Mom Bloggers Work For Free

Sometimes I get the feeling that my blog has a button on it that says “Will Work For Free”. As more pitches are coming in, so are more asking for a lot of work reviewing a product, using keywords to link to a website and running a giveaway without any payment for me in return. I get the product I’m reviewing if I chose to work with the company, but that’s it. No money, no gift cards. Sometimes of course, it’s worth it. A product, trip or service may come along that I want to share with my readers, that I believe in or that the brand itself is one that I believe in.

Because I have very good social outreach and experience, I’m able to turn down pitches and say that as a mom blogger I won’t work for free. When I began do product reviews, however, I knew that I had to start somewhere, so I happily accepted a cleaning product, a book, or a DVD in return for a review, links, keywords and running a giveaway. I did get traffic, especially if the product was something that people wanted to try to win. I also got my foot in the door. PR firms got to know me, I was invited to forums and product review groups and more pitches came in.

Now that I look back on what I’ve done in the past and now as I decide on what pitches to accept, am I hurting or helping my fellow mom bloggers? Am I setting a precedent where they will be expected to work for free too? I was happy to read Jennifer James’ take on what mom bloggers should earn to see that she has done the same thing when she began blogging. So instead of looking back, she is looking forward and showing other mom bloggers the way.

I hope in some small way that I am too. By turning down a free product review with a reply and my fee and by sharing what I’m doing with other mom bloggers what I’m doing they will learn that should not work for free either.

ConnieFoggles