Let me be clear from the beginning, it's not wrong to partner with a blogger for a product giveaway, but if you are looking for it to convert into sales, then you are employing the wrong tactic. Furthermore, if you are simply working with *any* blogger just to get a hit for your client or brand, then you are contributing to the brand discounting mentality that has suddenly picked up speed due to the toxic mix of the economy, newer bloggers looking for freebies and the brands/PR firms who are happy to oblige just so they can say, "Look we're mentioned on X blog!"
How is that working out for you?
I'm writing this as both a blogger myself and as someone who works directly with brands for their social media strategies. To capture the attention of a blogger and gain coverage via a review or write up, takes a lot of relationship building, and for some, a little luck with just the right subject heading and catchy pitch. I'm finding that more and more brands are getting desperate to get mentioned on a blog or to simply have the ability to say, "Yeah we work with bloggers..." And due to this, they are bypassing promoting a great product and instead offer it up as a giveaway because in a sense, it benefits the blogger as well. However, this is a slippery slope and one that I think more brands need to take precaution with because in the end, it's not about how many, but about who you are working with.
Why should I actually buy your product if I can find it on *any* blog giving it away for free?
There's something to be said for exclusivity. Pick a handful of reputable bloggers and work with them if you want to engage your potential consumers with a giveaway to spark interest in your brand. But certainly do not, under any circumstances, just work with anyone willing to host your giveaway. First of all Facebook numbers don't tell the whole story. So what if a blogger touts that they have 20K fans? If all they ever do is host giveaways and promote it via Twitter, and you've all seen it -- "Help us get to 3K fans! We're giving away X product!" ...well it's completely logical to come to the conclusion that the fans and followers are only there for free stuff, certainly not for their content or even to consider purchasing from you. If they don't win your product, they move onto the next giveaway.
ARM yourself with knowledge: Ask, Research, Monitor.
- If a blogger reaches out to you to partner for a giveaway Ask for their blog's traffic numbers, their Alexa ranking, Google page rank, as well as their #'s for their Facebook fan page and Twitter. The complete overview tells the story. Credible bloggers won't blink when you ask because they understand that metrics matter. I know Pierce Mattie’s team is very strict on who they give products to, that goes to long lead print titles as well.
- Research: It doesn't hurt to confirm what they've told you. For example, if Blogger X tells you they get 7 million page views yet only have 200 followers on Twitter and only a handful of Facebook fans, then you'd be right to think that something was a bit off. Look up their traffic for yourself to confirm those numbers; I personally like Compete.com.
- Monitor their social media profiles if you are unsure. Do they only do giveaways or do they mix it up with great editorial content in between? Do readers engage with them across all social media platforms?
And while I mention bloggers, I mind as well mention PR firms that hold brand giveaways for following them on Twitter and liking their Facebook page. Really? Do you honestly want a firm that is discounting your brand from the get-go?
I will continue to stress that great products speak for themselves. Sometimes you need to spark interest and generate buzz, sure. But you definitely don't need to give away the farm. Work exclusively with those bloggers you know and trust if you are looking to hold a giveaway, and remember, in the eyes of the consumer, your product is only as credible as the magazines and bloggers you get coverage on, so choose wisely.
Posted by Shannon Nelson on November 8, 2010 5:24 PM
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Comments (5)
I agree with you very much on this subject. As a blogger and blog reader, seeing the same product on so many blogs really cheapens how I feel about it in general.
On a side note, I cringe every time someone suggests using Compete.com. While it offers a general idea of traffic, the numbers are highly flawed, by the thousands. A more reasonable approach is to ask a blogger for a screenshot of their stat counter.
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Cat Davis |
November 9, 2010 10:45 AM
Posted on November 9, 2010 10:45
Great advice, Shannon. Simple saturation of blogs does not sell a product. And as a blogger, I feel more of a connection and interest in promoting a product when it is apparent that the PR rep sees a good fit between my blog and that product.
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Mary@Everyday Baby Steps |
November 9, 2010 11:17 AM
Posted on November 9, 2010 11:17
Awesome post--this is great for bloggers as well to understand that doing a giveaway with a company hold responsibility and it's our brand on the line too--if I become a give-way blogger and no longer offer content (which is why I started blogging) then my brand goes down with the ship. I think this article should be mandatory reading for all new bloggers! I like the flip-side aspect of it. Rock it Shannon!
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nandoism |
November 9, 2010 12:09 PM
Posted on November 9, 2010 12:09
It seems like the brands are giving their products to PR reps, who in turn contact one or two bloggers and leave them in charge with getting other bloggers involved and don't monitor or approve their evangelists. The problem with that is that most of the bloggers who end up participating all run in the same circle/network. There's no reach to other markets. Promotion stays confined to this one tiny segment. So the same products are being promoted to the same people across various platforms multiple times. Exposure is great. Over exposure isn't.
Something else that needs to be stressed is that whomever is outsourcing these bloggers needs to make sure said bloggers are up to speed with FTC guidelines. There's a certain promotion going on now amongst dating bloggers. I'll leave the product out to protect the brand and the bloggers. Only 2 of the participating bloggers are clear in stating that these products that they are raving about were given to them for free. Kinda changes the angle of the review, dontcha think?
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AndThatsWhyYoureSingle |
November 9, 2010 12:42 PM
Posted on November 9, 2010 12:42
As discussed earlier today on the Facebook walls:
Beauty/fashion bloggers are starting to look like Pennysavers by constantly having giveaways. There are a few (ok many!) that start each week out by saying “if we get to ABC in our follower count we’re going to give away XYZ.” Not only do you spike in your followers but have you ever really looked at who’s following you? Miss Crapola, that’s who! What’s even more interesting is some of the bloggers, style experts and even PR firms that have the highest fan count on FaceBook and followers on Twitter have the LOWEST web traffic to their blog that is supposed to be the DNA of the whole operation. Why? Because no one is reading them. Miss Crapola is just hovering online waiting for the free loot to drop from the cyber sky. I would love to challenge the blogging world to go one flipping month with no b.s. giveaway and see where their followers sit. DO IT! ;-)
Next week Shannon’s going to talk about beauty bloggers who ask for 6 jars of something to send to their ‘expert panel’ and what a crock of wet baloney that is! Aren’t ya Shannon? ;-)
xo
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Pierce Mattie |
November 9, 2010 6:47 PM
Posted on November 9, 2010 18:47