads, contests & reviews for us moms and a once-in-a-while national company thrown in will be ok.
Great question!
I think that ya’ll have a great balance here. It’s so much more than giveaways and reviews, and that keeps people coming back. I love that you feature real moms who have started their own businesses, and I think the occasional large company sponsor is nice, because it always products that us moms can use. I see it as reaching out to your readers needs, not selling out.
I’ve never done reviews as a blogger, but I’ve done them for another site. I think that you can tell flat out when someone truly enjoys a product, and when they are just providing a review to make the company sound good. I think the honest reviews are helpful to moms, so we aren’t wasting money on something that’s not worth it. I do enjoy reading reviews, and occasionally they sway me to buy something.
cat, LMAO at the manderian oranges.Its on our grocery list everytime too.
What the heck, it totally cut off the top of my post…
This was the top:
My blog’s mission is to support mom-made products, mom run businesses, so that is what I do. I love love love PR, I was in PR before having kids and would soon like to open my own PR agency for mom businesses.
I tend to agree with the previous posters. While the giveaways are what entice readers to the site, it’s the interaction in between that gets some to stay. Like myself for instance, I can’t remember which giveaway it was but I saw something I liked, came for a visit and decided I also liked the writing style of the blogger. Just about every blog I visit daily I found via giveaway. Before entering a giveaway I also look at previous topics written and if the subject content is something that interests me, I enter the giveaway and come back to read more.
And about Dole….you actually did more than offer up a product we already know about, you reminded me to add something to my grocery list. Kaydence has so many foods she loves I often forget some and the contest reminded me that she was out of mandarin oranges, which led me to go buy her a new batch.
Giveaways get me visitors (which in turn will hopefully get me advertisers) and it gets all those that enter to that mom-run business’ website (the TRUE goal). So it’s a win win.
In addition I then have my family blog for random musings, not advertisements or endorsements.
I think to each her own.
I do think that bloggers are a new voice, a new media that everyone should be aware of. I like to think of them as online magazines but from a regular mom or woman or man.
Those are my random thoughts
Good topic!
I don’t think you have sold out! I love this site. I know that when I start my business, I will be heard or at least seen. I’m a little no body. This site is great. you giveaway products that we like/need. Now if you started giving away Rograin for men or something like that…then it’s when you should review something!!
I don’t think we’ve sold out. I think that we’re good for both companies and moms. Good for companies in that they generally don’t pay us to get the word out about our product. Good for moms because when moms read our blogs or use our sites, they have insight into us personally. Moms across the internet become friends through blogging. And having a friend give you an opinion on a product that they’ve been asked to review is great. Mom bloggers aren’t paid so their opinion is pretty unbiased and honest. I know that my reviews are honest, portraying exactly what I think of the product. And if we can offer one or two as prizes, all the better. I think it’s also a great way to get new products out there for smaller companies who truly don’t have the money to take out ads in magazines where their demographic is. Marketing itself has changed drastically with moms and bloggers and corporations and companies are getting it.
I think this is an issue we all need to think about and examine not only our intent, but the way we review products. Everyone has heard of Dole. It’s not like you are showing them something they haven’t heard of, but what you are doing is rewarding your readers with a nice prize. What do you get in return? Maybe more readers, but maybe not.
I have struggled lately with the bloggy giveaway thing. It’s made my site pretty popular. When I am running giveaways. But the reviews and giveaways have forced me to sacrifice valuable time interacting with my blogger friends and although I may be more popular to strangers who are looking for free stuff, I have neglected my friends and loyal readers and I think it shows.
I really think you have to find a balance. I LOVE giving stuff away to me readers, and I love trying new products and giving my opinion. Do I fall under the spell of feeling that I need to offer up a stellar review? Not really, my reviews are honest and if there is something I don’t like I suggest improvement.
Product reviews are a valuable tool for the company and for the consumer, and if you can develop a reputation for producing honest quality reviews, I don’t think that you are selling out.
I know personally the new year is going to bring a new focus for me. The blogger in me has really receeded somewhat because there is no time because I am too busy with the giveaways.
Bottom line, there has to be a balance and I think the ones who can find it are the ones who flourish.
So far, my friend, you certainly have not sold out in my opinion, because I know your true motive. You truly wanted someone to benefit and get that prize that in today’s economy is a great help.
It’s all about balance.
I think it’s fine so long as either your site is a review site OR the reviews/giveaways don’t completely take over your site. Also, I don’t think you should do a (positive) review or giveaway for an item you wouldn’t use or like for yourself.