I know a few people hate blogs feel that its a person just giving good reviews for a freebie. To defend blogging especially review blogging, in a way replaced adverts on TV as people fast forward now. So brands also approach suitable blogs to advertise a product, service and also a charity. It gets it seen, out there, much as many dislike the review blog, as many love a good read of the latest gadget or new flavour.
A friend or commenter on FB may say “Oh Blogging, how cool you get stuff for free!”
So to try and dispel the myth a little, blog reviews take a while to do some are several weeks on a larger item, some not so if they are small items, some the brand may just ask you to copy and paste the info (press release).
Not all bloggers get paid for this, the product will be provided to use and trial. This is not just a try and as Mrs Brown would say “That’s nice!”
A good review blogger, will trial the product, sometimes many times, scrub floors, wear said item, watch their child play with a toy,wash windows, cook for days using own ingredients and when it goes wrong as it has, eg, forgot to photograph the finished dish, and ate it, burnt it or it looked a mess, they replace the ingredients again sometimes a second time. Got a rash from an ingredient in a product. looked hideous in the item as the food blogging added some pounds.
Then the photographs, cameras bought by own cash to show the item off better, a lot of bloggers buy light boxes, lenses etc, better cameras to make the post more enjoyable for the reader.
Pay for the apps to improve the photos, the features on most sites are paid for. A site/domain is paid for yearly as is are such things as sharing linkys, blog design, experts who can speed a site up. Sort out the technical side that maybe the blogger cannot do.
Then the write it up, may not be liked by everybody and some feel its a way to get good more freebies if a blogger raves about an item. As a polite person, a blogger will always try to give a positive take on something but mention areas of improvement
Then the blogger has to promote the post, get it seen, not for another freebie but for more work.
Some bloggers pay way more than this above. Unlike magazines and newspapers and TV shows that advertise a product, receive that and often a payment we are talking £100’s, some bloggers do not get paid, so ‘No’ it certainly is not a freebie.
Often the company is asked if a competition can be hosted. They may get traffic but after so many years its not going to get much bigger .
Yes you may spot people who do start up blogs as they think its for a freebie but they do not last very long as its hours of work and love put in. So you wanna blog for ‘Freebies?’ you are joining a great group of hardworking conscientious men and women and welcome to you!!
I am not really sure there is such a thing as a freebie and people do realise that. I spend hours and hours of my life trialing new things. A shampoo for example I won’t review until ive used it for around 6 weeks to give my hair chance to get used to it…
I love this post, I think some people just see it is a fast way to get free stuff. I don’t review things often but when I do I put so many hours into it. I think also companies don’t realise that either & see it as quick advertisement, but that’s a whole other story. Great post!
Georgia x
Hey! Thanks for sharing this information – appreciate the effort you put in.
I just wanted to run something by you; Have you heard about Rawpixel?
You’ve probably seen our images all over the place. We’re the leading stock photo contributor in the world. We’ve just launched our website where we give away the best free design resources out there. Check us out onwww.rawpixel.com.
Looking forward to you joining our community of creatives.
BE INSPIRED. BE RAW. Nica
i love your way of blogging..its just awesome