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Reviews- A mere Link Building and Money Making Tactics.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Hey I am doing reviews for a $100. You will get a permanent link from my blog, and lots of fame and traffic. Alright here is another deal, give me a reciprocal review and we can exchange links in a cool way. Oh wait, I am running a review me contest. I will give you life changing makeover.

Yes, this is a good and appreciable way of making money and increasing your Technorati ranking, but did you think about this...

Viewers

How many of you read these reviews? Do you trust them to give you back true details? Or do you feel such reviews are cheating you? About myself I do not even care to give a look. Getting any favor in return, takes out the authenticity from the core of it.

Reviews- What and Why?

Reviews were originally written to give a fair opinion about a product, a service, or any website/blog. Where you, the reader got an insight or authors mind, the good stuff and even the bad about the thing being reviewed. Where things were being examined by a serious eye, appreciated, criticized, commented and corrected. A good review helps others find the products or helpful links that are best for them. You can help inform someone about a product or service or blog/website you have experience with, and find useful or not worth it. Remember, your reviews hold your evaluation.

Reviewers

AutoCar Magazine *(this is just used as an example which obviously is a built up scenario and contains no truth, hence no legal liabilities)* is going to adopt the same method now. It is going to review for cars and other vehicles, for $10,000,000 which most obviously would be in praise. So how many of you are going to read it for true insight about cars. How will this step effect its reputation? For the blogs who review for money or a link back, do you know your readers trust you? It may even put a bad mark on your position in front of them. First of all, nobody as far as my opinion is concerned will be interested in reading biased reports and secondly if the review turns out to be too good, than what actually the site or the product is, it will put a question mark on your image.

When its such a worst case scenario why do they do it?

Sites which pay or ask for reviews in return of some favors want to gain popularity and inward links, without even realizing the fact that except a layer of superficial fame and a bit better Technorati ranking they have nothing to gain. This is no strategy but a short term tactic. You may think it is mutually agreeable for those reviewing and those getting reviewed, so there is no point to raise, but then this may hamper general opinion of the reader about you. Atleast in my case it does. The moment I realize the exact motive behind a biased review, it turns me off. It raises unworthy opinions about both writers and the people being written about.

What do you think? Do you like reading paid reviews?Are you amongst the people practicing it, and have a reason for it? Be open, share it here. Its your opinion, come out with it. Tell the blogosphere what you want to read about.

Divya

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posted by Divya Uttam, 9:04 PM

25 Comments:

John Chow does a LOT of reviews on his site. I may scan one here and there and from the few I scan MAYBE visit a site or two, but that's about it.

I guess I can see "new" blogs going for this, but I've been running mine for about 4 years so I have plenty of exposure within my niche already.

Great blog you have here, BTW!

Vic

commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 9:48 PM  

I dont read any such reviews. But I have been guilty of participating in such an exchange on two ocassions. I wrote a fair review, but I guess thats what everyone will say. But, I do think it hampers the image of the author. So, I started contests which give no inward links but gave free outward links and ad space. That way I am not being selfish.

commented by Blogger Basketer, 11:13 PM  

We had our blog reviewed not long after we started 4 years ago (for free) and I we got an honest opinion. It wasn't all rosy and we took some points on board and changed things for the better.

I think if you can get an honest review when you're starting out, that can't be a bad thing but after that it's all about attracting visitors with your content, not trying to heard them in.

Paul.

commented by Blogger Snowbabies, 12:47 AM  

Getting your blog reviewed for a fair opinion is not bad atall. But nobody likes to read baised ones. John Chow is famous for review exchange, how many of you actually pay more attention or even to his reviews in comparison to the other posts he writes.

Basketer everything done selflessly and in good spirit is always appreciable.

Anything that brings traffic is fine but targeted traffic is better. I never suggested to be against reviews, but against baised reviews.

The best way to review is to be true to yourself and to your readers.

commented by Blogger Divya Uttam, 2:14 AM  

I agree with your views, its very unethical for bloggers to give wrong information to their readers, also it is sucidal for the blog in the long run, coz the blog might loose traffic with such biased reviews.

commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 5:22 AM  

I've never clicked through a paid blog review and I probably never will.

commented by Blogger Brian, 11:11 AM  

Is there really such a thing as an unbiased review?

After all, in most cases, somewhere along the line the writer is getting paid to write. I've seen some pretty obvious editorial slants in comparison tests in some very well-known magazines. In these cases the recommendation just happens to be a larger paying advertiser.

I've also seen reviews where the author never really talked about the product being reviewed. Instead, floating off on the graces of a product not yet even being produced.

I agree that I'm more likely to skip a post if I know it is a paid review. And I do think it is important to make it obvious that it is a paid review.

commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 11:45 AM  

We'll said/written. Straight to the point and very concise. Excellent Blog Indeed!

commented by Blogger Just Sharing, 5:51 PM  

I do read reviews, as they are a choice of the blogger i am reading, since I am reading the blog, might as well like the review (paid or not paid, although I prefer the free ones , nothing is really free in this world)

Would love to reciprocal review you!

commented by Blogger Linky Love, 8:43 PM  

I have a few paid reviews on my site, but basically. If I don't agree with the product and think that I like it enough to do an unbiased review of it. I simply turn down the review.

My site is more personal though and so there are very few of these. There are enough however to pay for the blog hosting.

commented by Blogger Jennifer, 6:16 AM  

Everyone can call it a review but as soon as money is exchanged then it's an advertisement - no matter how honest or negative the 'review' may seem. You're paying to get your name on someone else's page.

On my site I offer free reviews but the catch is you have to write them yourself. And I bet you'll write a better review for your site than any you'd pay for. And you're probably more honest.

http://www.markrobinson.ca/2007/03/forget-reviewme-review-yourself-for-free/

commented by Blogger Unknown, 12:46 PM  

I personally think it's just too easy to look like a sell-out when doing paid reviews. I personally feel using John Chow's site as an example is a bad idea because the site seems to have more ads than content.

I just would be very concerned that the integrity of the site and my personal reputation would begin to get marred after too many paid reviews.

commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 1:47 PM  

You know im not really blogging to become famous, nor am I to promote any website. I do however wish for some usefull feedback now and then. chill-fu.net

commented by Blogger Magari, 1:42 AM  

The printed wold has been doing this for as long as they have been an industry. Sometimes it's just for the goodies and sometimes for the kickback. Ever wonder how the leading new sports car get's such huge press coverage before launch, where the competition goodies came from or why some mags review products at all? With PC mags often the reviewed product (editors pick) is in the comps page with five "up for grabs".

I can't say it's honest or even ethical (I'd much rather people say upfront when the bonuses are being given out) but it has happened for a long long time.

commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 2:07 AM  

I agree with you entirely. Paid reviews and paid links have got to stop because, to put it simply.... you're cheating people.

I look forward to more such posts from you, keep it up, Divya!

Regards

Lucky

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commented by Blogger Lucky Balaraman, 6:47 AM  

Divya,
I not only don't like seeing paid reviews, I leave the site and don't read anything else they have to offer.

Any paid review does not hold any true value in my opinion. I enjoy reading blogs only if they can show me their true honesty and sincerity in their content, ya know......like you do! :)

I have so enjoyed subscribing to your blog......thank you so much for sharing useful information with us.

commented by Blogger Sherrykins, 12:18 PM  

The money is good and the fame is better... but if blogging will be all about reviews and about being popular and making money? Imagine every blogger doing the same philosophy...

it'll be boring.

BUT! with the blogosphere being so big.. that's far from possible yet.

commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 12:45 PM  

Hi Divya,
We haven't met yet, but I enjoy your blog and I think you are doing a great job. I've tagged you for a meme. If you are interested in participating, see the details here http://nowcamillecrawford.blogspot.com/2007/03/goals-meme.html

Kind regards,
Camille

commented by Blogger S. Camille, 9:02 PM  

Personally I think John Chow's blog has gone from being useful to being nearly useless because of his greed and Review Me bullshit.

commented by Blogger Hammer, 10:34 AM  

I think review me is just another tool that people spend money on without thinking. I mean why would I need my blog to be reviewied in first place ? Who is John Chow to tell me what I should do or not ? I mean people have their own opinion but should I now cry because somebody tell's me "hey mofo you can't write english well" so what? don't read " I say"
I like to check websites and blogs for fun and review them if they got good seo done.

commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 11:42 AM  

i think it's always a fair review if you can only ask and answer to yourself if you're doing the blogosphere a favor by giving an unbiased review ...

for that you can choose reviewme demand which does not specifically tell you to write positively ... we can argue till the cow comes home on how fair is reviewme ... only you can tell if you're honest ...

your readers will know ultimately ... so choose and review wisely or else the mother nature will punish you accordingly ...

cheers
stocktube

commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 11:33 PM  

Great post. I have to admit that I'm new to the Internet marketing game so I haven't realize the importance of having my site or blog reviewed. This post made me reconsider strategies.

commented by Blogger merjoem32, 1:44 PM  

<=DEAR
WHATS ALL THIS REVIEW, IS IT SOME KINDA BUSINESS OR WHAT?
IF YOU PAY FOR A REVIEW HOW CAN IT BE TRUE.
JUST SOMETHING CONTRADICTORY AND WHATS THE PAYMENT A 100$ THATS OUTRAGEOUSLY EXPENSIVE PEOPLE HERE CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND 10$.
JUST READ YOUR BLOG COULD NOT STOP COMMENTING, SORRY
ALL THE BEST
ADDY=>

commented by Blogger adavait, 11:59 PM  

Nice article.Reviews for blogs is a better idea to earn money and fame but always we have to earn money with entertainment otherwise our lives become boring.
=============================
Roselina

Link Building

commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 9:06 PM  

Thats a very interesting post. I have been inspired. Thanks.

commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 5:23 AM  

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