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Do You Think Mom Blogs Are Oversaturated With Products?

I've been blogging for a long time (since 2004) and I've seen the steady progression of products into the mom blogoshere. I write a lot of product reviews and I really enjoy doing so. But do you think there is a lot of noise going on right now as far as products and giveaways are concerned? How do you think companies will begin standing out so their product is really noticed among online moms? Or, do you think companies will continue to shower products on us en masse and hope the collective, viral buzz boosts their product lines?

I'd love to hear your thoughts. I believe companies will have to find more creative ways to get the attention of the mom blogosphere just like Wal-Mart and Disney have successfully done as opposed to sending 75 of us the same product to review. Then again, perhaps 75 product reviews is great to a company's bottom line. What do you think?

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Permalink Reply by Barbara on January 22, 2009 at 8:59am

This may be a dumb question but how do you get involved in doing these reviews and giveaways? My blog is only a few months old and very focused (single mom, parenting, divorce, dating, custody, etc.) I've noticed a couple of the big name single mom bloggers saying that XYZ company approached them about doing a review/giveaway but I guess I'm not there yet. I have a good friend who just wrote a book about single parenting and after I plugged the book a few times on my blog (just because I love her and I'm so excited about it), she sent me an e-mail saying that she'd love to send me a copy to give away to one of my readers but that's it. I don't want products to take over my blog, but we all love free stuff and I think it would be fun to do some reviews and giveaways that are relevant to my readers. But how do you get started? Do you just get popular enough that the companies find you or what? Thanks! (BTW, if it's relevant, Google Analytics says I have about 100 loyal readers...more than I ever expected but I don't know where that places me in comparison to other mom blogs!)

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Permalink Reply by Mary Salvato on January 22, 2009 at 10:45am

hmm thats a thought. yes kind of.

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Permalink Reply by jinniver on January 22, 2009 at 11:12am

Personally, I'm not interested in reading commercials, and to me that's all most reviews are. If I'm considering purchasing a product, I'll search for some reviews, but I'm going to read a blog because they do reviews, even if there are giveaways attached. I DVR almost all of the shows I watch so I can fast forward through the commercials--I'm not going to spend my free time on the Internet reading them!

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Ford Berry on January 22, 2009 at 1:15pm

I turn right away from a blog when I visit for the first time it is packed with reviews and giveaways. I much rather read about what is going on in the blogger's life.

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Permalink Reply by Jen on January 23, 2009 at 4:20pm

This is true with a variety of people including myself. I branched off and made a second blog that is only a review/giveaway blog. My main blog readers didn't respond well to the few times I reviewed there, that's not why they came to read my blog. And, I feel that about other blogs I love. Keeping it separate allows for choice. If you KNOW my review/contest blog is just that, you can visit or not. But, you won't see me unudating my main site with other than my blathering on, mixed with great photos! ;)

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Permalink Reply by Storm on January 24, 2009 at 6:36pm

Totally agree with this. A review/giveaway every so often isn't bad but when most every post is a review its a turn off.

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Permalink Reply by Catherine on January 22, 2009 at 7:30pm

It does seem like there are a lot of products flooding blogs. I think it is a good way to get word out about products.

I appreciate reviews that act like reviews and not commercials. I want to hear the good and bad of products. I understand if you are doing a giveaway it might read more like a commercial because you want your readers to be excited but I don't feel like a blogger is telling the truth if all they are saying is good stuff.

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Permalink Reply by Karen on January 23, 2009 at 9:43am

I have not bought many specific items because of blog posts, although.... I have been influenced by blog posts. I read a lot about children's books, and I've bought books because of blog posts. Now I check items out of the library because there are so many interesting reviews.

My impression of WalMart is strengthened knowing how they are using Mom blogs and valuing mom bloggers as a huge target audience.

I found a gift on Etsy for my niece as a direct result of a blog post -- learning more about WAHM businesses ha been great! I see a lot of WAHM business promotions, moreso than commercial promotions.

A lot of the mom blogosphere is started to look cluttered with advertising though.

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Permalink Reply by Tonya on January 24, 2009 at 2:26pm

I have been doing reviews for about 6 months. I'm very picky with the products I choose. I turn down a lot. I will only do a review on a product that will fit with our family ... ie I did a skin cream earlier in the week which was perfect for us because I have 2 kids with really bad skin problems and I thought trying this product would possibly benefit us if it did work like it claimed it did and I could pass that information onto others. I've also reviewed tv shows that I will actually watch or are airing soon and I want to watch and milk products etc, which when you have 2 toddlers was beneficial to us and to a lot of my friends who are switching their kids from formula to milk.

I do get annoyed when I'm contacted by companies who have not researched what my blog is about and try to pitch something that is completely not suited ie a Casino who contacted me a couple of days ago wanting to sponsor my blog. I don't gamble and my blog is about raising twins and a teenager, I shouldn't have anything associated with gambling on that blog KWIM?

Right now I'm running a contest but it's for a kids band that we really do love in our house.

Even with affiliate advertising I only choose sites I actually use. I'm not about to advertise a real estate company or insurance or something else that we would never actually use their service.

To me seeing random reviews on every kind of product imaginable on other blogs just doesn't feel right because I get the impression they are only doing the review and giving a glowing report because they are being paid or getting the free product. I want to know that you actually legitimately would use that product or service before I take it seriously.

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Permalink Reply by Storm on January 24, 2009 at 6:35pm

The few that have contacted me for reviews were products that no one would be interested in and very objectionable in nature. Ugh.

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Permalink Reply by Kailani on January 25, 2009 at 1:59am

I think that if you're going to start doing more frequent product reviews, it would be best to start a review blog. That way you won't run off your loyal readers who stop by to read about you and your life.

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Permalink Reply by kristen andrews on January 27, 2009 at 4:21pm

funny I was just thinking about this the other day. What I don't like is when a blog turns into a review site where everything seems to get a good review. I do appreciate product reviews that other Mom's truly stand behind. I do reviews at my site but am very selective and really only like sites that do them 1-2 times a week.