Today's Washington Post had a fairly long article about turning a profit while writing a blog. Product Reviews and Links Turn Pages into Profit.
The jist of the article describes several advertising services that connect with blogs and pay them either per click on a link or an image or pay them for a mention/review of their product. It claims that there are currently 63.2 million blogs out there with 175,000 new ones a day and suggests that there is potential to see a closer relationship between bloggers and advertisers in the future. One source estimates that there are several hundred bloggers who make their living running blogs.
An interesting point made in the article is that some of the new firms are requiring that bloggers disclose that they are being paid when they plug an item. I wonder if the same holds true for companies that provide products to bloggers, especially in the electronics industry where I've seen articles about companies distributing a new product to bloggers for review?
I know that I've seen many wine blogs that disclose they received a sample from a winery and I think that's a good thing. I don't know how or if getting something for free would influence your decision, but I do appreciate the transparency when reading the review.
The article is an interesting read, and I think the recognition of blogs in the mainstream media as a good advertising tool speaks to the acceptance of blogs as a legitimate source of consumer information.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Still waiting for the day someone sends me a bottle to review. mmm free wine!
1/11/07, 1:02 PM
To waterintowino: If you ask to be sent wine, winemakers will send it! You can see examples of this on my site and on Basic Juice. Plus, you can always contact winemakers directly, especially newer producers who may be eager for publicity.
Nice post, Sonadora.
1/11/07, 2:33 PM
This is a debate in the wine blogosphere for a while now. The main conclusion was, there is no conclusion. Tech products get reviewed all the time and the reviewers NEVER pay for it. You can't write a review if you can't play with it (or for wine, taste it).
Follow the debate here:
Link to debate that leads to other links
1/11/07, 2:35 PM
Hey, Sonadora, great post and I hope you don't mind I put it into the newsroom at Wine Life Today!
1/11/07, 3:00 PM
Thanks everyone!
Waterintowino, I have no free wine yet either! I wonder if things that are free really do taste better :}
Thanks for visiting Winehiker, I will have to take a look at your page again soon to see your sample.
Joel, I appreciate the link, I will check that out.
Sure Dr. Debs, I'm flattered :)
1/11/07, 3:16 PM
Our approach is that we will consider wine sample requests from anyone from TV, radio, print, or blog. We reserve the right to decide if you are right for us or not. (The jury is still out on the Wine Spectator...:)
All we look for in a blog is a reasonable posting history and especially a history of posting reviews. Having an audience that can get our wine is also a plus.
So, all you have to do is ask...
1/14/07, 3:47 AM