I recently found some genius website that rates your blog’s worth. For the record? Mom-101= $2,258.16.
Which actually sounds a little high to me. I’d sell it for $926 even and some chocolate-covered pretzels.
But there’s no algorithm, no dandy widget, no magic formula that helps determine our value as bloggers to marketers. Because really, what the heck is a blogger anyway?
We’re writers, we’re evangelists, we’re consultants, we’re consumers, we’re influencers. We’re journalers and we’re journalists. We’re humorists who humiliate our dogs to get a good post out of it. Some of us are marketers when we’re not blogging. Some of us are trying to be marketers through blogging. Some of us are actual Social Media Gurus who can lend real expertise and strategic smarts to a brand. Some of us just call ourselves Social Media Gurus because it looks better on a Linked In profile than I’m Addicted to Twittering Dumb Crap All Day with People I Don’t Know.
I think marketers are confused as to what to do with us. So I’m not surprised that we’re confused about what to do with them.
Lately I’m seeing a lot of: Are we sell-outs if we get paid? Are we sell-outs if we don’t get paid? Why shouldn’t I get paid for reviews? Can you blog with integrity even if you make money? Why should I get paid to write for another site if it brings attention to my blog? And who cares what I do anyway, it’s my business and shut up, and stop trying to be the boss of me!
Tough stuff.
Last week, a friend from a big ad agency asked to pick my brain on mom blogging. I asked her to bring me in and pay me for a few hours at my consulting rate. I got it.
Also last week, a big PR firm I respect asked me to lend my name to an event for a major brand, help them promote it and get other bloggers to the event. I asked for more than the small sum than they were offering. I didn’t get it. No hard feelings. But I’m not hosting the event.
When I’m attending an event as press, there to find content for my own blog that’s of value to my readers, I would never think to ask for compensation. Eek. Bad form bad form! When I’m sent a product as a tool for a review that benefits my readers, I would never ask for compensation either. But when I’m asked to sit down, learn about a brand, and then brainstorm for them and lend my expertise as a blogger and marketer, I’ve got to say, “thanks for the free deli platter but I’m going to need a check.”
See, wearing different hats. That’s what makes it so confusing.
I have been saying long before WalMart moms or Frito-Lay moms or Wii Moms or The Golden Brigade of Mombloggers for Twinkies or whatever; long before there were brand-blogger “programs” and long before the explosion of mom blogs in the mainstream media, that you should stand up for yourself and know your worth.
So what is it? Hm. You have to figure that out. All I can tell you is that it’s not zero.
Are all bloggers the same value to marketers? No more than George Clooney is worth the same to a movie studio as Pauly Shore. But all bloggers are worth something. And even Pauly Shore gets paid more than a gift card to make an appearance at a little league game on behalf of a marketer. (At least I hope so.)
Of course as bloggers – or writers, really – sometimes we just have to bite the bullet and publish for free as a way of demonstrating our capabilities. Huffington Post gets a lot of flack for not paying their writers as a business model. I agree. But I published an essay there and am proud to pimp it out as a credential any chance I can get. It gave me some credibility as a writer early on, and that’s what writers do. I also have published posts for free on friends’ blogs to help them out. (Speaking of which, want to check out my five pop culture guilty pleasures on Mama Pop?)
The difference is, what I do for free, I’m doing to promote my own writing.
I strongly believe that when a blogger is in the service of a marketer, and especially big brands–you know, the ones who can afford PR agencies and ad agencies and media buyers and season tickets to the Yankees–it’s not the same thing at all.
I have been on the ad agency side for 20 years. I’ve seen the degree to which some brands will go to pay as little as they should to those who provide valuable services for them. I’ve seen CEOs who fly private jets while refusing to book SAG talent in their commercials because they didn’t want to pay residuals to struggling actors. I’ve seen brands that shout their conservative Christian values from the rooftop, though they play fast and loose with loopholes to avoid paying their bills. And now I’m seeing big brands who think it’s okay to pay bloggers–especially those cute little mommybloggers who aren’t really professionals anyway–in $20 Visa gift cards. Or better, make them one of the following generous, generous offers:
A link.
Recognition.
Traaaaaaaaaaffic.
I could tell you the traffic I get from big corporate blogs that have linked me. While it’s always kind, and always welcome, it’s rarely enough monthly visitors to get a pickup basketball game going.
So am I down on marketers? Not even. Not their fault for keeping the bottom line tight. All it mean is that we bloggers have a strong strong responsibility in this equation. To ourselves. And to each other.
Yes, to each other.
(Yeah, there I go with my wacky community theory again.)
Recently I’ve seen a lot of posts, like this very good one from Christine Young about the WalMart eleven mom program in which the conventional wisdom from commenters seems to be “Well if the blogger is happy with the agreement, then isn’t that good enough?”
In my opinion no, that isn’t good enough.
Just because you are willing to do something doesn’t make it right.
If 8 year-olds in Malaysia are happy to work 14 hour days in sweatshops because it helps support their families is that right? If women are happy to work at jobs for 55% less than their male counterparts is that right?
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say no. And I think Gloria Steinem would back me up on this one.
So would my mom.
This isn’t about the WalMart program in particular at all, by the way. (Although I do think that the highest profile corporate-backed mombloggers are setting standards for the entire community whether they opted for that or not.) This is about understanding that any time a big brand asks you to do work on their behalf, post their badges, represent them at conferences, wear their clothes, or pose in photos with their giant corporate mascots, it is not a favor for you.
Even if it is fun. Even if it’s “free trip” to a conference. Their PR folks are also getting their airfare and hotels paid for, and a salary on top of it. Trust me.
Someone has to be the first to say, “No, we won’t work for links. We won’t work for free sandwiches. And we won’t work because it made us feel so gosh-darn tingly and happy inside that you think I have a voice worth hearing.”
Of course you do. Did you need a brand to validate that?
So stop it, women. Just, stop it. (And you men should stop it too, although you don’t have the weight of decades of pay inequality that we’re still battling.)
If you don’t charge a fair wage to promote a big brand, you diminish what all of us can earn. And then yes, that is my business.
As my mom told me when we were discussing this last night, we have no union. We have no one to fight for us.
We have to be able to find a voice together.
–
Edited to add: I want to make it clear that this is not a post in any way advocating that bloggers should be paid for product reviews. I’m referring to events, programs, and larger ongoing relationships bloggers are starting to have with brands.
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Wow, so spot on, and such an entrenched issue that some people are forgetting to keep up the argument. I've seen people refer to bloggers, mommybloggers specifically, as greedy for the perks and products and attention, but seriously? It's not greed so much as a knowledge of what other people in a different dempgraphic are being paid for the same kind of exposure.
Great post, once again.
FUCK YEAH!!!!
I just told a 'major' mom-blogger PR firm that 'my time is valuable' and that I would review their product for $50.
I wouldn't even NEED them to send the product because I own a buttload of them and am a brand enthusiast.
Their response? “We're not accepting paid reviews at this time.”
Which is TOTES fine. Not sure they realized, though, that the 2 free products they were offering to me were, with shipping, almost as much as $50.
Great post, Liz. You've put to words many of my thoughts.
All for one, and one for all.
You inspire me as a woman and a writer. Thanks for this.
AMEN!!!! Sing it!
Thanks VDog but I have to say, I'm in the no paid review camp.
If your readership is not served by reviews, you shouldn't do them at all.
If they are, then the review should be fun content for you. I love this HP printer review at Anissa Mahew's place: It's so fun, it actually makes me want to read her blog more. Isn't that really the compensation?
(See, I told you this stuff was confusing!)
Also (ugh, sorry to go on about this but I guess it's important)
PR often doesn't have a budget to pay for reviews. Their effectiveness to their clients is “earned” (as in, unpaid) placements. Money would come from an ad agency or media buying company, generally not from PR.
Paid placements also call into question the validity of the review for the brand, particularly big ones that generally engage with mainstream journalists. So…
yeah. Complicated.
I would disagree, Liz, but *I* know my reviews are honest. And I get your point — I do.
But if someone wants to ASK me to review something? They need to pay.
If I get something I LOVE and I want to write it up? Fair game. No payment.
I always include a full disclaimer on whether or not I am paid for the review and how it has affected the review if at all.
I also don't DO many reviews, so I think that's a different ballgame.
If your whole gig is reviews? I don't know which way that cuts.
And I loved Anissa's review, too.
I would argue that most of my 'paid' reviews also build my brand and make people want to come back because I do it VDog cracker style. And that's what my readers expect.
Crackerness.
This post is a great resource not just for bloggers who are confused about their worth, but for marketers looking to jump on the bandwagon of word of mouth marketing.
VDog, regarding asking for money for the content that's in the body of your site. That makes it advertising, which is fine if you have a big ADVERTISING heading over the top. Let's discuss over mimosas and makeup next week!
Doh! In the time I wrote my comment, Liz and Vdog already had an exchange. I am slow.
Thanks for writing. This is a great guide for someone just starting out and planning their revenue streams.
Whitney — I would argue that ALL reviews are advertising, paid or not.
But yes, let's discuss over make-up and mimosas (at the e.l.f. party I am hosting and NOT GETTING PAID CASH MONEY FOR because I love working with Ted and hey, I'll get some makeup out of it. And it might even just build my brand. Heh.).
“When I'm sent a product as a tool for a review that benefits my readers, I would never ask for compensation either.”
I don't think bloggers should be doing big ads on their blogs (reviews are advertising and marketing) for free. Product = free.
If they send you a product they are implicitly asking you to advertise and market their product. They know it. You know it. Mothers should stop “putting themselves on sale” as Suze Orman says.
Sell your self for toothpaste, jewelry, cosmetics or cereal? Stop it!!!
Brilliant post as usual Liz.
Bottom line, OPPORTUNITY CAN BE DANGEROUS. Meaning, there's something flattering about somebody approaching you and wanting you even if the arrangement really isn’t in your best interest. The best personal example I can offer is this: after finishing my M.A. and thinking “I hate this academic sh*t, I am really good at building websites and I love designing and I would get paid a lot more… get me the hell out of here!”
But I applied to Ph.D. programs anyway, probably curious about whether I could get in. And as soon as those acceptance letters started rolling in (especially the Ivy League one) I lost my mind in the face of opportunity and offers and said yes and went back for more.
Now here I am 10 years later and I’ve left academia and I’m designing and building websites, among other things. Billing hours for my editing and design work has forced me to think about what my time is worth. And it’s been helpful to apply that to all of the “opportunities” that arise from the blog world as well.
I can only hope that bloggers will start valuing their time and saying no (or pushing back for proper compensation in consulting type situations you described); otherwise, we'll never see an end to this promised link and traffic nonsense.
-Christine
Wow, great post. Thank you for raising something that I honestly hadn't thought about much. I now will!
Keep hammering the message!! Maybe, just maybe, the readers will read for comprehension and finally GET it.
You have years of experience and know how as an industry professional. It's time that those in the blogger world learn from that, learn how the industry works and what and when compensation is necessary.
I dare say, its going to be some time, but sooner or later…..
we can hope.
The flattery. You nailed it there. Wow.
I am going to keep this one in my back pocket to show to clients in meetings who think they can just get a bunch of bloggers and POOF have a winning promotion. As always your writing rocks and you manage to say what you are thinking with class and much needed humor.
Girl Revolution,
When I talk about receiving a product for review, I'm describing my role as editor of Cool Mom Picks which operates more like a magazine than a personal review blog (which is what I think you're describing). We give most of the items away to readers at our own expense and are not at all limited in our content by what is sent to us.
But point taken – even if it doesn't apply to me.
Thank you Jen! That means a lot coming from you.
I had your voice in my head when I wrote this: “Marketers must not know what to do with you!”
Very well said, of course:). Thanks for sharing… really. I'm reminded of 8th grade history (8th??) with the union strikes and 'scabs'. Ugh. Very disappointing at times for sure and difficult to work around.
Get it together girls!
I absolutely agree that all writers/bloggers should charge for think-tank-type collaborations. But don't you think that sometimes unpaid “resume building” is necessary? For example, MANY actors do student films when they're starting out so they can build their reel. Their only payment is food during the shoot and the footage for their reel. I've found that many bloggers take the unpaid opportunities so they can show down the line that they are worth the paid gigs. Not everyone can charge from the get-go, you know? Nor should they.
This is a fabulous post. I love that you do a great job conveying an important message. It is salient, well-written and an important theme looking forward. Thanks for being a voice for all of us.
Heather, I do agree that there are times to prove your worth as a writer (or actor or artist) which is why I made the point about my Huffington Post article.
But if a marketer is reaching out to you to work with them on an ongoing basis, to be their evangelists or represent them in some way, you've already passed that point.
Indie student films may not be able to pay their writers, but Universal sure does. Even-first time extras get more than lunch.
so so smart and needed…And I think it is a great message to share. I met GS once and she told me personally “Amy Turn- be a woman that takes no shit!”
I have always held that in my head.
Take no shit.
I heart u.
There are a lot of topics we don't see eye to eye on but this one I most certainly agree with. In some ways, I wish blogger would unionize to some extent. Develop some standards, generate a pay scale to use as an example, remind ourselves that we are worth more than $3 box of snack cakes.
Bloggers are writers and if what we're writing is worth reading or putting on the face of a brand then it's worth paying for! Keep up the good work:)
Thank you Cat.
Maybe you'll start it!
Liz, Thank you so much for this post. I am just beginning to dip my toe in all of this. I want to be very careful to not cheapen the quality of my voice nor do I want to alienate readers AND friends of my blog. These are thoughts I need to carefully consider and I appreciate you taking the time to write these articles.
At this point, I am simply not comfortable doing paid reviews. I do not like reading them and would not feel right in writing them. I have received a few solicitations and each one did not feel right in my gut. Articles such as your articulate precisely why my gut rumbles as the thought doing them.
Furthermore, I will continue to be careful with which products I accept for free. My time and my voice are both potentially valuable and I need to see MYSELF in that vein as well.
Thanks again for writing this and encouraging ALL of us to hold ourselves to a higher value as well.
Incredible article, very inspiring. Although Etsy has been accused of some questionable business practices when it comes to their sellers, I take notice that one of their introductory emails mentioned something important about setting your price. Don't undervalue your work. It doesn't help you or the next guy. If you believe your creativity, thought, and time is worth X then ask for it…demand it.
Wow. This post was so articulate and accurate, and mind-blowing! Thank you for speaking on our behalf in such a graceful way!
I'm still puzzled on how to pursue exposure, and how to not look desperate, or on-the-cheap. I'm not sure why a blog such as ours with over 1300 subscribers/1 million pv's and others like ours are being ignored/missed, while others seem to be picked for gigs and freebees over and over. If you have any answers or ideas, I'm open…
Blogging these days is so much different than it was just a few years ago, when it was only done for the joy of writing. Now, it's all just confusing.
Yes, when people say they want to pick my brain, I politely tell them that “brain picking” is listed under my special skills on my resume.
Oh this is so wonderfully written. I. . .I might have to print this bad boy out and put it over my desk.
No joke.
Amen and halle-freakin-lujah for this post! I recently got contacted by a major parenting magazine to be part of their “mom blogger panel” with a flattering email. Fine, I thought I would try it, see what happens, blah blah. Next thing I know, their “communications consultant” is emailing me to promote their new fall program/ contest thing-y which had zero relevance to my child or my site. After I told them this, and inquired if this was their intention for their “panel,” I got another sugary sweet email about “wont I consider writing about it?”
Needless to say I politely declined. As you say, you have to pick what's worth it and not (HuffPo, totally worth it.)
There's too much temptation for those bloggers out there not familiar with the inner workings of PR or advertising to take what companies and agencies throw out and offer because people like free stuff and it seems on the outside like a real deal and it's cool.
But as you rightly say, it's so not cool for us to do the dirty work of people getting paid nice salaries if we don't get a share of it.
I think we need not only these discussions, but formal education through seminars, conferences, what have you, where people can learn just how these programs work, and PR/ advertising, whomever can learn to put a line item in their budget for “social media outreach” – i.e. fair compensation and reward for brain-picking, idea-hatching and program promotion.
That's enough rambling for now! going to RT this!
Excellently written. Agreed, it is totally complicated. I guess that's why I'm falling off the bandwagon. It's not “fun” anymore. Too many politics involved.
Brilliantly written, as always, my friend. I totally agree with some of this post and completely disagree with other parts of it but that's also kind of what I love about it. It forces me to think about the issue and say “I agree…that is important to me” or “That is completely contrary my personal code of ethics”. In fact, I didn't actually realize I had much of a code of ethics at all before this whole discussion because I'd never thought about it. I think this very subject is a tough one (but a great one) because it forces your reader to decide for themselves what they personally believe in *before* they are approached by a marketer. For some people, any review done after getting a free product is unethical for them. Others see unpaid reviews as something bringing down the market value of the voices we have as bloggers. Still others think that advertising on blogs or getting paid for blogging expertise automatically puts the bloggers motivations into question or creates a conflict of interest. Personally I think it's up to each of us to develop our own unique code of ethics and to consider what we are really worth (and what exactly is for sale) *before* we're asked to name our price.
I stopped doing as many reviews because I realized I didn't want free stuff or the paltry amount they would pay to try and squeeze something good out of nothing.
I select my reviews based on their relevance in my day to day life…I want to know that if I tell someone that I liked it and encourage them to try it, I can back that up.
I have a GREAT relationship with the readers on my blog…jeopardizing that for some detergent or a few books just isn't worth it.
I took Blogher ads off my site so that I could do my reviews straight on my full time blog, but my goal is to integrate them with as much honesty and genuine writing as any other post.
They should still be interesting for my readers…and if I can't do that, then I don't have any business posting the reviews on my site at all.
I appreciate that you liked my review…that means a lot.
–Anissa
Jenny I couldn't agree more. Everyone has to set her own price and limits, but we should be aware that our decisions can impact other people.
I was definitely thinking less about product reviews per se when I wrote this and more all the other stuff bloggers are increasingly being asked to do by marketers. But it's all intertwined in one crazy mess.
And you do have ethics! (Except for the stuff about the stealing the toilet paper.)
So, to clarify: If you agree to review a product, you give your honest opinion of it. Maybe you like it, maybe you don't. Presumably your readers trust your opinion; and presumably there's a reasonable expectation that your readers will act on your opinion, or at least help spread the word.
A PR agency would not want to pay you for the review mainly because the company can't control the message. Yes?
Whereas with a paid advertisement, the ad says exactly what the company wants it to say, and your opinion is largely irrelevant.
Is that right?
Jennifer,
There are three basic things at play here:
1. Editorial
2. Advertorial
3. Advertising.
A PR person doesn't pay you for a review because they're not being hired to generate paid placements (advertising/advertorial). They're being paid to generate “earned” placements (editorial). So a review, typically using MSM standards is something that's on brand for your publication and relevant to your readers. It's not a quid pro quo for product or cash.
(I know it's a little off topic but…)
Think about the difference between the clothes featured in Redbook and the ones in Vogue. They have tight editorial standards and rely on PR to help generate content in line with those standards. You don't see Hermes in Redbook and you don't see JC Penney in Vogue.
That's what PR thinks they're dealing with with bloggers. So it's confusing when suddenly PR is getting asked for payment for reviews. It's more than confusing, it's shocking to them.
Other than advertorial there's no real precedent for consumers giving paid but “honest” product reviews (also called testimonials) which is in part why the FCC is stepping in to help sort it out for consumers.
There is gray area however in terms of endorsements, conversational marketing campaigns and advertorial – which is not entirely controlled by the brand although there are often key messages to communicate.
And then there's advertising which is 100% controlled by the brand.
Phew!
As an ex-blogger (I say ex because I haven't touched my personal blog in almost 9mths…) and a small retail business owner who's both storefront and e-commerce, the intertwined-ness is truly very crazy and messy. There are fine lines are everywhere..
Liz, the article was articulate and refreshing, as you always are. I agreed with some of the comments and disagree with others. I appreciate reading everyone's point of views. Ultimately what we all individually do, either as a blogger or as a company, does affect other people/companies, coz The Internet kinda make the world small.
Confession: I totally did steal toilet paper at the mall when I first immigrated to America. How embarrassing. I should clarify, where I was born & lived most of my childhood life, toilet paper does not come free in most if not all public restrooms. And forget about soap.
It's an important conversation, and something that brings up something that's important to me. I think women are worth more than coupons, and the whole advertising/compensation thing has been bothering me for a while.
What I'd really like to see goes far beyond the “Do I accept advertising, do I not accept advertising, do I keep household products that I review” questions, and that is more women parlaying their blog into some big project for which they get paid. Actually paid. Like thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, or more, as appropriate.
I've done it with another site (not my personal blog), and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Blogging is a medium, people – and I'd like to see us use it to move women forward.
Thanks for another thought-provoking piece on this hornet's nest of an issue. I wish you lived closer to me so I could take you out to coffee and get to the bottom of this, in a real friendly way so I could avoid paying you your consulting rates.
Such an inspiring post. I feel like such a kid leaving this comment though, I'm such a rookie! But I had to let you know that I got a lot from this post, and I enjoy reading all of your posts. You are truly an inspiration to rookie bloggers like me.
(bows)
Excellent as usual, Gummybear.
I never really thought about this issue very much before, but I never read such a great argument either. You have definitely got me thinking and I may start making some changes in the way I do things. Thanks.
I went to school for Journalism and worked at a newspaper for a couple years… There are a lot of ethical and credibility issues involved in accepting payment, free merch, and sponsorships.
I'm glad to see Mommy Bloggers sticking up for themselves and calling out the companies that would like to take advantage of them. Just don't turn on each other, because unity is really what's needed. The marketers know all the rules because they've been dealing with journalists and editors for years. The same can't be said for many of the women out there that just want to write about their lives and happen to have an audience of women to listen.
Really really great article. As both a blogger and a PR person, I think this is a great point. Thanks for the insight!
Grizzleh Kitty, such a great point that a lot of bloggers are sort of falling into these relationships without any kind of business, marketing or journalism background and it's putting them at a disadvantage in a lot of ways.
I talked about that on the FIR podcast I did with Susan Getgood about Blog With Integrity- there's some naivete out there being mistaken for lack of integrity.
Really interesting post, especially since I'm a PR exec and a blogger.
I can tell you that PR has limited funds in general and we never ask someone to cover our brand for a fee. We do send product and we understand that we run the risk of a negative review. I certainly hope someone who didn't have a good experience with our brand would tell the truth, even if it hurts.
As a blogger, since I think of as more journalist than advertiser, don't want compensation for a review. I don't want to be obligated to give a good review.
But, that's just me. I think what we all need to understand is that we're responsible for negotiating what works best for us, as individual bloggers.
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