7. The Care and Feeding of Your Blogger

Not every review is a good one. Not every reviewer loves what you have to offer. Some reviews are fair, others not so much. Your outcomes beyond those reviews often depend on how you connect with the person on the other end. Some bloggers may become great friends; others can be prickly irritants. This section discusses simple strategies you can use to respond to both good and negative coverage to help build a working relationship with your blogger.

Establishing Relationships with Bloggers

There’s a basic fact of life that many aspiring product developers forget: There are real humans at the other end of your email communication. We’re just as normal and flawed and needy as anyone else. If you treat us poorly, we won’t react like saints. Creating and leveraging personal relationships is part and parcel of your review story.

It may seem patronizing to remind people about basic human communication when submitting review requests, but dealing with difficult high-strung personalities is a daily hassle in the blogging world.

And yes, those thorny personalities can be found on both ends of the story: developers and bloggers. Blogging doesn’t make you a better person; it far too often transforms you into a more irritable one. Deadlines, demands, and a public ready to criticize take their toll on both participants in the review relationship.

Your blogger plays an important role in your product promotion story. So, what are some basics to that relationship? How do your best manage that interpersonal relationship? Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind as you start developing your connection.

Be Patient and Persistent

Bloggers always have a lot on their plate. That means the chances of your products getting lost in the mess of their commitments are higher than they might be even after a positive response to your initial pitch. This is a common occurrence, so don’t take it personally.

You are your product’s best advocate. Don’t roll over and be weak when responding to the onslaught of a blogger’s schedule and commitments. Polite persistence is a key part of that relationship.

Graciously and affirmatively promote your product, especially when a blogger loses track of you. But, do so with restraint. There’s a difference between engaging in a conversation and spamming.

Touch base, check schedules, ask questions. It’s expected and accepted. A developer who’s too polite and unwilling to push a bit can easily get lost in the rush and tumble. Yes, a promised review or other write-up may not happen for any number of reasons, but it shouldn’t happen because you’re not willing to step forward and proactively support that material.

Be Understanding

Bloggers have real lives. From dental emergencies to house floods, your priorities for getting your product reviews don’t always match up to the blogger’s reality.

A good relationship helps you understand what’s happening on the blogger’s side while still advocating for your product. Remember: Human beings are a big part of this story. Be flexible and keep the conversations going. If you understand the reasons when real life intrudes, you’ll find yourself in a better place to help reposition your product back into the limelight.

Accept Criticism Graciously

Some products suck and many bloggers lack tact. Always try to keep a “make lemonade out of lemons” attitude when dealing with the cretin who just publicly trashed your product on a large website in his or her thoughtless, rushed, and imbecilic review.

Part of the blogger-developer relationship involves working through these heated tension-filled moments. Stay calm and make the best out of situations you find yourself in.

“To be fair, many bloggers don’t just lack tact, they downright suck.”

—Jeremy Tregunna

“I wish bloggers would alert developers when they see a problem. It may not be a problem or the developer may be able to address it then and there. Please don’t just blindly post about it, because then it may never get better or get fixed”

—Zachry Thayer

Advocate for Yourself

If you see issues developing, be proactive and speak up. Good, assertive resolution skills are a basis for all life relationships, not just with reviewers. Wherever you can, offer remedies and assistance. Did a review item die during testing? Send another. Is a needed server misbehaving just when a blogger is trying to use your connected app? Get the problem fixed. Bloggers expect you to be the problem solver, so make sure you’re up for the job.

Products are like children. No one will ever care as much about your product as you do. Be its advocate.

Be Human

Don’t spam bloggers and don’t issue robotic PR dumps. A friendly human voice goes a long way in terms of conversations—and not “PR-friendly” either. Some PR flacks establish fake personalities more plastic than Barbie.

Be yourself and just try to work with bloggers on a relaxed and friendly level. Most importantly, don’t be gratuitously annoying by pinging your same product over and over again. Bloggers don’t want anyone to “float” something to the top of their inbox. They’d rather smash it against the wall.

Be Available

Making yourself available through phone calls, emails, and Skype can solve many problems before they become obstacles. The more flexibility with when you can be contacted, the easier it becomes for a blogger to finish covering your product successfully. We can’t tell you how many times we needed instant responses to questions about sales, pricing, availability, and product shots. Having the product developer on-call meant we could finish our piece and submit it for review on time.

Be Aware of the Blogger’s Focus

We can’t emphasize this point enough: If a blog is focused on a specific platform or device, please don’t bother us with pitches for products that are totally out of our area of interest.

At TUAW, we are focused on Apple products, so pitches for Android or Windows (at least those without some obvious Apple tie-in) fall on deaf ears. Likewise, we often hear from hardware manufacturers pitching products that are completely out of the tech realm, not just out of the Apple world. PR folks and developers who “miss the target” on a regular basis are not high on our list of favorite people.

We’re well aware that many of our readers are Windows and Android users who also own Apple products. If you have a Windows app that’s meant to be used with iPhones, or an Android syncing utility for OS X, we want to hear about it! Just skip the “Now available in the Android Market!” and “New for Windows Only!” catch phrases intended to excite us about that.

On a similar note, don’t try to manipulate us into covering material that isn’t a point of interest for our blog. We aren’t going to cover a story about your product if it doesn’t tie directly to our readership. Although we regularly cover the iBookstore and its associated tools, we’re unlikely to do reviews on items sold there, like cookbooks or easy readers, just because, well, they’re sold there. We need a story that works at a higher level, such as a biography of Steve Jobs or an iBooks Author how-to.

The “Be a Decent Human Being” Rule

One key thought to keep in mind in all of your dealings with bloggers is what is known as the Golden Rule. It’s the ethic of reciprocity. Basically, treat others as you’d like others to treat you and avoid behavior that you yourself find distasteful.

Before getting angry with a blogger about a less-than-stellar review (merited or not) or pestering an unresponsive writer for the twentieth time in two days (don’t laugh; it happens), step back and think about what you’re doing from the viewpoint of the blogger.

Perhaps the blogger has just finished reviewing nine similar and indiscernibly different iPad cases and really didn’t see what made yours so special from the rest. Maybe the blogger has been caring for a sick child or spouse and hasn’t had the time or energy to pay attention to your app plea. There’s possibly a very good reason why you’re not receiving special treatment from your blogger.

Following the Golden Rule—or what we jokingly call the “Be a Decent Human Being” rule—goes a long way toward reducing your personal stress level and gaining the respect of the blogging world.

Let’s say you’re on the receiving end of what you consider to be an unfair review. Resist the temptation to blast the blogger with a nastygram. First, look for the grains of truth that might be hiding in that caustic review. Not every app or product is perfect, even if you think it is.

Next, respond pleasantly to bloggers if you choose to follow up. Don’t attack the writers; they’re just doing their jobs, and as human beings, they’re subject to emotions, misunderstandings, and downright mistakes. Instead, ask if there’s anything you might be able to discuss with them in hopes of fixing the product or app in the next revision.

Finally, keep in mind that bloggers have long memories. If your product was panned in a first version, try again after fixing any shortcomings, and then point out those specific improvements to the writer. Let him know that he’s one of reasons that a revision has been made, and you’re slightly more likely to get a rare “second chance” review.

Most of all, remember that there’s a human being on the other end of that email or Skype call. A nice inquiry as you’re developing your contact asking how the blogger is doing might give you some insight into that person’s mood or current life issues.

If they’re sick, in emotional distress, or just plain overloaded with work, they’re probably going to let you know. Showing honest concern and care for the people who work hard to bring news of your product to the world is a great way to earn respect.

In summary, be genuinely nice, even if the blogger wasn’t nice to you or your product. In return, you may just find, in time, that you have earned a vocal and supportive ally on your side.

“Kum-bai-f**king-ya”

—Anonymous Tech Blogger

Responding to Reviews—Both Good and Bad

Once a review has been published, your work has just begun. If the review was good, you now have an opportunity to leverage that review to not only promote your app and gain the goodwill of the blog that gave you the thumbs-up. On the other hand, if the review was less than complimentary about your app, and that criticism was on the mark, this is your opportunity to suck it up and take some constructive criticism.

Handling Good Reviews

When a blog gives your app a positive review, it’s time to take advantage of your good fortune. Go ahead and thank the blog or blogger. Send them an email and let them know that you appreciate their kind words. Make sure that you keep the bloggers who have provided positive reviews in mind as your first contacts for future updates or new products. Grow your relationship.

Next, take advantage of the review. Use Twitter, Facebook, and your own website to let future customers know the great things bloggers said about your app. Blogs love it when you send some traffic their way by tweeting about a review they’ve published, and often retweet those to a greater audience (again, increasing your customer awareness).

It’s also acceptable to quote the review (with proper attribution) in any promotional materials or advertisements you might send out. Bloggers are human, and like most people, they love to see their names in print. So, don’t feel you only have to limit yourself to the name of the site.

Trust us—there’s nothing many bloggers find more fulfilling than being quoted on a website, in a catalog, or in a product video. It’s an inexpensive way to build goodwill with a specific blogger or blog that has said good things about your product.

Responding to Negative Reviews

When you receive a negative review, stop. Wait a bit before you think about responding to the blogger. If you find that most reviewers are blasting your app and focusing on the same points, there’s probably some basis to their criticism. The best thing to do in this situation is to take that criticism to heart and work on fixing the issues.

Swallow your pride, and email the bloggers who trashed your app. Let them know that you’d like to resolve the issues with the app, and ask for more input. Find out what they hated about the app and have them make recommendations on what they’d change to make the app acceptable.

This is going to endear you to the bloggers, because they always have opinions on how apps can be better (we believe the word you’re thinking of to describe them is “blowhard”), and the fact that you asked them for those opinions is going to firmly imprint you in their memories.

What you’re not going to do is change our minds.

Even worse is the product developer who tells us in great detail why were absolutely, completely, utterly, and inexplicably deluded and wrong. And then follows up with us a few weeks or months later saying that he’s fixed the product according to our recommendations and that users love the changes.

It gives us emotional whiplash, frankly.

Inconsistent Reviews

Occasionally, you may get a negative review from one or two bloggers and positive comments from everyone else. Chalk this up to a blogger who just didn’t understand your app, didn’t spend enough time with it, or who had a really bad hangover while reviewing the app. Yes, bloggers have bad days, too.

When a blogger makes a glaring error in his or her review of your app, definitely let him know, but be nice about it. Most bloggers are happy to correct errors or re-evaluate apps if they made an honest mistake. Being snarky to an errant blogger is not going to make you popular, so always be nice when correcting someone.

Developer Robert Jen said it best when he told us, “I don’t know if this is worth anything, but I’ve always responded to negative reviews with a ‘thank-you-for-the-recommendations-to-help-me-improve-the-app.’”

Incorrect Facts

Bloggers sometimes get things wrong. Although we do try to check facts when possible before publication, things do fall through the cracks. You might have misspoken when we asked you for details, or “embellished” things during a phone conversation that you later regret (it happens a lot more than you might imagine). We may have copied down information from the wrong page or misunderstood details about your product. There are a lot of reasons why write-ups may need fixing.

In these circumstances, just reach out and let us know. We’re nearly always happy to fix our posts after the fact, and update our write-ups with tweaks as needed.

Using Comments

Most blogs use a commenting system. This provides the best tool to respond to both reviewers and any blog readers who pan your product. Be as polite and respectful as possible.

Use facts to defend your point of view and be sure to not get into a flame war with either the reviewer or others in the comment thread. Remember: Comments are forever. They will stay attached to the review in a readable format for a long time to come.

Hi there,

I wondered if you could delete a comment I made on one of your blogs over a year ago. I am in the process of tidying up my online activity and this is one of the few posts that I am unable to remove.

Here is a link to the article, my post was posted from [personal name, URL].

Kind regards,

[Redacted]

Dear TUAW,

I am close to getting a job at Apple. I have posted a few times on this site over the years, and I’d like to remove my comments. I love this site and I’ll continue to be a fan, i just dont want to take a chance that it will interfere with me getting a job. How exactly can I do this?

Thanks!

[Redacted]

For some blog readers, the comments are as much of a part of the flavor of a blog as the writing. Readers enjoy seeing or providing commentary on a post. Their feedback ranges from insightful and productive, to snarky and fight-provoking. Should you decide to take on the commenters or reviewers, you’ll find that you’re going to get a much more sympathetic response if you follow Robert Jen’s advice and show a little humility in your dealings with other people.

Don’t be hostile to the reviewer. A nasty response to a negative review is not going to endear you to the reviewer, nor is it going to improve your chances of getting reviews in the future. Be gracious, and be the bigger person. One review is a milestone in a much larger story about your company and its products.

In the same vein, don’t attack others in the comments. It makes you look like a bully and reflects poorly on you, your product, and your company. Most blog commenters have a finely tuned self-importance detector and swarm when they smell an opportunity to attack.

Why Wasn’t My Product Reviewed?

Nothing can be more frustrating than sending a promo code to a blogger who obviously has an interest in your app, but then never follows up with a review. Other times, you’ve made your best pitch to a blog and still don’t get any love. Why didn’t they review your product?

There are a lot of new apps announced every day, but for each blog, there is only a finite number of bloggers who all have a limited amount of time to write. Even great apps may be overlooked, so don’t be upset if one of the big blogs ignores your work.

As noted earlier in this book, many bloggers write about certain areas that they specialize in. One blogger might know navigation apps, another may have expertise in music apps, while a third is the game app writer. Your app might be released at the same time that the specialty blogger is out of the country, having surgery, or busy at his or her “real job.”

Here are some reasons your app might not have made it to the front page:

• So many apps, so little time—With a limited number of post slots per day, bloggers often have to pick from a number of shiny choices for which apps get the review coverage. If your request arrives in a flurry of app releases, it has to fight for those slots.

• Right app, wrong staffing—The right person might not have been around. Is yours a weather app, a navigation app, or an education app? Many bloggers specialize in particular areas, and other writers on that site defer to the expert. If your review request arrives when the specialist is on vacation or traveling, it may get lost before he or she returns.

• A little goes a long way—Even those apps we like, we have to balance. Sometimes, there’s too much of a good thing. If two high quality photo apps arrive at once, we may pick one over the other rather than trying to cram both into a single review.

• There’s only so much room—A good app, a good pitch might not make the cut. Although bad pitches are easy to pass over, good pitches aren’t guaranteed a review slot either. It’s not just because you did a poor pitch. It’s just the reality of the situation, our time limits, post limits, and so forth.

• This town ain’t big enough for two nearly-identical apps—Sometimes, the strangest coincidences happen and we receive two or more product pitches for similar apps at the same time. Your app may not necessarily at the top of the review heap in that case. However, many bloggers try to give your app the benefit of the doubt in a case like this by adding links to similar apps.

One of the key things to keep in mind is this: It’s almost never personal. Your product wasn’t skipped because the blog doesn’t like you. More likely, it was a mix of timing, staffing, and space.

You are your product’s champion. Be polite and persistent.

Wrapping Up

As with most things in life, marketing your product through blogs is all about relationships. Starting off on the right foot and remaining civil in all of your communications with bloggers can pay off with long-term relationships that give your products an edge in getting coverage.

When thinking about the human factor in creating those relationships, here are some points to ponder:

• Be a decent human being. This is The Golden Rule, and it should be foremost in your mind when you’re communicating with a blogger. To be honest with you, some bloggers obviously don’t have this in mind when they respond to you. Be better than them, and stay nice.

• Take negative reviews as feedback on how to improve your product. Sure, sometimes, the review can be painful and result in lost sales. If you show that you can improve your product by viewing the review as constructive criticism, you may impress the same blogger who originally took issue.

• Especially for new app developers or small manufacturers, remember that you’re a small fish in a vast sea. Don’t give up if your product is overlooked for a review from a major blog. Just keep up your good work and, eventually, it should pay off.