Did anybody get reviews from ShoeMoney or JohnChow?

Wondering if anybody got reviews from ShoeMoney or John Chow. Shoemoney charges $700+ and John Chow $450 for writing a review on their site.
The review itself may not bring huge direct traffic. But as per branding does it have any value?

 

I got one from JohnCow, brought me a few new members but it just compared me to DP really which is not what I wanted. But it did help get some members.

 

Did it improve your overall traffic after you got the review at all?

 

$750?! $450?!

Say what?!!!!

*falls off chair*

Oh, jeez, I think I hurt myself.

 

LOL Thats true. John Chow takes $450 I know for sure. Shoemoney I think takes more then 750.
John Chow gets 150,000 + and Shoemoney gets 200,000+ visits per month.

 

Actually JohnCow is $250.00 not sure about shoemoney, will have to look into it!

But no it did not increase traffic, just a couple new members signed up.

 

Shoemoney's price on ReviewMe is $2,000

I've yet to buy a John Chow review but $450 is easily worth it. He has 15,000 readers. Well I'm from the UK so it's like the equivalent of half to me so to any Americans $450 is still $450 so I suppose that would be like 450 pounds to me. Now that's a bit different lmao.

Still worth it though. So much exposure, authority.

I've bought a John Cow review though. And considering John COW has 1,200 + readers and charges $200! and John CHOW has >>> 15,000 + <<< I'd say the extra $250 is easily worth it. Chow is being modest with that price. Which is why he gets so many.

I'd agree with previous comment about Cow review. I actually got more traffic from DP from a post than I did from like 16 hours on Cow's front page.

But I did it to promote a competition where people had to subscribe so I gained about 70 subscribers. So was worth it for me.

Don't count on it bringing you long term traffic though. Get a viral review on John CHOW and count on a very big buzz and a lot of traffic I'd imagine. But John Cow... meh. Was ok while it lasted but nothing spectacular.

 

Thats exactly what I wanted to know about. My main concern is if they are able to create a viral buzz at all or not.

We can get a buzz in many ways:
- Radio
- TV
- Review from big bloggers

First two would work I am sure, but I can't buy it. Third one not sure.

 

One site alone wont create a viral buzz. To get a buzz of this nature you need to fortify the mental attention a person has of a website or business. If you had a visitor on John Chow who read your review, then went to ShoeMoney and saw another review, then went to a forum and saw people discussing your website; it would create a much stronger mental note.

So it's a good start, but not enough just yet.

 

Disagree with that. You only have to look at past evidence. John Chow and Shoemoney are both so huge now in this niche that a single post dedicated to a launch on their blog is very powerful.

Wouldn't pay $2,000 to get 1 post on Shoemoney but $450 for Chow is well worth it.

Check out past testimonials on his site, look at the novelty ideas that are pretty shabby that have gone major viral after a review on his site and worked. To a degree.

The source is the starting grounds but the essential viral aspect comes down to the idea itself. Also think about it logically, Chow has 15,000 readers. It will create a viral buzz if your idea is good enough.

 

Guess going easy probably the best way then. Thanks.

 

webdigo your going to take advice from some guy you don't know on DP with 16 posts just because he told you so?

learn to think for yourself man. Just look at past evidence on John Chow. If your idea is good enough, his blog is easily big enough to give you a buzz within the blogesphere.

and for $450 for exposure to 15,000 targeted, dedicated readers. You can't go wrong mate.

 

Not sure if you took my advice in the right way. Buying these reviews could be the perfect start for the target you're aiming for. However it's unlikely to be the magic pill and the optimal viral buzz will require more exposure elsewhere.

You're right, it does come down to the idea itself. I'm basing my advice on the assumption that it isn't some rare wonder idea. Additional social marketing alongside reviews like this really can improve the viral aspect by a significant amount. I'm not saying the reviews are useless by themselves, but it's such a waste if the opportunity isn't utilized properly.

There's so many specific factors of a new product or service which can determine how successful it would be and how much it would benefit from such reviews.

Webdigo IF your idea is good enough then such reviews might be all you need, but it would have to be something new, unique and very clever. Some more information could help us give you better advice.

 

Will they take fifty bucks?

 

I wouldn't pay for either if they were 2 cents...well, on second thought I might. The blogging world deserves a post that has nothing to do with food on a plate or what t-shirt the blogmaster is wearing this Friday.

 

Wow, very expensive reviews.
Then again you are getting expert advice and whatnot

 

my John Chow Case Study

 

hi have any one tried radio advertising? if so how successful was it? Did you really like it?
Can any one provide me with free radio advertising sites?

 

a review from those sites is probably only worth it if your site is related. The readers of john chow and shoemoney are on their to read on that particular niche. If your site is about panda loving then you won't get much conversion.

 

Maybe it's worth the price if you also calculate the 'branding' and SEO advantages of it. I believe such a high PR link helps you a lot when trying to sell the site.

Other then that it might not be worth paying for, since people also know it's a review - and some (like me) simply won't pay attention to what the review says. You really need to have a fancy site with a good message to get everyone to thoroughly read Chow's/Shoemoney's post.

I'd prefer to spend the money in the form of time, sending guest post proposals to various big bloggers and try to get a guest blogging position. If you're allowed to blog for such a big name as Chow it means instant credibility - unlike a paid review.

Just my 2c,

-Dave