Last week, Kevin from Blogging Tips shared his experience with paid reviews. Kevin made a special mention about my review of his blog.
Sods law strikes from time to time and for me it happened on the day John reviewed Blogging Tips. John chose to post his review of Blogging Tips 4 or 5 hours before i was catching a bus to travel around New Zealand for 4 weeks – eek!!!. I had woke up early that morning and decided to quickly check my emails etc for an hour or so before i went for the bus at 7.30am. I had about 50 emails or so already from bloggers and the number of subscribers jumped through the roof.
Kevin posted an Alexa screen shot showing the “John Chow Effect.” The John Chow Effect is the spike in traffic a blog receives when they get a mention or order a ReviewMe review from John Chow dot Com. The effect is strongest from a review because the entire post is centered around the blog that ordered it. What does this effect look like? I decided to take a look at some of the recent reviews we’ve done to see if we can fine the effect that everyone is talking about.
Graphical Explanation of the John Chow Effect
The above is the traffic graph from Sabahan.com. In case you can’t tell when the John Chow Effect hit, I pointed it out for you. 
Can you tell that LifeBLUE Media ordered their review on July 9th?
Desi Baba has done a good job building his traffic after receiving the John Chow Effect on June 23rd.
After drawing in 30,000 visitors in its opening week (left side of the graph), BlogStorm ordered a review and experienced another traffic spike from the John Chow Effect.
Experience The John Chow Effect
If you wish to experience the John Chow Effect then send me a really good story from your blog that I would link to. I get tons of story submissions so your story will have to be really good to make the cut. The effect from submitted stories won’t be as great as ordering a ReviewMe review because reviews stay on the top post for at least twelve hours vs. three to four hours for a normal post.
Did you enjoy this post? Get John Chow Dot Com updates via email...
Stay up to date with all of John Chow’s tips for making money online and blog posts by subscribing via email. Your email will be kept private and never shared with anyone.
One of the most common complaint (or excuse) I hear from potential new bloggers is they don’t know how to install WordPress. Terms like FTP and CPanel are like a foreign language and setting up a database might as well be setting up the space shuttle for a launch. Because of the technology barrier, many would-be bloggers never start their blogs...
{ 91 comments }
I remember I experienced the John Chow effect over a longer term when I started guest blogging here.
That’s the long tail John Chow Effect
Yippy Kya!!!! That is a big jump that maintains for a consistent period of time.
i hope to take advantage of the john chow effect by posting comments here
hello world
lifeblue is a great site
did you notice how big a jump it had after ordering at johnchow.com?
i like their linkbait
Long-term John Chow effect comes only to those who work hard at sustaining their new-found traffic.
Your right about that, I have been out of town for a few days and can see drop in traffic, even in that short period of time
How exactly did you become a guest blogger here ? can anyone become one ?
I really need a john chow type boost for my blog.
Im giving away $2500 on my blog http://www.ashwinkhanna.com
I really need the visitors so they can enter.
$2500 — that’s a lot to give away. That’s bound to attract readers alright.
RU saying that John Chow gives you a ‘stiffy’?
pam
Oh, and there was also a different John Chow effect when I briefly mentioned the TV tuner contest I ran last month.
http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2007/06/06/the-john-chow-effect.aspx
how did you managed to write for jc?
Damn! I really want a reviewme but I don’t have the money.
I think most people have the same thought
i think the traffic would at least bring back some the money through ads.
But how much money it would be?
That’s ultimately the purchaser’s responsibility. Some people can turn the traffic into big dollars while others may only turn over pennies.
Yeah, that has to do with how well the ads on the site are placed and what kind of blog it is. Most people here are in the marking money business, so if a blog centered on creative writing or something bought a review, it might not have as good a return as one that was also centered on making money.
Why don’t we review each other. It wouldn’t have the weight of a John Chow review, but it is a start.
Let me know what you think. Leave me a comment on my blog or at mybloglog.
Hi Debo!
That might do even BETTER than a John Chow anything – eventually.
Not entirely sure tho I WILL go to your site and take a look.
pam
I think the term “The John Chow Effect” may make its way around the web in record time and be known as an actual colloquialism. So cool to be a part of history!
What type of story are you looking for? Someting like “why I read John Chow dot Com” Does the story need to link back to you? When will the linking take place, what timeframe?
I would want you to throw in a devoted top contibutor John Chow dot Com t-shirt or mug along with the link.
Let me know what you can do.
That’s crazy.. and also a good sales pitch for more reviews to be ordered! Who wouldn’t want a dramatic spike in traffic? I wonder what their adsense/blog revenue jumped to during the John Chow effect?
John Chow Effect is an interesting one. In fact I am going to write about this in my blog later about my experience having my blog reviewed here.
http://www.sabahan.com/
can’t wait not to read that!
It will only get you more traffic; cool blog, btw!
can’t wait to read this one
I will save money now and ask Johnchow Reviewme
Good plan. Actually, I often read people say they wish they had more money so John could do a reviewme on their site. If you really want it then do something about it. There is a price for the JC effect to catch on.
The John Chow effect is definitely real. I am tempted to buy one myself soon…
Yet to experience JC effect!
The spike in traffic to desinotes is unreal.
I’m still surprised that so many bloggers are outpricing themselves for reviews on reviewme. There’s currently 8 blogs with a lower ranking than you charging more, infact 4 of them are nearly charging double what you are. It’s a shame reviewme don’t have a testimonial section
I wonder if those blogs get any reviewme requests at all. I mean, who in their right mind would do so?!
Something I find interesting and also positive is atleast for the last 2 graphs when the traffic adjusted it remained higher then when it began not just a sudden spike and decline to where you were.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, you gotta follow it up with hard work. John’s going to do wonders with your traffic after an honorable mention or reviewme review, but after that you have to keep your readers glued. Desi Baba is a great example — not bad for sustaining his new-found fame.
Reviewed sites get more publicity. It works almost the same as Digg effect. Traffic will remain on higher level because of this all new readers (especially rss I suppose).
Funny how all John Chow effect graphics look like dicks
lol…taking a review from John Chow is like taking viagra…
Wow that’s quite a wave from your website
i dont know whether will it be good to try placing a lower price for your reviewme or stick to your principal of $400 for review..
Actually, I am thinking of raising the price.
I think it’s time to raise the price
John, what a pitch… Genius I tell you, just pure Genius.
I got money that says John’s Reviewme sells increase this month and the buyers get their money worth.
$400 is cheap for the quality of review and exposure. I would buy one now but I would rather wait for the right time and pay more than pay less at the wrong time.
If your considering you should do it!
Have a good weekend!
hmm….going evil there john…
John Chow how much u will raise?
I actually see it going up to $700. John’s worth every cent though.
I suppose it will be about $700.
Don’t raise it John! Never! Actually, you can raise it once I get a review.
Hahaha, I love it. What a sales pitch!
Hahaha, I love it.
“You want a lowered price? Better buy it now then!”
Anyone want to lend me $400.
no, even 4$
Become the Top Commentators doesn’t let me have John Chow Effect
yeah but it’ll give you good backlinking and drive little traffic
Maybe not a super peak like the ones in the graphs, but it’s definitely been good for business nonetheless.
Hi John, “Ni hao ma ?” btw I stummble upon this blogpost and recored it in Camtasia for Youtube and my video blogpost title : “How to increase my
May the Force be with You …..( by http://www.mlmJedi.com )
Internet Network Marketing Blog Page Rank with Free Backlinks ?” WoW! Your “John Chow Effect” is Cool.
I am a great believer in buying Traffic too because the truth of Google or SEO Traffic….the whole world is fighting,stealing and sharing for it and the pie is getting thinner.Will order your Review soon for my http://WhoisJoeSchmo.com ‘s -
Insider Blueprint-.
Hi buddies, just wanna let you know my Video Blogpost on “John Chow Effect” is Live.
Please feel free to comment and let me know if I had shared any wrong info as I am still quite new in SEO Blogging .See you at Internet Network Marketing Blog
http://www.mlmJedi.com
A personal invitation to come by for a relaxing read. Kick your shoes off, scroll down and stay a while.
“Sleeping Kitten – Dancing Dog!”
To get this kind of review you need already running blog which is updated with fresh content. Than the Efect convets into more subscribers so it will increase even later in profits.
And it has to be related to making money online somehow — that’s a bonus.
Traffic levels aside.. Isn’t it better to have people come to your blog because they are looking for a certain type of content, vs. coming to a blog just to see what the content is?
I guess any kind of traffic, no matter where they’re from or what their purpose is for checking you out, is good traffic.
I want a review , but don’t have 400$, what to do?
Sell your horse ,buy a bicycle then you will have many many 400$
Write a REALLY good post and send it to John to read.
After seeing the Johnchow before I started writing the blog.
Wow, thats a pretty amazing effect.
Any idea the actual number of unique visitors the ‘John Chow Effect’ would bring to a website on average ?
very nice … the John Chow Effect huh …
Darin
Excellent results. You should have some fab offer or link bait on your site before John’s army arrive.
Good point — give the readers a reason to come back.
Nice, pretty quick drop off, but they probably end up getting some more regular visitors after being on your site. Thats what matters the most.
That’s a nice traffic growth, but it’s quite expensive and I don’t of a high ROI.
Let’s just say those who can afford it do get their money’s worth after a JC ReviewMe review.
Looks like most don’t retain the traffic that comes to their site. They do get a spike….but not long term growth.
I would hold reviews to launching new products…
That’s actually pretty smart. Timing (and having $400 to burn for the review) is everything.
John Chow effect could be called also “Wow Effect”. I am writing now my Post-of-the-posts to send to you, John. I hope to feel the John Chow effect soon.
))
Regards,
William
C’mon guys,
I know the picture is worth a thousand words.
But did you actually look the picture and not only the graph spike. The actual numbers.
Alexa daily reach of 0.002 on this kind of blog is somewhere around 200 pageviews (correct me if I’wrong, JC)
So JC effect was somewhere between 500 an 1800 pageviews a day for something like 400 to 1600 unique visitors total.
That’s something like $1 to $.25 a click.
While it may be worth it in the best case scenario (like for blogstorm) or sites selling good things like Arron Wall, for other kinds of blogs you’ll be much better off targeting your adwords to JC site.
Unless you get a real good review and suggestions of how to make your site better and that’s what you are shooting for…
You make a very good point! Returning visitors should be one of the goals!
The John Chow effect is legendary.
nice self little advertisements…
when John Chow make a review about a blog then it will be a chance to get more visitor.
I would say there are positive and negative sides for ordering a reviewme here.
The John Chow Effect? At least now we have an official name for it!
Steve
Here is my story for consideration
http://www.filmschoolstudent.com/2007/07/10/i-got-invited-to-a-taping-of-on-the-lot/
Maybe the John Chow Effect also applies to the “Review my Blog for a Linkback” action *looking hopefully*
Absolutly
I might use this
My blog is starting to give me the income to afford that…
Great results John
I would like to know who coined the term the john chow effect and whether it is commonly used in blog world ?
Hey which plug-in u use that shows number of post views.
Before i get serious to blogging, i was read john chow blog and he gave me a good reason to keep blogging and make money with blogging… i also follow a few step that he ask to try.. thanks John..