Youtubers and Reviews

[Roux]

Okay I know it can't just be me. I am subbed to a lot of different Youtubers, mainly in regards to hair: natural hair and wigs and weaves mainly. Lately, I have seen a HUGE influx of people ONLY doing review videos and it's always a free product or wig sent to them by ____________.com or company. While it seems cool I am starting to question a lot of vloggers on only doing videos with supplied stuff, and frankly I don't believe a lot of them when they say they aren't compensated at all.

I used to like the honesty in reviews on youtube but now it leaves me second guessing a lot because it's almost like a short amateur version of an infomercial these days...

And not to say that I decide solely on a product based on one person's video or experience, but at times reviews and in dept look at a product may sway me a bit either way.

anyone else notice this?

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

I also like how some are getting "faker and faker." I'm like, really? Come on. I love the Carol's Daughter one where the girl keeps saying "my friend told me that...blah blah blah," trying to pretend that her "friend" and not the casting company that hired her and the Carol's Daughter marketing rep recommended the product. That's an extreme (and obvious) example. But I think the hair marketers have tapped into this network and are getting in on the action.

I just think it's pretty easy to spot the realness from the fake. If it continues, though, they may start getting better at it. Then again, I've been thinking reality TV was fake since the first Real World and the whole Tammy vs. Blackman drama, and no, they haven't gotten any better at making it look real. In fact, I'd say this is going exactly the way of reality TV!

 

[glamazon386]

They all don't get paid. They get the item for free if they agree to post about it. Which gives the company exposure which leads to more orders.

 

[BraunSugar]

Okay I know it can't just be me. I am subbed to a lot of different Youtubers, mainly in regards to hair: natural hair and wigs and weaves mainly. Lately, I have seen a HUGE influx of people ONLY doing review videos and it's always a free product or wig sent to them by ____________.com or company. While it seems cool I am starting to question a lot of vloggers on only doing videos with supplied stuff, and frankly I don't believe a lot of them when they say they aren't compensated at all.

I used to like the honesty in reviews on youtube but now it leaves me second guessing a lot because it's almost like a short amateur version of an infomercial these days...

And not to say that I decide solely on a product based on one person's video or experience, but at times reviews and in dept look at a product may sway me a bit either way.

anyone else notice this?

Most of the YouTubers I am subscribed to are fairly popular. Companies notice the popularity of YouTube videos and use vloggers as an opportunity to help them promote their product. I do believe a lot of the vloggers who say they are not compensated (moneywise) because technically the compensation would be getting to use the product... I think so anyway. When a vlogger is honest about their feelings on a product, by sharing an in depth analysis of what it is, ingredients, etc. & will actually tell me when something didn't work well for them, then I appreciate it. Most of the products they review are not ones I use simply because I am a bargainista and my products need to be low priced AND readily available for me to grab at a store.

There have been some YouTubers who go extra hard for a certain company, have received numerous products from the company, and have been used in promotions & appearances (I am not going to name anybody ) and I kinda give them the side eye b/c I know there is more to the situation than they let on. All the others, I have no issues with.

 

[Bubblingbrownshuga]

I skip over vids that are product reviews. They are annoying.

 

[Your Cheeziness]

I don't watch product review videos just because their experience won't dictate my own. But, a vlogger would gain credibility with me if there are some neutral or negative reviews in the mix. If alllllll of the reviews are glowing (especially coming from one particular place), then I wouldn't trust that.

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

I like product reviews. I always read them on websites and if someone has a review with results I like to see them. True, it may not work the same for me, but it may have some helpful info that will let me know if I should even try it. I review products I use on my kids on my blog and I have couple of (horrible LOL) vids, just because I think it's good to get different perspectives and see product results on different types of hair. But, if the trend keeps going and I have to weed through a bunch of "thinly veiled advertising" I will probably stop.

 

[EllePixie]

Well I can speak from personal experience that vloggers who do sponsored reviews aren't paid - getting the product is the "payment." It's also against YouTube guidelines to get paid and not state it, so if you get caught you'll be fined. You have to specifically say it's a paid product placement if it is. And remember there are some bloggers who are sent things and talk about them on forums too, and no, they don't always say that they received it for free, but you HAVE to say it on YouTube.

On the other hand, I understand how you feel about those kinds of reviews - which is why I specifically mix my own reviews in with the sponsored ones, and have added more content to my channel so it's not ALL sponsored reviews. I don't think anyone wants to see sponsored stuff all the time, and many try to accommodate that. Also, the reviews I have seen the reviewers give positive and negative reviews, sponsored or not, so I don't think they are necessarily lying. Now, if all of a sudden they LOVE everything, I'm like :sideeye: but I haven't seen that happen.

 

[Roux]

Elle I understand that you are supposed to state so, but there are a lot of rules that are supposed to be followed and people don't. But I get it. One wig reviewer all of a sudden loves EVERYTHING and i'm side eyeing her like really chick? All this stuff you hated before but now because it's free you love it?

Just seems like almost everyone I am subbed to is doing , I understand growth but when you have months of nothing but reviews...it's tired.

 

[EllePixie]

Well I certainly hope people are telling the truth. I don't disagree with you and I don't think you're just trying to be negative in any way, shape, or form. It's a legit concern. I'm just saying that if you want to question YT, you should question every review you see, b/c those can be "sponsored" too. Sometimes companies lurk hair boards and send products to users they see talking about a lot of products, or they need testers. I am very careful with this - I don't even talk about products on the boards until I've done a review unless I make sure I say how I got it. If people don't want to listen to me because I got something for free, I can't blame them, but I don't lie for free stuff no ma'am.

BTW - I know that you weren't trying to talk about me, I'm just saying that I hope that people are taking the proper precautions (although from your post it does not seem as if they are). People should be aware that their words have influence.

 

[Whimsy]

They all don't get paid. They get the item for free if they agree to post about it. Which gives the company exposure which leads to more orders.

Yup. I got a few items and posted honest reviews. One product was just not for me but I found a way to make it useable, and I was honest about it.

I love free goodies But I'm not going to say somebody's snake oil made my hair grow 7 inches overnight if the product sucks ya know.

 

[Traycee]

Coming from a you tuber....... I have never gotten paid to do a review ( I have almost 20,000 subs)... Just b/c its free doesn't mean the person is getting paid...You would have to be really huge on YT for that.. To be honest after years of buying products for reviews its nice to review them for my subscribers for free..... Companies take the risk knowing that your going to give your honest opinion about their product.. And after spending hundreds of dollars (maybe more) It is really really nice to get sent these items for my reviews

 

[Traycee]

Also all we get is a free product and the company receives FREE advertisement from your review so the only one coming up is the company..

 

[nakialovesshoes]

I know name calling is not the direction of this thread but I want to know. something, please If anyone subs to muffinislover (a wig reviewer), do you think she's going in this direction? I just noticed lately that she's cranking out waaaay more videos than she did in the past & it seems she's mentioning getting more free stuff than before.

I'm not always the best judge of character & I thought she was keeping it real but I'd be interested to hear anyone else's opinion. TIA...

 

[ms-gg]

I have no beef with it. I like to listen to reviews of products because I like to get a second opinion of a product before I buy it.. If the vlogger/blogger gets it for free to review, well good for them. One less thing they have to spend their hard earned money for.

If they are paid to review it and they disclose that info, then I am cool with it. If they are paid to review it and they don't disclose that info, then I am not cool with it, and neither will the company that paid them. Why? Because not only does the blogger get in trouble, but so does the company. So I highly doubt that there are many people who are getting paid for the review and aren't disclosing that info. And trust me, no company is trying to get bad PR for a $5 bottle of shampoo.

 

[EbonyCPrincess]

Honestly I don't understand why everyone gets so annoyed or angry. If you are discerning enough to recognize the "fakeness" then its not a loss or problem. How about all of the HELPFUL reviews people do and have done regarding products they are sent? I mean, I agree some YT'bers are dishonest about how they received the product and their true feelings about it, but then that's the responsibility of the viewer to then do a little more research before buying into something hook line and sinker. I applaud businesses, PARTICULARLY small minority owned businesses, for being smart enough to find new and innovative ways to market themselves. I mean truth be told, Amazon.com reviews can't all be trusted, sometimes the company hires folks to "pad" the reviews with positive feedback. Infomercials pay people. Even hair company advertisers hire models! We buy and use these products regardless. Nobody is ready to crucify a celebrity for getting a product endorsement or decides to boycott Dark & Lovely for hiring Keyshia Cole, L'oreal for hiring Beyonce, or Cover Girl for contracting Queen Latifah. I've never heard of a hair model being sent hate messages for taking photos for Motions....although I'm sure all of the above didn't use these products exclusively or AT ALL before getting the job, right? I hear what you are saying OP...but I guess I'm tired of the complaining as well. I've gotten TONS of great info and helpful recommendations from YT and for this I'm grateful.

On a personal note, I received a couple of hateful messages regarding my so-called "endorsement" of Bee Mine products. A company I have loved and supported and spent MY MONEY ON for over two years. Before it was a so-called phenomenon. Now these viewers are angry because a well-deserving company is growing successfully? And assumes everyone must be lying or getting their products free? Its a little ridiculous.

I guess all in all....I hear what you are saying, especially when it comes to weave, but then a little research can easily confirm or debunk your suspicions about whether a review is fair or accurate. Then all that is left to do is unsubscribe!

 

[Roux]

I know name calling is not the direction of this thread but I want to know. something, please If anyone subs to muffinislover (a wig reviewer), do you think she's going in this direction? I just noticed lately that she's cranking out waaaay more videos than she did in the past & it seems she's mentioning getting more free stuff than before.

I'm not always the best judge of character & I thought she was keeping it real but I'd be interested to hear anyone else's opinion. TIA...

I am specifically talking about her in regards to wig reviews. Every single video is a sponsored one now and seems like she is advertising for a new site every week or so...especially her new video about not spending $745 on a wig...that she did a review on...now all of a sudden you shouldn't buy it? it's all side eye worthy.

 

[empressri]

Coming from a you tuber....... I have never gotten paid to do a review ( I have almost 20,000 subs)... Just b/c its free doesn't mean the person is getting paid...You would have to be really huge on YT for that.. To be honest after years of buying products for reviews its nice to review them for my subscribers for free..... Companies take the risk knowing that your going to give your honest opinion about their product.. And after spending hundreds of dollars (maybe more) It is really really nice to get sent these items for my reviews

i remember one idiot and yes im going to call her that saying nastily i must be getting paid by ALL of these companies to do reviews.

trick then why do i have to still get up in the morning to go to work?!?!

i havent gotten one red cent from YT or any company for that matter to do a product review. i JUST got in from work too might i add.

 

[HAIRapy]

I love watching reviews. Out of the people I'm subscribed to, I pretty much know which ones are honest and which aren't. I don't care if they're paid or not, just whether I can trust the review or not. I still sometimes watch the reviews of the rediculous (obviously lying/fake) just for sh!ts and giggles.... I'm weird like that. This makes me want to go HAM making videos... I want some free stuff too (I wouldn't lie for a company... but I also wouldn't do a SPNation (totally bombing a company) or a Msfili (burning a company's brush) - just being honest. There's a way to do an honest review and not be nasty. Temtalia does it all the time and STILL is sent stuff for review.

 

[bronzebomb]

I'm pretty much done with the YouTube hair product reviews. Not just because some are sponsored, but because I have learned my hair. I've tried a bunch of different products some my hair loves, some not too much. I'm very thankful for the opinions I have received so far, but they are just opinions on products that worked for their hair. Once you get beyond the basics, YouTube videos are for entertainment purposes only. OOTD, Hauls, Thrift store shopping, pyscho-babble....uh uh!

I like the do-it-yourself videos. show me how you did that style; (or repaired that sink); cooking videos are nice too!

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

I want some free stuff too (I wouldn't lie for a company... but I also wouldn't do a SPNation (totally bombing a company) or a Msfili (burning a company's brush) - just being honest. There's a way to do an honest review and not be nasty. Temtalia does it all the time and STILL is sent stuff for review.

That would be nice to get free stuff, since I have wasted no less than $150 on products in the past month or so that performed terribly on my hair. Right now, though, I don't review anything I don't like.

I don't like to pan products because they may have just had a bad result on my hair/my daughter's hair. I also have an ulterior motive: if I find a product I really like, no longer will I keep it a secret (like the butters).

I've learned the hard way that I have a knack for liking stuff that gets discontinued! LOL The more who are buying it, the longer I can have it!

 

[westNDNbeauty]

For many youtuber's, intergrity is important. I for one strive to maintain my integrity in real life and online. My reviews are always honest. When I say I didn't get paid for something, I didn't.

I believe in Karma.