Posted by Kristen on August 26, 2010 · Leave a Comment
The New York Times just posted this piece about a marketing and P.R. firm that was busted by the FTC for posting fake, glowing reviews of apps in the iTunes store.
Fake reviews have always struck me as wasteful attempts to influence buyers. The people hired to write them have tin ears for how real people engage with products and summarize their experiences. Fake reviews are transparently goofy, involve too many exclamation points, and are either pointlessly vague or suspiciously copywriter-like in their deployment of superlatives. Experienced online shoppers know the ringers and shills when they see them, because their reviews are short, sweet and overwhelmingly positive: “Fits great!,” “Finally! I’ve found the perfect dress to transition from summer to fall!” or “This book will change your life.”
Real reviews have context and tell a story, however brief, oftentimes describing the ups and downs of the consumer’s connection to the material or object being reviewed (e.g., “Per others’ reviews on this site saying this item ran large, I ordered it down a size, a 7 instead of an 8, and it fit my narrow foot perfectly.”).
If you’re trying to sell a product online and you’re considering paying someone to write fake reviews for you — don’t do it. And don’t do it yourself, either, because now the risks officially outweigh the benefits. Better to spend your time and money finding and getting your product into the hands of people who are likely to be excited by it.
Posted by Kristen on July 19, 2010 · Leave a Comment
In my last blog post, I talked about my second tip for succeeding as a blogger — having a gimmick or angle.
This week, I’m sharing a third and final tip based on my personal experiences as a blogger: be at home when the major media calls. (A.k.a., “Be ready for success.”)
Several years ago, I wrote a very short post on my blog, called “The Perils of Working from Home.” A few weeks later, a reporter from the Associated Press found my post, emailed me, and asked if I could be interviewed and photographed for a piece he was writing about telecommuting. I said yes. (Here’s the article, with a photo of me, three apartments ago.)
A few days after the article hit the news wires, a national A.M. radio program producer contacted me via email, asking to talk to me about the same topic for his morning radio show.
I didn’t act immediately; I can’t remember why (maybe I was asleep). By the time I called the producer back, he said “Sorry, we found somebody else.”
If I’d been faster to respond, maybe I would have become a media go-to source for quotes about working from home. It’s not my specialty and I’m not a productivity guru, but who am I to turn down free press?
Do this: Take the opportunities when they come to you, whatever form they take. Think of a way to spin them later. Media moves quickly, and it snowballs. If someone wants to interview you based on the content they’ve found on your blog, do what you can to make that interview happen — right away. News media can and will find other sources if you don’t respond immediately. Once you get mentioned by one major media outlet, be prepared for others to contact you. Have your materials and expertise ready.
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This post concludes my web series on preparing for, and taking advantage of, your 15 minutes of blogging (or Twittering!) fame. Do you have any questions? I welcome them in the comments.
