Do Bloggers have the Responsibility to be Honest?

This is a topic that’s been on my mind for quite some time. I’ve started writing it over and over, but it’s just been sitting in my drafts because I’ve been too scared to put it out for fear I’ll seem like I’m criticizing my peers, seem too opinionated, or sound like I’m on my high horse. But it’s a topic that comes up often in discussions with fellow bloggers, and even those that don’t blog and so I decided it’s time to put it out there.

When I blog, my main goal is to be open and honest with my readers about everything, especially when I’m doing a product review. If I don’t like something, I share why I don’t like it. I realize that people read my blog and trust my opinions, and often use what I say to fuel their purchases. Because of that *I* feel I have the responsibility to be honest, because people are putting their faith and their dollars in me and my opinion.

The thing is, I’ve seen bloggers do the opposite just for money, or to maintain on good terms or “suck up” to PR in hopes of getting future work. They’ll make a product that actually sucked out to sound great when it wasn’t, without stopping for a second to think about the fact that they’re blatantly lying to their readers and those who put trust and faith in them.

I get it y’all, the hustle is real. We all want the next big gig and we all have bills to pay. But does that mean we should be giving up our integrity to do so? Doesn’t fluffing up products or making them sound better than they are take away your integrity, your trustworthiness, and even more importantly your right to have an opinion?

We all started blogs as a means to share our opinions with the world. The thing is, a lot of those who find themselves inundated with paid work start to lose the very reason they started. I’ve seen so many people accept paid work that doesn’t even fit with their personal brand, or writing reviews that sound completely fake about a product that isn’t great (by the way, check out this Renegade Love’s post on how to write quality sponsored content that doesn’t leave your audience thinking WTF). If you’re at that point, do you think you as a blogger really even have an opinion anymore? If all you’re doing is saying what brands want to hear about their own products, haven’t you just become a pawn in their marketing strategy?

I think a lot of us forget that we aren’t writing our blog posts and creating our Instagram content for the PR companies and brands. We aren’t creating it for other bloggers. We are creating it for the general public who put their faith in our opinions, trust what we say, and use it to make their purchasing decisions. For that very reason I personally believe it is important to always be completely honest. I’ve heard so many horror stories from friends (who aren’t in the blogging industry) who have purchased items a blogger or YouTuber has talked about only to find out the product doesn’t work and was a complete waste of their money. If you’re writing fake reviews about products you didn’t love and putting it out there, you’ve lost your sense of self, your opinions, and you’ll likely soon lose the trust of those that follow you.

The thing is my blogger friends, we don’t have to love everything we try. And that’s what makes us more real and more relatable. If a brand sends you their entire makeup line and you didn’t like the foundation but loved the rest, let your viewers/readers/followers know! There is absolutely nothing wrong with saying you didn’t like something, in fact people will be more likely to trust you when you aren’t always saying every product you try is great. Of course we all want to maintain good relationships with our PR friends, and for that reason you’re definitely going to want to talk about the products you DID love from that line, but don’t forget to share the ones that you didn’t. It’s very easy to spin things in a way that provides positive constructive criticism about products, without trashing them. I firmly believe it’s just as important to share with our viewers what didn’t work as it is important to share what did. Honesty is the best policy, and that’s how you’re going to get a dedicated following that can trust what you have to say.

So how can I become a more honest & trustworthy blogger?

1. Remember why you started. You created your blog as a way to share your thoughts, your opinions with those around you. Don’t lose your voice!
2. Chose only to partner with brands you truly love, and support products you would actually buy yourself. If you would never buy something, why are you telling other people they should buy it?
3. Never lie about liking something you didn’t just for a pay cheque. If it’s a paid post, say what you did love about the product, but be honest and say what you didn’t. This not only helps your readers, but brands need to know the truth about their products too. Or better yet, turn the collaboration down. Choose not to promote something you don’t honestly love.

But wait, I’m not a blogger! How do I know who I can trust?

If you’re not a blogger and starting to wonder how you can figure out who is trustworthy in the blogging world, here are a couple things to look out for:

1. If someone never has anything bad to say about any products they’ve tried be wary. As bloggers we get to try a whole lot of product, and guaranteed there’s going to be a few products here and there we didn’t like. If a blogger never has anything negative to say about any products I would definitely be less likely to trust them. (This is mostly directed at beauty bloggers who try tons of product all the time)
2. If someone all of a sudden starts putting out sponsored content with brands you know are off brand for them be wary. For example, if you know a blogger is vegan but does a paid post with a dairy or meat brand, you know that’s a huge red flag. If a blogger is very pro-natural deodorant but does a sponsored post with a deodorant brand that has aluminum you know that’s a huge red flag. Be aware of the products and brands the bloggers you follow support. Honest bloggers only work with brands they love.

*I also think it is important to add in here, that you should never see sponsored content any differently from regular content. Honest bloggers will always only support those brands they actually love, and would spend money on themselves. Just because something is paid doesn’t mean it’s not honest. Just remember, bloggers have to make money too! An honest & truthful blogger will only partner with brands they would post about whether it were paid or not. *

Honesty is the best policy.

I guess the whole point I am trying to get at here, is yes I think bloggers have the responsibility to be honest. As people whom others put their faith, trust, and their dollars in we absolutely shouldn’t be spinning a web of lies just to make a few bucks. Whether that means not fluffing up a product you didn’t really love, or no longer partnering with brands you wouldn’t actually spend your own hard earned money on… We can all do our part to ensure the blogging world is a little more honest, trustworthy, and a place where people can actually put their faith in what we have to say. And for those of you who don’t blog but just enjoy reading what we have to say, just be aware. Know what to look for when it comes to determining whether a blogger or youtuber is someone you can trust.. because as much as I would like to say every blogger out there is honest, I think we all know the reality of the situation. Know who you’re following.

Here’s to being honest in everything we do <3

What I Wore:

Pants – Zara // Coat – Topshop // Sweater – Pure by Alfred Sung // Loafers – Cole Haan  // Backpack – Design Lab (Hudson’s Bay) // Glasses – BonLook // Sunglasses – Anthropologie

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With Love,