>Mommyblogging 2.0: It’s Not What It Used to Be
>A few weeks ago when the Blissdom blogging conference was taking place in Nashville, I had dinner with a group of mom bloggers.
They were part of the new line of blogging moms, women who are as focused on marketing themselves and their blogs to advertisers and corporate sponsors as they are on their blog’s actual content. The talk at the table was far different from what I was used to hearing.
One woman was in talks with a car manufacturer to get a free car for one year. Several of the moms there had been flown to Blissdom by a corporate sponsor who was sending them to every major blog conference in the country. And don’t think these opportunities were just handed to them.
“My husband puts my business cards on random shelves at the grocery,” one mom confided.
“I put my business cards in magazines at the doctor’s office and the bookstore,” another mom said.
I listened, agape. It’s not that I think these women are doing anything wrong, it’s just that that’s so not me. I love it when I’m contacted and asked to try out and write about a product that I think my family will enjoy, and I’m excited when my site traffic increases over time.
But at my core, I’m a writer. And even before that, I’m a mom. I don’t have a whole lot of time to spend on the Internet and I want to spend the time I do have writing, and making what I’ve already written better. Not promoting my brand. Not optimizing my blog for search engines. Not seeking out partnerships with corporations.
The latest mom blogging conferences would have me believe my archaic ideals are destined to mire me in Internet obscurity. Me? I’m not so sure. Find out why in this week’s newspaper edition of Suburban Turmoil, in which I have a wee bit of a marketing nervous breakdown at Mom 2.0– and then I’d love to read your thoughts on this latest twist in the evolution of mom blogging. Does shameless self-promotion, product integration and sponsor-hunting on mom blogs turn you off, or is it all just part of the game? Is there a way to do it effectively, or is it simply exploitation of our families?
>I love marketing! I haven’t really started doing any marketing for myself because I was more concerned about building a lot of content first, but I’m just about ready to get started now. For me, it’s a fun challenge because I actually *like* it and think it’s interesting, but I think if you’re not into marketing it would probably be a horrific drag. I don’t blame you for not wanting to do it.
>I think there is a point and place and time for everything. You can only push so far when it comes to marketing. When I sign onto your* blog, and every day you* have another thing about how you want to be sponsored by this person or this company, I think it gets a little old. It makes me stop reading…*general youryou
>I didn’t finish my thought! HA! I like when people have their blog + a review blog (like you!) because then if I just want to read about THEM and what THEY write, I can!!
>I have to say, for the first time I met a blogger at Mom 2.0 who introduced herself and said, “I have a review blog.” That’s it. A review blog and nothing else. I had always thought of a review blog as an extension of a blog with compelling content. Not anymore.
>My life, at times, is so ridiculous that more than one person has suggested I start a blog. However, all this is just part of what makes it so intimidating…. Yikes!So for now, I am a “blog reader” and “journal keeper”. 🙂
>I’m with you Lindsay. I mean, it must be nice that people get all sorts of free stuff and trips and such, but I started my site for ME. And also, my family.Turns out I like to write, which is a bonus. I just can’t get into the whole “pitching” and “branding” stuff. The thought of trying to do that for myself makes me uneasy.
>I don’t have much confidence in my blog, so that could be a big reason why I don’t push it. Another is that I don’t have the time or will. I have accepted my humble place in the blogsphere. And it is so not me that I can’t even leave my website even if I commented on the other site. *sigh*
>I literally just started a blog last about a week ago – not for marketing myself or for selling stuff, but as a place to write out the memories of my daughter as they happen. There are so many little funny stories that have now escaped my brain and it makes me sad to think I can’t pass them along. I have been really shocked at the number of blogs that really only “sell” things. I want the stories of life, I can always find products myself. Love both your blogs by the way – Parents is where I first found the world of mommy blogs!
>I’ve actually quit reading blogs because they’ve become too marketed. I mean, I don’t have a problem with people trying to make their blog a business — everyone wants to be the next Dooce — but when that starts to affect the quality/content of the blog… well, it just makes me stop reading.
>My attitude about freebies is simple. If I want something, I buy it.
>For me, the whole marketing thing is creating a fissure in the blogosphere (really don’t like to use that word). Those that i read and are interesting and those that i have no interest in.
>More power to those people, but the problem is that they are probably not focused as much on the writing as they are on the free stuff and marketing. I’m all about promoting your blog, I mean, aren’t all blogger a little bit of self-promoters with comments and Twitter, etc. But you have to make it interesting enough for me to keep coming back. Which means you have to be able to write and engage readers. And not just talk about all your freebies.
>I am in the same place of observation as you. I started CityMama in 2003, it has evolved so much over time that now it is almost unrecognizable from the blog I started. I understand that blogging/bloggers change.As I reflect on the new line or Mommyblogging 2.0 phenom, at first I was taken slightly aback. I realized though, that it’s because when I (we?) started out, I would never have thought to make it a commercial enterprise right off the bat. I mean, I agonized over placing ads on my blog because there were no ads on blogs when I started.Mom2 actually gave me some perspective on the matter. One, it only reaffirmed by resolve that great content is the key to everything, but it also prompted me to write about how–if you are going to make it a commercial biz–bloggers can do it right without seeming…griftery? If you don’t mind, I’ll share the link:http://citymama.typepad.com/citymama/2009/02/blogger-marketer-mother.htmlBottom line, I think bloggers have to ask themselves what they want out of blogging, and then whatever that is, go for it like nobody’s business. Cuz it isn’t my business how people run their blogs, but I sure do want to support any woman and mother who is pursuing her dream.
>We spoke about this Houston, Lindsay, so you know my take. But yeah, it’s a bit disconcerting to me – as someone who considers herself a writer first, and a businesswoman second – the extent to which the business side sometimes seems to drive so much blogging now.But as Stefania said: whatever works, whatever empowers.
>I’ve stopped reading a # of blogs because the ratio of content:product placement dropped below my tolerance threshold. Keeping things separate (with unobtrusive links) is a good compromise, since I can choose my own ratio. (Review blogs that review everything, negative and positive alike, can be interesting on their own. The writers who have that policy don’t seem to get that much in the way of reviewable items, though …)To my mind, marketing is a separate best. Marketing is making sure that people know about your blog, returning messages promptly, engaging with your readers, choosing to try and leave comments on highly ranked blogs, etc. You may not call it marketing, but I think that you definitely do this, and do it well. The SEO, Digg, etc. stuff can be very effective, though I can understand why you might want to shy away from it – it doesn’t offer any intrinsic rewards the way the other stuff does.Praising something to the skies and sometimes not identifying that you’re being paid to do so just leads to bad content. There are probably blogs I read that do this, and their writing is just good enough that I don’t notice it. However, when it breaks through and becomes obvious, I tend to quickly go the other way. Getting paid for the time that you all put into this isn’t a bad thing, but I hate the feeling of being ‘advertised’ to, and so I’m not going to stick around if that’s all that’s on offer.
>It’s a tricky, in-between world we’re in. I’m a writer too and get a sick feeling in my stomach after too much talk of writing for sponsors…on the other hand I do it from time to time, when I feel like it. Let’s be smart, earning money in this economy (or any economy) is important and necessary for many moms doing this for pay. Not to mention there are plenty of companies making serious money because of all this mom blogging. Some might argue what they pay moms is peanuts to what they’re earning (and entitled to earn).
>Oh gosh… just take one look at twitter and you see moms online all day long marketing and promoting themselves.But if it’s what they like and are happy doing it then great. It’s their hobby. There are some mothers that only read blogs to win contests and such… they don’t come for the writing. It’s their hobby. The internet is growing and people are finding their comfort place.And as bloggers we are the guinea pigs for this experiment, no?
>Bloggers may be becoming self-proclaimed experts in marketing, social media, etc. but at the end of the day, I’m still a reader. I’m there for the content and if the other stuff starts to get in the way or starts to take away from the content, there’s a good chance that I’m out of there.
>I don’t have a problem with moms who do heavy marketing. Like some of you have said in your own words, I believe blogging is for everyone- whether they want to make their blog a marketing machine or make it completely personal.I worry more about -my- ability to “compete” in the blogosphere if I don’t do all utilize all these new strategies. And then I worry that if I DO utilize the strategies, I’ll end up exploiting my family somehow, and turning what was a real, from-the-heart portrayal of our lives into a way to pander to corporate interests and make money.In the end, I do what feels right. It feels right to promote my column at the City Paper here, for example. I work harder on those columns than on anything I write here so it’s good reading for you if you like my writing style, and they pay me and I want them to feel like they’re getting a good return on their investment.On the other hand, three of my favorite bloggers have tricked me into reading a paid “advertisement” post in the last month, and I can’t describe how nauseated that made me feel, and disappointed in them for slipping that paid content into their main blogs. I can’t do that here, and I won’t, and I’ve already given up a few thousand dollars this year alone for saying no. And that’s money my family could have used- We’re sending my oldest to college this fall. And I fear with this recession, more and more women are going to cave to these paid posts and this search engine optimization and more and more blogs are going to suck. Decisions, decisions.
>On the one hand, it’s their blog and whatever this new wave of mommybloggers wants to do they can do. On the other hand, most people – mommybloggers or not – let the marketing part happen organically. Like others said, many of us (not just mommybloggers) started writing for the love of it and the rest of the stuff just came with it. I never would’ve thought to make my blog less about content and more about the gimme. Is it bad that I think that’s kind of tacky? Then again, that’s just my personal preference on the type of stuff I would like to read. And in the long run, I probably wouldn’t have read or wouldn’t read those types of blogs in the first place.
>I’ve decided what my comfort level is – I’ve thought long and hard about this blogging “business” and my level of comfort is to simply write about my life – what I want, when I want, for my family. That’s the real purpose behind my blog, my family is my audience. If anyone comes to read it, welcome! But visitors aren’t my primary motivation. (And any give aways I sponsor on my blog are 100% financed by me).Thanks for writing this, Lindsay. That’s the biggest reason I adore you – you aren’t afraid to write what we’re all thinking. I so admire that.Because I’ve finally realized the real reason behind why I blog, I won’t be attending BlogHer or any other similar blogging conference. I’m simply not interested in marketing myself. But, as everyone else has said, to each his own.I’d like to see a conference where the entire objective is to just meet other bloggers. No outside vendors. Just bloggers. We chit chat, interview one another, take pictures … just have a good time without the marketing stresses. Sort of like speed dating, only with bloggers! *smile*
>It’s a daily struggle for some I think. Some, in my opinion, are driven by status and having that corporate sponsor or car gives the illusion that they are someone to be noticed.While I am more like you. I started blogginng for myself without ever having the intention of having people read my blog or know who I am. I have a review site – which is an extension of my blog… not at all something I pimp out. Should the opportunity arise I will definitely take part, but I am not about whoring myself out to get it.
>I’m not a mom (yet) but I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog, for its content, humor, and spunkiness. I even read your reviews! I am an Auntie to 5 little boys and my sisters don’t have much time to do more than check email, so I pass on information to them that they’ll find valuable.Too much has been overrun by marketing strategies. When that happens the content and/or product suffers. If you have something good, people will be attracted to it.
>there are so many folks out there doing what I do in a much more hardcore manner. I don’t market myself to everyone in my life. i feel weird talking to people about my blog. If someone finds it, then it’s cool but to just walk up and be like ,Hi i’m so and so mom. I have a blog, you should read it… which may explain why no one has sent me to disney world yet.
>I don’t like it. The best thing about blogging is that you get to create your own community. If they bring cold marketing into it, without paying attention to connecting with others and sharing good content, they are ruining it.Sad 🙁
>I went to Blissdom and had a fabulous time. But for me it is kind of like going to the zoo or sitting at a sidewalk cafe and people watching – fascinating but I’m content to watch. I like my blog as it is – it is a hobby that doesn’t make me a dime. I wouldn’t mind making a little money or increasing traffic but I’m not willing to work hard at it to make it happen. It will stop being my fun, therapeutic, personal outlet if I do that. Then I’ll have to pay for real therapy.But I love going to the conferences and hearing how others do it. I love meeting the other bloggers. And I’m usually clueless enough about who they all are that I don’t get star struck. Love that yours came up #1. Hehe.
>I read blogs that make me feel like I have a relationship with the blogger, and that usually (but not always) excludes the super-leveraged blogs. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with marketing oneself, but it is time-consuming, and the self-marketed blogger is not as likely to write something that I find interesting.
>We can probably look at magazines to see what happened with ad trends. The new blogs that are SET UP to make money or stuff, with all paid reviews or PR junk, will die off. It’s hot now, but it won’t last. I am certain that in the magazine rack of the blogosphere, they will be seen as the blog version of the Pennysaver free papers you pick up when you have to eat at a diner alone and that is all there is. Contests will be hot for awhile,just like they were in the 50s when magazine advertising really bloomed, but pretty soon (if they don’t already) they will feel like Bingo on the Lido deck and quality products/PR companies will only want to do big contests once a year from their own sites. (Instead of sending one vacuum to 1000 blogs, they will want bigger PR from having one customer win a home makeover, for example.) I’m thinking that just like magazines, the stable survivors will be unique voices with quality content, and niche sites that really understand a given vocation or hobby or demographic. Or to use a TV analogy, we need many more news, talk shows, sitcoms, and dramas than QVC channels.Okay, clearly I need to write a post with my Nostradamus predictions for the field.
>I do serve ads, like many many other bloggers, to help supplement income, but first and foremost I am a writer. That is my passion and exactly why I don’t have a review blog and kind of why I shy away from conferences and stuff because deep down I’m just a very VERY shy person who has a blog and makes a small living off of her writing. I especially can’t picture myself writing about something I’m not wholeheartedly passionate about…like a car, or crackers. Or whatever. And if that philosophy sends me into oblivion because someone doesn’t feel compelled to read my words or connect with me, well, so be it I guess. I’m just not ready to compromise myself and the words I so carefully craft for any amount of money or swag.
>I sometimes enjoy reading review blogs to get information about products that I am considering purchasing or have seen in the shops. However, I enjoy those blogs seperate from the “mommy” blogs and would like to see them kept seperate. I personally have two blogs one personal/family and one restraunt review blog. I don’t use marketing on either blog because blogging for me is a chance to reflect, record keep, and use my *like* of writing not to be “famous” or earn a truck load of money. (Not that my writing content would make either of those objectives plausable;-) I don’t hate on those who market per say, but admit I do on those who try to make themselves a brand and are clearly not being true to themselves or their readers.
>Frankly all the marketing oneself,search engine optimization,Stumbling and Digging make my head hurt. I’d have been incredibly lost at Mom 2.0. I started a blog because it seemed an easy and fun way to write down and keep track of things that are happening in mine and my families lives. If that gains me readership and the occasional product review (I have a seperate review blog) then that’s great. Beyond that I’m just not into promoting myself/my blog for any type of corporate sponsorship. To me blogging is a hobby. A wonderful hobby that’s allowed me to get to know and bond with some amazing people. I wouldn’t change that for the world. The marketing piece makes it too much like a job. And really I already have one of those that I don’t love.
>I started my blog to have a “video scrapbook” of the events that take place in my family’s life. It has sort of become my hobby…you can do it at 11:00 at night in your jammies when the kids are asleep. I’m a working mom so I don’t really have time for any other hobby. I do enjoy looking on other’s blogs and reading stories. I didn’t realize what a network it is but I must say…I have really enjoyed the writing part. It is a great release from the “organized chaos” of life. Sometimes I feel like blogging is my time that I can chat with my friend aka other bloggers…silly?
>I have a terrible time marketing myself. I’d rather just make friends with other bloggers than try to sell them on something. I did set up a review site ages ago, but I’ve never actually used it. It just doesn’t feel right. Yeah, I fear being left behind, but I fear destroying my little blog even more.
>I was in marketing before having kids but ironically, mom blogs that you can tell are “sponsored” or are pusing products make me run the other way. I like to read blogs by writers who are doing it out of pleasure, not being paid. I don’t even really like Dooce anymore. You can tell when a blog “jumps the shark” or sells out. You are still fresh and I like that.Facebook seems to be killing blogs left and right. Does anyone else notice that?
>My career was in marketing before I quit to be home with my kids. I am still self-employed as a part-time marketing freelance writer. So, for me, the blog is a break from all of that. I don’t run ads. I don’t market myself. If a PR company contacts me, and I’m interested in what they are pushing, I write a review and run it on a separate web site I sometimes write for called Life With Kids. Sometimes I will cross-promote the post at my blog, but most often I will not.For me, the blog is an escape from my marketing role. It’s about exploring a different voice than I get to use when I’m writing for my clients. It’s about participating in an enjoyable community of other bloggers.
>I started to write a comment here but then when it got to like the 47th paragraph I was like screw it – I’m wring a post. Shameless self-linkage here. Mea culpa.And thanks for the inspiration.
>Those confessions just crack me up, I have to admit. I know Jo-Lynne (who was at that dinner, yes?) personally and I WAS at Blissdom (don’t know if you and I met, but I’m thinking sadly, no) and can just picture some people being really excited about the marketing aspect and some people just cringing.To each his own.Me personally? I don’t care about the number stuff. I went to both Blissdoms to hang out with fun people who happen to share the same hobby that I do. Blogging has been much more of a relational/friendship thing for me, and not a business.
>Thanks for sharing these thoughts. Literally, just last night I was having a conversation on this topic with a similarly minded mom blogger (she forwarded your link to me).I understand the whole blog brand thing, but the new wave of aggressive behavior in an effort to become an “A-List Mommy Blogger” (however the hell one quantifies that…) mystifies and depresses me. Perhaps I’m an idealist, but I also consider myself a writer first and I believe content (and in my case community building) should be the priority. I’m not sure whether it’s due to the quality of that writing or the fact that I’ve created a niche site in a very desirable geographical niche, but I’ve found myself flooded by the sorts of incoming pitches and propositions you describe. I can only hope this is due to the former. -Christine
>Lindsay, you handled this topic beautifully. Far more artfully than I have in all the drafts I’ve composed in my head over the past few months.
>I think we’ll probably have both going forward. Blogging is not so different from print publishing. You need good content in order to draw readers so you can sell a few, more targeted ads, or you can pick up the free weekly zine to just wallow in advertising.You stand firmly on the end of the “providing good content” line, so you’ll be approached. If people don’t provide good content, they’ll have to fish themselves.I also feel pretty strongly you should separate church and state — product reviews should either be called out by name very obviously or kept to a review blog where people totally know what they’re getting when they click over.
>love your stuff girl you are original , truthful and a great writer! I am not a MOMMY or a MOM blogger but rather a WRITER & MARKETER like you but I don't write or promote anything that i personally don't use or like, some people will do anything for a buck………
>I’m of the opinion that there are blog and then there are review sites. I’m a blogger, not a reviewer. Personal choice. I don’t WANT to review a bunch of stuff, I want to write about my life.I don’t think one is better than the other, but I don’t think one will replace the other, either.
>I think good writing will always set you free. It’s going to circle around. I understand that for many folks, it’s not always about the writing, but I think for us “old fogies” that’s what it was. And at least, still is for me. I’ve been fortunate to send my “marketing” and “business” energies into my actual business and allow my personal blog to be just that. And what Deb said.
>So great to see this posting and find it via WOMMA. At NewBaby.com we are helping Mom’s go from blogging to vlogging – video blogging, the next big thing (as per Lisa @ Blogher). We have been equipping Moms for over 2 years now with video cameras so they can vlog. This article and much more like it will further highlight the importance of Mom bloggers as being the true voice that other Moms turn to for trusted advice.NewBaby.com also has over 100 Mom product reviewers and is expanding to 250 by June 30 2009.NewBaby.com and MomTV2.com are dedicated to helping Mom Bloggers/Vloggers. Stop by and see us, we’d love to network with you.
>All the promotion and marketing is BAD. I read blogs for honest insights and opinions. If I want advertising, I’ll go to a company’s website.
>Lindsay, I feel the same as you do. A writer first, and anything that comes from that just sprinkles on the sundae. Quite frankly, discussions about this topic make me feel stodgy because it brings out the old-school journalist in me. But that’s another discussion altogether 🙂
>I’m fairly new into the whole “marketing yourself thing” and I just wrote about how weird that is for me on my site today. But I wrote for a long time before realizing there were side benefits to blogging besides the art of writing and connecting with people…and for me, the bloggers who are all about “send me, give me, pick me” (although I’m not above seeking some sponsorship love) ARE a turn off. I write consistently, I write earnestly and honestly about my life and with no tricks or gimmicks I get to see traffic slowly rise, see the opportunities seek me out and take them in stride in a humble manner. I think like so many other markets, people jump into it thinking it should be easy and want what others have taken time and much effort to build. It’s disconcerting. At Blissdom I overheard aconversation about how so-and-so got “undeservedly” sponsored and how so-and-so gets all the good offers. Then I find out they (the bitcher) have only been a blogger for about 5 months. And then I went to their site and it was all fluff and nonsense.Heavy on the gimme. I got it. I’d love for someone to give me a car, free clothes, jewelry, Brad Pitt…whatever, I like free stuff! But more importantly, I want to go back and read over what I wrote and know that it came from my heart and not from my greed.
>While I don’t have a blog to brand/promote, I do have a side-business I need to be promoting. But the money-tree in the back yard has yet to bloom, so I love the idea of leaving my business cards in random places! I’m even tempted to plug myself here in your comments, but that just wouldn’t be right. Your stories in general are funny, but the way you tell them makes them hilarious. And when you write something that’s not a comedy, I usually end up in tears because what you wrote was so moving.I’m single w/ no kids of my own, but your writing is relatable – I love reading your blogs! Keep doing it your way!
>I understand where you are coming from. As if living a busy life (and finding time to write about it) isn’t enough, now we have to become 1-woman PR firms, too?That said, I notice that the smart moms who are playing this as a business are typically on version 2.0 of their web lives. Perhaps they wrote a traditional mommy blog on the first go-round, and now they take what they know and spin off into a site optimized to take advantage of affiliate links and marketing reviews.It’s very hard to retrofit a trusted blogging voice. Better for readers and bloggers when a new project makes the advantages (and disclosures) clear from the start.
>I think the best marketing strategy is based on exceptionally good content, and you have some of the best. Rock on!
>I think it depends on your goals. If your goals are to work with companies, market, garner relationships, sell ads, then, by all means, work your butt off!If your goals are to just share about your family, and be a part of connecting, then working w/ businesses may not be for you. But women largely control social media and I believe that they are VALUABLE to companies.Its just not the same old mom it used to be.trisha
>Newbaby.com: Your comment isn’t networking, it’s spam. It drives bloggers crazy to have spent all this time on an amazing post and have it just become a tool for someone to veer off topic market their website. Sorry feeling feisty today.
>I started a website back in early 2003 for the sole purpose of making money. I wanted it to be my “business” so I could stay at home with my 2 boys. At the same time I created a personal blog and put it on the same domain as my business. My personal blog is and has always been my personal space to ramble on about my life as a work at home mom. Anyway, I think it all really depends on what you want to get out of your blog. Are you wanting to become a famous writer or just get a full time paid writing job? Are you wanting to become a huge content-based blog/website? Marketing and SEO are going to be important especially as it gets more competitive online. I wonder everyday whether my business is going to survive as things change so I do everything I can at the moment to stay in the game. I deeply depend on the money that my sites/blogs bring in. In fact, between my husband and me, our sites bring in our entire income. Also, I’m all for everyone doing what they want to do even it it means marketing themselves to no end. 😉
>I started a website back in early 2003 for the sole purpose of making money. I wanted it to be my “business” so I could stay at home with my 2 boys. At the same time I created a personal blog and put it on the same domain as my business. My personal blog is and has always been my personal space to ramble on about my life as a work at home mom. Anyway, I think it all really depends on what you want to get out of your blog. Are you wanting to become a famous writer or just get a full time paid writing job? Are you wanting to become a huge content-based blog/website? Marketing and SEO are going to be important especially as it gets more competitive online. I wonder everyday whether my business is going to survive as things change so I do everything I can at the moment to stay in the game. I deeply depend on the money that my sites/blogs bring in. In fact, between my husband and me, our sites bring in our entire income. Also, I’m all for everyone doing what they want to do even it it means marketing themselves to no end. 😉
>mom101 – i completely agree w/ you. i think it’s rude.
>I recently started a “review” blog because I didn’t want to ‘muddy’ up my babbling about children and my life with product reviews. I am a terrible self-marketer, though, and have no interest in doing much more than I already do.
>Mom 101, I just read the newbaby comment and threw up a little in my mouth. I’m leaving it there because it’s sooooo freaking ridiculous.
>What if, instead of “blogging,” you substituted the word “reporting,” and instead of “mommy” you substituted the word “reporter.” Would you still value the perspective of the reporter if you knew she was being “paid” (a.k.a. “bribed”) to cover the topic by the very product she was reviewing? I have a business blog for my marketing-to-mom ad agency and I just blogged about a great book called The Cult of the Amateur. User-generated content lets everyone position themselves as an expert and it becomes harder and harder to separate real wisdom from puffery and dreck.
>Since I’m a marketer all day long, I started the blog to get out the thoughts I have at work that I’m not allowed to put in copy…it’s always been a side thought that I could make money at it, but at the end of the day, I don’t think it’s realistic, and I’d feel schmaltzy “working it” like that. I’d rather just make a few people giggle than feel like an Amway rep for my blog.
>In blogging years I’ve been blogging about a minute, so what do I know. But, what I can add is that good writing is key. A sloppy post is a turnoff. I cringe at typos I see on my own blog and others. I like to read a post that an author has labored over. A labot of love.I still don’t get how some of the blogs I have read that are very fluffy get as much traffic as they do. It’s a mystery. In fact the whole “write good material and traffic will find your blog” is a bit of a mystery to me, as well. I get some visitors from search engines I have “joined” and some from searches, but only a handful of regular readers. Is it a waiting game? Or, are some bloggers doing something different that I have no idea about?Until then I will plod along…
>I feel like there is more than one kind of mom blog. Some people are out there to make money, to get product placement, to create a brand.I just can’t do it. It’s all I can do to get what I want to say out, and keep getting posts up let alone try to optimize my searches and get advertisers. I just want to write because I want to write. Sure, I’d love it if more people read my blog, but I don’t have the time or energy to try and force it, and I feel like if I did it would take time away from the writing part of it.If people want to do the marketing and the money etc, that’s fine. But it’s not the same kind of Mommy blog that I have. If it comes around organically, like it did for you, I’d be overjoyed. But if not, well, I’ve got my little corner of the internet, and I’m sticking with it.
>I will say this I am not a blogger and I find myself disappointed when I read a commercial instead of an insightful or funny story. It happenend just a few days ago on this blog. The spank post was a commerical, in my opinion. Doesn’t mean I will stop reading your blog it just means that post was a commercial. I almost thought about going out and buying some. It is interesting to hear your perspective on marketing after writing about spank. People will take what they want from a blog, it is your blog so you can do with it what you want.
>I believe that all of this a just reflection of the large numbers of stay at home mothers who are longing for an identity after leaving the workplace. Like the stranded housewives of the 60’s, we are looking for something to do and would like to make a little pocket change, so blogging is the new tupperware. Yes, it requires you to shamelessly solicit friends and family, but it’s a fun party too!
>Fascinating. I dither on the edges – I just blog because I want to – I don’t worry about stats or SEO or handing out business cards at the supermarket. And even so, I get those marketers nosing around – and I have ended up with a Wii Fit, and kid’s clothes – though I wouldn’t call myself a “popular mom blogger” by any stretch of the imagination. There have been a lot of posts in the same vein as yours recently, and it’s been really interesting to read them – especially because, as I said, I’m so on the fringes of the whole business.
>Anonymous:1.It’s Spanx. Not “spank”2.Do you really believe it was a commercial? I don’t know about you, but when I find a product I really like, I tell everyone I know, with or without a blog. I have a feeling Lindsay just really liked her Spanx!
>There are so many different types of blogs that it’s hard to say. I think that if a blog started off primarily being about someone’s day to day life and dramatically switched to products/etc., I’d wonder why. Personally, my blog (which is an off-shoot of a moms group) has always been informative with a “sprinkling” of my day to day life. I include contests, reviews, etc., but I always have because that’s what my initial audience liked/requested. Now if I were to start partnering with companies that had NOTHING to do with moms of preschoolers, I would consider myself “selling out”…(even though I don’t get paid anyway…hmmm)
>Oh Lindsay, how I love thee.You handle the stickiest of topics, oh so beautifully.And, if you haven’t clicked over to the City Paper article, you should because it ends this story right on pointe!
>just like debeers says, a diamond is forever. the good stuff, no matter what the scope, will be around in the long run! (that means you Lindsey 😉
>oh, and I just submitted this post to Stumble Upon I hope it gets so much love. Sweet sweet irony.
>There are writers who blog, but not all bloggers are writers.I think this is all just a natural progression of the popularity of mommy bloggers. We are tres hot and companies are clamoring to get a piece of the action. Different genres of mommy blogging are popping up. There are the writers, the photographers, the working moms, the SAHMs, and there are the advice/housekeeping/frugalistas. I think there is a place for everyone, it’s just that the marketing aspect is “hot” for now. This is why I set up a totally separate site for reviews last year. It was weird (to me) to incorporate those posts into my regular blog. But I’m also not ashamed to admit I do like to try out new things for my family. It’s a small perq.What does bother me lately is that moms blogging strictly for business and marketing seems to risk turning into almost a “get rich quick” from home type vibe and that definitely sullies it up from a writing and journaling perspective.
>I’m probably going to repeat someone, I didn’t have a chance to read all the comments, but I’ll blather on anyway. I’m pretty new to blogging. I have this little ol’ blog that is appreciated for it’s content so far. That’s what it’s about for me. I’ve made some fantastic friends that are really amazing writers and…well, people. If that person behind the blog is all about marketing and only marketing, making money and only making money, I don’t stick around long. I thrive on good writing and multi-faceted people sharing their hearts and minds. If that depth isn’t there, I don’t stick around. I don’t have anything against it, it just isn’t for me, like I said. If it happens on accident, as a result of growing traffic due to good writing, then that’s great. But I don’t think any of it will last long without more than just advertising bringing people back. Humor, insight, stories….you get the idea. (I ramble)
>I’m here via Mom 101 and this topic is fascinating to me. Because when I started blogging last summer it never occurred to me that anyone would give me anything so that I could write about it. And when it started happening, I felt super flattered but also had to find a way to incorporate it into my blog so that I didn’t sound like a, what’s the word? A fucking product whore. To be fair, I’ve only done one product review and it was less of a review than a OMG, I love it so much! And I was recently asked to do another that I’m considering.The whole leaving cards that you describe is atrocious to me, mostly because I am so lazy, but also, I fear, because women are socialized into the “I’ll just write here, don’t pay attention to me, don’t notice me” role.So that’s not fair.Ultimately, I feel like every blogger has to do what feels right to her. If seeking out sponsors seems in tune with the blog, then I have absolutely no problem with it. But it’s also not who I am. And not just because I suspect that I’d suck at it.Interesting post. Thanks.
>you know, i noticed the rise at blogher last year- and i didn’t even go to anything but the damn parties! ha! but i talked to a few people who told me that they started blogging JUST to make money. that concept alone is so foreign and weird to me. i agree a lot with what heather b said in her comment- where a lot of us started writing for whatever reasons, and then ads and other things came our way more organically. i have ads on my site. i also do reviews sometimes and hi, if someone wanted to fly my happy ass to new york and pamper me, i’m fairly certain i wouldn’t say no. but what do i have to do to get to that point? i’m not sure. and i’m not sure i want too.
>DAMMIT to hell, i was NOT done. lol i was saying that i’m not sure i want to know what i have to do to get these things. i guess i see it as if someone approaches me, it’s one thing- but if i had to sell my soul to get it- it’s another. in a way, i think the people who are solely blogging for money is sad. like emotionally- it makes me sad. it just seems to go against everything our blogs are supposed to be for and about.. i dunno
>and now i have to post about this too because i’m all fired up. lol
>Thank you Lindsay! I am so glad I was not the only person on the verge of having a nervous breakdown about SEO. I was at your table, sending snarky tweets about needing a manservant to do my SEO bidding. And I was shocked to see I had google-osity for something I had never tried to. And none for the things I have tried. Meh!I’m a review blogger, a humor writer, a copywriter, and editor and a manufacturer (who was flinging her product at people, rather shamelessly). I change hats frequently. I don’t pretend to like anything I don’t *actually* like. I don’t expect others to either. Take it or leave it. But I was thrilled to share my own product at Mom 2.0 with people I so admire, who’s opinion/feedback I more than value… I cling to like a baby with a blankie! Do I want them to write about it? Sure. But only if they really like it and it’s relevant. I also expect my friends to tell their friends. I think I had a massive brain-ache all through last weekend from all the hat switching and ethical/logistical/marketing/product related soul searching. But it was a good pain, like after a great workout.It was thrilling to be around so many smart, talented women, including of course, YOU, and to see all the angles people were coming from. There’s not one right way to do anything. That was my big lesson! Phew.
>Great! The modern day moms are smart enough to cash on their pregnancy and baby care experiences.
>I’m a small fry in the blogosphere. Meaning, I blog for myself and I have adequate traffic, but I’m not at all in the “big leagues”…I don’t feel comfortable pimping myself out, so I don’t know if I’d ever leave my card on a grocery shelf or ask for a car for a year. That’s not why I do this. I blog because I like to write.I may not be as amazing as some of the other bloggers out there, but I value my blog and I like doing what I do.
>I think it’s hypocritical to say marketing yourself is “so not you” when you constantly market yourself to us. Constantly. Don’t get me wrong, I love you and think your writing is way better than a lot of blogs out there (written by writers or otherwise) but just because your writing is good doesn’t cancel out the fact that other not-so-good bloggers have to push their “brand” in a tough, competitive economy.
>It’s overly simplistic to say that you either started a blog “for the love of writing” or to make money. For me, at least, the relationship is far more complicated than that. I want to make money, have a career, just as I have always wanted to turn my writing into a career. Blogging is just one more way of trying to accomplish that goal. I think everyone has to figure out where they will draw the line. I don’t do paid placements or reviews, and when I feature a product review on my site it is actually a product I bought with my own money and love and want to give to my readers. I’m uncomfortable with anything else, but don’t begrudge people for doing it.What you might start to see more of is product placement kind of stuff, where named products show up but are not specifically reviewed or endorsed, we have that in movies and tv and I don’t know why blogging would be any different.
>Lindsay, it comes down to just what you what to do with your blog. You can more aggressively advertise it like some mommybloggers do, or do just what you’re doing now.Only you know both your comfort level here and what you expect of your blog.Speaking as a reader — the single male kind — I visit your blog ‘cuz it’s entertaining, occasionally thought-provoking and even provocative. As for the products thing, that part I couldn’t care less about.
>First of all, I read your City Paper post, but it wouldn’t let me comment.I think I am one of the rare few who blogs with no intention of making money. I write for fun and to build friendships. I’ve learned to rely on these friends for advice and to support me. I’ve been doing this for 3 years and I don’t see it changing any time soon.I don’t think it’s wrong for people to blog as a business, but I personally don’t even have ads on my site. I like for things to stay simple, just me and my words. I don’t mind product reviews or giveaways, but I won’t do them if it means crazy stipulations. Also? I don’t have the time to keep up with the technology, the business side of things, worrying about my stats. I just read, write, and comment. A lot more fun that way.I am going to BlogHer this year, but it’s more to meet all of my blogging friends. Learning is a bonus, but I don’t see how it will change my stance.
>Did Jamie (Blond Mom) says she was in it for the little pervs or is it my eyesight?Seriously, I’m in it for the fun AND the money. I will let you know if the latter ever comes to pass.I keep reviews and content apart because let’s face it, no one comes to my blog to read about a good product. If anything, a post on my blog would be bad for biz, LOL.There’s room for everyone. I am 100% with Jamie that marketing is “hot” right now in blogging, soon it will be something else. Don’t fret too much about it, you know? Just keep writing.
>I have nothing against sponsors, per se, and nothing against marketing. I have been sponsored, and I market my work daily. But it pains me when, as a writer, I read *horrifically* written posts on popular, “successful” mom blogs and realize that those are the people asking for and receiving stuff, money, trips etc for…for what? For being “influential”…what does that even MEAN, and how does one become influential in a written medium if not through the strength of her writing?It makes me worry as well about what I have to offer as somebody who considers myself a writer first and a marketer of my writing second (I do know that in today’s market I HAVE to be both). Especially when I see some of those same people bashing traditional media as outdated and obscure. Especially when those people could desperately use the services of an editor themselves.I am rambling, here, but yeah, I’ve noticed it, and it annoys me some days and disturbs me others.
>I have always believed and experienced that if you are true to yourself, your writing style and your audience with your blog, the opportunities will come to you without having to “shove” them in the face of others.Of course, I’m not making millions off my blog, but I do make enough money to make it a supplemental gig. The opportunities that have come to me haven’t come through my marketing myself outright to companies, but through them finding me.I would personally think that if a company was interested in hiring a blogger to do product endorsements, they would be more likely to chose a blog that is not over saturated with the marketing of every product out there. I don’t know much, but just my thoughts.Great post!
>I had entirely too much to say in a comment, so I weighed in on my blog. In a nutshell, I just can’t get behind it. It does nothing to further women’s – moms or otherwise – position in the blogosphere and beyond and that rubs me the wrong way.
>I started blogging because it was a fun hobby that gave me an outlet. and then, it started to take over my life! I would spend every waking moment blogging, researching, seo, marketing, commenting, etc.I went to BlogHer and felt completely overwhelmed and lost in a sea of people who knew each other! I tell my friends who want to start a blog, be prepared to have it take over your life. and now, after a family crisis, I’ve begun to realize that I need to bring blogging back to where I started. A fun hobby that makes me happy. I’m never going to get rich off of mine, so I might as well enjoy it, right? 🙂 PS: i’m going back to Blogher though because it’s the only kid-free vacation that I’ll get!
>Good twist on the “to monetize or not” conversation. I think that one reason you (specifically) don’t have to network in order to feel like you’re connected is because you have the “real” job on the City Paper. Without that exposure/experience/outlet, you might be a lot more interested in the kind of networking these others are doing.
>Umm, wow. Your post leaves me speechless and bumfuzzled, as do some of the comments you received. And I am so not getting your anti-commercial blogging thing. You have commenters berating moms who leave business cards in CVS aisles, and the tone of your post seems to communicate the same disdain. Yet could someone please tell me how that is any different than sprinkling comments on a million different blogs, all over the internet, no matter how bad they suck, to drive traffic to their own blogs?Umm, and yeah, at that heathen, sold-Grandma-down-the-river Blissdom conference, Jenn Lancaster spoke; said that in her early days she promoted her blog on craigslist. Let’s all smirk while she takes her next book advance to an FDIC insured depository.I can’t help but think you had 89 comments before mine because, in addition to being a great writer, you have a column in a Nashville newspaper. And I think that’s great. More power to you. Truly.But I’m a little confused by your rap on moms who are trying to make some money (at least, that’s how you come across) when you seem to be doing the same thing. Or maybe you feel like mom bloggers who are not “real writers” (e.g., not columnists as well) do not deserve to earn a few dollars here and there? Monetizing my blog is “so not me” either. But to each her own. I have a little itty bitty blog and I have done nothing whatsoever to promote it. I leave comments on blogs I like and that’s it. Call me a total blog purist. For the first several months of my blog, I probably came off as some kind of wretched bitch because I didn’t answer reader comments in the comment section, afraid I’d be seen as someone artificially inflating the # of comments they received.Some popular blogger friends of mine tell me I am naive to think my blog will stand or fall on its own merits. But naive I am and shall remain. I’m not in it for the money. For me, writing is that itch that usually hits me around midnight and I’ve got to get it down on paper, no matter what. No magic, no mystery, no motive.But wow. For a popular blogger turned columnist like you, who I have thus far enjoyed, this kind of flogging of mom bloggers who market themselves is, well, surprising. If I have misinterpreted your post and its tone, I beg to stand corrected.
>Good topic. I started my blog as a baby blog when I got pregnant, to keep friends and family updated. It’s become such an amazing outlet for me and I love writing it. It is still centered around my baby, but is more about me becoming a mother and finishing my degree than a “baby blog”. I love, love, love seeing my site visits jump every now and then and I’m addicted to comments (who isn’t?) but not many people read my blog so it’s hard for me to judge. I would love for people to find me, like what I say and keep coming back but I would feel sleazy promoting myself and my family as a “brand” to seduce readers. That being said my husband is always dreaming about our rich life once I get it together and make some money off this thing 🙂 Ha.
>I’ve always felt that blogging was about writing, not marketing. I have ads on my blog, and I do so to pay for the cost of running 3 blogs. But on each of my blogs, content is what rules, not marketing. The funny thing is that this year my personal blog has taken off locally and my hits have gone wild. I’m not complaining, really, but the best part about this change is that it’s all about my writing. I’ve gotten a job writing at my local paper, I’ve had articles in our big city paper, I’m picked up regularly on our city’s aggregated site, and I’ve developed a big and friendly local following. Which is EXACTLY what my goal was in blogging way back in 2003 when I started. I’ve gotten one trip from blogging, and very few free things, and absolutely NO electronics whatsoever. If I did, I’d put the reviews on my review site unless it was a product I really love and want to tell the world about. Like Spanks. I just wish that BlogHer had shut up about the whole “you are a brand” thing, because it apparently has started a big crazy group of bloggers who actually believe that they ARE a brand. Nope, they are people. People that blog.
>For the record, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with mom bloggers making money from their blogs, or from their writing using other outlets. What concerns me is when making money trumps producing something of quality that deserves to earn it. I apologize if it makes me elitist, but I guess I think it should go in the other order. And right now I feel like the message is “create your brand, become successful, earn money!” NOT “create something of value to others, hone your craft, and the money will follow.” With all the talk of print media dying, what is that going to leave us to read?
>I just want free stuff too! LOL went to one of these and I must admit I don't really look at myself as a brand. It's a blog for fun, for my family & friends to keep up with what is going on in my life…So I suppose no free stuff for me
>I don’t necessarily like to read about what product someone thinks is great b/c they are getting sponsorship. I like reading true life stories and feelings. I read to learn more about people in general and then that specific person’s life. It’s fun and interesting to see common threads among other women all over the world. I do not read blogs where women are all about themselves. Reminds me too much of high school. LOL
>I started blogging about 4 years ago, when most of the stellar bloggers started, and I think every single woman who blogged back then simply did it to communicate, write, keep a diary, whatever. Try something new. I still do it for those same reasons. Those stellar bloggers never set out to become stars. It happened to them and in 99% of cases, it came as a surprise. But what I love about my tiny space is that I have regular readers, who I have time to get to know, who have become friends in real life too. I often wonder how the stars manage to keep up that side of blogging, which is a huge thing for me. How does one even begin to read the blogs of 16000 readers in one day? I want to write what I want to write. I don’t want to have to write about things as part of a marketting ploy. I just want to write, and in a sense, my readers are a huge part of that writing process. I am content where I am. Everyone has their own valid reasons for blogging though. This is what makes it such a fascinating thing to do. I always have the power to move on, or stay a while! I learn, we all learn as we go along. We follow paths which are right for us. For me, it is exactly where I am right now. Small and cosy.
>@a lawyer mom I’m going to defend Lindsay here who as a writer, markets her writing. Jen Lancaster did the same. The best analogy I can think of is Rocco DiSpirito. He’s a super talented chef, but he has become the butt of jokes of the food world because of the way he markets himself. More respected so-called celebrity chefs are chefs first, celebrity second – what comes out of the kitchen is most important. Do that well and then the endorsements, the tv appearances, the cookbooks follow. Is there room for both Rocco and Mario Batali in the world? Of course. But when Rocco makes choices (hello, dancing with the stars?) I think he has to accept that it has SELL OUT all over it.
>I’m a fan of natural reviews and marketing. Where you plug an item out of love. Because not sharing how it has impacted your life would be a disservice to the world. Not because of a desire to grab another web crawler or earn a few more freebies from the manufacturer.
>I saw your article in the paper (thanks to dcrmom on twitter) and had to come visit your blog.I really enjoyed your thoughts. I’m a very new blogger and it’s sometimes overwhelming to see so much marketing and think I need to do all that too. Well, I know there’s no point to do that for me (for now) because, like I said, I’m still new and I don’t have a lot to draw people to my blog anyway. I need to keep reminding myself that I’m doing it for ME first. I do enjoy marketing, so maybe someday I can think about that further, but this was great for me to remember to stop pressuring myself and just enjoy having a blog!
>I just started a few months ago, and I am not really one to market myself… I would like to grow readership, but I know that I am still working on my ‘voice’ because it has been YEARS since I have written. Writing is a hobby for me – one that I let fall to the wayside for a very, very long time.That being said – I see both sides of it. Since there are such extremely well-versed and professional writers out there – people who have been blogging since before it was even called blogging – it is difficult for novices like myself to stack up and get any kind of readership. The “market” or what-have-you is so saturated, that you almost have to be a professional writer or have crazy marketing schemes to get noticed. I do think that the content is what is important, most definitely. I think that people should write because they want to write. I also think that people who want to do reviews or giveaways or whatever because they want to do them and think they are fun should do that! But not just to get noticed, that’s kind of lame.Just my two cents.
>Excellent article this week! I admit that it's so good to know that I'm not the only one that ran from branding. I say "ran" because last year I blogged for approximately 8 months. At that time, I was not a Mommy Blogger. Rather I was writing about my experience as I trained for a 60 mile walk across Dallas, Texas in memory of my Grandmother and the fight against Breast Cancer. I got a little traffic and met some sweet ladies out in web world. I even attended a local blog conference where all they talked about was "branding" and marketing. I left clueless; and on December 21st when I discovered that I'm pregnant with our first child I decided to leave my blog as it is – A tribute to my Grandmother.It was tempting to switch blog gears and start writing about my pregnancy and upcoming motherhood and be a part of the Mommy Bloggers community, but my heart kept reminding me of mine and my husband's goal for our life and family…A Simple & Quiet Life.As I prepare to be a stay-at-home, I'm thrilled and a little worried all at the same time. I know connecting with Moms across the internet would be easy and helpful, but I really want to see their faces, hear the voices and even hug them in person. So today the blog thing is not for me and my family. In the scheme of things, life is so short that we really want to invest in our personal friendships and create new ones. So local playgroups…watch out, because me and my little one are heading your way in September!
>I totally agree! I love to write and am just trying to find an outlet for expressing my creativity and sense of humor, for documenting the hilarious and wild actions/words of my darling girls, and for finding some release in the midst of a stressful and chaotic life (albeit incredible blessed and joyful). I’d love for you to check out my blog at shawna-mygirls.blogspot.com. Enjoy!
>Thank you for this, Lindsay — so well written and honest. I, too, have had those fears about “am I falling behind?” “Am I wasting an opportunity?” But the fact is that the reason I started Parent Hacks, the reason I love it, is the community. My inbox is so clogged with PR pitches that I often lose the actual email from my readers, and that’s a shame, because that’s why I did it in the first place. In fact, some the joy had gone out of it because I was conflicted about its place in my life as business or passion.So I’ve decided to focus again on what I love and do best — building my community. I’m grateful to have a fantastic partner on the $/marking side (Federated Media) and all the opportunities that come from that. But the only way my site will continue to thrive is if my heart is there.
>Well, I can see I’m probably not going to be the popular girl with my comment but here goes.(Also, I’m the one getting a car for a year but that was a gradual process that wasn’t planned by either party).I worked my way through college and got student loans so that I could get a degree in Communications.After graduation, I worked for over 8 years in marketing and business development. Once I had my son, I decided to stay home and sell real estate because in this area, DC Metro, the cost of living is just too high for me not to contribute.Well, the market tanked and my hubs and I made a deal that I would figure out a virtual job situation or go back to work.I started a blog and started looking for virtual marketing jobs at the same time. It wasn’t too long before I was hired as Chief Mom Officer (fancy name for community manager and marketing) and since then I partnered with Care.com to launch MomForce. MomForce’s whole premise is to help marketing savvy moms get similar jobs to “Chief Mom Officer”.A lot of what I write about pertains to how other moms can get marketing jobs, manage work/life balance, and how to brand and market themselves.There are a lot of moms like me that want to have the best of both worlds.I’m not a writer first although I’ve been told my content’s pretty good.All the same, I’m STILL paying off my student loans 10 years later and it feels good to pay them with money I earned. My actual blog doesn’t make the cold hard cash though…my hourly consulting rate is comparable to what I made when I was 9-5…and I’m proud of that. My blog is something I enjoy writing. My bread and butter is my consulting.With that said, I love love love to read the blogs written by moms that are more narrative in nature. I think it’s so cool that women can have ambitions and go after them.No matter the reason for the blog, I think the most important thing is that we all support each other.It was awesome to meet you at Nashville (I wasn’t at Mom 2.0) and I hope we get to meet again.one more comment: a lot of moms that blog because they love to write can’t afford to go to the big conferences like Blogher or Blissdom. Getting sponsored is the only way they can swing it. And I think it’s cool that companies are recognizing the power of conversational marketing and making it possible for women to go to the conferences.
>Wow, Lindsay. I’d just like to correct the record, because you’re not presenting all of the facts here. I’m not afraid to share with everyone that I’m the one whose hubby leaves my business cards at the grocery store.Did you read my blog? I’m not your typical mommyblogger. I’m a mom who blogs…about couponing and grocery/drugstore deals and saving money. Yes, I happen to make money from this. But I also get dozens of comments every day from people thanking me for helping them stretch their budgets in this tight economy.I’d venture to say that most of the other moms at that table would not consider themselves mommybloggers either. We’re niche bloggers, each highly respected in our specialties. I’m not the least bit ashamed of the profitable site that I’ve created, and I’m willing to bet the others aren’t either.
>I’m too new to all this to really contribute. (Started blogging publically last year after privately blogging since 2001.)All I have to say is HOLY CRAP your blog header is fierce. And I hate even using that word cause Tyra, yikes, but man. LOVE that picture. Also I can’t imagine marketing my blog to local people, like on a business card or something. When I run into “real” people who read my blog I die. All I can think of is oops, I hope you didn’t read about my vagina last month.
>First, let me say that I have reached your blog through @jessicaknows and I have read everything and every comment and I’m just sitting here trying to figure out just what to write because I feel conflicted. Conflicted for two reasons.1) I think that you have some very good points and sometimes I feel the way you do with the PR requests and how my site has turned so quickly from a blog to a business (but it is still a blog) BUT everything can be done with integrity and class.2) I think that each mom blogs for their own reason and that blogs can be very influential on a variety of levels. Blogs can influence brands and impact sales and we have to embrace this. It a very empowering time for mothers and women. I see more jealousy than anything else and personally I know that bloggers that get the stuff like cars, trips, etc work their tails off and give powerful consulting tools, help and guidance to companies and thus they deserve what they get. It should also be noted how powerful blogs are for influencing change and positive things to happen. They educate and help us mothers decide and make decisions. I’m especially proud of this for the green movement and how legislation can be impacted.It really boils down to the blogger, male or female and their purpose and the way they decide to present themselves online. What they decide to reap from this is their choice-good and bad.
>I think there’s room for both. If I buy a product that I love or hate, I’m going to blog about it. Purchasing items for our house is part of my life, and part of what I blog. If a company wants to give me free product or pay me to review what they’ve got and tell other people about it, all the better. Right now, I’m doing it for free to help other moms out. I know how much research I do before I buy, and I would hope other parents do the same. I would much rather read a person’s real experience with a product than to see a commercial on TV and wonder “How does that really work?” Thanks to some review blogs, I have found some really cool new products that I probably would have never seen otherwise. I’ve even noticed some of those same products are now advertising in the major parenting magazines.
>I’ve seen some bloggers come onto the scene in the past year, and already have more traffic and “stuff” offered to them than I have in my 3 years of doing this. I can’t help but feel a little jealous at times. Who wouldn’t want that kind of attention?But for some of them, I find it hard to actually find their content in the ad-heavy pages, which is a huge turn-off. For others, I’m left wondering what is a paid post and what isn’t. Transparency is key in these issues, I think.Like you, I enjoy trying out products and I love seeing my traffic go up. But it’s still about the writing – it’s MY story, and while I’m happy to make a little money from my blog, I’m still putting 95% of my time into writing, not marketing myself. Dunno…maybe I’m doing it wrong and I need to learn more about SEO and marketing? I wrote on this topic earlier this week, too, and my conclusion is if you don’t have the writing, you don’t have a good blog.
>For the record, it was newbaby.com that SENT me this article and said she thought I might find it interesting….so spammy or not, she is advertising you. :-)trisha
>This is precisely what has been in my head for the past few weeks because it seems like every blog I read and every forum I visit is rife with talk of sponsorships and conferences and how to reach the businesses and make yourself more marketable. It’s fine for people who are solely review and PR blogs. But it is overwhelming and daunting to those of us who don’t do review or marketing because we are writers. I think the blogosphere is being flooded with review and marketing and the actual writers and content are being overlooked. All the more reason to make sure my blogroll includes writer’s blogs and that I encourage those individuals with links and comments as much as possible.
>I just love reading all the blogs. If people choose to do ads or whatever I’m ok with that. I’ll still go read.Hey to each his own. Right? 😉
>I have struggled to come up with a response, because so many great points have been made and so many things deserve a follow up.First of all, Tara, you unwittingly proved my point with your comment. You say: “I’d venture to say that most of the other moms at that table would not consider themselves mommybloggers either. We’re niche bloggers, each highly respected in our specialties.” I’m not sure you intended it, but your tone implies that like being a “mommyblogger” is a bad thing. But you’re a mom who blogs mostly for other moms, so I’m putting you in the same boat with all the rest of us “mommybloggers,” and I think the marketers you’re profiting off of obviously put you in the mommyblogger category as well. Also, the fact that you’re using the kind of terminology you included in your comment– “highly respected,” “profitable”, etc, makes you EXACTLY the kind of new-line blogger I’m talking about. This kind of phraseology would have been unheard of three years ago when mom bloggers talked about themselves.And I’m not saying this is a bad thing! At all. I really enjoyed hanging out with you all and hope there are no bad feelings when we meet again. I’m simply asking whether those of us who are NOT market-savvy can keep up with you guys and your strategies. Others, in so many words, are asking whether this new line of mom blogging dilutes the “revolutionary” quality that made mom blogging what it was three years ago. I think that’s a fair question. But at the same time, I think people like you, Tara, have every right to start a blog for whatever reason you want to, and if you’re successful, AWESOME. Truly. I’m just wondering how all of us will end up fitting into the equation together.Clearly, I’ve profited off the marketing frenzy geared toward mom blogging. But I have to say, the more sophisticated marketers get in dealing with mom blogs, the more I worry about my- and others’- content.I know my header probably makes some marketers and advertisers immediately keep moving. I’ve been offered ad campaigns that require that I don’t curse on my blog. I’ve been offered thousands of dollars to include paid posts on my main blog, for products I actually think I’d like. I’ve made decisions based on my blog’s content rather than marketing strategy and given up a LOT of money in the process. I feel good about my decisions, but at the same time, we’re in a recession. My oldest is going to college in the fall. My next-oldest turns 16 in a few months. We could REALLY use the money. It’s hard to turn it down. I’m sure other moms out there are dealing with the same dilemmas. It worries me that the temptation to “sell out” is greater than ever. So there’s a little more about where I’m coming from.
>Putting business cards in CVS aisles? You can do that? Damn.Yes, we write because we feel compelled to. It’s about the writing, sure. But it’s also about getting recognized for our writing. Which means marketing.Maybe you got lucky enough to just get there out of the box, but a lot of us aren’t. We have to market. We have no choice.It’s not that we enjoy it. Trust me. It’s hard work, and it requires a temperament that I, personally, don’t have.But I am determined to get noticed. And if that means business cards in CVS aisles, I guess I need to place a VistaPrint order.
>It does tend to lose me a little, largely because I find that as soon as someone turns more attention to promoting and writing for other outlets, their own blog tends to suffer in quality and often quantity of posts. Sometimes it’s that they seem to save their best stuff for their paying blogs, and use their own to direct readers over.
>What a hot topic. I just wrote about this because I had my own mini marketing breakdown. With only so much time in the day I started to feel as though marketing 2.0 was taking more of my time than being able to give my best in my articles. Because my niche is health and happiness I realized mommyblogging 2.0 was taking up valuable time I could be using to further my studies and be inspired so that I have valuable content my readers will appreciate. Basically, the blog started to feel like a job and I needed to get back to why I blog in the first place. I’m much less stressed now that I have re-prioritized how I approach my blog. Great topic, stumbled! ha ha
>Kittenpie, I totally understand where you’re coming from, and that’s another topic for another post.I have tried hard to keep the writing on this blog at the same standard that it’s always been (or better!), even after getting paying writing gigs. Some weeks, I do great at that. Other weeks, it’s tough because I’m not necessarily feeling very inspired.At the same time, if you enjoy a person’s writing, I hope you will support that person, no matter where they’re writing. The only difference in my writing here, at the City Paper, and at Her Nashville, is the header at the top. The difference between here and my Parents.com blog is that I tend to be more personal over at Parents.com, which I think some people really enjoy. I link you to those stories because I think you’d like them, and since all of my writing is free to you, you can “support me” by agreeing to read some of my stuff on other sites.I hope you all keep that in mind with all of the bloggers you love who also write for other sites, particularly during this recession, when so many of these blogging and writing gigs are in real danger of going away. You can offer your support to those women and help safeguard the jobs that often are allowing them to stay home with their kids simply by agreeing to read their (still great) stories somewhere else. Ack. I sound like Sally Struthers all of a sudden. “For the cost of a cup of coffee…” 😉
>I am just now able to read through your comments here and am excited to see how passionate other bloggers are about this topic, especially since it’s something that has really been weighing on my heart a lot lately. I just want to write, too. And I ebb and flow with the ads and giveaways and paid trips here and there but I only play along with what is “me” and I do not seek them out. If they come to me, great, if not, then I don’t feel like I’m missing out. I have to be a Mom *first* after all.I have a bit of the “little shop around the corner” syndrome where I want people to find me and read me because they like me, not because I promoted myself somewhere or made a big buzz or whatever the latest thing to get hits is. And then there are the “big box” blogs out there that have the resources and manpower to do all the big boxy things and get the word out and what not. If that’s what their true intention is and that’s what feels good within their core, then just as I don’t want anyone to tell me how to blog, I would never tell them how they should either. I just hate sometimes that pressure of my little shop being snuffed out by them- and being reminded of it so much as you wrote about- if I don’t step up and keep up and learn all the terms and jargon and blah blah blah.So, in these fast paced times I may have less readers. Once that would have bothered me but lately I just don’t care. What I write is so precious to me, I only want it to be read by those that actually get me. Not the people that just want to make money off of me or see an opportunity to jump in and promote themselves. And I also write for other paying outlets. I hardly ever link to them on my blog, but sometimes I do, if I feel it is fitting. And, while I hope everything I write is my “best work”, I ALWAYS make sure my best work is for my own personal blog first.Steph
>I am a new reader to your blog…but I have to tell you…the picture in your header makes me smile every time I see it. The look on your baby’s face is classic! TFS!!!
>I just have to say, this is why I love your blog. I think you were reading my mind with that post. I started my blog because ever since I can remember, I wanted to write. I never thought I could actually write, but my blog fills my need to write and gives me an outlet. I love it. My inner turmoil (sorry!) started when I realized that besides blog advertising, freebies were the name of the game. I did start a separate review blog so that I could do the few reviews that come my way, but I don’t post regularly on it, and I don’t “market” it. Even though I blog to write, and want people to read what I write and hopefully be touched by it, I feel a little left out of the “freebie frenzy”, like I’ve missed the boat. I don’t care if anyone wants to do that, and besides from a twinge of jealousy at all the goodies everyone else is getting, I just think to each his own. I have to be true to myself, and I’d rather be writing than marketing. Although, I am one of those who will probably never make it to Blogher or any other blog conference without a sponsor, and that does make me sad. Of all the freebies, that would be one reason to do the marketing gig.
>I’m a mom and I blog, but I’m not a mommy-blogger. There are millions of moms out there, and many are looking for good product reviews, but aren’t most really looking for friendship and community?If you have good content, people will come to your blog and click through to advertising and all that, and you’ll make money and that’s great. If you find a product that you like and you want to share it with others, that’s not a crime. If you have sucky content, but want to use your blog to make money, join the fray. You’ll get the attention of some companies and get some free stuff and if that’s what you’re into, cool. I wouldn’t bank on this as a long-term investment, unless you have good content. That gravy train will be coming into the station pretty soon, as companies get savvy about their social media marketing.Content is queen. Everything else is less important.
>The end of that story is perfect! And really goes to show that readers prefer integrity to marketing.
>Kittenpie, I’m one whose blog is different from the writing I do at paid outlets. It makes sense, to me–in those situations, I’m writing to somebody else’s requirements, and the fact that I’m being paid to write for those other outlets means I can and must spend a lot of time getting all the details right. There is only so much time in a day, and as much as I’d love to spend hours crafting beautiful prose daily for my blog–on which I run no ads and make no money–it’s just not the reality of my life. If you enjoy somebody’s writing, why is it such a big deal to click through from their personal blog to read their work elsewhere? I admit, I do tend to write my best stuff for paying markets and I actually think it helps me able to keep my blog a relatively “clean” place for me–it may not be super-active and I do link out a lot, but at least I don’t have to worry about turning it into an advertising success story, because I don’t rely on it to make me money.
>It’s not me either. I like to write and I love it when people read it. I’m still in my first year of blogging so all the marketing, etc kind of makes my head spin.
>Anytime these types of discussions come up, I wonder the same thing: how is the “debate” limited to mothers? If a guy in India writes a blog that is post after post of pitches about pharmaceuticals and uses SEO tricks to drive traffic to that site, he’s thrown into a bucket. If a guy in California declares himself a social media expert and spends hours per day telling people all about himself so that he can make a few bucks, he’s thrown into a bucket. If a 20-something woman (not a mother) blogs reviews about sex toys and utilizes twitter, facebook, etc. to promote her site, she’s thrown into a bucket. Why wouldn’t a woman who writes post after post promoting whatever not also be thrown into that bucket? How does the fact that she has three kids make her any different?For me, there is no difference.
>Love you blog and have started reading it a lot. I am working on my blog now (not Live) and really enjoy reading what everyone is saying. Thanks
>I actually spoke at BlissDom and when it comes to marketing, my suggestion was to do it to build your audience. If you want money, I can’t help you. But if you want to help readers find you in a sea of voices, that I understand. I understand wanting a diverse audience, because the more voices we can bounce our voice off of, the stronger our writing will become.I don’t want stuff. What am I going to do with a vacuum cleaner? Lord knows I don’t want to write about it. But I do like having a strong audience because they help make my writing stronger. But they have to find me first. And that can be an uphill battle. I read a lot of blogs through my magazine editing that have amazing content and zero audience. Google can’t tell the difference between fluff and brilliance. Google doesn’t read talent.That being said, I don’t know how to do that Google crap. What I know how to do is meet people. That’s my marketing. With that in mind, ain’t no shame in my game. 😉
>Fabulous. That is all. xo
>Wow. I do not have the energy to even order business cards from the printers – let alone shove them in creative locations. I’m like you. I want to spend my time writing about motherhood, not marketing it.
>I read blogs for their content and write my own for it’s content. I don’t spend time trying to market myself and I’m not interested in reading blogs that do so.
>I write. I don’t market. Guess that makes me really strange, but I never got into this to make money. I got into it to stay SANE. I love to write, and I have to do it. I won’t use my blog to hawk someone else’s product. I won’t be compensated for said product. I just don’t believe in it. That’s not my mission.On the other hand, I would love to get “discovered” as a writing talent.I just don’t see the point of driving a new car just because I blog. It’s all about the writing.I WOULD like to do giveaways for my readers, and am hoping when I attend Blogher (for the second time) I find out more about how to do that.T.
>I am a first time visitor and I really enjoyed your post.I’m a minor league blogger. Actually, if there is a league below that I probably belong there.I have about 200 unique readers per day and that has grown over the last 8 months (when the blog started) by word of mouth and other blogs referring to my content.I don’t have the writing talent to be a true “writer,” yet I do think I have niche. I agree with previous posters who mentioned that at the end of the day too many giveaways and contests and sponsorships ultimately dilute the reading that the reader came to your blog hoping to do.Just my two cents as a rep. for the minors!
>Wow – I never knew there could be so many strong opinions on this one. As a newer blogger (who went to Blissdom), I do post on frugal living, couponing, and the beauty and bedlam of life with five kids. I had NO idea when I started that there was even a way to make money with blogging. Like others, I began, and still do it because I love to share ways to be intentional with family, and doing it on less $. Honestly, I wish I had known a bit more about it before I started, so that I could have started with focus. People love to come to mine to see/hear the bedlam, but I would have loved to know that having a “specific voice” can help from being more random. for instance, I would go to some of these frugal sites that have been mentioned, and I would actually post some of their “sign up for free coupons” things on my site – never knowing that I was actually sending quite a bit of money their way when my readers signed up. I just posted these because I was excited about them, and wanted to share. They were a help to myself and others. I had a big blogger decorating friend of mine say that she thinks those kind of things are tacky – I laughed and told her I LOVE them, and I would be glad to have someone give me a box of “xyz.” That’s what is wonderful about the blogging world. We can learn from each other, iron sharpens iron, do what you love, and if you don’t appreciate those kind of sites – don’t go. Am I with you on the “keeping up with them?” Absolutely, with five kids that I home school, and a load of other responsibilities, there’s a huge learning curve to the marketing. I am lucky if I finish typing my post at 11:59pm and post it a minute later.
>I think it’s only fair to include this Tweet from “Kingdomfirstmom” that preceded the last comment:kingdomfirstmom: Calling all frugal/deal mom bloggers! @DealSeekingMom being slammed 4 promoting her helpful blog- sound off here http://tinyurl.com/amh6zj (that’s this post, by the way)I welcome all of your comments- Just wanted everyone to know where some of you might be coming from.
>Wow! A lot going on here! I don’t have time to read through all of the comments, but I understand where everyone is coming from.I think whatever you decide to do with your blog, that it just has to be genuine to you and what you believe to be true. I admit that it is such a careful balance and there have been a couple of times where I didn’t feel as balanced. I will do my writing with or without getting paid, but it is certainly nice to be paid and to feel respected for what I write about. I think as long as you can find a good balance that will ultimately keep your readers and yourself happy, then you are in a good place.Only two words that can sum it up- be authentic. People will see through you if you aren’t authentic with them. That is all I can hope I do- that I am as real as my writing. I find the rest falls into place after that!
>This is a totally new concept to me. I haven’t heard of ‘momblogging’ before. Nor had I realised people like to promote products like this. Even more surprising is that people combine mothering with advertising.What is clear – is that you are a writer!Mary SharpeHUGH AND CAMELLIA
>I got my first blogads payment the other day. My FIRST. And I was THRILLED.Because that’s money I earned with my WORDS.But leaving my business card all over? Seeking out sponsors? I doubt I’d have the nerve.Although, y’know, it does seem like all the big kids are doin’ it….
>I never thought to leave my card at the market! I better work on my marketing skills!:)
>Here is how it is going to play out. The smart bloggers will start charging for ad space just like every other advertising medium (tv, radio, newspapers, magazines, most pro-blogs). The sites with good content will attract all the readers and the good advertisers. The websites with poor content or schlocky review-for-freebies content will repel readers and attract paying advertisers and slip into oblivion. Darwin had it all figured out eons ago. “Survival of the fittest.” As for promoting your blog… If you are running it as a business, you must advertise in some way. Some people are sophisticated marketeers, others can think of no better idea than to leave a business card on a supermarket shelf. It is obvious who will attract the most readers and survive in the long run.
>i wish i had a business card to leave. my blog is practically dead.
>I’m a blogger (and a mom) but I DO NOT:-blog about my kids/myself/my husband-do product reviews-do product placements-do contests-troll around mom blogging clubs looking for new moms to become “friends” with in order to get more followers-tweet all day about lame giveawaysI write about life in Paris as a mom. Päris takes center stage and the family are just props.I don’t understand the appeal in reviewing a face wash you can buy at the supermarket. I don’t understand staging and participating in contests. Boring.Mom blogs are ubiquitous and soon we’ll have moved onto the next big thing (I hope.)
>I don’t want to be an obnoxious marketer but in this economy every little bit helps, doesn’t it? If your blog is more advertising than content people are going to stop visiting.
>That just sucks all the fun out of it.PHTTT!
>I also follow you on Twitter. I love your blog. I think you’re great!
>Such a good post! Honestly, I work in marketing at my day job, and I wonder why I’m not better at marketing my blog in a more energetic, profitable way. I think it comes down to this: my passion for writing is bigger than my passion for marketing, even though I know how to do both. Not that the two are mutually exclusive, no, but I think something is lost in the art of writing when you’re constantly trying to think of how to get that writing in front of more eyes (and I can attest that marketing is a 24-7, constantly evolving, exhausting job).I don’t think there’s anything wrong with promoting yourself or believing in your work enough to spread the word about it, but I do think there’s an authenticity that’s compromised when you start to put the marketing (of any product, even a blog) before the content itself. When the marketing drives the content and not the other way around, people begin to sense that there’s something forced going on, that making money is more important than making a difference. (That sounds kind of cheesy, I know.) (Also, I want to emphasize, I think it’s very possible to make money doing something you love while also being really good at marketing that thing. I think Dana with Mamalogues does a great job with this, for example. I just think the passion has to come first and it has to drive the machine.)I thought it was interesting at BlogHer this past year that whenever the topic of increasing traffic was brought up, it usually came down to marketing better instead of improving content. I was interested in learning how to be a more engaging, better writer, not how to spin what I already write into gold regardless of its quality. Again, such a great, great post.