Sponsored Reviews
Review Policy
From time to time, I would be happy to review:
- Your pet related product
- Your book
- CD
- Blog or website
- Or anything else you think pet owners, and people who write or read might be interested in
My Thinking Behind Sponsored Posting:
- This is my blog and I set my own rules and ethics policies – not the PR firms I work with, my clients, or my peers. I believe in full disclosure, letting my readers know that it’s a sponsored post or if I was given a freebie. As of December 1, 2009 require full disclosure regarding freebies or payments received.
- If you don’t like sponsored postings/reviews, would never do it at your blog, or won’t read blogs that have it, that’s fine with me because it’s your right to choose which blogs you read.
- As far as journalistic integrity goes, newspapers and magazines run print and online advertising with the goal of making money. If you don’t think their advertisers influence their editorial, you’re naive. If you look many magazines, isn’t funny how they’ll run a recipe followed by an ad for one of the food products mentioned in the article? You bet publicists are giving them freebie samples with the intention that they’ll feature those products in an article or photo spread, too.
- Paid posting, like blogging, is a great income source for writers like me. My blogs ARE my income.
My Paid Posting and Product Reviewing Policies:
- My sponsored posts are disclosed and labeled accordingly. New FTC regulations require it. If you do not want your paid review labeled as “sponsored” don’t even bother asking me to write it.
- If I am paid and/or given a sample, I will label the review as a “sponsored post.”
- Just because a company has sent me a freebie, doesn’t guarantee I’ll review it. I only feel obligated to review the products I have promised to review and not the ones that are randomly sent.
- I say no to a lot of review offers and usually accept items that I’m curious about or already like.
- I won’t take sponsored posts from companies that I feel are dishonest or that are selling something I don’t believe in.
- Just because I’m paid doesn’t mean that the post will be positive. I believe in writing constructive criticism, and try to point out the good and bad about the product or website I’m asked to review.
Email me to pitch your product and I’ll respond if I’m interested.
Updated 9/30/2009
