blogpaws 2010 - product reviews: susan getgood
TRANSCRIPT
Brands, Bloggers and Best Practices
Susan GetgoodGetGood Strategic Marketing &
Blog With Integrity
Why Brands Want to Work with YouWhy You Want to Work with BrandsBest Practices for Product Reviews
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WHY BRANDS WANT TO WORK WITH YOU
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Customers Are Online
51% of Americans are moderate to heavy users of information technology (Pew)
50% US Internet users read blogs, 12% write them (eMarketer)
68% US adults visit social media sites, 33% to research products (MarketTools)
Trusting Each Other
Nielsen consumer survey
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WHY YOU WANT TO WORK WITH BRANDS
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Brands May Offer You:
Access to exclusive informationEvaluation products or samples for
reviewProducts to give away to readersEvents and junketsSupport for the charities and causes
you care aboutConsulting/advertorial opportunities
What’s In It For You
Reputation as an influential expertIncreased readership Business and employment
opportunitiesIncreased advertising revenueContent for your blog
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The Balancing Act
The value to both parties – blogger and company – has to be equal.
A fair exchange
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BEST PRACTICES FOR COMPANIES
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Micro Macro
The best programs are tightly targeted to a smaller number of bloggers
Scale comes from the network effect, not the volume of the outreach
The opposite – “spray & pray” – less effective Not as relevantNot special
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Social Media Secret Sauce
1. Relevance2. Respect3. Brevity4. Clarity5. Add Value
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The (not so) Secret Ingredients
Put the blogger at the center, not your product
Create an emotional connection
Find the mutual value
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DISCLOSURE: A BEST PRACTICE FOR BLOGGERS
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“ I disclose my material relationships, policies and business practices. My readers will know the difference between editorial, advertorial, and advertising, should I choose to have it. If I do sponsored or paid posts, they are clearly marked.”
From the Blog With Integrity pledge
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My disclosure
I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on the Internet or at blogging conferences.
This material is based on my analysis of the FTC guidelines and review of public materials, including news reports and the Blog with Integrity Webinar with Mary Engle of the FTC, November 10, 2009
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Disclosure
Why disclosure is importantWhat we should discloseHow bloggers can protect
themselves
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Why Disclosure is Important
1. Maintaining an honest and authentic relationship with your readers
2. Letting PR and marketers know how they might work with you
3. Complying with FTC guidelines on commercial endorsement & testimonials (truth in advertising laws)
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What Should You Disclose?
What You Write: Blog Content
EditorialYour original thoughts and ideasNo compensation
AdvertorialYour thoughts and ideas Guided by a sponsor who is compensating you
in some way
AdvertisingMessage entirely controlled by paid sponsor
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What You Do: Relationships/Policie
s
Material relationships “I am now being sponsored by brand X” “I participate in the [ ] blog network”
Policies and business practices Reviews:
“I review the following type of products […], and keep/return/give away the product at the conclusion of the review”
Compensation: “I do/do not accept compensation for reviews”
Giveaways: “I do/do not do giveaways and contests”
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What You Do: Relationships/Policie
s
Affiliate relationships“Purchase through this link and help support
me”
Sponsored posts/tweets “I would like to recommend my sponsor, X”
Opinion, especially for efficacy claims“This reflects my own personal experience”
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FTC Guidelines on Endorsements &
Testimonials
Went into effect 12/1/09Require disclosure of relationship or
compensationImpose liability for false statements on
both company and endorserRelevant to blogging if you:
Are compensated with cash Are compensated with free product Have a material interest in outcome or business
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Disclosure: Get it Right
Ways to Disclose
Blanket site policyStatement or disclaimer within post Statement or disclaimer before/after
postCategory or Tag on post, ie
SponsoredEasily identifiable hashtag, ie #spon
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Bloggers Must:
Disclose compensated relationships such as: Product reviews Paid posts or tweets Post about a free trip or other benefit Affiliate links Consulting or employment
Follow their stated policies. Failure to do so could be considered “deceptive business practice.”
Contact
Susan GetgoodGetGood Strategic Marketing Inc.978-562-5979Email: [email protected]: www.getgood.comTwitter: @sgetgoodMarketing Roadmaps blog:
http://getgood.com/roadmaps
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