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.”
My daughter was 4 (http://allied.blogspot.com/2002/12/word-of-day-toink.html) when I started blogging as a mom, a writer, a marketer, a sister/aunt/wife/teacher/friend/nice-person/ass/human being. She’ll be 12 in September. Yep, that’s a long time.
In 2001, we didn’t classify ourselves as mommy bloggers, fashion bloggers, tech bloggers (oh and do THEY ever get cool stuff to review!), etc. We came to find a voice, and we stayed because we found each other. As the blogosphere grew, so did the number and variety of business models. Blogher, for which I was a founding advisory board member, among now-thousands of other blog networks, are businesses. Their network of affiliates have jobs to do and expectations for posting and behavior both inside and outside of the network.
As you say, transparency is key.
I have to say, when I started blog sisters in 2002, and even on my own blog, as hard as I tried to make myself do it, I could never seem to segment my self or my writing into that narrow, tight, branded swatch called “mom blogger” or “PR blogger” or any other kind of category blogger.
I think those of us who arrived early were naturally drawn into conversations. We spent a lot of time just trying to keep our blogrolls up to date and figuring out how to re-design our templates! We really weren’t worth much to marketers who really didn’t know we were here. And it was good.
At the same time, I think that good writing is good writing, and whether that good writer wants to write product reviews, or fashion tips, or rants about work, or dating advice, or offer tips to new parents, or turn sales pitches into poetry, as long as that writer hasn’t broken the trust of his or her readers, then all’s good.
For too long, the only people to make any significant money off of online publishing were the male tech elite. I for one have been glad to see moms making some cash. I mean REALLY.
On a personal note, the coolest thing I’ve ever received from blogging wasn’t given to me by a corporation, but by my readers. When my old laptop died, they raised $1400 to buy me a macbook. The second coolest thing was when Dodge did it’s mom campaign and I got to drive the new Dodge Grand Caravan around for a week with my daughter and her friends, who were IN HEAVEN. I drive a venture value van with crank windows, so you can imagine what having satellite tv was like! But that was long ago, before the REAL mommy bloggers hit the scene and stole the attention away from us ‘bloggers who happen to be moms.’
NOW, when the Menopause Bloggers become the darling of the marketing folks, please feel free to give them my email, because I could really use some free wrinkle cream, ginko biloba, good books on staying sane, and an egg timer so I don’t forget to turn off the stove.
Thank you for your post and for allowing me to revisit the good old days. 😉
Jeneane maybe that’s exactly it. maybe I just need to embrace the chance and ignore those who are, in my mind, doing it wrong. lol
Well I wouldn’t go hugging on change too closely – there’s a flu virus going around!
Seriously, what you said needed to be said – and as you pointed out, thankfully there are those who were here before, will be here during, and will hopefully be here after the fascination wanes. In the mean time, track record = credibility = trust.
It is easy to be seduced by the giveaways and that’s where the bloggers in the US have the advantage because marketers see the value. Australia is getting there with this type of stuff and I freely admit I like free stuff and hopefully clearly delineate my reviews/giveaways from everything else I do. I’ve just had my five year blogging anniversary and I started blogging because I love to write and if the occasional freebie and a few cents from people clicking on my ads disappeared I would still be around.
Honestly, I thought that the whole point of mom blogs was that moms could do whatever they wanted with “their piece” of the web.
Personally, my blog is more informational – a mixture of giveaways, reviews, “expert” interviews on topics that are of interest to “my moms” – with a “sprinkling” of my life. What is that to anyone else if that’s what my core readers like and I’m being honest and upfront about it.?
*As far as making money – not! It really is my “labor of love” – I don’t even allow paid advertising.
(Or maybe I just don’t “get” the whole thing because my blog is an extension of an actual offline moms group.)
In any case, I feel like this whole “memoir” versus “review” mom blogger debate is a little distracting. Why do women/moms have to be so extreme/ “calling one another out”? Live and let live. To each her own. But that’s just my opinion…
well said kimberly 😉
I love this article because I feel the same way! Content and community are the things that make blogs worth reading. I recently did a 3 part series on my blog about my family’s recent trip to Disney World. I got comments saying that I should blog for Disney. While I wouldn’t turn down a free vacation to Disney World ever, I would have to make sure that I would be free to say whatever I wanted to say and be honest about my experience.
I try to write with authenticity and I think my readers know that. Credibility is key for a blog to survive.
I really think everyone is missing the point. This has nothing to do with review blogs vs memoir blogs. This has everything to do with those jumping on the bandwagon, starting a blog of either kind, and not being honest about it. Carpetbaggers. Opportunists. Used car salesman.
If you are not one of those, I really don’t see why there is an objection.
I can’t help by whole-heartedly agree. Kudos for calling it like you see it (and like it is).
Hallelluia!
Hallelluia!
Hallelluia!
and one more, just to let you know what I really think of this post:
Hallelluia!
I think you are a complete idiot and so jealous of the moms getting all the loot~! You sound so bitter.
awww thanks for stopping by Natasha. Shocker? I get all the free shit too. I just don’t write about it. 😉 and IF I DID, I would disclose and be transparent.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I usually twitter about it. And say, for example, “1800flowers gave me some flowers” “anyone want a discount?”
god. that’s so easy. in 140 characters or less.
I find it interesting that some people are taking this so personally. Really, if being called out like this upsets a person so much, I think they need to take a deep look at their motivations for blogging. A person can do reviews and giveaways on their blog, and get all sorts of free stuff, and still be community driven, as this blog and many others are.
I think so many are totally missing the point of this post. It’s not that review blogs are bad. It’s not that getting free stuff is bad. It’s when a person is misrepresenting themselves and their relationship to PR reps and companies that is bad. It’s when someone makes it seem like they went out and bought all this stuff and that they’re reviewing it from the goodness of their heart, but really they went out and begged it from various companies, essentially making them paid bloggers. Getting paid for blogging is okay. Misrepresenting yourself and pretending you don’t get paid is not okay.
I’ve seen it on other blogs, and I’ve recently experienced someone pretending to represent one of my sites, which she has no association with, to try to get free stuff. I suspect that this person and others out there like that, who take advantage of others and lie about their associations that is the problem.
exactly Gwynne. Exactly. and those people slipping product mentions into posts and not disclosing they got paid to do it.
sigh. am glad someone got it
Ahhh Gwyne I think you said it beautifully, I will say I was one who completely misunderstood (after tweeting wth qos) I think it was worded in a way that is making people mis understand or maybe I am just a dummy LOL. All the points you just made in your comment I 100% agree with 🙂
I have to agree with Gwynne– I think people are totally missing the point of what Erin was trying to say. And if bloggers don’t care about being transparent for ethical issues– maybe they’ll care when their entire site gets de-indexed from Google for having an unmarked sponsored conversations loaded with do-follow links. (Wendy Piersall wrote about weeks ago here http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/the-three-kinds-of-sponsored-conversations-paid-trade-straight/ )
LOL again I type in some cryptic way, clarifying above sentence…i misunderstood UNTIL i tweeted with qos LOL then i was like ohhhhhhh 🙂 I type as I think and sometimes it’s all a jumbled mess 🙂
Mommyof3 I do tend to write that way. It’s true.
Just to clarify: I have not been paid for the endless mentions of wine drinking, cosmo consumption and gin and tonic imbibing that happens on my blog. Nor has The Betty Ford Center approached me with a giveaway. Weird.
I’d take a vodka or wine sponsor. lol
The mistake the brandwagon hitchhikers are making is that “free stuff” is good compensation. They fall away because they wise up. I’ve been blogging here there and everywhere and reviewing products on assorted sites for four yrs now. And guess what? Stuff has never been compensation for my writing. If it were, I can assure everyone the pay would have been total shit for the time spent! I’d be better off bagging groceries and just buying myself the occasional stroller or laptop bag with my salary.
What’s the point in not disclosing you got the product to try for free? Or not fessing up that mop co and cereal inc are paying you to say clever stuff about them? It’s stupid to shoot yourself in the voicebox like that. Authenticity is the biggest coin in our market. Lose it and you lose everything.
I DO think it’s awesome, meanwhile that bloggers are being paid for their (honest, disclosed) time and effort promoting products they actually believe in. Kudos to those who do it well. It’s clearly not for everyone.
One thing is for sure… The $ amount is never going to be satisfaction enough for many bloggers, myself included. The real prize is exactly what you claim – community. Being in a conversation with like minded (or non like minded!) smart women. It’s the only thing that has kept me sane the last four years. The only thing that has kept me writing.
I really have to ask though: who are these women who are telling lies and misrepresenting? If they suck so much, why should we care? Cream always rises.
Meanwhile I am concerned that there is so much talk about these “blog whores” (I even wrote an article about it on LAmomsBlog recently) without the actual concrete evidence of their misbehavior. I certainly invite people to prove my theories wrong. I’m ok with being wrong. I just want to see the evidence.
Erin, I hate to see mud slung but I almost wish if you were going to fling the muck, you’d name the target. I don’t think it does anyone much good to stir up a tempest in a teacup that is so inflammatory, but ultimately just spinning in place. Who is the problem? Your readers are responding in a twitchy fashion – Oooh… does she mean me? You… Who? What specifically? That sort of post is good. For traffic. But it’s not fair.
For me it’s frustrating. I think perhaps, intentionally unclear. Which is ironic. Because you must have some ideas who you mean. And you are not disclosing. And not disclosing is what has you so irate about these other bloggers. This bit troubles me.
How can we all move on to any kind of resolution and closure, and place of honesty without disclosing the facts? All of them. Facts are what ultimately make our opinions noteworthy.
I think there is a danger in naming names. I really do. I can think of several off the top of my head but what if I got the story wrong on one? Or what is one is simply guilty by association? I think we all know they are there and we all can recognize who they are, as do they. I’m 99% sure of those who I *know* took the same product xyz blogger took but didnt’ disclose it in her post… that sort of thing. but that 1% makes me not want to drag someone’s name through this mud. I protect myself and the innocent by being general and that may mean some getting caught in the crossfire get bent out of shape, so be it. If your or their nose is clean, it shouldn’t be an issue.
Let the FTC name the name, and I’ll just nod and go…yup, I thought so.
As someone who recently named names when it came to this — and I got berated behind the scenes — I would also discourage you from doing this.
It could all become very “junior high” within a few Tweets…
I recently wrote two guest posts for ListickDaily.com in which I chronicled my misadventures with several makeup and hair-removal products, the end results all being very painful.
I actually paid for that shit.
Just to be clear, y’all.
LOL
Don’t go there Erin… it’s not as if anyone paying close attention doesn’t have their suspicions – but it’s just too hard to prove and then it b/c a “Erin doesn’t like me, that’s why she named me!” thing and seriously? Who needs it.
If it’s really bad, the FTC will go after someone.
I’ve seen some things I think are borderline – but then – I also started being rather “over the top” a few months back and labeling everything on my blog in the headline… even if it’s just random thoughts – but I did that more for the folks who subscribe by reader but might not want to read a product review, but totally want to read about my crappy day – or vice versa. Then the FTC thing came out and someone said “is *that* why you started doing that?!” Um, no. I was trying to be helpful to my readers, not to avoid any suspicion of impropriety, lol.
I don’t see the point in not saying that they sent you something and you tried it. Is the object for people to think that they bought it themselves and then did all the product mentions?
I know that I’ve reviewed products that I just happen to own that I think other people should own, but I try to be clear that I bought it vs. it was given to me.
Either way, I’m not sure why anyone cares what someone else is doing on their blog. I guess I don’t pay enough attention.
“To Think Is To Create” asked what is so “ick” about blogging about a CD I liked and that I was telling folks about anyway. (I believe mine was the comment that was in regards to, anyway.)
It’s a good question…
There isn’t anything inherently icky about it. I just decided it’s not really my thing. I don’t often write about CD/books/what have you that I love period. So blogging about one in a “formal” review situation seemed odd — even though I did REALLY love the CD. Similarly, I take lots of photos, and am fairly good at it. But it would seem weird to me to blog about photo tips on my blog, simply because that type of thing is not what my blog is about. However, it seemed NORMAL to do the occasional giveaway of one of my prints (during Bloggygiveaways.com’s now-defunct bloggy carnival), because they were my images and many of my readers had indicated an interest in having one.
Am I saying I’ll NEVER do a formal review or a giveaway for something again? No. Am I saying I’ll go looking for these opportunities? No, probably not.
I don’t watch infomercials. I don’t care how good the production values are or how great the product is. I don’t like being thought of as stupid by the person selling me the product.
I was also thinking…I totally respect when someone doesn’t want to review products and lets the companies know that so that they don’t send them to them with the hopes of getting a review. If you are not writing a review blog, that’s the right thing to do. If you are writing a review blog, the people reading it are looking for reviews and they want to know what you think. I also think it’s ethical to let a company know if you didn’t love the product and review it accordingly.
Whew! I made it. I read the post. Read the comments. Now I will add my 2 cents. I am a fairly new blogger, I have been blogging for about ten months now. When I started my blog it was with the intent to “get back into writing” and promote my diaper cake business. I was completely clueless about the “business” of blogging.
Writing on a daily basis I found myself talking about my son from time to time, my business occasionally and I spent the majority of the time talking about things I found interesting, including social responsibility and some politics. I also began to notice that there were “perks” of blogging and thought to myself that was very nice and perhaps I would experience that one day.
Slowly I built up traffic – using various methods – commenting, entrecard, and becoming a member of various communities. Not because of ads but because I wanted people to read what I had to say and give me feedback. And because by doing these things I was able to meet people. I developed a community, a vast one I might add. Because I really am a social person and “meeting” people is something I love to do.
As a result opportunities have come my way and not to flood my regular blog with a bunch of reviews I started a separate blog that is all reviews. I do the occasional review on my main blog and always disclose.
I think if everyone discloses it would be beautiful. There is no harm in admitting that you are given products to review, giveaway or are even paid to blog about. It seems that this is an easy solution and I don’t really understand the difficulty in disclosure.
I enjoy writing and the community that I have found. If it weren’t for my friends I would have a hard time blogging. I can talk to myself or write in my journal if I wanted to be alone out here.
I wrote a book but it is all to say – I agree with you. Disclose, write what you want to write but disclose. There is space here for all of us – reviewers/giveaways etc, do you but be honest about it.
I can’t sing AMEN enough. This is precisely the (albeit sad) reason why I stopped blogging so regularly.
Thank you. THANK YOU for saying so eloquently what so many of us have been screaming about inside our heads and searching for a way to put it into words.
I’m really confused about what you (The Queen) claim the extent of the this problem is. After reading the post and the reply to Momfluential’s (very direct, on-point) query about the matter — I have no idea if you’re claiming this is a rampant industry-wide issue, or just a couple blogs you have a beef with that you’d like to smear but can’t because you have no actual evidence. I’m a pretty avid on-line reader. Maybe I have too high an opinion of myself, but I’m pretty sure I can smell the BS of inauthentic reviews and endorsements. “Inauthentic” is the word I’ using, which is not at all the same thing as “sponsored” or “has received samples”.
The only thing I care about is whether or not the blogger who’s review I’m reading actually likes the product she’s reviewing, and why. I really don’t care one way or the other if she’s received compensation or not, though I definitely grade the writer — and the review — higher if she describes how she came across the product and her relationship with the product manufacturer (if there is one).
I don’t think there are well-read blog review or any other well-read “mommyblogging” sites where this kind of thing is happening with any frequency. Certainly none that have any significant or lasting market impact — online readers are too savvy to be fooled in any great numbers. The whoring you are complaining about just doesn’t exist in any significant amount.
Very well written and poignant article. I agree with you. I am blogging for myself, friendship, and support. I enjoy having a voice. I also try to be a voice of comfort, laughter, and support for others. Thanks for sharing…..
I’m a blog nobody without a dog in this fight, but I much prefer your take on it over the blogwhore responses to you I’m seeing elsewhere.
Ha. I’d love it if I made any more money on my blogs than to barely cover my costs. I do plenty of giveaways and product reviews, but that’s what my blog is (my eco-blog, ecochick.ca, I mean): it’s a blog to highlight ecofriendly products. I do it because I love ecofriendly stuff and I want to encourage people to find the cool products and use them.
I’m not sure if you’re lumping everyone with ads and giveaways into the same pot together, and if you disapprove of my kind of blog there isn’t much I can do about that. But I love my little labour of love, and I won’t be changing much about it.
I don’t think I’d blame just the “carpetbaggers” (nice inflammatory term, there). Today I went to Dooce, saw that she had compared her pregnant belly to a Pepsi logo, and wondered if Pepsi paid for the placement. I’d say, at that point, credibility is gone across the board.
I don’t know. My life and thoughts are worth more than a mop. Or a KitchenAid. Or a trip to Ohio to swoon over diapers. I guess that’s why I don’t blog.
Dig it.
I write about life, or just picture or whatever.
I have done and will continue to do reviews on things I receive or things I’ve tried out on my own, but I am always totally transparent about where they came froma nd I’ve even been known to write some brutally honest reviews that are negative about the product.
If all that stuff went away – hell yes, I’d still be here writing about the kids and the food and the life.
Well done!
Thanks for this post (came here via typeamom). As a former academic (meaning, not from marketing/PR circles), I had never heard about advertorials until I started Boston Mamas and companies started asking if they could buy them. I was utterly depressed to think about all the products I had purchased in the past thinking they were real product reviews when they were really advertorials. Scummy. I look at print ads/features in a whole new way, scouring for the fine print.
I don’t believe in pay for play and I write my blog because I want to create a resource and sense of community and share cool ideas with people. I’m glad to read posts like this and feel that there are still plenty of like minded bloggers out there.
-Christine
I don’t have time to read everyone’s comments (Obviously), bu this is BANG ON.
You wrote exactly what has been bouncing around in my brain for a while now.
Well done.
“but” this. Some writer I am.
Actually, methink’s you’re playing Devil’s Advocate for a specific reason ~ traffic.
My first WAHM was to help other’s transition into blogging where I chronicle my experiences, hardships, successes and the intention was (and still is) to help other’s learn. I am known to Rant when I calls um as I sees um, so I put up a “Disclaimer” on my About Me page to warn off the faint of heart. I actually even have a separate “Rant” tab.
I then branched out and separated into a 2nd blog, where I write about ( Mommy stuff, Grandma stuff & college kid/adult children stuff!) so I woudn’t “bore” my readers who wanted to read about WAHM tips.
I’m not a professionally trained journalist (although my brother is! Maybe some of it might rub off on me).
Then, I branched out and started a (gasp!) Product Review blog ~ figured I have over 30+ years as a consumer, and have bought and paid for many products in my lifetime as a teen, wife, mom & grandmom ~ why not compare the old with the new? I disclose, BTW.
My interests also include cooking and recipes so I now have yet another, 4th blog.
I want to retire from my day job. Wouldn’t hurt if I could earn enough from my blogs to pay my monthly hosting fees.
We follow eachother on Twitter. Lately it’s been a one-sided conversation. WTF is up with that? But thanks for your tip about putting Vicks on my feet to help me breath.
It worked. See, I’m not such bad company to hang out with, am I, for a gram.
This blog has never been about getting traffic.
And how do I put this without sounding snarky…because I am not…but I follow 11K people on twitter and I can’t respond to every single @. I converse when I can with things that interest me. Sometimes I get hundreds of @’s to one thing I said. I can’t answer them all. But I do think I do a decent job of engaging and talking.
I find it ironic that female interaction sometimes takes on the same shape online as it does in “real life” – eg. clicky and catty.
It is also ironic that you use the expression “to each his own” multiple times in your write up, yet you are obviously pointing out why you and “those who encouraged you to write this” disagree with your own assertion. If it is to each his own, why begrudge those that came along after those of you that started mommy blogs for years without having the insight to make money from the opportunity.
Is this article really driven by your annoyance with profitable blog writers, or is it disappointment that you and yours used your blogs for online diaries and community building for years with no financial reward? If your community really does do blogging for the community benefits you describe, why despise those that do it for other reasons… after all, to each his own, right. Online product review forums, “mommy product review sites”, etc. are a budding medium that marketers are utilizing for a reason. If someone chooses to provide this medium to people who use it, and benefit themselves, obviously the fact that marketers are using them suggests that there are readers.
With regard to the longevity of financially savvy mom bloggers, I am sorry to say that they will not be going away anytime soon. Internet sales are projected to grow to around 12% of total worldwide sales by 2012. More and more products and services are moving online, thus the messages sent to these people are moving more and more online.
My suggestion, enjoy your community. That is great. Benefit from the friendships. But don’t begrudge those that choose to mix business with pleasure. TO EACH HIS OWN!
Perhaps that was phrased incorrectly. Traffic to the topic and bring the topic to the forefront. But Devil’s Advocate, nonetheless.
One must remember that mommy bloggers, grammy bloggers, non-moms, etc. all come from different educational and demographic backgrounds. Everyone is trying to eek out a living or save a penny. It’s not a matter of intentionally being a carpetbagger. Some women have never held jobs, or if they did, not in a professional capacity so to speak ~ all they know is that they’re consumers and feel they can write about products they use. Whether they get them for free, or are simply reviewing products they’ve purchased, it’s a way for them to feel valuable as well as develop a sense of community.
Many women are isolated ~ perhaps because of their physical location, or family obligations, or maybe both.
From a sociological standpoint, one shouldn’t but a cloud over the whole lot. This has now become “the personal becomes the political” ~
It’s been brought to the forefront ~ and something postive must come of it.
Talk to you on Twitter.