If you’re a mommy blogger (or a blogger that happens to be a mom, whatever) answer yourself this:
Do I blog to connect with others like me, and unlike me? To write and read experiences and make friendships and have fun? Do I accept reviews and sponsorships and money and what not, but if I had to choose between one or the other I’d hands down pick my the community over any compensation?
OR:
Do I blog so that PR companies will offer me things to review, to go on trips, to get money and other perks and one day parlay this into a fullblown career? Do I use my community to further myself along in this goal, and the friends I make and blogs I discover along the way are secondary? If I had to choose, would I choose cold hard cash over connecting with other bloggers?
If you answered yes, no – congratulations – you have nothing to worry about. You are not one of the people being bitched about.
If you answered no, yes – congratulations – you are everything wrong with ‘mommy blogging’.
Just my personal opinion, of course. And I’m not trashing anyone – I just think it’s bullshit that yet another method of gathering the masses and learning to relate to one another has become distorted into yet another impossible make money now! scheme.
It’s as simple as that I think. There’s no need for a damn PR Blackout or whatever the hell. Just stop reading the people that even need to consider taking part in something like that. They’ll either disappear into oblivion or they’ll cut that shit out and actually blog.
Full disclosure:
I run ads. I do reviews. I love money. But my passion for blogging is not for sale, and yours shouldn’t be either. No one’s should.
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I’m a yes, no myself.
I am not a mom, therefore; not a mommy blogger and I have noticed a shift in some places that I read being more focused on the money PR portion. I completely agree, not that it means much!
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Wait a minute, there was a “debacle”? No one ever invites me to anything!
Yeah, I’d review stuff. And if it sucked out loud, I’d say so. But no one’s ever asked, and I doubt they would, so it’s a pretty moot point.
Yep. You said it sister.
Yes, no. If I were naive enough to consider mommy blogging a potential career, I’d have to kick my own ass. Talk about an over-saturated market.
I’ve bet some of the most important people to me through blogging. That wouldn’t change, regardless of how many free things I got to review (or not).
I just think there’s a huge spectrum. I’m tired of this being a polarizing issue.
Yes, there’s an incestuous group of review bloggers who hang out together and support each other and therefore dilute their own messaging by only marketing to each other.
Yes, some bloggers basically just regurgitate press releases and kiss PR asses and host giveaways to get traffic and sell ads.
But plenty of review blogs are NOT part of those communities. Cool Mom Picks, the Green Mom Review, and We Covet are examples (in my opinion) of blogs that are doing their own thing. I have been visiting those for a long time, just for the eye candy and the fact that they seem to be discerning when it comes to what they choose to review.
Maybe that was exactly what you’re saying.
Haha.
This issue gives me such a fucking headache.
I’m over sweeping generalizations and blanket statements and LABELS. THE LABELS CAN SUCK MY HAIRY BUTT.
Review bloggers don’t suck. Sucky bloggers suck. But even sucky bloggers can be ignored.
And SMART journalists and “big name bloggers” should stop letting the sucky bloggers dictate their holier-than-thou state-of-the-blogging-union addresses. And marketer should be smarter about identifying bloggers with TALENT and a shred of genuine connection with a non-incestuous community.
Exactly. You’re preaching to the converted, my friend. Thanks for saying this.
(Also. FIVE DAYS. Awesome.)
How about “kinda, no”.
I blog first and foremost to document the parenting experience and our daughters’ lives for my husband, who is overseas. Even if he never reads it, it’s there if he ever wants to know the details he wasn’t home for.
Once I started blogging, I discovered the amazing community, and appreciate the critical insights.
I’ve never made a penny off the blog, and yes, I’m irritated by the ones that clearly exist for no other reason.
I actually agree with you entirely on this one.
Exactly – and yes, I do reviews, I’ve done stuff with PR companies, etc but that’s not why I’m in the blogosphere. The day my passion gets sucked out of me, I will leave.
I am always amazed at the free stuff I am offered. I go through periods where I am happy to review and take the free stuff, but my writing is always my core purpose. When I allowed myself to do too much reviewing I HATED it. I started a small review blog specifically FOR that, and I haven’t done much with it since. :) Oh well. I’ll take the free stuff when it applies to me, but when I have to write about specific STUFF it starts to feel like schoolwork. And I hated school.
July 17, 2009 at 4:56 pm
There’s a debacle going on? Sounds a little like high school, heh.
totally
Preaching to the choir, hun! I know that of which you speak, I used to think that was really rockin’ cool that anyone could make $40,000 a week. But then I realized nothing was actually being said on some of these blogs that was funny, smart or sarcastic enough for me!
I love your site though! I work in a prison and I often wonder why alcohol is not treated as harshly as marijuana.
So, some bitches suck?
Yep. They do.
But not you. You are awesome.
I freaking love you.
Yes and hell no.
I can’t figure out how you can be so smart and awesome and so young all at the same time.
I want to meet you, but not going to BlogHer again this year. Poop.
Wait a minute here…I can get free products, go on trips, and get some sweet moola??? Who’s ass do I have to kiss? I want in on this action…NOW.
I’ve never been approached to do a review, nor have I sought out any thing like that. I have no delusion that I can quit my day job and live off my blog. Great if you can. If I don’t want to read a review blog, I don’t. Simple as that. No judgement, no problems.
It’s funny because in my head the people who answer yes to #2? Aren’t really mommy bloggers. To me, mommybloggers are something else, people looking for a community and to meet other moms. Whatever, to each their own, but I’m not going to read your blog if it’s all reviews etc.
I’m a yes, no. My community comes first, but bring on the products and money too. If you don’t have a community the products and money are kind of pointless though, right? Somebody has to read that you enjoy that cereal or cleaner and you must have readers before the company’s want to sponsor you. I don’t know what the big deal is though. I don’t read review blogs at all, but a review on a mommy blog that I do read doesn’t bother me a bit. I don’t mind them mixing it up now and again. To each her own!! People need to stop getting their panties in a bunch over dumb things.
Neither? I strike out on all three counts. My blog isn’t necessarily meant to connect iwth other parents. Also, I’d be having a bunch of free shit and advertising without the blog because I run a review website. Oh, and that third count? I’m a guy, so I’m not a mommy.
I so totally disagree.
I don’t have PR firms knocking down my door, and lets be real, I won’t ever. I was able to shmooze a company into repping me to go to Blogher.
But if a mom can blog and parlay into a career-good for you. If I think what you are saying sucks, I click away. No hard feelings. If you turn your blog into some corp. no one is clicking there for a funny story about potty training anyhow. I think you can tread the surface of both without being a sell out. Not many can do it though.
But what really REALLY chaps my ass? When twitter is ONLY loaded with a bunch of fucking ‘tweet this for another entry’ shit. I can’t fucking stand that.
Hella good post.
The day I am here strictly for money is the day I will no longer be a member of this here blogosphere. I have met too many people that I care too much about to use them to further myself. If I make a little cash while doing what I love then I have no complaints, but to garner fake relationships to pedal myself is just not me.
I must be some special kind of moron because for the life of me I can’t understand the brouhaha that surrounds the review blogs. Personally, I don’t read them, so I just can’t bring myself to give a shit, but it’s like the new hot button issue for mom blogs. Are the review blogs carpetbagging? Do we need a black out? Sweet jesus, it makes me long for the days when we were fighting over whether breast is really best or maybe Similac is kind of ok.
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