Blogging: Would I lie to you?
Well, it’s all happening in the blogosphere at the moment isn’t it. Did anyone miss the double page spread in the Times? If you did the links are here;
Two great articles, and not just because I get a mention in both 
The debate about reviews rumbles on with the majority favouring the ‘if we all pick our freebies wisely there is space for the review thing in the British blogosphere’.
A point that has been raised further with myself both publicly and privately is how honest we can afford to be when it comes to reviewing.
Today I was quoted in the Times from the angle of the fact I’m not scared to say what I think about a product, I won’t go out of my way to be nasty or derogatory but I will say it how I see it;
In a review of Aveeno products on littlemummy.com, Douglas wrote: “First up the colloidal oatmeal bath. Every time I mention colloidal I think it sounds like a nasty hospital treatment. I have to say the reality wasn’t much better. Then there was the disposable potty. “Basically, I thought it was rubbish,” she says
I believe the only way forward is complete honesty, otherwise we can kiss goodbye to future opportunities, companies are relying on us to tell the truth, as the Times puts it today “when companies plug in to a network of mummy bloggers they are in effect getting in on the mother to mother conversation” the trust and honesty involved in those conversations comes at a price, for some companies with a strong product it means an excellent marketing opportunity and for those with weaker products, well, yeah…there are gonna be some casualties. But that’s life, and business, it’s survival of the fittest and I don’t think we need to concern ourselves with the effect that our review has on a product, as long as we’re being honest to each other we are fulfilling our remit. Besides, the companies are well aware that there is a risk involved when they approach blogs for reviews;
Companies maintain that all news is good news, when it comes to blogs. “If they don’t like the product, that’s good feedback for us,”
So, in response to the question ‘Would I lie to you?’, no I wouldn’t, not ever, because my priority lies with you the reader, because if you don’t believe me I won’t get the reviews anyway. And if I don’t believe you…
So we’re all gonna tell the truth and nothing but the truth , right?
I'm a 27 year old mum to 4 year old Erin. We live just outside Edinburgh in a small rural village.
I've been blogging for four years and write about anything and everything that takes my fancy.
Themocracy
Honesty is the best policy!
Gah. Laura stole my line. But yes, I agree. And that bath stuff certainly did look like porridge!
Hello Erica, I think it’s the readers rather than the companies who want complete honesty – some companies do want PR spin, and sometimes they get it from bloggers and journalists who don’t check their facts correctly. I’ve just reviewed the Adam Sandler film Bedtime Stories after being given not only the film but the player free too, I said it was a bit poor but my children enjoyed it.
You can be as honest as you like, but if you have been given something free, some would argue you are already getting favourable treatment by the company, so you have to make sure you are as transparent as you can be.
Some travel companies are now offering breaks over at http://www.havealovelytime.com but the experience of any free trip is bound to differ from one where the reviewer has paid and for that reason alone, some readers will need convincing that the review can be trusted.
On a blog though you can be challenged much more directly than in the pages of a newspaper and ultimately as Jane has said elsewhere, readers will leave in droves if they don’t like what they see for whatever reason.
Morality has a place in all things great and small; thank you for the reminder, for the inspiration.
I agree with you, Erica – whatever else, our readers have to know they can trust us. I would be really uncomfortable writing anything I didn’t believe in.
Oh no, I don’t mind writing about things I don’t believe in
everyone better take a seat first though hee hee
[...] settled Erin down with the Bedtime Stories DVD but truth be told she wasn’t really into it, however, I have to put that down to her age more than anythingelse [...]
I’m sure both customers and companies would prefer, real constructive feedback – don’t really see the point otherwise!
Definitely Erica. I loved the Aveeno creams but hated the bath stuff. It was like cuppa soup. Yuck. Keep being honest. It’s our duty.