Bloggers Archives - AJ Feuerman

You Might Be Looking For Free Advertising

February 27, 2017 By AJ Leave a Comment

Dear bloggers, I get it. And I know. I know you’re sick of it. The marketers and brand representatives who don’t get it. You are not a journalist, you’re a business owner. You’re an entrepreneur. A business owner. You don’t make a full-time salary and you certainly don’t get health benefits. Your website draws a crowd so if you’re going to put up information about a product and encourage people to spend money on it, it’s likely a lot of people will listen to you and that product is going to profit. So why shouldn’t you? I get it.

Now pardon me for a second whilst I talk to the other side….

Dear marketers, I get it. And I know. I used to be you. I was so “you” that if you had told me then that I’d be the “me” I am now, I would have muttered some profanity in your direction and held a dismissive hand up to your face. But I get it now and I want you to join me in the light. Yes, bloggers and influencers are looking for content, but bloggers and influencers are not journalists. They own a piece of the internet that influences their readers to do things; if you want some real estate on their turf, it’ll cost you. And gone are the days where you can “pay” them with things that are not money. Exceptions exist, but my goodness, a lot of y’all need to wake up and get with the program. And I am not addressing the publicist who’s just doing what their boss is making them do. (That’s another letter for another time and lord knows I feel you.) I’m talking to the people who control the decisions, the budgets and the strategy.

Still think what you have to offer is “just as good as money?” It’s not, I promise. If you don’t want to do your own job for free, please assume a blogger doesn’t either. And they do consider “this” their job. Do TV networks give away advertising for free? Of course not. And one might argue nowadays, advertising on a blog that draws a huge amount of unique monthly visitors is even more valuable than TV advertising because a call to action (CTA) is much more executable in the space. So let’s work this out.

The rest of this post is for both of you.

If you want to “guest post” for my blog….

See also: “Are you open to contributors?” Sigh.

Your pitch starts off something like: “Dear _________, I was wondering if you would like to feature a post that I would be happy write for you about a subject matter I know your readers would really enjoy.”

Marketers, in doing this you may be unaware of how many insults it includes. For starters, by not offering a financial incentive, you’re implying that the blogger’s time is not valuable. You’re also indicating you’re lack of familiarity with best practices in the space. And you’re insinuating that the blogger could not write a post about your product on his/her own (for which, again, they should be paid).

Bloggers, please realize as marketers we often find ourselves in positions subject to a supervisor or client’s wishes. That our expertise doesn’t matter and our knowledge of best practices isn’t heard. We have to be able to demonstrate we did everything they wanted us to and/or provide a list of outlets we reached out to. So have a heart. No need to be snarky and risk your own reputation. Consider that in any reply you may flail back.

Note: Some pitches are so bad. SO. BAD. And even, oftentimes, insulting. All bets are pretty much off in those instances. Even I’ve been known to reply and “school” some tacky folks.

If you say anything about links….

Agencies that troll the web for free linking opportunities give me all the creeps.

The FTC mandates that should I include a link to any third-party site at the behest of someone else and if that someone else, or I am to earn profit from said links, I need to disclose as much in my post somewhere. You know what that means? It means it’s a “sponsored post” or, basically, an advertisement. A spokesperson needs to disclose a business relationship. Business. So no, I will not just post a few links for you. Nor will I go back to a post from five years ago where I happened to mention your product and add a link in — you should just be thankful I mentioned it.

Marketers, you gotta get smarter about this. You can start by learning the difference between DoFollow and a NoFollow links because bloggers will use those terms with you. And then go get schooled on the FTC guidelines. But if you’re working in a sweatshop where they just have you trolling for links and offering a few paltry bucks here and there to bloggers to post them, your solution is really to find a better job.

If you’re offering an asset that my readers “will enjoy”….

I do just fine crafting content that my readers will enjoy on my own. If you think they’re going to enjoy your faux contributed content, infographic, photo or short video hocking the latest yoga pants/statistics about flu season/breast pump/etc., I promise they won’t.

Also, do not offer a blogger:

A 5% off code “exclusively” for their readers.
A discounted meal/admission/purchase.
Photos from an event they were not even invited to.
Pictures of a celebrity wearing your product. Unless it’s a blog solely about that celebrity, maybe.
An invitation to stand outside an event and take pictures of people going into it.

If you’re incentivizing me with a giveaway….

“Write about my product and be entered for a chance to win $500!” Oof. I know we can’t always afford to pay every individual blogger who crafts content for us and this may seem like a really cool opportunity. And I know bloggers, this is often a fun, enticing draw. But it’s really just an easy out “payment.” It affords the opportunity to only, really pay ONE person. It is, in my opinion, a con. (And no, I’m not gonna lie, that doesn’t mean I haven’t done it. Someday I’ll regret having this blog and laying all my cards on the table….)

If you’re offering me exposure in exchange for my hard work….

Exposure is not money. Exposure does not guarantee conversion. Exposure is subjective. Please offer more than exposure. No worthwhile influencer is going to spend their valuable time on you in return for a “spotlight” on your website. They’ve just give you real estate on their turf — real estate that could convert to sales for you. What does real estate on your site do for them?

It is not an even trade.

That said, bloggers, if you are building up your brand and trying to establish a portfolio, in the early stages of your career, you may actually find it valuable to enter a few of these deals so that later, you can tell potential partners that your past clients have included Mercedes, Kraft and Living Spaces. (I just arbitrarily picked those brands from advertisements in my Facebook feed.)

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MARKETERS! What are your challenges in trying to work with influencers? How is your brand moving forward with influencer marketing?

INFLUENCERS! In what (annoying) ways are you still being approached to work for free?

Why I Loved BlogHer 2016 — And Why I Did Not

August 8, 2016 By AJ 4 Comments

BlogHer 2016 was a bastion of both happiness and predictability.

Remarkably, 2016 marks my 14th year of blogging. Sometimes I can hardly believe it. But at BlogHer 2016, I really felt it – in ways both good and bad. The good: Walking up and down the halls, I ran into a lot of familiar faces and brand reps; people from all over whom I’ve seen at conferences over the years. Lots of smiling, excited hugs and selfies. The bad: A tipping point has hit — blogging is not what it used to be. We live in an economy of “influencers” now and straight-blogging doesn’t seem to mean much anymore.

Why I Really Loved BlogHer

I know a lot of people! And it was AWESOME to see them. I prioritized hugs, hugs and photos.

My tribe. I am part of a “Blogger Tribe” and a lot of them were also at the Conference. I was at my happiest with these women.

Hewlett Packard. When Chris Lam (What I Run Into) texts you and says “come over here,” all you should reply with is “Okay.” In this instance it meant I got to spend time in the HP suite, which was absolutely lovely, and I got to take home my very own HP Deskjet Compact All-in-one Photo Printer. I AM SO EXCITED! I never get invited to the “cool kids” table at blog conferences so this was a massive treat. The HP reps were so wonderful, and I am very grateful.
Mayim Bialik and Tig Notaro. There were a lot of celebrities present at BlogHer. These two were my favorite. They are smart, talented, provocative women who are worthy of the term “role model.”
My smart friends on panels. Seeing Xenia (Raised by Culture) talking about politics and social media and seeing Anne teaching people about Pinterest marketing was wonderful. I only had a few minutes to spend at Tiffany Romero’s media kit workshop but I still learned a ton in that short time. I mean, I know my friends are the smartest, but now a few more people do, too.

What I Didn’t Like About BlogHer

Greedy swag hoarders. There I was, listening to a very smart woman from the AdCouncil talking about all the causes bloggers could potentially align themselves with, when a blogger interrupted to whisper to me “don’t worry, I’m not cutting in, I just heard there were free shirts here.” I find that sentiment and motivation to be far too present at blog conferences.
Believe it or not, the biggest trainwreck at the Kim Kardashian keynote lunch was not a Kardashian. It was the mismanaged lunch preparation and the behavior of incredibly rude, tacky bloggers fighting over plates, which were in short supply.
I loved Tig Notaro’s event — we got to watch the pilot episode of her new Amazon series, “One Mississippi.” But it took 20 minutes to figure out how to stream the show. Did no one think to put it on a DVD? Or do a test run? And she was in the room. People were snickering at the horrid tech as I was slumping down in my seat, embarrassed to be there.
The Expo Hall. Dear lord, what happened, BlogHer? This used to exist in a convention center, now it exists in a ballroom. With some really unappealing, unrecognizable brands, might I add. Even more sad, less than halfway through Saturday, some of the brands had packed up and gone home.

What Was Predictable About BlogHer

Cliques. I saw a few posts and tweets about unfriendly people at BlogHer 2016. It’s a heartbreaking truth. I learned at my very first conference that this is the reality of attending these things. People hang out with the people they know and I’ve found that is the only way I meet new people — through the people I know. There will always be “mean girls” and “popular girls” in a giant crowd of women. I say that as fact, not as a judgement.
There was never enough water; there weren’t any snacks between meals. And what there was, was only in one ballroom.
The sponsors are still very mom-heavy. Lots of breakfasts and activities did not apply to me. Many expo “hall” vendors wanted moms. Lots of take-home items were for kids. When I got home, I found fertility vitamins in my giftbag. (Not to mention Vagisil — ew.)
The panels were filled with other bloggers and I don’t need to pay what BlogHer costs to hear from other bloggers. Especially as so many bloggers are monetizing and running their mini miedia empires as full-time gigs. We all know what we’re doing now. There has been a pervasive rumor for years that BlogHer may soon break out into smaller, more niche conferences and I think that would be a smart move. A conference for newbies, a conference for pros, a conference for full-timers or part-times. There’s a lot of ways to do it; to break the mold. This many years into the conference, it surprises me that as an organization, BlogHer still refuses to up their game and set themselves apart by recruiting notable brand reps, publicists, social media practitioners and marketers to present on panels (and yes, I’m really frustrated that the same people keep getting asked to speak year after year and I am always passed over). Blogalicious does this well. ConnectHER does this well.

Anyway….

From a business standpoint, I must concede that attending BlogHer is still a good experience. Buy the networking badge and collect business cards. Get a feel for the climate of the blogging universe. Walk the Expo and see what brands are doing to work with influencers. BlogHer is reliable for that. It’s clearly not the giant it used to be but it’s still valuable in this sense. And perhaps as they further integrate with SheKnows Media, we’ll see a new incarnation of the event in years to come that will blow our minds. I sincerely hope that is what happens.

After BlogHer 2014 in San Jose, I declared that I would never attend another BlogHer. I made an exception this year because it was here in Los Angeles. If it is elsewhere next year, which is likely because it does rotate, and it remains stagnant, I’m resting back on my post San Jose declaration again. But I had a really, really terrific time seeing friends and colleagues at BlogHer 2016.

Oh — and meeting Tiny. Obviously.

Bloggers Guide to Event Coverage

February 19, 2015 By AJ Leave a Comment

As both a blogger and publicist, I find myself feeling conflicted at media events because I empathize with both sides of the coin. I understand the pressure the event planners are under to execute everything successfully and I understand the fervor a blogger might feel, being at such an event with VIP like access to information, a product or person. So I decided I needed to put event coverage tips and tricks into a post for bloggers.

Whatever passion and excitement you may feel does not mean common sense goes out the window. And because I’m in the position I am, I pick up on a lot of shady behavior and sometimes find the biggest conflict I feel is whether or not to slap someone on the forehead, wag a finger at them and shout “STOPPIT.”

The Invite

A publicist or other brand rep invites you to an event. Please, I beg you, read the whole thing thoroughly. Let’s say, for example, they ask you for your name and e-mail address but having only skimmed it, you merely put your e-mail address. Or let’s say you’re just so excited to have gotten the invite that you immediately hit reply and ask “what information do you need?!”

Publicists are people too (well, some more than others). They are as judgemental as the next person (again, some more than others). When you do little things like that, they’re rolling their eye. Just keep that in mind. Don’t be the eye-roller blogger! They’re professionals so be professional back.

Something else to consider about these reps. They work on more than one project at a time and often invite bloggers to events without being able to really, truly vet them for appropriateness. I’m not saying that’s okay, I’m just saying it happens. And a lot of the time, it’s justified with the thought that hopefully a blogger will know what is appropriate for their site. Should a fashion blogger be attending a foodie event? Should a mom bloggers be at a cocktail hour for single ladies? Yes, there are always going to be exceptions, but my point is: DO NOT JUST GO TO EVERYTHING. Seriously. It doesn’t make you look “cool” and it’s not earning you bonus points. And frankly, it’s not making you look too great in the eyes of your fellow bloggers. Find your voice, find your identity, and find blog content to match. Give it serious thought. And don’t make yourself crazy if you can’t get to something — there will be many more opportunities.

The RSVP

Often times bloggers are invited with a +1, often times you just have to ask and permission is granted to bring a pal. Sometimes, you’re invited solo and please know this is not necessarily the publicist’s wish or fault. Sometimes, the rep is held to the whim of a client or the frustration of a tiny budget.

Again, read the invitation thoroughly. Be mindful of RSVP deadlines. And while you may want to share the invite, best to ask the rep if it’s okay to do so, first. They may have had to get their invite list approved and again, they may be confined by budget restraints — just come from a place of wanting to help their brand and ask first.

And please, if you RSVP you are going to attend, then ATTEND. Think that seems like common sense? You’d be surprised… No-shows and last-minute cancellations never go unnoticed. Do not be surprised when people stop inviting you to things or doing you favors. Imagine how you’d feel if you’d planned a party and no one came. You’d cry. I know I would cry. That’s basically my worst nightmare. (Also? Clowns. I effing hate clowns.)

At the Event

Arrive on time. If you know in advance you’re going to be late (or may leave early), let the rep know in case that won’t work for their event’s strategy or schedule. What if they are trying to stick to a precise headcount and three people leave halfway through?

Do not show up with people you did not clear with the reps in advance. Just don’t. Friends, significant others or kids. If they were not part of your RSVP and confirmation, do not do it.

Take pictures and take notes. Because you may not write your post right away and you’ll want to be able to talk about who you met and caption photos correctly.

Bring business cards. Not only for the brand reps but for your fellow bloggers! Every opportunity to cover an event is also a terrific networking opportunity. These are your colleagues, not your competitors. There are enough events, products and brands to go around. After the event, you may not remember something and need to ask a question… Befriend your fellow bloggers and hopefully they will return in kind.

After the Event

When you get home, grab your iPhone and shoot off an email. Say thank you. A little thank you goes a long way.

Post about it. For the love of all that is holy, post about this event. Perhaps no one asked you to. But unless they specifically said (and this goes back to reading everything thoroughly) PLEASE COME AND DO NOT POST ABOUT IT, you should just give it a write-up. To kiss up if anything. Show your gratitude. And try to get the post up in a reasonable amount of time. Unless something else has been discussed, I’d try to have that post up within a week of the event.

DO NOT KEEP YOUR GIVEAWAY ITEMS! This has become one of my biggest pet peeves — I find it so unethical. Did you attend an event where they gave you something to, in turn, give away on your blog? Then give it away! Don’t keep it! And what’s more, don’t be tacky and enter to win the same item on someone else’s blog. That’s not what a brand rep wants. They’re trying to spread the word about something to the public. In this circumstance, consider that you are NOT part of the public.

Think about reporting. Consider the brand rep is undoubtedly putting together a report of some kind to prove the value of the event you just attended to their supervisors and clients. If for no other reason than to be able to have more of them. So it only benefits you to post quickly, post pics, show gratitude and send your links to the rep for inclusion. Here’s a good tip – impress them by sending not just the blog URL, but the links to the corresponding tweet, Facebook post, pin, instagram pic — anything. They are screengrabbing this stuff, I promise. They appreciate it. And if anything you posted got a lot of traffic, RTs or shares, point it out! They should know so they can brag about it. And then you can rest assured more invitations will come your way! Everybody wins!