When it comes to marketing…a lot of companies are now turning
to bloggers to get their brand name out there and to get marketing
exposure for the products they want to promote. With that said…
not everyone makes a great “product reviewer”. If you are looking
to get into writing product reviews, there are a lot of important
things you will need to educate yourself on before you start writing.
to bloggers to get their brand name out there and to get marketing
exposure for the products they want to promote. With that said…
not everyone makes a great “product reviewer”. If you are looking
to get into writing product reviews, there are a lot of important
things you will need to educate yourself on before you start writing.
Here are my top 10 tips for new writers who wish to start a product review
business.
business.
1. Your blog layout should be clean and organized. Blog readers and companies
do not want to see a lot of advertisements and garbage on your blog. The index
list of your reviews and giveaways should be on the main page and easy to find
by your readers. Advertisements should be limited to under 10 buttons and/or
banner ads on your main home page.
do not want to see a lot of advertisements and garbage on your blog. The index
list of your reviews and giveaways should be on the main page and easy to find
by your readers. Advertisements should be limited to under 10 buttons and/or
banner ads on your main home page.
2. You will need a Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy posted on your blog.
This policy needs to be written in clear & understandable terms. It should be
listed in a front and visible location on your web site.
This policy needs to be written in clear & understandable terms. It should be
listed in a front and visible location on your web site.
3. You will need to install an RSS Feed, Feedburner and/or a Google Friend
Connect Widget to your site so that readers can easily follow your site and stay
up to date with all of your new blog postings.
Connect Widget to your site so that readers can easily follow your site and stay
up to date with all of your new blog postings.
4. You will need a new email account to keep your new business emails from
getting lost in your personal email account. You can get a free email account
at yahoo.com, google.com or hotmail.com. Once you have your email set up,
you will want to make a variety of folders so you can sort and store incoming
and outgoing emails appropriately.
getting lost in your personal email account. You can get a free email account
at yahoo.com, google.com or hotmail.com. Once you have your email set up,
you will want to make a variety of folders so you can sort and store incoming
and outgoing emails appropriately.
5. You will want to write up a few product reviews and post them onto your site
before asking companies to sponsor a review on your site. You can do this by
writing a few reviews on items that you personally own and love. You will want
to write detailed reviews and include photos and links to the manufacturer’s
web site. Always proofread your reviews before posting them.
before asking companies to sponsor a review on your site. You can do this by
writing a few reviews on items that you personally own and love. You will want
to write detailed reviews and include photos and links to the manufacturer’s
web site. Always proofread your reviews before posting them.
6. You will need to install a stat counter and tracker to your web site. Companies
will ask you for your web site stats so be prepared to provide them ahead of
time. The majority of the companies I deal with require me to email them a
screen shot of our web site stats before they will proceed with us. If you don’t
know how to take a screen shot of your web site stats, there are a lot of free
tutorials online where you can learn how to do it.
will ask you for your web site stats so be prepared to provide them ahead of
time. The majority of the companies I deal with require me to email them a
screen shot of our web site stats before they will proceed with us. If you don’t
know how to take a screen shot of your web site stats, there are a lot of free
tutorials online where you can learn how to do it.
7. When I first got started in this business I sat down and drafted up a few text
files that I can easily copy and paste into email to the companies I deal with.
You will need an official product review request document (where you email
the company and ask them to sponsor a review) and you will need an official
response letter (which you send to the company after they reply with your policy
and mailing information on it). Having these prepared ahead of time is a real
time saver.
files that I can easily copy and paste into email to the companies I deal with.
You will need an official product review request document (where you email
the company and ask them to sponsor a review) and you will need an official
response letter (which you send to the company after they reply with your policy
and mailing information on it). Having these prepared ahead of time is a real
time saver.
8. You will need a digital camera for writing product reviews. The majority of
companies I deal with prefer that you add pictures to your review of you using
the product that they sent to you to review. You don’t need an expensive camera
but you do need to invest in one.
companies I deal with prefer that you add pictures to your review of you using
the product that they sent to you to review. You don’t need an expensive camera
but you do need to invest in one.
9. When you write up your product reviews it is important to write detailed
reviews. Your review should be several paragraphs long and include the
company’s history, product information, your honest thoughts about the item
you reviewed, purchasing information and any other information you or the
company feels that is important to include. It’s best to sit down and write your
reviews when you can dedicate a minimum of 30 minutes of your time to do it.
reviews. Your review should be several paragraphs long and include the
company’s history, product information, your honest thoughts about the item
you reviewed, purchasing information and any other information you or the
company feels that is important to include. It’s best to sit down and write your
reviews when you can dedicate a minimum of 30 minutes of your time to do it.
10. You will need to promote your web site and each product review that you
write on behalf of the company you reviewed. You can’t just write the review,
slap it up online and call it a day. Part of this job requires that you promote
the review online everywhere that you can. You will find that most reviewers
promote their reviews on Facebook, Twitter, Ning and other online social
media networks.
write on behalf of the company you reviewed. You can’t just write the review,
slap it up online and call it a day. Part of this job requires that you promote
the review online everywhere that you can. You will find that most reviewers
promote their reviews on Facebook, Twitter, Ning and other online social
media networks.
Writing product reviews is an easy job if you dedicate and educate yourself
about it. However…writing and promoting the reviews is a time consuming job
but well worth it if you enjoy writing and networking online.
about it. However…writing and promoting the reviews is a time consuming job
but well worth it if you enjoy writing and networking online.
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