Navigating the Blogosphere: How to Handle Blogger Product Requests

posted Tuesday, January 18, 2011 by Rebecca Brooks

Working for top beauty brands like Mally Beauty, the team fields emails daily from bloggers and vloggers requesting product samples to "review." Why not? Easy publicity to add to the monthly report, right? Not so much. At The Brooks Group, we take pride in delivering results that truly impact the brands we represent and make sense for their growth. Here are some steps we take to ensure we're focusing our time & efforts on valuable media opportunities.

1. Carefully read the blogger/vlogger's email. Does it look like you're part of a mass blast? Or do they show a true passion and/or interest in your product?

2. Research the blog or YouTube Channel. Here's a checklist of things to look for...

• What other brands have they reviewed?
• Are they actually posting a review or regurgitating the product info they were provided?
•  Do they sound educated in the field (in this case beauty)?
•  Are readers/viewers interacting with the content posted?

3. When it comes to technology, everything can be monitored! Today there are great sites like Compete.com that list updated information about site statistics and audience profiles.

4. Don't be afraid to ask the blogger/vlogger questions directly! Ask them how many subscribers they have, why they started the blog, etc.

5. Trust your gut. If it doesn't seem like the right opportunity, politely decline.