I don’t think a product has to kick ass or be perfect (as I think my comments tend to be interpreted as), but rather just do what they say they will do. I mean if a company reaches out to me and says “Use this and you’ll get X”, if I use it and get Y, damn right I’ll be pissed off because they didn’t live up to their own expectations.

If their product could do X, but I’d like for it to be able to do Y as well, then the company has not only gotten valuable feedback, but a roadmap pointing what to do to improve their product.

As a client, would I pay for bloggers to attend my events and cover my products? No. And i hope my agencies are reading this. Don’t even suggest that.

As a blogger, would i want to be paid, bugged to write a positive review about something I don’t believe in? No. And I’ve turned down friends who had given me previews of products that I didn’t write a single thing on. I just didn’t think people who read my blog would be keen to read abt that product.

Coming from a brand that has been under fire for a while now, i can tell you, it’s not easy to just say “make sure your product kicks ass”, if not, don’t show us.

TO create a product takes endless R&D dollars, lots of feedback from users and alot of engineers/ labour.

So, i believe the beauty of social/ new media is to maximise its use to gather feedback from your potential users.

Unfortunately, alot ( and I really mean ALOT) of brands and marketers do not understand the power of social media and doesn’t take well to critical comments from users. They jumped at the slightest bad remarks and murder their PR and social media agency.

@DK: unfortunately I think there are bloggers who would do that! Just as there are companies that would be happy to pay for it as well. Both sides are stupid about it, but we all know who will be better off for it in the long run.

@Nicole: Interesting to know the reason for starting Cherry Magazine! Let’s do an informal “interview” about this?

@Brian: Yup I’ve written about it before. The very, VERY first step before even hiring a PR firm to do social media work or starting it internally, is making sure the product doesn’t suck. That said, I think a balanced review isn’t necessarily a negative one. I heard an interview saying that slightly negative reviews help manage expectations better, resulting in less complaints and returns, because the customers know what they’re getting into.

if my product is sucky, and i pay a blogger to write objectively, and in the end, 10,000 read a bad review of the product.

- what am i paying for in the end?

i might as well have gone to an ad agency, to write good things and at least.. have an illusion that i have a good product.

of course on the flipside, then companies have to make sure they have kickass products to begin with.

i still think that the job of social media engagement is not to help the blogger earn directly from the company unless said Company is paying the blogger for a service.

Rather, social media engagement is to facilitate the original content of the blogger, provide information and access that non-bloggers don’t have access to.

Paid, free-gifted, offered discount I think if I went to the “dark side” of being swayyed in opinion by this I loose the unique factor of the blog and betray the trust of my readers.

I think companies have to learn not to be “petty” and allow bloggers to be objective (in a respectful manner of course) if they are asking for a review. Yes, there is a partnership between companies but it is an honest and on-going one. If something bad is written, other readers can rebutt if they feel otherwise. This is the beauty of blogs, it is a honest and constant dialogue.

Thanks for bringing it up daryl