Can you Really Trust a Blogger?

There have been a lot of things happening recently.
Some good.
Some not so good.
Some great!

Without going into details, certain events have made me think long and hard about trust.
Honesty.
Being true to yourself.
Being a real and genuine person.

These thoughts about life also translate into the blogging world.
Begging the question...

How hard is it to remain honest, and open, when blogging?"

 Especially when your blog becomes your bread and butter!

Can you blog successfully AND maintain your integrity?

Can you really trust a blogger?

Blogs are wonderful places to connect with like minded women.
Bloggers can be a great source of inspiration.
BUT...
When it comes to product "reviews" and "sponsored" outfit posts, can you really trust what a blogger tells you?

Surely if someone is being paid (by a brand) to feature a product then they are going to rave about it.
Right?
Even if it sucks!

I have felt seriously turned-off when a blogger I followed featured (quite frankly) horrible items, and went on to say how great they were.
I could see they were anything but great, and felt cheated.

I also dislike it when a blogger fails to mention the fact the items were gifted to them.
Being upfront and honest is always a better option.

Luckily, not everyone is pulling the wool over our eyes.
Some bloggers state VERY clearly that their post is sponsored and/or the items featured have been gifted to them.
Then they go on to create a blog post that is full of the same authenticity and creativity as a non-sponsored post.
This kind of blogging I like!
{Catherine at notdressedaslamb is great at this}

If I have been gifted an item, I ALWAYS state the fact very early in my post.

Alos, if I do feature something then I have to actually like it!

{There have been many polite "thank you but no thank you!" email replies to requests}

I did, however, once feature a dress that was not really my style.
Not a bad dress, as such, just not me.
I did my best with it then immediately gave it to a friend, who loved it!
See that post HERE.

See some of my other featured item posts...
These fab Tights.
This Cardigan.... that I have worn to death.
and, this lovely Jumper.

All of which I would have quite happily purchased and featured on FakeFabulous anyway.

Three ways to keep it real

1.  Don't say "Yes!" to everything

Bear in mind that a "freebie" is not really free.
Getting something for nothing might be exciting and feel wonderful, but writing a post about any gifted item takes TIME.
Lots and lots of time.

A tonne of effort goes into every post.
So only feature items you can really get excited about, and genuinely enjoy wearing or using.

2.  Only accept items you would happily buy (if you could)

As tempting as it is, don't accept items that are not really 'you'.
It will be immediately obvious, and put people off.
Keeping an open mind, and trying new brands, is a great idea but featuring something just because it is free is plain silly.

If you would never consider the item normally, then a polite "No, thank you" works much better than a shoddy post.
Something more suitable will come along soon enough!

3. Be open and honest from the start

If someone has paid you to write a post make sure you mention it, and quickly!

PLEASE NOTE: This post is sponsored by *****

...works a treat!

If whatever you are wearing (or using) was gifted to you, then let your readers know at the beginning of your post.

"When the nice people at ***** contacted me to ask if I would like to feature one of their ******s, I was delighted!"

Or...

"This lovely ****** was kindly sent to me from *****."

Both phrases are simple, honest and upfront.
Being straight to the point, and letting people know why you have these items, is always a good idea!

{A random image of a basket of puppies never fails to make me smile}

Bloggers are just normal people so (as in 'real' life) you can trust a blogger... just not all of them!

Some bloggers are too 'cloak and dagger' when it comes to gifted items and sponsorship.
Fortunately, we can usually tell!

If you like what someone is doing, then keep reading and enjoying.
If you don't, or you feel cheated, then move on to someone else.

The Internet is FULL of wonderful blogs written by inspiring and genuine people.
Enjoy it!
{See my sidebar for some great blogs and inspiration}

What are your thoughts on "gifted item" posts?
Do you like to know that an item has been gifted to a blogger, or that the blogger has been paid to feature items?
Are you happy just to enjoy a post regardless of sponsorship?

If you blog, do you disclose your gifted items, or sponsorship, immediately?

I would love to know your thoughts on this subject!
Thank you so much for stopping by.
Please leave your comment below, or contact me.