One of the biggest pet peeves I have is the whole perception of bloggers like myself, is that we get stuff for “free” and/or that’s the only reason that we do what we do.
Even more so are the people that only talk to me when they see me post something that I got to review and /or got for a perk/ at a review conference,etc to be like
Oh em gees, you go that for free! I want one too, share your contact info with me.
which comes with the hidden message:
I know I haven’t talked to you in 5 years but you’d surely want to hook me up too right? I am too lazy to look into this on my own but since you have contacts you’d be more than happy to share them, because nichole you are just too sweet and a pushover to say no right?
WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. Seriously if you aren’t going to talk to me about anything else unfriend me and walk away.
Let me just say: it’s not like I threw up a blog, and started getting paid post/reviews the next day
Having a blog is work. I have been blogging since before it was blogging. I have only been reviewing for 2 years. and even though I have got many things to review it’s not easy. Do you know how many pitches I have pitched and never heard back from? or even worse the people who are extremely nit picky and /or rude and will send you mean emails back that will hurt your feelings and make you wonder if it is worth keep going on with? Or the neurotic PR people that you encounter that want outlandish and crazy things that make you wonder what they are smoking?
You have to have pretty high numbers now a days when it comes to reviewing. Used to be you could just be starting out and do pretty well. now a days people want you to have a domain, want you to have PR and low alexa and increasingly they want you to have a minimum of 500 followers on FB and twitter.
I just got back from reviewers retreat. I have only posted one picture of my swag ..a very blurry iphone pic took in the early hours of the morning, and i have had no less than 5 people saying oh wow how’d you get this for free, and how can i get it for free too?
In the case of the review swag, I feel like I paid for it. I paid to go to a conference and to stay at hotel for 3 days and 2 nights and I paid for my conference pass. It wasn’t really free in my mind. I also will end up blogging about individual items and taking more pictures and further promoting these companies. therefore, again I will be “working” in a sense to get the word out there that hey these companies are awesome and sponsored whatever item for me at a review conference so maybe you should check them out because of that. (and by no means am I saying I didn’t appreciate my swag. because I did. I do. It rocks..and I will be writing more about it later. not because I HAVE to but because I want to!)
When I get an item to straight out review, I work because I come up with a pitch for that company, I work out negotiations on receiving the item and then I further negotiate when it comes to doing a giveaway as well. I use the item and then I take notes and come up with in depth things to say about it. I explore on many angles and sit down and formulate in depth and very long posts about the item. Then, in the case of a giveaway I promote even further and so on.
In the case of Klout perks..yeah.. they are freebies. but freebies I have gotten because they see that I am influential on a topic. so if I hadn’t put in work I wouldn’t be getting the item!
The only things I really can say are free are samples. like for example the target beauty bags and things like that. .. because I don’t do anything to get them except fill out a form.
I write this post..and I will probably add to it and write more in the future… because I am honestly fed up with the image that some bloggers have gave to the review community in the fact that they request items that they don’t need, and that they don’t even want just to say that they got the item..and in a lot of cases they probably did it more than one or two times and maybe even didn’t write a blog post. They are the ones that paved the way , and in a sense have made it more difficult for those of us who are serious and want to put in the work and don’t want just another “free” item.
Wow. This turned into a bigger post than I thought, and I don’t think i’m near finished but i’m going to let this simmer for a while…if you agree with me have comments, etc please leave them!
I completely agree!! I have had people message me on facebook, because I have done a total of 2 reviews, but both of which, I have gotten free stuff.
It’s really irritating.
You are right people are lazy and don’t want to put in the work. So any contacts?? Lol only joking
I love reading your reviews
That would be frustrating.
I did the research for myself and was annoyed when I found out that just because my daily page views are high, if I don’t have the proper number of subscribers then forget it.
Hi Nicole. WE just connected on Twitter.
I read this first blog article on Autumn Rain and I completely share your sentiments. People attempt to take shortcuts at every turn. But this is why there are bloggers w/ carefully cultivated connections [like yourself] and there are the people who scavenge around for handouts and free stuff.
WE started encountering this situation when WE launched our iPad 2 Sweepstakes for Small Business owners. WE posted the official rules but people are too lazy to click a link to get them. Or they simply ignore them and still contact us asking: “Can I get this iPad” or “I would really love this iPad…I need it more than everybody else”. What are they thinking? Our prize costs money & operating our Social Commerce Network is our overhead.
I recently read an article from an entrepreneur who discussed a similar situation when he was the speaker at a business networking convention. In his speech he mentioned that he does business with Donald Trump. After he finished his speech, he was approached by an attendee he didn’t know. This guy asked him to introduce him to Donald Trump because he had a really good opportunity for Mr. Trump. The speaker was appalled at the audacity of this attendee who didn’t yet know the speaker, didn’t present his opportunity to the speaker, and who assumed that the speaker would risk his valuable relationship with Mr. Trump by introducing someone he did not know. Long story short, the attendee was asking for something of high value for free without putting in the hard work to get it.
Keep doing what you’re doing Nicole. Don’t pay attention to those types because there will always be lazy people.
Interesting article. It introduced me to your blog and writing style – thanks.
Steve Kavetsky
Co-Founder/Pres.
AgooBiz.com // The Social Commerce Network
WE work greater than me
Are you sure you are not getting stuff for free? Come on, Nicole, share all your contacts with me! (Yes, I am kidding. I totally understand where you are coming from.)
I actually had a company tell me bloggers need to get a life and pay for their stuff like everyone else, umm…really lady! I am always have people telling me how do you get all that stuff for free but they don’t understand just how much time and effort goes into a running a blog. Great post, I can totally relate!
As a blogger, I share your sentiments exactly. It takes me at least an hour to write a decent review by the time I upload photos and edit it for errors. I have taken low value products in which I have no interest just to promote made in USA items. The hardest thing is when the PR rep at the company you agreed to do the review for is picky for a low cost item. I appreciate the products I get for review but truthfully, it is not compensation for my time. I do it because I have a passion for writing and I want to help the economy in the U.S.
Hi Trudy. Yes, keep blogging for the love rather than the compensation [but compensation is still important because it's your limited time and effort that they're getting]. The PR reps don’t realize that if they don’t compensate you [the blogger/advocator] in a satisfactory way, you will eventually look to other companies to spend your time blogging about. They don’t realize that you could continue blogging “for the love of blogging” but you could just as easily continue your love of blogging about another company. You’re not obligated to continue helping an under-appreciative brand.
Great to know you’re supporting products Made in USA!
Steve Kavetsky
Co-Founder/Pres.
AgooBiz.com // The Social Commerce Network
“WE work greater than me”
I really appreciate this article Nichole. Blogging IS a business and I appreciate working with companies that realize the work bloggers put in to help promote their clients.
I can’t even articulate how hard you hit the nail on the head. It’s work….a lot of work.
HA! So true! I am exhausted after pitching, picturing, and trying to please companies and readers. It is a lot of work, we do get cool stuff sometimes, but man do we work for it! It helps everyone, it is a win-win situation, but often we have to explain in great lengths to the PR companies, new bloggers and readers. I hear ya girl!
Wow i can’t believe it that some people have the nerve so send you emails to hook them up to receive free stuff :/ – you have to work hard to get the perks nowadays, just as you said – blogging has become fierce competition!
AMEN AMEN AMEN I could not have said it better myself. Just saw your post on PITM and there is absolutely nothing I could add to this. Thanks for sharing your sentiments on what most not all of us reviewers think and feel.
Sincerely
Kevin