Okay maybe “trash” is exaggerating (although see my example below!). Still, Internet marketing blogger Yaro Starak makes a good argument that you can (and probably should) write a product review that reveals the flaws of a product… and still expect to sell it through your affiliate link.

Yaro explains that while most Internet marketing product reviews are sales pitches - and that part of his motivation in writing product reviews is to sell products - by explaining the negatives as well as the positives, he ends up selling more.

I’m reminded of a product review I wrote on another blog a year or so ago. I called the product lame… and I still got an affiliate commission out of it! I’m not sure whether someone forgot to clear their cookies… or really did want to buy a lame product… or dismissed my product review… but it just goes to prove anything’s possible!

In any case, Yaro indicates that it IS possible to write genuine product reviews AND sell products if you follow these four guidelines:

1. Pick products you’re interested in that are relevant to your audience.

2. Write a thorough review after studying the product.

3. Build up credibility as a trusted source in the industry.

4. Build a large audience so that when you say something, enough people listen.

This is pretty much the approach we take at Kikabink News. I will say, however, that apart from the strange example above, we won’t write promotional product reviews UNLESS we genuinely endorse the product.

(No, I DON’T believe you can trash a product and sell it!)

Bottom line: if you plan to run a review site, be sure to discuss the cons as well as the pros of a product you review. Chances are you’ll build up more credibility and, in the long run, more affiliate sales.

Source: Yaro Starak, “Why Writing a Bad Review is Sometimes a Good Idea”, Entrepreneurs Journey, November 11, 2008

Tech blog ReadWriteWeb recently asked 20 ‘top-tier’ tech bloggers and social media consultants how much they were paid. Half responded (on the basis ReadWriteWeb would maintain their anonymity) and what they said is interesting… very interesting…

Now, keep in mind we’re talking about career bloggers here - employees and freelancers who blog for a living - NOT blog owners/founders who ‘get paid’ by how much advertising they can sell, or by information product or affiliate marketing sales.

As far as freelancers go, most get paid on a ‘per post’ basis. Rates vary from $10 per post for very short posts to $25 per post for most posts. Most bloggers are paid $25 per post, although one respondent gets $80 per post and another is paid $200 per item of long-form writing.

ReadWriteWeb says that top bloggers write an average of 3 blog posts in 4 hours, sometimes more. That translates into $75 per half-day, or a little less than $20 per hour, and about $3,000 to $3,500 per month. That adds up to about $40,000 per year full-time.

Employee bloggers seem to fare a bit better, with ReadWriteWeb’s respondents reporting annual salaries ranging from $45,000 to $55,000 (plus benefits), to $70,000 to $90,000 (plus benefits) including bonuses.

These bloggers put in 50 to 60 hour work weeks, often longer, which equates to around $20 to $35 dollars per hour. Some employee bloggers may also get equity in the companies they work for, which ultimately means greater compensation, should such companies ever get bought out.

Apparently, there are a handful of full-time bloggers making six figures, but ’social media consulting’ - which ReadWriteWeb defines to include everything from search engine optimization (SEO) consulting to advising companies on how to set up blogs, use Twitter and implement RSS – seems to be where the highest incomes are.

Social media consultants make at least $150 per hour, with most making $300 per hour, and others commanding monthly rates of $2k to $4k per engagement, which probably amounts to 20 to 40 hours per month.

Not too shabby. Still, I stand by my advice: don’t give up being an entrepreneur!

Source: Marshall Kirkpatrick, “How Much Do Top Tier Bloggers and Social Media Consultants Get Paid? We Asked Them!”, ReadWriteWeb, October 9, 2008