Invitation to be a Fo*dBuzz.com "sponsored" blog

Hi everyone-

I recently received an invitation from Fo*dBuzz.com to be a sponsored blog (replace * with an O, obviously). I want to find out if any of you received such an invite, if any of you have chosen to be sponsored, and what your experience has been. I'm nervous about this... I have mixed feelings about my posts being syndicated on other sites, namely I worry that it might cut into the actual traffic to my site and that someone else is making profit by running ads on what are essentially my posts hosted on their site. Yet it could be a good way to get some new readers. The site looks legit, though I've never heard of it before. It looks potentially really interesting, actually. Still, I'm nervous about this. Any feedback or suggestions?

Here is part of the original e-mail:

Foodbuzz would like to sponsor your blog, and invite you to join other food bloggers as a Featured Publisher in our Foodbuzz Publisher Program.

The basic benefits include promotion and exposure of your blog on Fo*dbuzz.com, above-competitive compensation for ads, community networking, and ad campaign management.

What are some questions I should ask or things I should look out for to make sure this is worthwhile for me?

This Post was written by Tovah (aka Isaiah) from Gluten-Free Bay

[Product Reviews] Good or Bad

Lately I have been getting a few mails asking me to review this and that. I have to admit I have mixed feelings about this and am not sure how to go about it.

Do any of you do reviews for products and items and mention them on your blogs?
Or do you have a strict rule against such reviews?

I'd love to hear more about the reasons behind your choices and the pro and cons of such things.

Thanks!


This Post was written by Meeta from What's For Lunch, Honey?

[Promoting your blog] Blogger's Choice Awards

Have you been nominated? Probably. Just about everyone has. It's understandable to be flattered but before you promote their activities, use their bug and ask for "votes", please be aware they are a part of PayPerPost an organization that you might not want to be affiliated with in any way shape or form.

PayPerPost were the ones who pioneered paying bloggers to shill for various clients. Call it advertorial, or advertising, it was very unethical the way they went about it. Now they require that posters reveal that they are being paid to say something nice about a product or service but frankly it still makes my skin crawl! This kind of activity damages the credibility of all bloggers.

This Post was written by Amy from Cooking with Amy.

[Transparency] Blogger Relations 101 - Suggestions, please?

Hello all

Sam suggested I post this here. Here's the story...

I found out about a panel discussion on pitching to bloggers. Fine. I usually see emails like this--panels of bloggers and marketing people 'teaching' marketers how to target us for...well...whatever.

What struck me about this panel was it consisted entirely of corporate or sponsored bloggers and I didn't see any hobbyists/independents on it. I sent them a note asking about this and, well, you know what happened next. I'm on the panel, the only one really representing those of us who aren't paid by an organisation to put forth a corporate line.

I was told that there wouldn't be any hand-outs and all they want me for is to sit for a couple of hours and talk about blogger relations. I've come up with a quick list for myself, based on the *lovely* emails I get, but I'm wondering if there are other points that I've missed or should keep in mind. I have seen some posts here, along with Elise's post on the subject, and I think I've captured similar sentiments.

The event is Wednesday 7 March, so any pointers you can give me is very much appreciated, including if I'm out to lunch on any of it...Here's my list thus far:

• Bloggers should be approached similarly to journalists:
  - Your pitch should be akin to a media release: 5Ws, contact information etc.
  - The blogger decides what to do with the info, including how to present it.
  - If we're interested, we'll contact you. If we contact you for more information, get the back to us quickly.
  
• Personalise the approach
  - Most bloggers have a name or a screen name. Use it in your salutation, instead of just "hi" or "Hello Confessions of a Cardamom Addict"
  - We can tell if you've just read one post...or half of one post...
  
• Do your research
  - Just because we mentioned your product or company once doesn't actually mean that we *like* your company/product/client. Find out what was said about you before you send the email.
  - Many bloggers are specialised (food, knitting, cars, etc): make sure you are pitching something that's in keeping with the blog...
  - Many bloggers have a policy that outlines what they will and will not do...
  
• Blogging Events
  - Know how blogging events work before you agree to do one; ask questions and get all the facts first.
  - If you decide you want to do an event, chances are you will need to provide items free of charge to participants
  
• Watch your tone, mister
  - Don't presume because you've sent us an email (or worse, left us a comment), we'll fall all over ourselves to make you happy...we're nice, but not that nice.
  - Leave the arrogance and pompousness out of your communications...many of us can smell smarmy marketing copy a mile away...and we don't like it at all.
  - Don't leave comments that plug your product or your site.
  
• Things not to ask for:
  - Email addresses of readers or blogging contacts
  - Blog roll links
  - Don't assume that we'll do reciprocal links (for free) for a commercial or corporate blog...
  - Don't ask us to do your research for you
  
• We're human beings
  - Many of us have day jobs or are in school or lives, so although it's nice to be invited to a product launch that takes place Wednesday at 2pm, chances are we won't be able to take time off of work to attend. Be prepared to send media kits or supplemental info to people who can't attend.
  - We hate spam. We aren't thrilled with being inundated with bad asks and pitches. We don't think much of being put on mailing lists without being asked.
  - We talk amongst ourselves.
  
• Product Issues
  - If you want to send us something. Just send it, no strings attached.
  - If we think it's worth blogging about we will. Don't tell us what to say or how to say it. Once you do that, you are in advertising territory.
  - Not all bloggers are American, or North American. Make sure the product you're pitching is normally available in the blogger's home country.
  
• Really big no-nos
  - If you ask for links, buttons, or text blocks that link back to your email or web page, you are asking for advertising. Be prepared to pay for this.
  - Don't use our content without our permission. This includes photographs, animation, text and anything else we've come up with on our own...many of us check to see who's stolen what.
  

When I'm done, I'll probably have a Blogger Relations 101 post on Cardamom Addict...Thanks so much in advance.

This Post was written by jasmine from Confessions of a Cardamom Addict

Do's and Don'ts of Marketing to Bloggers

Following on Sam's most excellent example of stupendously bad marketing to bloggers, I've put together an article on my rarely-updated business oriented blog on the subject: The Do's and Don'ts of Marketing to Bloggers. The article is aimed at marketing and PR professionals and is written as a lead-up to a panel I'm on at the upcoming BlogHer business conference in NYC. A big thank you to those of you who contributed your thoughts on the subject when I put a call out here last December. You'll find many of the suggestions written in to the article.

Please feel to add more thoughts in the comments section of the post. Feel free to copy and distribute this article to whomever you think would benefit from it. Just today I got yet another lame "please promote my product" request and simply replied with a link to this article.

Cheers,

Elise
Simply Recipes

[Transparency] PR Pushing Products (again)

This arrived in my inbox earlier today. I think the sender muddled up my email address with that of Sandra Lee. In light of our recent discussion about PR companies trying to pull the wool over bloggers' eyes - this is a perfect example of how a PR person underestimates the intelligence of the people they are trying to coerce into slave labour. I have not edited this at all except for hiding the identity of the sender and company with XXXs. She didn't even bother to delete the and/or as necessary, who does she think she is kidding?! This is how not to win a blogger over. Agreed?

Hi,

Let me first start off by saying that I’ve read a ton of blogs recently, and it’s really fun to get stories, info, and pieces of advice that are insightful, relevant and/or funny as those on your site.

My name is XXXX XXXXX, and I’m work in marketing for XXXXX Foods developing recipes ideas for a new product called XXXXXXXXXXXX Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake Filling. I’m interested in getting as many recipe ideas and feedback as possible about this product, and I’d like to send you a free sample to get your thoughts / opinions / recipe ideas. If you like it, great, feel free to spread the word. If there are opportunities to make it better, I’d encourage you to let me know what those opportunities are.

A little more about the product I’m so fired up about…think about how cool it is to serve cheesecake for those special occasions. XXXXXX Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake Filling let you have a great tasting dessert any night of the week. Do you love cheesecake but too busy to bake? XXXXXX Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake Filling there’s no need to bake. You just spread it into a pie crust and you’ll have a delicious cheesecake dessert in minutes. Out of your fridge and onto the table in one easy step!

I’ve spoken with a lot of people who I think might enjoy this product, and I asked them whose opinion they respect either on-line, on TV, in print etc, and your blog came up in conversations with a large number of them. I not only asked about whose advice hey listen to regarding “food,” but also whose voice they would consider a good source about parenting, travel, music, all kinds of new products, and the general trials and tribulations of life J

Anyway, let me know if you’d be willing to try out a free sample and provide me with some feedback about what you think. If so, send me an address to send one to, and I’ll ship it out right away.


This Post was written by sam from B&P

[promotion] Why a newsletter?

I don't know why, but recently 1) my traffic has increased a lot and perhaps related to that 2) I've gotten requests for a newsletter. I already supply my RSS feeds via email as a subscription option using Feedburner, but I gather this is not what is being asked for.

So..my questions for those of you nice people who have a separate newsletter that is not just taking a feed or something of your blog posts -

• - what are the the advantages of having a separate newsletter? Does it bring more visitors/fame/fortune/karma?
• - What do you put there that you don't put in your posts?
• - how frequently do you send out your newsletter?
• - do you put a copy of your newsletter on your site for non-subscribers to access?

This Post was written by maki from Just Hungry.