The NYT has an interesting article today about one blogger who reviews baby products as part of her blog. The article is titled “When a Blogger Voices Approval, a Sponsor May Be Lurking,” Yes that is a mouthful and the article gives bloggers a lot to chew on.
The fine line between reviews for free and reviews for money can be almost invisible, there are companies looking to entice you into giving them a positive post for which they will pay you. Note I said positive post, I didn’t say unbiased or even handed. Sometimes getting paid is contingent on saying things you either don’t believe or only half believe. What’s a blogger to do if they want to keep their integrity intact?
The answer may not come as a surprise but it bears repeating, Practice transparency with your readers, give them all the information about your testing criteria, and radically lay out any and all (even casual) relationships you have with business and organizations involved with products or services in your reviews. Practicing radical transparency allows you to off-load any worries about your impartial integrity or questions about your motives.
I’m sure many people wish organizations such as Commercial Alert would go away. With The Internet, groups watching your business will only continue to spring up, practicing radical transparency will inoculate you and your business from scrutiny.
