Why Mom Bloggers Aren’t Flipping for Just a Sample of Your Product
June 9, 2009
We’re back to one of my favorite topics — Bloggers and Compensation.
There’s a few folks out there who will tell you that if you ever pay a blogger for anything, you’re violating some ‘purity code’ – some imaginary Blogger Code of Ethics that we all got to vote and agreed upon (there isn’t one, getting bloggers to agree on anything is like herding cats.)
The thing is? There are different types of commercially related blog posts. There are reviews (where a blogger gives you her opinion on a product, company or service), there are announcements/informational posts (similar to press releases, usually just a heads up – but sometimes links to deals or sales) and there are contests/giveaways (where opinions don’t necessarily enter into it, but prizes are given away on the blog that are supplied by a 3rd party.)
But these are *very* different types of posts from the blogger’s perspective.
Even though it may take someone about the same time to read each of them? It doesn’t take the same amount of time to create or maintain them.
We constantly get emails from PR people that seem to think that all we really ought to post are the announcement type. It seems that they often mistake bloggers for “new reporters” and think all we should do is repackage whatever info they email to us. (Come to think of it? There are some blogs that do seem to do just that… but not most.)
We also often get emails that say “we would like to send you a sample of our product or service for your review if you are interested.”
But lately, increasingly, companies are turning to the contest/giveaway model and approaching bloggers to see if we want to hold promotions to give away either samples, trial-codes, or prizes to our readers in order to promote their company or products.
Some of them get what it is they’re asking for and some don’t.
We don’t have “web guys” who do the work for us. Hosting a contest? Means figuring out the details, creating all of the content, posting the contest, running it fairly, monitoring entries for validity, choosing winners and notifying them, plus either fulfilling it by shipping at our cost, or acting as a go-between for the company and then posting the winners.
But it seems that there’s people out there who think that all that work isn’t really work. That they shouldn’t have to pay bloggers for doing the same work they would have to pay the guys in marketing, PR, and those who do their own websites.
If you, as a business, went to your web guys and said “we need you to run a contest on the site – create the design, the contest rules, the elements and the content, run it, monitor the entries for validity and to make sure no one is cheating, then contact the winner(s) and get back to us with that info – oooooh, yeah, and we can’t pay you your salaries this week, but would you like some free laundry detergent or diapers instead?“ They’d laugh their butts off. Well, before putting in a complaint with the local labor board and putting their resume on Monster.com, that is.
Yet that’s what keeps repeatedly being asked of us. “Will you work for free?” And for many of us, the answer is now becoming “well no – I’ve got this other company over here who is offering to compensate me for the same work and isn’t treating me as if being a blogger and/or a mom somehow made me lose my business skills and common sense.” Because seriously?
Yes, I love helping my readers experience new things and potentially win something… but I’m not going to be the only person working for free in this equation.
And that’s not because I’m some sort of prima donna who thinks I’m important. Yes, you can tell me that there’s “a ton of mommy bloggers who would jump at this opportunity.” But all you’re telling me is that you will take advantage of anyone you can. Whether a blogger is an “A-Lister” or someone who is still building her audience? They still have to do the EXACT same amount of work. Essentially, you’re asking people to work for free for you “for the exposure” or for “a product sample” but you? Yeah you there offering me this wonderful opportunity for my readers? Are *you* getting paid? Or do you just do that PR & marketing gig out of the goodness of your heart because you love it so?
How much is a bottle of laundry detergent or a package of diapers? Somewhere between $15-25 depending on the size? That’s just horrid. It works out to about $2-5 per hour or less if you run a contest right. One that isn’t just a few lines of “hey, company X is giving away a year’s supply of potpourri” or “this author wants me to hold a contest to give away 5 copies of his new book comment here to win.” One with no promotion, no concern about running a fair contest, no checking to make sure you’re doing a good job.
Would YOU work for that?
Sorry – I just needed to get this out there. When bloggers ask to be paid to host your contest on their sites? We’re not being demanding or unethical – we’re getting fed up with being treated like “mommies” or clueless bloggers who don’t know any better. You’re sure as heck getting paid by whatever company you work for or are doing PR for. Are *you* being demanding or unethical expecting someone to value your time and effort?
And yes, I love being a part of the chain that gets awareness about your client, your product, or your business to your potential customers – but while I may write for the love of it? That’s different than working for you for free.
In the interest of disclosure? This post was in no way contributed to or sponsored by anyone. These are my own thoughts & opinions and I’m more than willing to give you this piece of my mind for free. Or, well, at least for the price of the bandwidth that I’m paying for and the server hosting that I’m paying for and well… you get the point.
Comments
128 Responses to “Why Mom Bloggers Aren’t Flipping for Just a Sample of Your Product”
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AMEN. You put this SO well. In fact, I wrote a post about an experience i had where a company wanted me to be a spokesperson. FOR EXPOSURE ON THEIR SITE. Um, no thanks. You don’t work for free. Why are you asking ME to?
Thanks for speaking up.
I don’t do giveaways. I think they make for generally uninteresting content, and only benefit one or two of the people that stop by to read me.
I will do product reviews, but only if said product inspires a passionate response in either direction, and I think it would be of some sort of value to my readership — which is hard to do, because I don’t have a “demographic”.
And repackaging press releases is also patently boring content unless it’s highly targeted and the kind of thing I would go to share with my readers anyway (and it’s rare that anything I’d go to share needs my help in promoting it.)
All of the above are especially annoying when more than one blogger I read is flogging the same thing. Then I can guess that some PR intern emailed through their blogroll in hopes of finding takers.
I WILL promote causes and benefits, because I think that’s an excellent use of my ability to engage or influence anyone (if I have any ability at all) — and that’s nothing I’d expect to get paid to do.
The vast majority of ways people monetize within content renders their content immediately boring to me. I don’t know how to fix that, but whether they’re getting paid or not to put it up there, I’d like to see more respect for readership in terms of the effort people are paying to their content, and their discernment in choosing which offers to promote.
Preach it, Sister!
{belly bumps}
Hear Hear!!!
Thank you for putting this so wonderfully!
See, this goes to show how out of touch with the whole “mommy blogging” phenomenon I am. It never occurred to me that anyone would ask a blogger to promote their product in such a way without paying them.
It’s one thing to say “if I send you a sample, will you review it?” but another to say “Hey, do my promotion work for me for samples/free, k?” I could probably comment further, but you already did it better than I could… and since I’m not the type of blogger in question, I don’t really have a horse in the race.
You go, girl. In fact, have you been talking to my husband lately, because I swear he just said that exact post to me just the other day… right down to the part where the agencies are getting paid.
This is so so true! I do not mind posting something if it fits what I am covering, and it helps fill a voidd I may have that day, or if it just add to the conversation. Please oh please dont think you can ask me to be your publisher though and work for free to cross promote what ever this weeks newest/latest/greatest is. I love samples and love to see new items, but I have kids and one is on his way to a private school after just graduating from high school. We have bills too, just because we “work from home” doesn’t mean we dont want vacations, and that our bills magically pay themselves.
GREAT writie up.
Interesting times. One of the reasons I blog is because I find this new way of marketing very interesting. You are right as far as time. This is not a money maker for me. I usually spend around 1 hour, sometimes more putting up each one of my reviews. Some PR reps are great, others are no so great.
What a well written and fabulous post. I used to think I would get no more offers if I turned down those work for free offers but have since realized their are plenty of respectful companies who see my value and others and I would much rather work with them!
Well put! I am hoping that the message is getting around, I have noticed much more sufficient offers coming my way- well beyond the typical insulting offers. Perhaps the message is spreading, thanks for posting!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. You’ve hit the nail on the head. I’m often willing to do reviews on my review blog for the product as compensation. But the contests I’ve done? I’m usually not compensated for the time, AND I don’t get a product if they’re not connected to a review! So. I’ve started rejecting giveaways without compensation. Period. If that means I’m “blacklisted” from the PR folks, so be it. I’m not here for the reviews, I’m here to express myself. But, I figure as long as I’m being ethical in terms of disclosure, and I feel I’m doing it with integrity, I think I SHOULD be compensated if being asked to work on someone else’s behalf using my resources. My server space is NOT free. And giveaways – Those suckers take time. For example – a current giveaway I’m running is nearly three months long. That’s a lot of followup and upkeep time out of my life. But in that case I was compensated for it. Period. I don’t know why that’s a bad thing. Thanks for putting into words what I’ve been having trouble expressing.
This is right on point. My site is a mom blog and review site and I constantly run into companies or businesses who think that they are doing ME a favor when they send me a press release to post or a giveaway. Now truthfuly, I like doing reviews and it doesn’t matter if the product is cheap or expensive, it is the thrill of the hunt for me. BUt, doing a giveaway and doing it RIGHT takes, time, energy, and effort and unless it is for a product that is huge it doesn’t really bring anything to me. Sure, my stats just for a bit, but do I get loyal readers and subscribers out of it…NOPE. So yes, if a company offers me just a giveaway then I have a nominal fee for the time and effort I put into it…it would cost them a lot more to get an ad.
It really gets on my nerves how people think that bloggers are in it for the money. If I were in blogging for the money I would write paid posts all the time and not worry about having good content. Taking into account the fact that I spending about 8 hours a day, 7 days a week on my site I think I make about ohhhh $2 a hour. I could panhandle for more than that.
Thanks for getting this out there, it’s a well written piece!
Here Here!
This is so true and I find myself turning down a lot of things lately because it’s just not worth it for me to take them on anymore.
#1 they dilute my ‘real’ content
#2 It seems everyone wants something but no one is willing to pay. From Jesus to sex toys ( got two pitches , one for religious books and one for dildos in the same day…laughed hard) people are clamoring to get something for nothing. If being featured on my blog is so valuable then pay up…someone is making money and it isn’t me.
I’m glad you brought this up. It always amazes me how our professional lives are completely ignored in all of this. Yes, we’re moms… yes, we blog and tweet and digg and blah blah blah. But we also have bills to pay. So when I get an email saying, “Hey, we haven’t seen you blog/tweet about our promotion” when I’m busy trying to work on my paying business (not posts, mind you), I get a little irritated at the level of disregard supposed professionals have for me and my professional obligations. Most of the PR people I’ve worked with are great about understanding my lifestyle and other demands off line. The ones that don’t drop to the bottom of my To Do pile.
Lucretia,
A standing ovation on this post!
GREAT!
Best,
Audrey
Thank you so much for writing this post!!! You summed up a lot of moms’ thoughts I’m sure…
BRAVO!
Great article – I feel so empowered! I, like you, am definitely tired of being treated disrespectfully by companies (especially PR companies) who think I am their ticket to free labor.
However, I have to say that I’ve noticed the bloggers that feel most passionately about this are those at the top. It’s easier said than done to tell a fledgling with 200 readers a day that they should turn down giveaways (which help to bring new readers to your content) and reviews in exchange for product (which is better than nothing at all).
I think my writing is worth a paycheck, but I’m also trying to build a resume and grow a following. And if I don’t have to buy laundry detergent for a month because I tried out something, liked it and told others about it, that’s money that stays in my pocket or pays for my kid’s swim lessons.
In concept, you’re absolutely right. When you run the numbers, the compensation is shameful compared to what the PR firms are making to talk me into taking product for publicity. But when you compare it to what I was receiving when I started my blog (NOTHING, and for the same amount of talent and work) it’s not so bad.
For the entire first year of my blog, I didn’t accept advertising offers because I wasn’t sure what would be expected in exchange. Did I need to blog everyday? Did I need a certain size following? It’s very difficult to know how you stack up to others and how valuable your written opinion is.
I think the real trick is to recognize the stepping stones to becoming successful in the blogosphere and knowing when you’re ready to move forward. I’d love to see someone publish a “mom blogger pay scale”, demonstrating what is appropriate compensation for X number of readers, X time in existence, X level of google PR or technorati rating or whatever.
Until then, it’s kinda hard for those at the bottom to hear those at the top criticize us for being thrilled with clothing for our children and applesauce in the fridge, all in exchange for our humble opinions.
Very well said.
I was recently offered a $50 gift certificate in exchange for hosting a review/giveaway on my site. When I inquired as to what the giveaway item was, the sponsor told me it was the $50 gift certificate. Wait a minute – you want me to work for you for free? I’m still annoyed about that exchange. Obviously, I declined.
I wish more bloggers would take a stand as you have here.
I wouldn’t allow my husband to work for free. Why should I? Is my time any less valuable?
I respect my readers and their time enough to only promote what I believe would be interesting or beneficial to them. Is it always? Maybe not. But I am willing to stand by a product if I promote it.
I also care enough for it to be well-organized, well-written and photographed. All of those things take time.
And, c’mon… we’re worth it. We have attentive audiences. That’s money to these companies who are looking for the exact demographic we have already assembled.
Successful companies will recognize this and behave accordingly.
Great post, Geek Mommy!
Truer words could not be said!!!! I always give voices like yours a standing ovation, so here’s to you and your brilliant words!!!!
Thank you for this insightful article. I am a business owner trying to get the word out, and I want to make sure that when I ask a blogger to do a review/contest that I am being fair to them because they are helping me so much. I think a blogger asking for compensation to “sell” my product is totally fair.
Usually after someone does a review/contest for me I will buy advertising space on their site as a way to try and re-pay them if they don’t ask for compensation.
It’s a two way street and those of us that want our products seen need to pay for that!
Wow- so incredibly well done. Thank you- someone finally had to say it!
Steph
You’ve managed to put into words what so many of us are thinking and feeling. I know many of us have given up “office jobs”, so to speak, but that does not mean that we are no longer professionals. It’s time we are consistently treated as such.
Great post – loved it! Thanks for stepping up and putting it out there.
I couldn’t agree with you more! I am so tired of the PR companies thinking that their coffee, toothpaste, or laundry soap is what I should be paid in? Are you people serious?!
I hope PR companies are hearing this loud and clear!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Everyone should link to this post in their media kits, lol!
Thank you SO much for posting this. I get a lot of the same crap you do — being treated as a news reporter, being offered little to no compensation for doing extensive blog posts and giveaways, etc. — and it’s very frustrating. You summed it up a lot better than I could have!
Very well written, and so true!
I recently did a giveway, that I paid for because I believed in the cause (autism awareness bracelets) and I asked people to leave their email in the proper slot in my blog comments (no one else sees it but me) and NO ONE did. So I am faced w/ 7 people who “won” that I cannot get prizes to… because I have no contact information beyond twitter. I have tweeted it a few times, but really? What else can I do? It is the equivalent of working for free, especially when I could be writing instead.
I won’t be doing any more giveaways for free.
Tina
As a reader I don’t find it too fun to check out blogs about laundry soap and toothpaste either-
it takes the teeth out of blogging.
Lets just communicate so everyone is on the same page
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can I just say…
You. Rock.
Thanks everyone – looks like I hit a nerve.
@Lauren — I certainly don’t think *you* or any other blogger should turn down an opportunity you want to take. I wrote this in response to the people who don’t quite get why bloggers (and in particular mom bloggers) ask for compensation when they host contests.
I truly get it.
What I don’t get is why a PR person or a Marketing person thinks that they should take advantage of you because you are building your audience when it’s that audience they are trying to reach? Or the person who doesn’t appreciate that you work as hard at what you do as the people they would have to pay to do it on their own site.
That’s why I wrote:
“But all you’re telling me is that you will take advantage of anyone you can. Whether a blogger is an “A-Lister” or someone who is still building her audience? They still have to do the EXACT same amount of work.”
Because your 200 readers? Are just as important as anyone else’s… and that’s who they’re trying to reach.
But I really appreciated the insights… and I agree with a lot of what you say – I just thought it needed to be said. So that if someone asks why they should pay a blogger to host a contest? It’s right here.
@Amy J – that’s really awesome!! Thank you!
You make some good points, but there can be more to the story. Tropical Traditions, for example, heavily promotes the blogs that are doing their reviews and promotions, and besides our Twitter account (which is new and growing fast) we have been on the Internet for years, draw 20,000 unique visitors a day, and have an active database email list of over 100,000 opt in customers and subscribers. Internet traffic is worth something, and the promotion can go both ways if you are getting traffic back from your sponsor. We shy away from paying bloggers to do reviews and promotions, as it just seems unethical to buy someone’s endorsement. We will send a free sample to just about anyone with a blog (close to a $50.00 value) because we want them to be honest in their review and sold themselves on the product. A blogger who has a ranking in Alexa of several million and few comments per post will definitely get more benefit from us promoting them than we will from them promoting us. So there can be more than one reason why a company, like ourselves, will shy away from paying for reviews and product giveaways. Look to see if your sponsor will also be promoting the review or giveaway, and consider the value in that, and the resources the sponsor has had to pay over the years to obtain a high ranking and position on the Internet.
I am nodding my head emphatically. In fact I have been formulating a post in my head that’s more specifically about why we bloggers are not just another media outlet who should receive the same email blasts as magazine editors.
Yes, yes and yes.
HUGE brands keep telling me they “don’t have budget” to compensate me and my team members THIRTY DOLLARS to spend 4+ hours running a giveaway. Fucking ridiculous. I’m over it.
Well written and to the point. I also would like to bring up the missing relevancy check as I am based in Ireland but get offered dollar off coupons for detergent or toys based in the US. How relevant is that to my readers in Europe? Clearly the PR has read my blog (not)!
i was just getting ready to add “PR/Marketing accepted” to my blog…..I think I need to add in your link and just say, “read this before you give me your pitch.”
Love it!
@Tropical Traditions – thanks for your insight – but I suspect you didn’t actually read my post, or you wouldn’t have kept saying “paying bloggers to do reviews and promotions” — a contest or giveaway isn’t an endorsement or a review. And if you think you can buy my opinion? You’re dealing with the wrong mom blogger.
But what I specifically was writing about was my time. If you think a “product worth $50″ is worth it? Go ask your own web folks whether or not they are willing to accept that in lieu of an actual paycheck. “Internet traffic” is worth NOTHING unless you are either a) generating ad revenue from the traffic, or b) generating income from another source due to that traffic. You’re saying I should work for free because I want to be “famous” – I say you’re full of it. If you’re not? Then don’t send me a product to give away, simply buy an ad. That way you don’t have to worry about your ethics. You want our time, effort, and exposure without having to pay for it.
It’s all in the balance of value. If the blogger thinks she’s getting a fair deal, that whatever the company is offering her personally is worth her time, it makes sense to do the giveaway or write about the charity or whatever. You look at the value of what’s offered and you say, yes that’s worth my time. If it isn’t — if the value is all on the other side, the company should pay. Run the contest yourself and run an ad on the blog.
Likewise, if you are a blogger who wants companies to contact you, you’ve got to build something that adds value to them — readers, great content, etc. After all, they have to achieve a marketing objective. That’s not your problem, it’s theirs, but you do need to understand where they are coming from. It’s a bit like sex — if it’s great for you but not for the company, it’s just as bad as the company asking for free adverts.
It’s all in the balance, so both parties are satisfied.
If I still smoked I think I’d want a cigarette now.
Reminds me of a $83B CPC company (who shall remain nameless) that wanted me to write a review and run a giveaway — in exchange for a toothpaste sample. A SAMPLE of toothpaste. Just like the dozens I have in my bathroom, thanks to my dentist.
(They also wanted me to be a spokesperson and give them the rights to use my likeness in press materials. HAAAAAAAA!)
And when I said “let’s negotiate,” they increased their offer to a full tube of toothpaste for me and one for my readers. I wish I was kidding.
“I say you’re full of it.” And I would say that you are rude. If you want us to compensate you for your time, which we are certainly willing to do, this is not the way to do it. Nothing in our post said that we expect people to work for “free.” We offer value and certainly pay for ads, but not reviews or giveaways. I gave you clear reasons and was respectful of your opinions. I am sorry you were not more respectful of ours.
Very well said. I’ve taken a lot of interest in what everyone has had to say recently about the paid, disclosure, mommy blogging wars and it’s very interesting to read everyone’s point of view on what they think should be happening.
Although I do host the occasional review and giveaway on my blogs I am not about to do it for nothing. Sure I’ve been sent product (instead of cold hard cash) in exchange for a review, but I’ve only accepted product that I think my kids would absolutely love or that I would love … hence a few recent reviews on chocolate, truffles and more chocolate. I mean honestly, who’s going to give up a chance to review chocolate ha ha. However the products HAVE to fit with my blog content (party planning, crafting or parenting) or be something that I’m involved with personally. As for giveaways, the same rule applies as to reviews, it has to fit with my blog content and I WON’T be doing it for nothing in return.
Great post Lucretia!! So, so true! Sometimes I get emails that truly amaze me….
@Susan Getgood – that is brilliantly true. I kind of have to figure that if the company is approaching a blogger to hold a contest, they have to think they’ll get something in return (exposure to a target market or something) but you have a VERY good point. If both parties aren’t benefiting from the association? It’s a bad deal. I just hate when I’ve heard things like some of the comments above where bloggers think they’ll be ‘black-balled’ by agencies unless they knuckle-under and work for free or for something they need to pay taxes on (to add insult to injury) so they can keep providing opportunities for their readers and for the companies.
But it’s a VERY good touchstone. Do we both come out feeling positive about the association?
@Migeulina – I wish you were kidding too. I also know that you’re not.
Geek Mommy- I think I love you!
I really appreciate this posting. As a blogger trying to learn more about advertising, giveaways and such for my own blogs this information was very insightful and to the point. I think it helps the “blogging industry” to understand the power that they have, and perhaps have a level of consistancy.
Thanks
Yea! for you GeekMommy, and all the “others” that totally agree with you and are glad that you have “given” it to the offenders! I got your back! Thanks for having mine.
A few things come to mind. The point of public relations is to get FREE publicity for your client although you may not be able to control the message 100%. PAID publicity is called advertising where can control the message 100%. Before bloggers it was typical for PR folks to send sample products to traditional media for review. Yes, the reviewer was paid but by the reviewer’s employer – typically a magazine, newpaper, etc not by the agency that sent the item for review. That way they ensure an honest review. Although it’s much easier to write a bad review of a product or service and still have a decent relationship with the PR agency than it is as a blogger. I wrote a not so steller review of an item and the PR agency dropped me like a hot potato. Pity because I really like everything else in the current product line. But in reality why should they take a chance with me, a person who writes her reviews more like traditional media (my background) than someone who will gush over everything they review so they get more product? Not very helpful when you as a reader is trying to decide on wheather you should buy or try an item or not.
I’m afraid that if there were more compensated reviews we would lose the (somewhat) honesty on wheather the reviewer really liked the product or not. If you want to make money doing reviews then go the pay per post route. They tell you what to say in your review and you get money.
@Tropical Traditions – So your IT guys were okay with the idea then?
No, of course they weren’t.
I apologize for being rude to you on my blog – but you are exactly the sort of company representative I wouldn’t work with for any amount of money. You came here, clearly didn’t read the post, commented under a corporate name (not your own) and tried to justify why you think it’s okay to treat mom bloggers as if they aren’t professionals.
You clearly didn’t take the time to read the dozens of other comments – or you’d see that your sentiment isn’t echoed or accepted by the community you’re trying to reach.
You weren’t respectful of my opinions – nor did you address them. You parroted the “unethical” line that is so often used by those trying to justify making a profit at the expense of others.
You want unpaid exposure – or you’d be buying the ads on the blogs of those moms.
Go to a national magazine and see if you can run a contest in their pages without paying them for it, or offering them the “equivalent of $50 worth of product!” Because you’re trying to get to the bloggers’ audiences without acknowledging the need to treat them like the professionals they are.
As for my wanting you to compensate me for my time? You must’ve missed that part where I said “Yet that’s what keeps repeatedly being asked of us. “Will you work for free?” And for many of us, the answer is now becoming “well no – I’ve got this other company over here who is offering to compensate me for the same work and isn’t treating me as if being a blogger and/or a mom somehow made me lose my business skills and common sense.” It’s that “other company” phrase you must’ve skipped.
But given how much else you missed, that’s not terribly surprising.
I am quite happy to know though that you, since you are passionate about what you do, are not being paid for the time that you are commenting on my website – since by your logic, it would be unethical to pay someone to represent your company in any capacity.
@Condo Blues – that is a brilliant point. Perhaps the problem stems in large part from the shift from traditional media to online media.
I had not fully considered that the very strong lines between “PR” and “Marketing” are blurring without much definition to go on given the “new media.”
Perhaps this is why so many bloggers scratch their heads at press releases sent to our inboxes and so many PR folks scratch their heads in return about how to approach bloggers so that they actually get coverage.
But I think we all have to adapt now – given that the majority of the bloggers out there (especially mom bloggers!) don’t have staffs or agents or even web guys! The advertisement vs. post debate? That’s a whole other ball of wax.
I was specifically addressing contests/giveaways here. But you’ve provided grist for a future post… and a lot of thinking!! Thank you!!
I think this hit me when I started receiving press releases and being asked to write about this contest and that promo…and the one that drove me over the edge was from a fast food establishment. I noticed that online papers had posted the story, and thought those “writers” probably get paid to put that out there. I didn’t even get a burger for my time.
That was the last one, and now they get my media kit with my new “rate” which is nothing to sneeze at. Take it or leave it.
Thank you, great post!!! You rock!
Susan makes an excellent point- “value” is completely subjective. And where is the line? Does giving a blogger a $150 car seat count as fair compensation? To some it certainly seems to be.
I haven’t done “outreach” to bloggers in a long time because 1. I don’t have to- I get several requests a day from people who would like to review our products 2. because things seem to change on a daily basis and I’d rather sit idle on the sidelines then watch my brand go down in smoke because I did something “wrong.” It was just a couple months ago that even the idea of money exchanging hands was thought to be totally unethical and now it’s wrong not to? (I’ve often seen reviews feature “win one of these” at the end so they would have to be done seperately for sure)
I think all of us are desperately trying to catch up (with the industry and the daily e-mail requests for free stuff) and I hope people can be respectful to each other & understand that the relationship between bloggers & corporations/PR firms is an evolving one. Posts like this and the folks making comments here help us to understand your needs and viewpoints better so I’m glad people are willing to talk about.
@Lindsey — Susan did make a totally good point – but you made an equally good point. Value is a wholly subjective thing.
But as you can see in the comments above, it doesn’t take long for someone to show up and use the excuse of “unethical” as a way to justify only giving someone product.
I’m afraid that the contest/review line is getting blurred a little too much. We’re always going to have people who will say anything for a dollar and people who can’t be bought at any price. But the points I made above remain the same – a review is an entirely different animal in terms of effort and input than a contest/giveaway.
Yes, there’s a line… but there’s also a line wherein an ethical marketer wouldn’t dream of screwing over someone because “someone else will do it for free”. And there’s a line where an ethical blogger won’t strong-arm a company with the threat of negative press. (ew I hate realizing that there are folks out there who do that… I know there must be. Ick.)
I’d love to talk to you more about the daily email requests for “free stuff” too… it’s something I’ve never done, personally. But I also know that it’s a current trend. Therein lies a whole new blog post!! I think I’ll be writing a lot for awhile.
Right on!
The thing that bothers me most about the whole evolution of monetizing is HOW VERY LITTLE most people think Moms should be paid for a job.
I’m glad to see you speaking up like this, and with words that really show how ridiculous it is, to expect us all to work for free.
I LOVE this post and definitely going to link on my blog.
This is sooooooooo how much I am feeling lately, actually to tell you the truth I have been turning down so many reviews it is crazy just because I too am tired of feeling under appreciated.
Also, I hate the PR people who expect us to do any types of reviews, I had ones that totally didn’t fit into the content of my blog, and I was like, umm do you even read my blog, cause I am not even writing about content such as XYZ…
I never thought much about monetizing my blog, it was a hobby, until recently when the reviews are now pouring in and I have to tell people no thank you because otherwise, I dont think I would have a life off of the computer, lol
Thank you so much Lucretia for this post, You speak for many of not all of us, and so elegantly.
Your so appreciated.
well, I cant figure out how to link back, but nonetheless I love this post. Thank you again!
What’s more… it takes a whole team to run a contest in house. Multiple people. I’ve even seen marketing teams shy away from contests because they didn’t want to deal with the legal issues. Giveaways are a little easier because it’s drawing something out of a hat. But blog hats still cost money, too!
Amen. I once got offered a COUPON in exchange for writing about a laundry detergent. A COUPON. They wanted me to SPEND money to get the product and then they wanted me to write about it and put badges on my site. It was a well-known brand too. As a marketer myself, that was just flabbergasting to me.
Great post! I have been conflicted on this topic for awhile now. I do giveaways and reviews but don’t always ask for products or compensation in return. You made so many great points and have given me more to think about. Thanks for sharing.
You are so my hero. I have been thinking about writing a post like this for a while now and now I don’t have to. I started charging for reviews/giveaways a bit ago as well. It is a very interesting dynamic, there are some companies that don’t even blink at paying for it and then there are others….
I got a pitch yesterday for a company that wanted me to run a giveaway for a year subscription for their service. It was an iphone app of sorts that looked like something I would use but I told them instead of the one I thought they were offering me, I would need two (for DS phone) and hadn’t even talked money yet when they replied that I was welcome to download a free, 7 day trial on their site so I could review it before giving it away. EXCUSE ME???? You want me to giveaway something you are not even willing to give me? Are these companies insane?
Thanks Lucretia, as always you said it best!
Barb
You know, “in the beginning…” moms who blogged were just moms who blogged. While there were some who intended to monetize their sites from initial start up, many of us just started writing. I suppose the evolution occurred when companies began noticing the influence bloggers had with their audience–i.e., when I hit the mother lode of mom-friendly bathing suits at Sears (by surprise) a few weeks ago, I HAD to share that with whoever would listen! Sears didn’t pay me, but it’s the kind of thing I’d want to know if someone else found out first, so it was worthy of being passed along.
In other words, I think PR peeps IN THE BEGINNING didn’t intend to take advantage of bloggers, they just knew a good thing when they saw it.
Eventually, though, they got greedy (?); more and more moms saw the opportunity to “get something free” (which was hardly, considering the time input) and were willing to “work for food”, and PR/advertisers saw a nice return on a minimal investment.
Now, all of us are without excuse. It IS work and requires effort to do any of the things you’ve mentioned (reviews/giveaways, etc.).
Well spoken, Lucretia, and I can’t help but think of “Network” when all the people were yelling outside their windows, “We’re mad as hell and we aren’t going to take it anymore!!”.
Except I don’t think we’re quite that angry, lol…we just wanna play a fair game.
{{golf applause}}
I could not have said better my self Lucretia Here! Here!
THANK YOU! I can’t tell you how many, in just a period of 3 days, “opportunities for my blog” I’ve turned down. It’ll say, “Hi NYCity Mama…I have a wonderful opportunity for you and your readers…” and then in so many words basically ask me to advertise, for free, on my site whatever their product or service amy be…”because my readers would appreciate it”. And you know…I worked in PR my entire professional career…I know the deal…and I also know thar we get paid pretty well…us PR professionals, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
So, no…I don’t want the opportunity to advertise for free on my site…and I don’t feel a bit dirty about it. As for review of products….I won’t review a product that I don’t personally like or use myself…and I often will do it on my own because I want to share the info. I am tired of that “after feeling” of being asked to review something for no return or gain of my own. Way I look at it, it’s free advertising to the many readers they wouldn’t have otherwise reached without spending A LOT of money. Why am is my time and effort worth any less??
Excellent points both in the article and in the comments. I ran BloggyGiveaways.com for a year and, though it started as a free way to promote products, it eventually became a paid giveaway site. I was clear on several points, though: 1) I didn’t accept any products to review and I didn’t endorse any products (though I only chose products I knew would be a fit with my readers), 2) I pulled info from the vendor’s site–I’m wasn’t going to re-write their content, and 3) all giveaways are paid. Why did I insist on being paid? In addition to the points you make in your article (it’s a lot of work to run a giveaway), it’s advertising pure and simple. Your PR people don’t have money (which I heard time and time again)? Then have your ad people get in touch with me.
I want to be clear on one point, though: If you choose to receive product in return for a giveaway, *that* is your compensation. If you have it clearly stated that you don’t receive product but do expect payment, then you have your negotiating point. I’m not interested in product.
One commenter made the point that if it’s an ad, the vendor should be able to control the content and I agree to a point. I was taking information directly from the vendor site & many times the companies wrote the description of their product specifically for the BG audience. That was completely fine with me. On the other hand, I drew the line at using specific key words and phrases in excess b/c that hurts *my* Google PR and my business. There is a fine line here. (And we can get into another whole discussion about Follow/NoFollow.)
Finally, I wanted to address Tropical Traditions from another blogger’s point of view. I have been working with online media since 1995 and blogging since 1998. I’ve been around the block, believed the hype, and made plenty of mistakes. This I absolutely know to be true: Putting a link to my site on your homepage and telling me it will generate traffic is a whopper. I urge you to stop using “exposure” as a way to encourage bloggers to help you. This “exposure” is not a true payment b/c click-throughs are rare. If they weren’t more mommy bloggers would be using Google Ad Sense as their revenue source. CLICK-THROUGH TRAFFIC IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. Just putting a text link or 125×125 graphic of us on your page is not helping us. We need to see hard value for our work. Exposure with click-through is meaningless to us.
When we hold a contest for you we’re twittering, e-mailing, using newsletters, Facebook, and our multiple blogs to get the word out. We’re working exponentially harder than you are by putting up a link to our site on your homepage. I’m sure you can see from a business stand point how this is hardly comparable or fair. That’s the only point we’re trying to make. What you are asking of us is work and we’d like to discuss how we can get fair payment for that.
Sorry, last line of fourth paragraph should read:
Exposure withOUT click-through is meaningless to us.
Awesome post and I love the point that Melanie makes here. If it’s paid – then no review sample and the company can have more saying how the giveaway looks.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately as a newer blogger trying to decide what I am willing to do on my blog. Thank you so much for putting it into perspective for me, I really needed that! You rock!
RE @tropicaltraditions interestingly enough I had an exchange with them this week (it appears they are reaching out to many bloggers right now) where they sent me an annoying auto dm and I sent them back my standard “Hey, you should really considering running a promo with me” line. They responded and we got around to the part where I don’t do uncompensated reviews or products (yes, I will take product IF it is something truly of value to me, I will possibly work for a years supply of Blue Bunny, hint, hint). So then @tropical traditions informs me of the massive amount of traffic they can drive to my site with the 100K email list. I talked to some folks who ran this promo for free, the traffic for them was mediocre at best, dismal for a few.
There last tweet to me was “Sure you don’t want to do a product giveaway? It would generate a ton of traffic for you. Our mailing list is 100K+” in which I responded that “sure, traffic is always a great trade”. I think they realized how sarcastic I was being as I have not heard back
I agree with Lucretia (but it is rare that I don’t) This is exactly the type of company we are all fed up with. A decent giveaway takes a minimum of 5 hours to run start to finish. So, you are essentially asking us to work for $10 an hour paid in coconut oil??? Tell me if your paycheck is made of coconut oil and I may listen. I have companies willing to pay $30-$50 cash per hour. I know a lot of other bloggers make much more than that.
Will you be able to find bloggers to run your promo, ABSOLUTELY!, and to me that is a sad, sad state of the blogging profession. I am willing to bet though that as more of us go out and mentor newer bloggers or get together and finally open up about pay the well will dry up for companies with offers like yours.
As far as this whole fear of being blackballed, so what if a company doesn’t respect what I do for a living and tells their friends? There friends are liking pitching the same things. I prefer to work with well established PR firms that listen and respect bloggers. Actually, I would think some of these firms and companies should be a little more concerned that bloggers may blackball them.
Yikes, I need to spell check my comments next time.
Very thought provoking post. As a blogger who is just now looking into doing things like this this post was very informative. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.
As someone who is looking at hiring/incentivizing mommy bloggers, how should I determine what I am going to give you in return for your post/review/contest? The metrics I look at to see whether your site is valuable are:
1. Relevancy
2. Followers/Visitors per month
3. Page Rank
4. Comments per post
Since I am now in the process of trying to contact some mommy bloggers, maybe 1 of you nice ladies would be willing to critique my current offer and help me revise it so it benefits both parties?
Adam-you can email it to me info AT chaoticcommunications dot com Don’t worry I will be brutally honest (in other words, don’t send if you don’t want my opinion
)
The visitors per month is not always the best way to look at things. For example, right now this blog is showing an alexa rank of 404,224. But when Lucretia speaks, people LISTEN! So, that would have much more meaning to me as an advertiser. If I had advertising dollars, I would be much more interested in how many pages people look through as well as the return/bounce rate and factors that could be influencing that. A highly loyal readership is much more valuable than a highly trafficked site.
Barb
Very well put. My problem is figuring out what to ask for in return for reviewing your product or in return for hosting a contest (or both in some cases).
I am feeling overly involved in Lucretia’s blog today but to Melanie, figure out what rate you are willing to work for per hour and multiply that by the number of hours you realistically think the promo will take. Hint: I think most of under estimate how much time we really spend on these promos. I usually estimate 5 hours for a standard giveaway with review.
[...] Why Mom Bloggers Aren’t Flipping for Just a Sample of Your Product [...]
I just emailed Barb, if anyone else wants to critique my mommy blogger promotion, please just email me:
adam at seo.com
Here’s the tough part.
At first companies asked for reviews in exchange for product. It went well for a while…then bloggers wanted companies to host giveaways. Bloggers were the ones who told PR companies what they wanted and that’s why giveaways are considered a good model by PR companies now.
Blaming the PR companies for trying to figure out what bloggers want this week is WAY more difficult and time consuming than you might think
There are meetings, discussions, and whatever blogger(s) is on the call is the opinion that gets time…as you can see…there are many different opinions. Confusion ensues.
Since *I work for a PR company* (part time and they’re word of mouth based so we follow all WOMMA guidelines, blah blah) but have been a blogger since Geocities was the best you could get until Diaryland came along….I’ve been on both sides here.
When I send out an email and you send me back a link to your advertising page, I’m offended (not my company, just me). If I wanted a 125×125 square on your blog along all the OTHER squares on your blog…I would have asked about that. Plus if you just send back a link with no text, because you think I didn’t just spend eight hours (paid) sending out all those emails (because payment doesn’ t make it any less tedious to make sure all those *hand picked* blog emails are all personalized in some way so I don’t get put on blast on Twitter!) but you don’t think I’m worth enough for one sentence in return? That’s…well…not something I would do, let me just say it that way.
What PR companies need to know (from bloggers) is what you want in exchange for *you* talking about the product…in your words. We know how powerful that is and we need to know how to go about getting that in an ethical, positive, win-win way.
We have not dropped a blogger for a negative review, but we (of course) hope that a review is at least balanced and not angry in tone. I think anyone would hope that.
PR companies usually have media buying companies that are already taking care of advertising. The person emailing you needs to know what *you* need in order to be happy with the arrangement. Which means that bloggers (haha including me, because I do things on my blog that just aren’t connected with the company I work with) need to do some soul searching and decide what they want and if they have the stats to back it up and then pitch it right back in response to an email they receive.
Make it a form letter you make up in advance to save you time and energy.
Most companies are not being deceptive or trying to take advantage…they just come from an agency background where press releases to journalists are successful, so many try and do that with bloggers because it is familiar and has worked in the past.
Be kind. We’re all humans behind those email addresses
Oh, one other thing. It’s really tough to see all these bloggers asking, “Why don’t we little guys get a chance?” and then posts where experienced bloggers are saying, “We all need to get compensated.” It just makes it that much more difficult for us as PR people to know who to give what and who to ask what. Because not all blogs are created equal….not in traffic, not in content, not in quality, not in design. Not all journalists make the same amount of money and newbies DO have unpaid internships in many cases so they can learn and so they can get their feet wet and have possible future opportunities.
So the whole no one works for free but bloggers argument is an eensy…weeeeensy bit flawed. Not for you, you’re experienced, but as an overall argument.
I would love to know what the right answer is. I would tell the powers that be at my company in a heartbeat if I knew what the right thing to do was ***and I’m in the blogosphere*** I can only imagine how tough this question is for PR people who have been in the agency since graduation and have never blogged.
It’s tough. On both sides.
Oh, and @geekmommy I hope you know I TOTALLY read your post and every. single. comment. before posting this
jennydecki I think you make a fair point. I have been at blogging conferences where the women grabbed their pitchforks and were hell-bent on trashing the PR people.
I found that having a canned response (Google Labs for those of you who use Gmail) I could send to PR people who contacted me inappropriately opened several doors. In my response I basically pointed out that I (and most bloggers) don’t post press releases because it’s not what my readers come to read. I then explained what my readers expect from my blog and suggested the PR person think about how we can work together and then contact me again. The response was civil and professional–it didn’t call anyone out for “doing it wrong” and the whole goal was to educate and possible form a relationship. Those that were interested in knowing more contacted me. The others took me off their list: win-win.
I actually had a blogger specifically ask me for a press release a couple of days ago. She was looking for “talking points” – I didn’t have one so put together some highlights in a bullet point list, hoping that would be good enough. LOL
Someone should offer a workshop helping bloggers determine where they are currently, how they can get to the next level and what stats mean and where your blog should be listed online so PR companies can find them and how to write that canned response so it sounds friendly and open.
Because bloggers also can’t ask other bloggers how much they make for a post or sponsorship or they might get labeled as rude or nosey. (Which makes sense, I don’t want people asking how much I make for any of my jobs
)
Is there a session at BlogHer for that? There should be. It would be so helpful.
When PR people ask me to promote their products I quote them a rate, because that’s what a contest is, a promotion.
When they tell me there’s no room in the budget for it I ask them how they’ve been paid.
I’m just not into it.
@Melanie — nothing to add to what you said – it was brilliant and well said. Just wanted to acknowledge it all!
@jennydecki — we hashed this out a little more last night on TechMoms Talk (http://bit.ly/w70LV) and I think the general consensus was “each pitch needs to be customized – by both the PR/Marketing side and the blogger. Clarity in communication and expectations is essential — no one is psychic. Doing your homework is essential — know the blogger/blog your working with, know the PR/Marketing person/company you’re working with. Lay out the expectations up front. There should be clear expectations on both sides – it’s in the blogger’s interest to have a package they can give a PR person (i.e. 250 word minimum, 1-3 photos, rules of the contest, level of promotion, date it will run and how long, expected compensation, etc) to work from.
I don’t think PR folks are evil. My post was directed more at those who think that we work in a ‘one size fits all’ industry and that someone gets to make the rules for all of us. No one does – especially not me! (Seriously – toooo much responsibility!) But there are those who are trying. Those who try to benefit at someone else’s expense.
We’re in a different bloggy world than we were even 2 years ago and we have to have these discussions so that we’re a little less at sea when it comes to this sort of thing.
I will note that a huge part of what spurred the timing of my post was finding out that a Fortune 100 company whose marketing & ad budgets for 1 month total more than I will make in the course of my lifetime (unless I won the lottery) considers paying bloggers in *any capacity* and under any circumstances “unethical”. But they still want to use them to advertise their products. It kind of set me off. (Could ya tell?)
Still – great points, thanks for taking the time!!
@adam – I’d be happy to do what I can to help as well – just email me at geekmommy.net and I’ll be happy to add my 2 cents (for what it’s worth)
@barb – you are awesome for all of your insight and input – thanks for helping out!
I think I may just link directly to this post any time I get a bad pitch. Oh you’re so right on!!! Thank you. Thank you.
And I just need to add that I was practically out of my seat cheering before I even finished reading this post. This has been a topic near and dear to my heart for quite some time.
I have a professional “day” job. I don’t do it for free. Sure blogging started as a hobby for me, but it’s my time. My time is valuable. And not just monetarily speaking. I could be using it to spend time with my family, to pursue other passions, to be working…
I recognize we’re all still figuring this out, but that’s where the fun is. We can be creative. Let’s just make sure that all parties benefit from the relationships we build.
This is very well written! The best article I have seen on the subject! I do reviews and giveaways of items that I want to try out and don’t mind promoting and I don’t charge, because I give my honest review, but I am considering starting to charge.
Fabulous post., I’ve learned so much here. I very much value and enjoy my relationships with agencies and brands, there are many good ones out there, and I think most are willing to learn.
I read a lot of things to try to learn more about both points of view, and I like the discussions about how this relationship works both ways.
This is a business relationship and bloggers should conduct themselves as such (I’m embarrassed by the ones who don’t) , and brands/agencies should quit looking at blogs as some kind of gold mine for free advertising.
And, compensating someone for their time and effort (other than with a “benefit for your readers” or “hi-res images”) isn’t “buying a review”. And if it is? Then you’ve selected the wrong person for your campaign.
@adam I believe comments per post became a less relevant metric with the advent of feed readers. Would be happy to weigh in if you still need someone. busymomATgmail.com
I 100% agree with you, hands down, blah, blah, the end.
Trisha
@Lucretia Pruitt
Brilliant! I love the discussion this created…
I’m on the marketing side of the equation and we’re getting a lot of requests from clients on how to leverage “mommy bloggers”. Some of them get it and some don’t…
Going off your response @jennydecki re: each pitch needs to be customized, the thing most people don’t see is that THIS IS A COMMUNITY. You attract the readers you do based on shared interests and values. They care about what you talk about, and define themselves in part on those same values.
Forgive me for the following analogy:
It’s like living in a neighborhood…your loyal to the businesses that are good neighbors. They are part of the community. They host events, give to the school, sponsor the softball team and live where they work.
They don’t ask for free bus bench or local news ads for free. They BUY them, because the business SERVES that community.
The big question for the marketers is,”How does my product/service, my brand, fit in this community? How am I a good neighbor?” Thus, the customized pitch.
From the blogger side, you’re functioning as the Mayor. Your goal is to create the best community you can and serve them well (that’s your brand). You deserve to be fairly compensated, but you also want business that work within your community.
Otherwise, the community begins to fall a part. And then we’ve ruined the thing that made this valuable to begin with.
Oh my gosh my head is spinning! For weeks now I’ve been having this conversation with another blogging friend and we’ve said so many of the things expressed here.
I’ve been trying to put my media kit together and it’s taking me forever to figure out what I want to put in it, how it should read and how to make sure I’ve covered all my bases (Thanks Melanie!).
I too, have been turning things down lately (including the chance to display one those neat “insider” badges on my sidebar) because I just don’t know what to do anymore. I want to make sure I’m following the “rules” but apparently I don’t know the secret handshake because I can’t seem to find them.
All the talk about numbers and stats and traffic (oh my!) is a little disheartening (note to self: figure out what Alexia is). Those are things I’m trying to build but has so far been realllly slow going. It’s frustrating to think that my honest (non gushing) , thought out review that I’ve tried to add a personal element to doesn’t carry as much weight as someone whose numbers are higher than mine. Makes me feel a bit like one of those hamsters in the road in the KIA commercials.
As for the design, when I find the $500 in my budget to re-design my blog (which is fair for the changes I want made) I’ll totally do it. I realize you have to spend money to make money but right now the choice between my mortgage and my blog is a no brainer. Getting to BlogHer is challenging enough!
I think this is new territory for both sides and I hope we all continue to treat it as a learning experience. I appreciate the input from the PR perspective, it’s definitely food for thought. I feel there are going to be plenty of people who are in this for the stuff and will post accordingly. But then the company gets exactly what they paid for.
I love this conversation. I want to print out this post and all the comments so I can read them again with a highlighter!
Lucretia – what a thought-provoking and helpful post, so first, thanks!! And the comments really helped me wrap my head around this whole idea, although of course because the relationship between blogging/pr/advertising is constantly evolving I’m sure my thoughts will change again next week or next year, lol. Still as someone new to doing anything on my blog other than my own thing (book reviews for now, and yup, for me books are a great form of payment!) this was super helpful.
I don’t work for free and neither should anyone else, IMHO. I pretty much spell that out on my ABOUT page and hopefully the folks who bombard me with PR email are reading it and getting the message.
@Brian – so using that analogy (with attribution!) down the road. Suddenly I’m stuck on the phrase “killing the blog community that lays the golden eggs” but I think that’s just my weird response. You are right tho. What makes working with bloggers rewarding is the community that they are part of… and part of that community can and will be brands and retailers – but they have to be part of it, not apart from it.
Thanks for the other side of the coin!
@Mel – Alexa.com is a ranking system that ranks blogs based on traffic to and links from other blogs. It’s kind of a mystery, but lower numbers are better!
Also? Get your blog listed on Technorati (there’s a link at the top of this on the right so you can see) and realize that even if you have 200 readers and someone else has 2000? If 50% of yours will buy the item and only 1% of theirs will? You are a MUCH better person for marketers to work with. It’s not *all* numbers, sometimes it’s audience relevance!
I love this post because it has inspired such intelligent conversation, and well, because this is something I have thought about for some time.
I have done giveaways for free – mainly because I loved providing my readers with a little something they might enjoy.
But they are a) time consuming, b) only moderately interesting to my readers, c) skew my traffic b/c some of those who stop by are not ‘regulars’ and d) not ‘profitable’ for me
So…therefore…. hear! hear!
Thank you, Lucretia, for being so honest and thanks to your readers and commenters for adding to the conversation.
Again, this is my personal opinion and is not intended to reflect the beliefs of the company I work for. LOL
I was offered a bike to review for my daughter (that cost well over a hundred bucks at Walmart) it was worth it for me to write a review and record a couple videos of her on the bike. The review took me a total of an hour. I do not make a hundred dollars an hour and that bike is something I wanted for her. Thus, my “review math” told me it was worth it to review that bike for free, because I would have to work more than the time it took to write the review to buy the bike.
Once a blogger determines what their time is worth (aka how much you feel your time is worth per hour) it’s easier to make a product by product determination based on if it is something you would buy anyway vs. how much you want the product vs. how much it costs vs. how long it will take to write the review.
Also in response to a previous comment, not all companies go for the big names and big numbers. One of my “jobs” is to find low traffic, highly niched bloggers to reach out to. But for most PR companies “big bloggers” are easier to find, and they are already tested, and they come in by deadline (when necessary) so it can be tough to get noticed among the big names with great reputations. A great way to make yourself known is to figure out your stats, figure out who is reading your blog, and then email the PR company behind a product you want to talk about and start a relationship.
The uber successful bloggers used that first or second or tenth free review to start building a relationship. They picked up the phone and called the person on the other end of that email to learn more about the company and how they select bloggers for campaigns and then asked about money once that relationship was established.
Oh, last but not least (I know I’m so wordy…sorry) some companies (I’m at one of them) are HYPER aware that bloggers are a community. A community with a lot of potential power and sometimes a secret handshake or password. LOL
I think it’s so great these conversations are happening. When bloggers individually decide their worth and use that information, it will make the process easier for everyone.
Hallelujah! I could not have said it better myself.
The mummy blogger thing is just starting to heat up in the UK and it is a bit of a free-for-all here. So much education needs to be done regarding how to work with mummy bloggers for a win-win situation for both parties.
Maybe we should all wear a badge on our blogs that read I AM NOT A CHARITY.
The PR agency that works for O2 just asked me to run a competition for their new Joggler on my British Mummy Blogger network for free. Yeah, right. And they wanted to send me the prizes so I could send them out to the winners. Is anybody home?!
[...] this week, Lucretia Pruitt, aka GeekMommy, posted a rather strong piece about the frustration Mommy Bloggers are having with the PR/marketing community. It was an enlightening read for me. And one that gives [...]
Thanks for this post, and for your dedicated follow up on various comments.
Unfortunately, I think this slope will remain slippery as long as there is as much variability out there as there is in terms of what bloggers are willing to post and what kind of identity they are trying to forge. At some point I suspect the pitchers will wisen up to who will or will not bite, though undoubtedly they’ll continue to pitch all so they can report those numbers back to the client — ultimately it’s up to bloggers to stand up for themselves and state clear boundaries, as you are doing here.
-Christine
Very good post! I have just recently started thinking about this after getting tired of putting so much time and effort into a post or giveaway for a $3 item.
I am worth more than that!
I agree that everyone is different and have to decide what they are willing to work for. And yes, sometimes that toy or stroller is worth it for me.
But when I am getting badgered by companies sending press releases and then contacting me asking when I will post it, I now respond with my media kit that has some fees listed.
I agree with others that this needs to be a two way street. We need to realize what we can actually do for that company, and they need to realize that we are worth something too, whether it be product (and not a $3 one! LOL!) or monetary compensation.
Marvelous article, well articulated! You speak for so many of us.
It’s funny, I’ve come full circle. First a WAHM blogger; then into product reviews splitting into a second blog. After all this discussion, I finally decided to go back to one blog.
My time is worth something. Mommy bloggers get a bad rap. How many of you are off-ramping from a FT job to stay home? I’m sure many of you have undergraduate college degrees, perhaps even a Masters degree – just because you’re at home and blogging doesn’t mean you forgot everything when you left school or corporate life.
I review products that my family or I truly relate to. I also do philanthropic/charity posts I feel a connection with.
Nobody is working for free and neither am I. When I send out my media kit, you’d be surprised at the positive responses I’m getting from many (not all) PR companies, and they don’t even blink an eye.
Some PR companies and businesses “get it.” Kudos to them. Others need a wake up call.
Thanks for setting the alarm.
[...] the question GeekMommy addresses in her recent post, Why Mom Bloggers Aren’t Flipping for Just a Sample of Your Product. It’s a big discussion that has been going on amongst the mom bloggers, and if they are in [...]
As someone who is researching Mom Blogging as a way to become a WAHM, I really appreciate this article. It will help me keep an eye out for this type of situation. Thank you.
WOW- my head is spinning after that post and all the comments!
For a blogger who is just getting into some of these issues – you all have certainly given me some things to think about!! and glad to know I’m not alone in some of the feelings I’m having about it all!!
GREAT post!
~TidyMom
Condo Blues brings up an outstanding point that every blogger should understand: PR people do not control ad budgets. They do not have money to give you, and that is not their job. They place editorial for their clients and all they have to work with is product. So when bloggers demand money, they literally can’t help you.
So here’s the big question – why do giveaways at all? Is it an income generator? Is it a traffic driver, in which case, isn’t that your compensation? Is it to just support companies you really really love? Who gets more out of it, the marketer or you?
I think if bloggers considered that then maybe they’d know how to proceed as far as compensation.
And meanwhile, who are these so-called agencies “black balling” bloggers who don’t do their giveaways? WTF kind of relationship is that?
This is a very interesting post – but even more interesting are the comments and responses. I love that a few Marketing/PR reps from various corporations have taken the time to respond (for better or for worse) in this forum.
As someone who has done a few giveaways on my blog at an out-of-pocket expense (that is, I bought a product/gift card, and then hosted my own giveaway), this is really interesting.
I, for one, did those giveaways as a way to give back to my readers, celebrate a milestone, etc. It was a fun way to switch up the content (while still being relevant!).
I’ve been contacted for various reviews/giveaways, and I did sponsor one giveaway in exchange for traffic/product (though, honestly, I never got around to picking my product compensation for that… oops) and the experience wasn’t THAT great. I certainly did gain a few more followers/subscribers, but I as far as I can tell, they aren’t actively involved in my little blogging community — they subscribed for an entry to the contest and that’s that.
I had to move my blog – privacy issues – and found that only half of my readers moved with me. I was disappointed at first, but quickly realized that those who made the move were the “cream of the crop” — at least I got a clear view of who is actually reading!
Thanks for this great post. You’ve really got me thinking.
[...] read this post by British mummy blogger ‘A Modern Mother‘, which refers to another post by American ‘GeekMommy‘. Fascinating stuff, expressed powerfully yet remarkably [...]
This is the best post I’ve read that articulates what I think we’re all feeling… I’m spending as much time (or more) blogging right now than I did when working a full-time job – but for very little, if any, compensation. I think you really hit the nail on the head (so to speak) about the issue of compensating bloggers for their TIME versus their opinion. And just because someone may be paying me something, or providing a product, doesn’t mean that I write anything but my own opinion.
I’m looking forward to seeing you again at BlogHer next month!
perfectly said
Awesome post!! I get some great pitches and I get some bad ones. One bizarre one I’ve received recently was a company who wanted me to let one of their “product experts” guest post on my blog – put an article out there that I would agree to leave up on my site for one year.
That was it. They felt that giving me a post, so I didn’t have to post that day, was the benefit to me. I was baffled! I told them I didn’t need guest posters and if I did I’d ask blogger friends. It was the craziest thing.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! You just posted what I have been saying for two years!
We request an admin fee for giveaways. It is negotiable, and we often waive it understanding that some companies don’t have it in their budget or it is against their policies, etc. BUT I just let the companies know that to run our site and their giveaways, I need to pay staff! We can no longer do it all on our own and so in order to be able to provide these promotion services, we could really use them helping with an admin fee.
The giveaway admin fee has nothing to do with our opinion. We often include a review in the post since that makes for a far more interesting and valuable post for our readers, but that opinion is not affected by the admin fee. (If we do not believe in the product and we don’t want it on our site, we don’t run the giveaway and we return the fee.)
Thanks again for the excellent post and the great discussion. I really enjoyed reading the comments and your replies within them.
Very well written, geekmommy. You sum up everything. Great post!
[...] Somewhat controversial post titled Why Mom Bloggers Aren’t Flipping for Just a Sample of Your Product from GeekMommy. Reading through the comments is more interesting than the [...]
[...] In the past 24 months, there has been a lot written in PR and marketing industry publications about best and worst practices in pitching to moms-who-blog. Given the attention being paid to how to reach out to this marketing niche, one would imagine that the folks handling momblogger pitches would be getting the hang of it by now. Unfortunately, as a blogger who receives several queries a week from brands, businesses and the agencies that represent them, I can tell you that most of the emails I get asking me to review, advertise or promote a product on my blog seriously miss the mark. [...]
I commented pretty early on, so I wanted to comment again, now that I’ve read the rest of the comments.
1. To Adam – Thanks! Your reaching out, personally, and saying “How do I do this right” is exactly what you need to do, what we need to give input on, and what continues the conversation.
2. One point that I think gets lost is… Every.Single.Blog. is different. We each and every one (even if you’re categorized under a label) has a different audience. Some are very commercial, some are very professional (meaning lending itself to a particular profession – not the blogger’s professionalism), some are extraordinarily personal spaces. When you’re asking us to do anything – advertising, reviews, giveaways, or just promoting in any capacity is often in direct correlation to our personal reputation. Not a “company” or “blog” but the personal writer behind the blog. Example: If Acme comes to me – the product reflects on Acme not the person emailing. But the promotion etc. doesn’t necessarily reflect on Sparks and Butterflies for me, but on ME – Michele Wilcox the person. To all PR/Marketing folks – that’s a very important distinction to make.
3. The point that some PR/Marketing professionals are missing is that many of us are discussing compensation for OUR TIME. Because you’re missing the middle man of a publication who is paying the reporter – it simply doesn’t work the same.
4. While I think this is a point that is getting more attention now… Remember – it’s not just our blog numbers. You’re NOT paying for traffic. We have a further reach than our blogs. We use our blogs as a jumping off point – but we’re using other methods – twitter etc. I have a mess load of twitter followers who are interested in what I have to say, but they don’t follow my blog.
5. “Exposure” is not compensation. There are so very many platforms out there that have much better exposure results. Compensation for time is different than exposure for a blog.
Ok. I think I’m done now that I got that off my chest.
[...] Why Mom Bloggers Aren’t Flipping for Just a Sample of Your Product [...]
[...] I do product reviews and giveaways. My reviews are generally done through Mom Central, who drops me a $20 Amamzon.com gift certificate for it (because I’m a book addict people, book addict).Sometimes I’ll do a review through a company that wants to spread the word on their product. I charge $20 for an honest review, unless otherwise worked out through the company. You can’t buy a wholely positive review, but my time and effort is worth some compensation (read here, and here, and here). [...]
@jennydecki
I think the key is treating each blog and blogger individually. First, choosing a blog that aligns with the brand and then approaching the blog in a way that is appropriate.
And I agree with your point that bloggers need to do some soul searching and consider if they have the chops (not just numbers, but community, audience-engagement, expertise, experience, etc.) to back-up their pitch-back.
Sometimes all I need is a sample and I’ll run a review for the sheer pleasure of trying out and sharing something new with my audience.
Sometimes, though, you have a brand or product that is a real fit with my expertise (I have an Ed.M. from Harvard, so if you are pitching me an educational product, I want to be MORE involved). And let’s think of something really exciting we can do together. Don’t just tell me you’ll pass along my information but in the meantime can I just post your press release? Because, no, I won’t.
And yes, I know that media buys are done separately–but here’s the thing about that. If the company is not out there doing media buys on blogs, they aren’t supporting blogging. And if you want a tightly controlled message and your product isn’t an editorial fit but you want to reach my audience, then you need to buy an ad.
I know that you are not trying to take advantage, but I’m not so sure that is true of all of your colleagues.
And I disagree that press releases are successful in the journalistic or glossy editorial world. Big companies that don’t buy ads don’t get the same editorial placement in the print world.
But regardless, I’m starting to think the journalism model is not the right one for most blogs for a variety of reasons. I think most blogs fit better into other models, including word of mouth, expert consultation, and celebrity endorsement.
Again, I know you are just raising points to consider and doing a great job of it–but those other PR people who haven’t blogged…maybe they should try, y’know?
And finally, I love what you say here: “Be kind. We’re all humans behind those email addresses
”
Just wanted to add that I agree with Candace on this point she just made:
“But regardless, I’m starting to think the journalism model is not the right one for most blogs for a variety of reasons. I think most blogs fit better into other models, including word of mouth, expert consultation, and celebrity endorsement.”
[...] is my time really worth? I asked GeekMommy this question last week via twitter because she has a fantastic post on her site and a great show on TechMoms Talk on this very [...]
Hey, just stopping by from stumble. Great post.
I’ll be back to read more of your updates. You seem to have a very interesting bloggy.
[...] posts to check out are GeekMommy’s Why mom bloggers aren’t just flipping for a sample of your product and A Modern Mother’s Please stop asking mummy bloggers to do stuff for free. photo credit: [...]
I can only say good things about any involvement our company has had with bloggers. We are a small business and really don’t have money to do much advertising, but we’re usually happy to trade product for ad space or a review. Fortunately, our product is something people feel is worth a trade! A kind word from a popular blogger is FAR more valuable than a sidebar ad… so we try to to find people who will genuinely like what we’re offering – not just another “mommy-blogging mouthpiece”.
Do bloggers get offended if they are offered a trade? I guess all they can say is “Not interested!” I feel like it can’t hurt to ask….
Mary:
Thanks for the input! I certainly agree with you that asking is a good idea!
Just to clarify tho? My post was specifically about hosting contests – not about reviews &/or mentions – as I said in the post, those are actually far less intense on the blogger-side. A review takes the time it takes to get, use, and write about the product. A contest/giveaway is a whole different animal and takes a lot more time and work.
Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Great post! Glad I finally had time to read it.
Absolutely. Very well written analysis of what it takes to put together a giveaway and what companies expect of bloggers. I am increasingly saying “‘er, no thanks” to the companies which contact. If I am interested in their product, then I don’t mind profiling it or giving it away. Also, my blog is mine. I don’t want to give it away, if you know what I mean. Thanks for writing on this.~~Dee
Great article! As a marketer planning to work with “moms who blog” I will be sure not to commit the same mistakes GeekMommy spoke of so eloquently. Thank you for putting it out and I hope all corporate marketers head your good words…
[...] make your pitch less delete worthy in the future. May I suggest that you go read the very talented Geek Mommy’s take on this. Read the comments. You will see that I am not alone in my feelings. It is a very good [...]
I am so glad I found you through Type A Mom. I thought I was the only one who thought bloggers deserved to be paid for reviews/giveaways. If you paid for a web ad, you’d PAY so why shouldn’t you pay for something that will do better PR for you than an ad??
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Mom Bloggers on Strike: The story behind the controversial Blogger PR Blackout July 22, 1:01 PM http…
I don’t mind blogging for products. Actually I enjoy it because it gives me the chance to try new things BUT I really don’t enjoy being told a company will send me a product in exchange for a review and what I receive is a tiny little 1/2″ tall sample size of the product. How exactly do you want me to form an opinion of your product with this? Not only that but how is it worth my time to write up a review, add in all your links & pics & promote it all for a .50c sample?