Why are you here?
It’s a simple question really. One that I am asking more and more frequently as I meet many of you. Because the lines are blurring and instead of guessing, I am just asking.
Why are you here?
The truth of the matter is I really don’t need to ask. I know why. I can tell. It’s obvious. However I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, so I ask.
Turns out a lot of you lie. You tell me you’re here to hang out. You tell me you’re here because you’ve made so many cool friends. But your site is packed with nothing but reviews and products and freebies and giveaways, so I know better. You want me to do you a favor, as a friend. You want me to read your link, click on your ads, enter your contest, use your product.
You’re here to get rich quick. You’re here to try and make some cash. You’re here to start a business.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
You may call yourself a Mommyblogger, but you don’t really blog about being a Mommy. You may attend the same events and tout your influence…but without any content. And just so you know, I’m not doing more than nodding, smiling, and dismissing you entirely.
I’m dismissing because you’re missing the heart of this whole thing entirely. The whole reason we’re here. The whole purpose of doing what we do. You don’t get it and you don’t care to.
You scream about your power and you yell about your influence and you position yourself in articles and demand attention, but there’s no THERE THERE. Why are you powerful? Is it because you write so wonderfully and make us all laugh or weep when we read? Is it because you participate and write endlessly about the rest of us? Pointing out who’s talking about breastfeeding or who’s got a great point about potty training?
No, you’re hosting a giveaway, selling all our souls for a new mop, and lowering the bar for the next to come along.
You know there is a beautiful old dinosaur of an idea that traditional media has taught us. You clearly separate ads from editorial. Ads and editorial are not the same and you don’t blur the lines. Reviews are clearly marked and disclosed. Giveaways are just that…giveaways, where in you admit you too got yourself the giveaway item. It’s what makes you”credible.” No really, it does. And let me tell you sister right now you are far from credible. But these companies are so desperate to get online and they find you and you find them and then ALL our credibility drops. Thanks for that. Not.
It IS a big Internet though, and this isn’t some exclusive club. You get to go peddle your snake oil wherever and whenever you like. Lucky us. I guess your “authentic voice” is an infomercial. Mine? Parenting, politics, and my life. To each’s own?
A woman with a blog can be a very powerful thing. A woman with kids and a blog can be a very powerful thing. A woman with kids and a BAD blog with no real content will, eventually, fall by the wayside.
Back to how you’re missing the heart of why the rest of us do this. And I think maybe we need a bit of a history lesson here. You see, for those of us who have been blogging since before the trips and free video game systems and parties, there’s a bit of a revolt going on. Why? Because some of you have forgotten the most essential part of what we do. The ENTIRE REASON why we do it…
Community.
Not to make money, even if we are. Not for the free stuff, even if we get it. Not to go off on trips and party without our kids in some hotel bar…even if, holy hell, we like that.
You see we actually did this, and still do it, because of the people we’ve met and the friendships we’ve gained.
If the free stuff and ads washed up tomorrow, I would still be here. If the free stuff and ads washed up tomorrow- would you?
Something tells me you’d be gone and on to the next thing. You wouldn’t be here. And that’s the difference between me and you. You’d drop us all in a heartbeat and we’d stick around to support each other.
It’s wonderful so many women, mothers in particular, can use social media and the online world to make a few extra bucks, or make a career. I am beyond lucky to get to hang with my girlfriends while earning a living. However if my job went away tomorrow, I wouldn’t. DO YOU GET THAT? Do you SEE the difference?
There is a strong and beautiful community writing about their children, their lives, their worlds. We were here before and we’ll be here after. Oh and in case you didn’t notice- we’re on to you.
I wish you the best of luck and I hope you make oodles of cash, but I also hope you move onto the next thing quickly. Because I like my community without the carpetbaggers. The good news is we know who you are, we know what you want, and we’re rolling our eyes.
Thanks to the few of you Mombloggers who pushed me to write this. You know who you are.
*”I want to acknowledge that I’m an employee of BlogHer, but this is my personal blog and reflects my opinion alone. In keeping with my journalistic training, I think there’s a way to do this and to keep your credibility. How?See the paragraph in bold above.”
You are seriously not even on target here. I said in my post it was a BIG internet and they can go peddle their snake oil wherever they hell they want. But I will continue to call it snake oil.
@sweetney makes a good point about there just being MORE…
Erin, you and I have discussed this extensively, and while it was previously merely a source of annoyance, with the possible FTC involvement it’s become much more. Agree wholeheartedly with what Liz said about trading on a name – no, a community – that has been around for years, a community that made me want to be a part of it.
@jane your vents are welcome!
Then dont. Continue to peddle your own. Or shall I be honest and call it BS?
I agree with you on a lot of the points. I have been blogging for 4 years and sooooo much has changed since then. I have started doing some reviews, but they are out numbered by posts about our families finances, marriage, being a mom, etc.
In my four yeas of blogging money has come and gone, I went almost a whole year without making or getting a dime, but I kept doing it because I want to. And if I stopped making money tomorrow, I would still blog, for I am a mommy blogger LOL that last line sounded very cliche!
I guess what I was trying to say is that it’s disappointing that organizations such as BlogHer have become all about “influence” and clearly think it is important and no longer seem to be about “community” at all.
It’s kind of like when you’re favorite indy rock band gets a contract with a major label and suddenly you don’t even recognize their music anymore. It’s a total sell out right?
Why aren’t organization like BlogHer that were created to support the concept blogging “community” crying foul on the entire concept of influence since that’s not why any of us started out here in the first place?
Maybe I’m the lone voice that thinks paid reviewers have no place in blogging at all, fully disclosed or otherwise.
I for one am glad you wrote this post, Erin. It needed to be said, even if noses get out of joint. Carpetbagging is a good way to put it. Some would say we are jealous, but I just think it is damaging to our community. Those that take and take and don’t give anything back; they are the ones who yell the loudest, who get noticed.
I am hesitant to use the “e” word, because, well, ethics aren’t something every one agrees on. But an example of what we are talking about is what is known as “black hat marketing.” The black hatters cookie bait and place data cookies on your hard drive, so when you visit a page from a site with an affiliate link, like Amazon, and make a purchase, the hosting site doesn’t get the credit. Black hatters are many of the coupon code discount sites out there, so again, if you buy something from one site and use a coupon code from another, the first site lost their commission for affiliate marketing. Is this fair? NO. Is it is legal? Yes. For now. It’s a question of ethics. This is a completely different issue from the mommybloggers who focus on the money, but it makes my point. Some carpetbaggers seem to have a gray area when it comes to their practices. . It’s not illegal, so it must be ok.
Some of us have stronger ethics than that. I haven’t made much off my blog. It isn’t because my writing is not engaging, I believe (and have been told) that it is. But I am picky and not willing to accept offers that don’t fit with my blog.
Repeat after me: It’s about the writing, stupid. (as in, Keep it simple, stupid) Not that I believe these shrewd, self-promoting bloggers are stupid, not at all! But they are making money on what many of us have been breaking our backs over, unannounced, for years. And in the process, threatening what we do because of questionable practices.
Thanks for letting me say my piece.
T.
Can I look forward to BS like this to be a major talking point at BlogHer? If not, will you be monitoring everyone and making sure that these “snake oil” sales-moms will get their just desserts? And as for the FTC….you realize that jackass you put into office puts the people making the FTC laws in the positionn to do so, right?
Then do so. But what shall we call yours? BS? Deleting posts because the truth hurts?
No posts or comments have been deleted. In fact I just rescued a bunch from spam.
Melizzard to be clear BlogHer isn’t calling foul on anything, I am. this is my personal blog.
it is about the writing Tina. Totally. Transparancy too
BLogHer sells some of the very same snakeoil that you claim these moms are peddling. You work for them. How ironic.
Clear difference between content and ads. it’s very, very simple. Honesty. Transparency.
and Sarah…but this isn’t about politics right? lol
Well I think I was pretty clear that I realize that they are sadly not crying foul but in fact yelling Bravo! They are certainly not the only one. I only single them out because you do in fact work for them. Perhaps as one of their more influential voices you will be the first to give the wake up call. Those of us who are tired of the noise can only hope.
Melizzard In my mind I am very happy with how BlogHer does stuff. Clearly separating editorial and ads. Content is sponsored and disclosed, etc. That’s why I work for them, because I agree with their principles.
I think empowering an entire community is bound to attract others to the community looking for opportunity. But that’s just me.
As a “mommyblogger” on my own blog, not a BlogHer employee, I can say I like the influence, I like the voice and the empowerment- but it has to come with standards. I think for me the WSJ article was a big turning point. Bringing to light a lot of us have been talking about for months. That got more discussion going. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back on this post for me.
I need to comment again, forgot some things.
Talking about the contests and giveaways generating traffic, I have said before, the extra entries for subscribing to the blog, stumbling posts and otherwise raising SEO of said blog are very disingenuous. How about the site that had it’s own link to it’s own party about 20 times on the blog and in the article itself? Some would say savvy marketing. I say lack of transparency.
And if all those giveaways dried up, would the traffic still be there for those blogs, or are they simply used for what others can get? Full of a lot of fair-weather friends? The content needs to DRIVE the blog, people. Always.
And I wanted to comment to: Tammy and Parker who said:
..”Truth be told, most companies don’t want to waste their time advertising directly to special needs parents. How many kids with disabilities do you see in the GAP or Nintendo advertising. Which makes me wonder if my dollar is worth less than that dollar coming from a parent of a typical child. But that is me going off on a tangent…”
I SO agree. I am seen as an autism blogger because I have 3 children with autism. There aren’t people breaking my door down to give me merchandise, because I guess I don’t fit their marketing needs. My goals for blogging are first and foremost, the writing… and helping other parents along with the journey of autism. And I would continue to do it, no matter what.
I would LOVE to see Blogher do a show on Special Needs Kids. There are a TON of us blogging about it…. come on, Erin!
Ok, now I am done.
T.
Wonderful post. I’ve deleted a lot of blogs lately from my reader because all I see is a daily meme post. Hmm, I’m sorry, I don’t care about portrait this or your day that and how many links that meme got you. I started reading cause you hit a nerve of mine some how.
I’ve blogged for years and I guess I’m doing it wrong cause I should be making a ton of money from it by now. But I don’t do all reviews and I tend to piss people off with my language and my honesty, so I’m probably not a marketing agents dream? lol Oh well, as my title says “telling it like it is and not caring if you agree” 😉
I find the whole thing to be kind of silly and ridiculous. Life is too short.
I’m laughing on this end because I feel like I’m trying to desperately agree with you and yet you seem to see it just the opposite way. Maybe it’s because it’s almost 2am.
I’ll leave it at this. I completely agree: Bloggers, mommy or otherwise, as reviewers (most especially the non-disclosing types and little to no other content types) are for crap and completely uninteresting. Of late the words “giveaway” have been my number one reason for un-subscribing a blog from my reader.
But I don’t think speaking out against them as individuals really solves anything unless we also speak out against the larger organizations that in the name of blogging seem to be producing them, or giving them ideas, or applauding them, or supporting them – or more importantly trying to figure out how to leverage them to the organizations advantage. I’d like to eliminate both the symptom and the cause.
gotcha 😉
This is the kind of thing that makes me feel so out of it. I have no idea what prompted this discussion. Everyone is very black or white on the issue. How is it I didn’t even notice this was happening. Typical of me. I have to confess that I think there has to be brutal honesty when we’re engaging our communities online. If anyone is paid or otherwise rewarded to mention a product or service I want that fact clearly displayed like in magazines that have to disclose content is advertisement, no matter how slick it looks.
Exactly Florencia. “Sponsored by” is not a hard thing to say or write.
This is a pretty self-righteous entry, I’ve got to say. Just because someone accepts an offer to host a giveaway on her site (Mommy or otherwise) doesn’t mean she’s automatically sold out or that she’s always been – or will start to become – someone who only blogs for the money or the fame. If you become a blogger and stick with being a blogger, if you care about blogging & what you have to say regardless of how many people read it, you, IMHO, are a legitimate blogger.
If you, Erin, didn’t have 124 comments per entry, would YOU keep blogging? Because I have approximately 0-5 per entry, and I’m still at it – for more than a year now. To presume that someone else who includes a giveaway in her blog is in it only for the glory is to ignore the fact that YOU, Miss Queen of Spain, still got your glory from someplace, even it was from elsewhere – whether it came from BlogHer for tweeting or your own genius or WHATEVER, you got your followers from someplace. But if you lost them, as easily as an occasional giveaway blogger could if the so-called sponsors dried up, would YOU still be here? Or are you only in it for people to listen? For the community?
And if the answer is no, more power to you. I’m just saying that you found your fame one way; other people will find it others. If it takes the occasional giveaway to get more people to read the everyday things that I write on my blog, SO BE IT. I hosted a single giveaway & gained at least 10 new readers who now comment regularly, and I won’t diminish their importance on my page just because they found me through wanting free stuff. I won’t be ashamed of that, of my own PR to promote myself, and neither should anyone else. I’m NOT in it for the community, OR for the sponsors – I’m in it because I’m writer, no matter who’s paying attention. And who are you to judge that?
We’re very surprised that it took 100 comments before someone hit the nail on the head and put the blame for this situation right where it belongs…on President Obama! Duh.
Love this post Erin! (big surprise, can’t think of one of your rants I didn’t…)
But here’s another caveat to the unwary: If you don’t want people mistaking you for a Mommy Blogger? Don’t use the term ‘Mommy’ in your Twitter ID. 😉
I say this because I can’t say how many times I’ve said “I’m not a Mommy Blogger” and had someone say “But your name is GeekMommy!” (no, my name is Lucretia… GeekMommy is a brand…)
Here’s the thing: I blog about a lot of things. If I had to classify myself, I’m a Life Blogger – I blog about whatever I feel like. Sometimes that’s tech. Sometimes social media. Sometimes it’s a review of a product or event. Sometimes it’s a sponsored post. Every time it’s clear what I’m doing – and really, if someone doesn’t want my honest opinion? They’re dealing with the wrong gal.
But it’s been hard of late. I know all of these AMAZING Mommy Bloggers… and if one of them mistakenly called me a Mommy Blogger? I’d think it was a huge compliment. But usually the people trying to call me that are people who have a) never read my blog, and b) trying to put me in a box that Marketers think they get (they don’t.)
I keep getting quoted as saying “the only thing that Mom Bloggers have in common aside from Passion and Strong Opinions is that they have at least one child, and they have at least one blog.” But other than that? Diversity is the norm.
But that’s *Mom* Bloggers in my book. Mommy Bloggers? That’s a different bird, and not just because of a couple of letters. Those are women who have tight bonds, a strong sense of community, and can tell you everything about everyone else’s kids, lives, and taste in background colors.
Okay, I’m rambling… but I guess in the end I’m trying to say that the labeling is something that’s good from the inside, but when applied by outsiders? Is probably not done with good intent.
I think it’s clear from most of the hateful comments that some people are just not going to “get” this post, period. Anyone can go back and see that you get comments just like everyone else, and 100+ is not your norm. This just happens to be a fire-y one sparking lots. That happens with good blog posts from time to time even if your comment isn’t an entry to win something.
Also, for those saying you need to keep “your side of the street clean” that is exactly what *I* feel like your post was trying to do. And again many are missing that point.
I’m not a mommy at all but I wanted to tell you that I love love love this post.
I dont’ think Kate even read this post. Who’s talking about people who’ve had ONE giveaway?
I’m amazed at how defensive people are getting.
Pretty sure I know why too. How many of the rest of you got phone calls to come comment?
lol uh huh.
And a hush fell over the room.
Thank you for posting this Erin. I think better disclosure policies are just in order, for example I rarely get or ask a product for myself when I host a giveaway, and would hate my readers to think that I do.
Thank you for posting this, Erin. You made some really good points. I’ve been blogging for three years, and only recently have I been getting a few offers for reviews, or samples sent to me. I’ve never been really sure how to go about that end of blogging, because for me, blogging isn’t about that at all. It’s about writing.
There are many blogs out there that I stopped reading because their writing became all memes, or reviews. The ads clog up their pages and I’m assaulted with blinky, in-your face advertising every time I visit their pages. I don’t have any advertising yet on my own blog…maybe I’m missing the boat, but so far I haven’t felt the need to have it. Also I’m just darn picky.
However you did give me a wake up call-I do a series post called Fabulicious Friday, where I do highlight products we have tried and love in my home. I realized that I need to write a disclosure policy stating that I have not been paid to review any of those products-ever.
Yeah, I’m reminded why I should not comment on other people’s blogs or write on my own while under the influence at 3 a.m., though I don’t think I was particularly defensive and I still think this is a self-righteous post. I just think it shouldn’t particularly matter to anyone who blogs about what or how or why they do it.
my follow up has been posted
and disappeared. lol working on it!
I’ve been following all the subsequent comments since I left mine yesterday. I really must be in a hole. I had no freaking idea people were hiding ads in their posts or even getting paid to do a giveaway. WTF? You are so right Erin. There should be transparency. And what the heck is a Mommy Blogger Trip? Is this where moms have been invited to a company to look at a new product or test out a new car? Guess I’m out the loop and kinda glad to be.
I’ll stick to making money from freelancing for outlets that like what they read on our blog.
Very good Blog!
I don’t blog (though some people tell me I should) and have only been reading blogs since getting on Twitter. I guess I’m naive when I’d read blogs about products thinking the writers were normal people who happened to like products and just happened to be passing the word about it. But the more blogs I read about this baby powder, that juice, etc the more I realized there’s more behind it than the courtesy of passing along a good product.
This in turn led me to wonder if these bloggers actually used the product at all! I feel tricked, which in turn makes me want to return to the site. You are right, there is a certain amount of credibility that comes with reviewing or even talking about products etc. In media print, when this is sponsored there is a clear ‘advertisement’ label on the page. And if it were done the magazine I would clearly not buy it or unsubscribe.
Marketing has gotten much tricker in this modern age and it angers me as a Special Needs mom who has more important things to figure out like motives of education administrators etc, that I have to determine if some blogs are being manipulative ads & product placement or are they sharing information in the spirit of community.
When I hear the word “blog,” I think of a window into someone’s living room, workplace, or life, not a contest or giveaway or meme or a post that starts out about children or whatever but turns out it’s really just a lead-in to a bunch of links and testimonials and a big push to buy something. A blog is a real party, not a Tupperware party. People know IN ADVANCE that a Tupperware party is going to be a product pusher, not a real party. A blogger writes about himself/herself and his/her LIFE, and permits us all to share in it. I’ve been blogging for over five years now, and I love it more every day. Occasionally I mention a product or movie or book, etc, but I’ve NEVER been paid for writing about it on my own blog, which means, I honestly genuinely just discovered something and wanted to share that discovery with my readership because I thought they might enjoy it, too, the few times I’ve done that.. I read several blogs that occasionally do the pay-per-post thing, under one name or another, but who MOSTLY write about themselves and what’s going on with THEM, and who make it very, very clear that the occasional marketing post is just that: a marketing post. Paid marketing is advertisement, and blogging is true personal writing.
Marketers write about products. There is no comparison..
Bloggers who fill the majority of their sites with links and ads-disguised-as-content are not true bloggers. They are product pimps. A business with a blog does this daily, because it’s appropriate there. But if I go to a personal blog expecting some insight, wisdom, humor, day-to-day living, sharing, experiences, etc, and get smacked in the face with major pimpage about a branded product, I’m offended and I won’t go back.. About such “bloggers,” I have to call “faker.”
I am not talking about actual ads. I have BlogAds on my blog and I love them!!!! But I don’t WRITE about products on my personal blog. Not for money.
I love this post, Erin, and I agree 100%. Perhaps those who are upset by it should take a good long look at their own blogs. If what they are passing off as actual “content” is MOSTLY give-aways, contests, memes, reviews, and reasons why I should buy a certain product, well, hmm, methinks perhaps they doth protest too much?
As you said in your post, an occasional dip into the money pot is fine. Heaven knows we all need some cash. Desperately, even. But if you’re going to call what you do “blogging,” stick with personal stuff. Rant, rave, get excited, give us details, tell us why, ask for opinions, etc, but please do so about real posts about the real life you really lead, not about a particular laundry detergent or a novel or a car or actually anything you’ve been paid to mention.
Unless your “blog:” is entitled “A Mom Looks At Detergent,” nobody wants to hear about how much you adore Tide when they read it. They want to read about YOU.
I just DMed you, but guess what I am talking about at Ignite Boulder this week? “Why Mommybloggers Suck and What We can Learn From Them.”
The inspiration for which came from conversations with so many “mommybloggers” like yourself that know both sides of the coin.
Clearly, I am feeling VERY VERY similar.
What a great and timely post, especially in light of the “Paid to Pitch” article in the 4.23 issue of the WSJ. As a blogger of over two years, and one who routinely receives between 0-5 comments, clearly making money and achieving recognition on a grand scale are not among my motives. I have to admit that frequent product reviews on a blog turn me off. Although I receive numerous requests weekly, I have only done one review to date. To say that it left a sour taste in my mouth would be an understatement. I’ve never done a giveaway either, but have mixed feelings about doing so. If a giveaway serves as a means to attract more readers to an entertaining and/or thought-provoking blog, then I do not see any harm in it. I’ve see far too many lackluster blogs in this sphere of ours that have huge followings. This mystifies me. To me, community means not being cliquish, supporting one another, and venturing beyond one’s exclusive comfort zone. For those of us who do not have time to read and comment on hundreds of posts in our readers (and I fall in this category), I love discovering a “hidden gem.” If a giveaway is the means of this discovery, then I am glad of it.
Hey Hey queen of Spain. I will say your post is very queen of spanish :). I do hope you are not talking about those of us that do reviews on our blogs as well as being a mom that blogs.
Do I blog about daily life with kids on my blog, yes, maybe not as much as you or some other joe schmo. However I do also do reviews and giveawayws but none of them are paid, I say in my post that I had the chance to review this item blah blah blah. If I were paid to do a review imho it would make it not worth it to me. As of right now I write about whatever comes up. My children posts are few and far between b/c I have a blog that is dedicated to only them for fear of the freaks coming around LOL.
I would never accept a paid ad for something I would not use myself (though I have only have one paid ad in my entire blogging career, that is pretty sucky huh LOL). If it is something I wouldn’t use or feel comfortable with promoting to non online friends or family then there is NO WAY I would put an ad up for it on my site. It’s equivalent to prostituting in the blogosphere right LOL. Product reviews I turn down quite frequently UNLESS it is something I would actually consider buying for myself.
I too have been thinking along the lines of reviews and such with blogger and came to a realization that my blog is slowly forming into what I don’t want it too. I want to love blogging and if I do a product review here and there that’s great if I can reward my readers with giveaways that’s awesome. However I am transparent in saying I received something to review and will not put paid ads up (in fact only have one now) with companies or products I don’t agree with and yes when people do that it does give us mom bloggers a bad name.
So I am assuming you are lumping the ones that prostitute their blogs to pay their bills by pimping products they don’t like or hosting ads they would never use is who you are talking about? I just think it is going to make those of us who do even a few reviews feel like we need to “stand up” for our decision when we in fact are being transparent. It is sort of lumped all together and really we all aren’t giving “mommy bloggers” a bad name.
That’s the blogstitutes and bitches that do that, not the plain jane mommy blogger that happens to do reviews and giveaways 😉
oh and i agree with moodswingmommy about the cliques and such, i dont’ like those either, blogging is about fun and getting your thoughts out, reviews and giveaways if that is your niche but high school behavior is not attractive at all and I have seen A LOT of it the past few months..so so sad
I guess I just focus on what I’m doing — I, unfortunately, haven’t had the privilege of going to any conferences and “actually” meeting anyone, and that inevitably leaves me a little on the outside of what I see (from my viewpoint) as a wonderful, supportive, loving community.
Nonetheless, I’ve found the community supportive and tolerant and accepting. I’ve gotten and given endless support — that is, indeed, a lot of what this is blogging thing is about for me.
For me, is also so much about doing a “service.” About offering my readers truth, and things to think about, and making them laugh, etc.. It’s about representing motherhood in the raw and giving voice to things I stand for….
On my website, I created a site separate from my “main” blog to promote products that I believe in — ecofriendly, for example, or fun for my readers. I do work so hard on my personal blog that it’s really nice to get some compensation. But, my integrity is everything. My readers are everything. I’d never recommend anything or promote anything I wouldn’t use myself or that I don’t believe in. It’s really unfortunate that this happens — gives the rest of us a bad name….
Wonderful post, Erin, thank you….
I love that people keep referring to the WSJ article since the two bloggers they mentioned, Jessica Gottlieb and myself do disclose, are transparent, and do provide content in addition to any kind of reviews or giveaways.
In fact, when I was approached about being interviewed for the article, the reporter told me that the story was going to be about how big companies are engaging with social media.
I spent almost an hour talking to the reporter I spoke too, and I’ll tell you…I spent more time talking about how I’m excited about being able to work virtually doing what I went to school for (and thank goodness since I’m still paying off the student loans for that education), working with moms that want the best of both worlds too, and how I came to the decision to stay home with my son and pursue a career at the same time.
I’ll reiterate what I said before, I can’t control what other people do with their blogs, I can only worry about my own. And as my blog grows, so does the demographic that reads it…at the end of the day I blog what I want and hope that I continue to add value to my readers.
I just had this other thought.
I think that maybe there are some bloggers who don’t know any better. They’ve come to blogging at the peak of all this marketing madness and they just assume that the giveaways/reviews/stuff is part of the game. I found an article recently at Mom Bloggers Club that offered a list of things all mom blogs MUST HAVE. And it was all about things like making your email visible so marketers can find you and making sure you own your domain so that marketers will think you’re “professional” (unlike me I guess). I thought wow, wait, why MUST all mom blogs HAVE THIS? And why is this post making me want to cry.
Crazy, I know, but not everyone’s here for the free toilet paper.
I read your blog because I, like you, am from Detroit. I agree & appreciate a lot of what you have to say. I came to you from Momocrats.
I write my blog for my daughter & family as a record of what’s going on with us. I have very few ads on my site & only one that generates money. I am in process of developing a business, but I haven’t blogged about that once. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. It is a part of our life & my plans to improve our lives, so it only makes sense that I would. But yes, I get annoyed with some bloggers that I genuinely like pandering to me.
Wow! I love this post. I felt the same way when I first started blogging (less than a year ago), but didn’t feel that I had the right to say anything about it and only mentioned it in passing.
I know for a fact that LOTS of people only start blogging to make money.
I couldn’t read all of the comments, but someone mentioned people that leave comments all over the blogosphere. I have to admit, I do like comments….that adds to the community and I’m not mad at the people I’ve met from their random comments on my blog. I love feeling like I’m not talking to myself!
Anywhoo, great discussion!!!