\n<\/p>\n
\n\t\tOpinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.\t<\/p>\n
Every year around this time, I get the same call from founders seeking whether a gift guide placement is possible. Usually, the answer is no. And that\u2019s the first lesson. Gift guide season starts months before the holidays, when most brands are still thinking about summer. Editors are building their lists while you\u2019re at the beach.<\/p>\n
But the real question behind that call is bigger: are gift guides even worth the effort? Or are they just a fancy way of buying ad space? I\u2019ve seen both sides, so my take is simple. Gift guides are one of the most useful PR tools a product brand has, but only when you use them for the right reason. Let\u2019s get into it.<\/p>\n
Start with the obvious. People are in buying mode. Someone reading a gift guide isn\u2019t casually scrolling. They have a person to shop for and a budget in mind. Some are really looking for what to gift. They\u2019re looking for ideas or to be pointed toward something they didn\u2019t know existed.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s trust. When a respected outlet puts your product on a list, it\u2019s a recommendation, not a sales pitch. Readers know the difference, even if they can\u2019t explain it.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what that can look like in practice: That\u2019s a big deal for lesser-known brands. Nobody searches for a name they\u2019ve never heard of. Last year, I worked with an up-and-coming oral-care brand and placed its products in gift guides across the board, including those from bloggers, tier-1 publications and trade magazines. The founder told me their online sales were up 30% compared to the same period the year before.<\/p>\n A guide puts you in front of people who weren\u2019t looking for you but were ready to buy.<\/p>\n Now the uncomfortable part. Not every gift guide is earned. Some are paid placements dressed up as editorial. Some are affiliate-driven, meaning the outlet earns money when you make a sale. Others charge a participation fee just to be considered.<\/p>\n Is that wrong? Not always. But it\u2019s advertising, and you should call it that. If you pay for it, measure it like an ad. Look at cost per sale, not just a pretty logo on your website.<\/p>\n The reality is even earned placements don\u2019t always sell. A guide at a tier-1 publication with 50 products on it is a crowded room. Your item might get a thumbnail and a one-line description. I once had a client who wrote a marketing book. I landed it in a well-known gift guide, and she was thrilled. She shared the placement everywhere and used it to keep promoting the book. But the sales told a different story. She barely saw the needle move from that one placement.<\/p>\n I see the same mistakes over and over. If you want results, treat it like a campaign, not a lucky break.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example from my own work. Last summer, I helped a client land a spot at a media event for gift-guide editors. He showed up with his product and handed out plenty of samples to the journalists in attendance.<\/p>\n We also made the pitch easy to act on. The pamphlet held only the key points, starting with the price, so editors building \u201cGifts Under $20\u201d or \u201cGifts Under $50\u201d lists could spot a fit right away. We made the word \u201cHousehold\u201d stand out so they\u2019d know which category it belonged in. And we spelled out why the product mattered and what difference it would make in someone\u2019s daily life.<\/p>\n Then we added a QR code. It linked to everything an editor might need: product details, descriptions and photos. If they decided to include the product, all they had to do was copy and paste.<\/p>\n The result? Placements in both broadcast and print outlets.<\/p>\n Gift guides aren\u2019t magic. They won\u2019t save a weak product, but for the right brand, with the right timing, they\u2019re one of the few PR tactics that can build trust and drive revenue in the same breath. That\u2019s a rare combination.<\/p>\n So don\u2019t ask, \u201cDo gift guides work?\u201d Ask, \u201cAm I ready for one to work?\u201d<\/p>\n If the answer is yes, start planning now. Next year\u2019s lists are already being built in the heads of the editors you want to reach.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Every year around this time, I get the same call from founders seeking whether a gift guide placement is possible. Usually, the answer is no. And that\u2019s the first lesson. Gift guide season starts months before the holidays, when most brands are still thinking about summer. Editors are building their lists while you\u2019re at the beach.<\/p>\n But the real question behind that call is bigger: are gift guides even worth the effort? Or are they just a fancy way of buying ad space? I\u2019ve seen both sides, so my take is simple. Gift guides are one of the most useful PR tools a product brand has, but only when you use them for the right reason. Let\u2019s get into it.<\/p>\n Start with the obvious. People are in buying mode. Someone reading a gift guide isn\u2019t casually scrolling. They have a person to shop for and a budget in mind. Some are really looking for what to gift. They\u2019re looking for ideas or to be pointed toward something they didn\u2019t know existed.<\/p>\n Then there\u2019s trust. When a respected outlet puts your product on a list, it\u2019s a recommendation, not a sales pitch. Readers know the difference, even if they can\u2019t explain it.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what that can look like in practice: That\u2019s a big deal for lesser-known brands. Nobody searches for a name they\u2019ve never heard of. Last year, I worked with an up-and-coming oral-care brand and placed its products in gift guides across the board, including those from bloggers, tier-1 publications and trade magazines. The founder told me their online sales were up 30% compared to the same period the year before.<\/p>\n A guide puts you in front of people who weren\u2019t looking for you but were ready to buy.<\/p>\n Now the uncomfortable part. Not every gift guide is earned. Some are paid placements dressed up as editorial. Some are affiliate-driven, meaning the outlet earns money when you make a sale. Others charge a participation fee just to be considered.<\/p>\n Is that wrong? Not always. But it\u2019s advertising, and you should call it that. If you pay for it, measure it like an ad. Look at cost per sale, not just a pretty logo on your website.<\/p>\n The reality is even earned placements don\u2019t always sell. A guide at a tier-1 publication with 50 products on it is a crowded room. Your item might get a thumbnail and a one-line description. I once had a client who wrote a marketing book. I landed it in a well-known gift guide, and she was thrilled. She shared the placement everywhere and used it to keep promoting the book. But the sales told a different story. She barely saw the needle move from that one placement.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\u2022 Direct sales. <\/strong>A strong placement can send traffic and orders within hours of publishing
\u2022 Third-party credibility.<\/strong> \u201cAs seen in\u201d works because someone else said it first
\u2022 Long-term search value.<\/strong> Many guides stay live for years and keep sending visitors
\u2022 Relationship building.<\/strong> The editor who includes you in November may call you for a trend story in March.<\/p>\nThe case against gift guides<\/h2>\n
I\u2019ve watched brands celebrate a big-name feature and then see almost nothing in their sales dashboard. It hurts.<\/p>\nWhy most brands get nothing from gift guides<\/h2>\n
\u2022 They pitch too late. <\/strong>Print and long-lead outlets plan five to six months ahead. Even digital editors start early. If you pitch in November, you\u2019re already behind.
\u2022 They send generic pitches.<\/strong> \u201cOur product is perfect for the holidays!\u201d tells an editor nothing. What\u2019s the gift? Who is it for? What\u2019s the price? Why now?
\u2022 They ignore the category. <\/strong>A guide for \u201cGifts for Dads\u201d has different needs than \u201cGifts Under $50.\u201d Pitch the right one.
\u2022 They forget the landing page.<\/strong> This one is expensive. A reader clicks through and lands on your homepage with no gift context, no bundle and no clear next step. They leave.<\/p>\nHow to make a gift guide work<\/h2>\n
My take<\/h2>\n
Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n
\n
The case for gift guides<\/h2>\n
\u2022 Direct sales. <\/strong>A strong placement can send traffic and orders within hours of publishing
\u2022 Third-party credibility.<\/strong> \u201cAs seen in\u201d works because someone else said it first
\u2022 Long-term search value.<\/strong> Many guides stay live for years and keep sending visitors
\u2022 Relationship building.<\/strong> The editor who includes you in November may call you for a trend story in March.<\/p>\nThe case against gift guides<\/h2>\n
I\u2019ve watched brands celebrate a big-name feature and then see almost nothing in their sales dashboard. It hurts.<\/p>\n