Before I get started, let me say this:

Anyone can become a review blogger, not just moms. However, as a Mom Blogger myself I have opted to gear this hub towards other Mommies (and daddies) interested in becoming review bloggers.

"Marketing companies are keen to get their products into the hands of so-called influencers who have loyal online followings because the opinions of such consumers help products stand out amid the clutter, particularly in social media." - The New York Times, Approval By Blogger May Please Sponsor (July 12, 2009)

"Mommy blogs are worth their weight in gold to toy makers such as K'nex Brands, a maker of construction toys for children." - Computerworld Blogs, Why K'nex Brands Loves Mommy Blogs (August 31, 2009)

I always get a little chuckle out of the question I'm so frequently asked: "How do I become a review blogger?"

I got started by simply stumbling into it. I had heard of "blogging," and even heard the term "Mom Blogger," but I had never been introduced to the phrase, "Review Blogger."

I had been a long time reviewer at Amazon.com; always leaving my reviews on products - especially the true crime books I read - to help others with the online shopping excursions.

Having recently closed an online business following the birth of my fourth child, I was looking for something to do; a way to make money at home so that I didn't feel like "just another housewife."

Hearing much about blogging recently, I decided to take my reviews to a blogging platform.

Obviously, mine wasn't an unique idea.

Shortly after launching my blog, I found myself associated with well established community: Mom Review Bloggers.

Not only had other mothers - long before I spawned my bright idea - taken to writing their opinions on a wide variety of products and services, but advertisers had discovered this word-of-mouth-advertising gold mine as well.

Today, I publish and edit two review blogs, The Mom Trap and True Crime Book Reviews, and often have more than my fair share of products to try and review, as well as cash-paid opportunities as well.

Becoming a sought-after review blogger doesn't happen overnight.

Creating a blog where advertisers want to promote their products and services requires patience and dedication.

Here are some basic rules to follow when entering the review blogging world:

1. Create an attractive, eye-catching blog.I highly recommend setting up a self-hosted Wordpress blog with your own domain name.
   
   
2. Your Name Should Say Something About You.When choosing a subdomain or domain name, it should be one that speaks volumes about you and your blog topic.
   
   
3. Let Your Blog Settle In. Spend the first couple of months creating original content and writing non-sponsored reviews about products and services found in and around your home. In this phase, don't worry about making money or getting free products to try; advertisers want an established blog, one that shows dedication to sticking around.
   
   
4. Network. Join in where Mom Bloggers gather at places such as 5 Minutes for Mom and Mom Bloggers Club.
   
   
5. Play the Memes. Memes are a way to build traffic, network, and conjure up post topics. A couple of very popular mom blog memes include Wordless Wednesday and Aloha Friday.

As previously mentioned, you need to begin by reviewing products and services you use regularly.

Tell it all - the good, the bad, and the ugly; as long as it remains factual.

Advertisers like transparency in a blogger's review because those are the ones more apt to be influential. After all, no one is going to believe that all the products you review are just great; that's just not real life.

By being forthright in your reviews, you'll also obtain a slew of loyal readers who know they can count on your opinion for recommendations as well as warnings.

And regular readers, for whatever the reason, are your biggest asset when it comes to public relations.

It's just that simple.

Chances are you won't become a review blogging success overnight, but you can build a successful blogging business in time.

Be honest, be bold, and be dedicated to blogging. All of those things will bring PR Reps out of the wood work and before you know it, there will be more review opportunities than you could have ever dreamed; so much so that you'll sometimes find yourself having to turn away offers!