Is it wrong to offer bloggers a gift certificate to check out or review your website?

3 replies
Hi:
I'm so convinced our website offers the best tools and a unique proposition (if we don't find the lowest priced book online, the book is on us) for bargain book buyers I'm considering offering gift certificates to bargain-focused bloggers [with at least a decent sized audience] for either checking out our site or instant price-checking add-ons or if they write an original review about it. Obviously, I'd rather offer the gift certificate only if they write about it, but obviously am concerned that comes off as a bribe.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated; bad idea, good idea?
#blog marketing #bloggers #certificate #check #gift #offer #publicity #review #website #wrong
  • Profile picture of the author myob
    The marketing idea is actually quite common with inducements for reviewers to be paid, receive gift certificates and/or products. However, the business model does seem flawed unless you specify conditions, because there are so many outlets for books at sometimes huge discounts.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
    Depends on how you word it - but I think it should be fine.

    There is currently online services which a company will pay a blogger to mention their product or write about their niche and link back to the site..

    The bloggers get paid for doing this.

    Perhaps you can do this same kind of offer.

    Let bloggers sign up to write a post on their site, discussing the importance of what your tools do, have them link back to your site, and you can go see their post and offer them a discount/coupon.

    Make Money Blogging
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    "May I have ten thousand marbles, please?"

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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Product placement in the mainstream media is commonplace. Why do you think so many characters on TV or in movies use Macs - with the Apple logo conveniently pointing at the screen? Or the main character drinks Pepsi, rather than Coke, and the can is always positioned to be visible?

      Same goes for cars, junk food, clothing items, you name it, people are paying to have their products in other media outlets.

      As for reviews, I think the only real stumbling block is placing conditions on the review. I.E., "you get the gift certificate when you post a positive review with a live link." At that point, the piece ceases to be a "review" and becomes a paid endorsement, with much stricter rules on disclosures.

      There's a difference between that and offering a gift certificate so a blogger can try your service...
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