The Life of Bon: To People Who Complain about Sponsors: A Rant

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

To People Who Complain about Sponsors: A Rant



There's been something that has been weighing on my mind the past few weeks and I have debated and debated whether or not I should write on it, and when the right time would be to post this, and if I should give it more time to marinate, yada, yada, yada...

And then today I just decided it was time.

I really appreciate my audience, and I cherish the relationships I have with readers.  Sometimes I get overwhelmed when I think about total strangers who come visit this space regularly and show love and support for what I say.  So I want to say thank you for visiting my blog and supporting my sponsors and allowing me to give my two cents to the world on a daily basis.  THANK YOU!  I appreciate you so much!

Every once in a while I receive a comment or an email that goes something like this, "Hey Bonnie!  I love your blog!  It's fun!  Only I don't like it anymore!  I used to like it before a lot more!  Now you do sponsorships and giveaways, and I don't like that stuff!  Stop doing it!  I'll like it more!  Thanks!"

I have seen this not only with me, but with other favorite bloggers of mine.  I notice comments in posts that say something similar-  "I don't like your blog as much now that you're caught up in the blogging world.  I want you to just write like you used to- please stop doing sponsorships or giveaways."

A comment like this always sends me into a brief panic mode.  "Oh my gosh!" I think, "I've lost my touch. They hate me.  I'm a terrible blogger now!"  I feel like immediately writing back and saying, "I'm so sorry!  I'll stop the sponsorships!  I'll go back to how it once was!  Forgive me pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!"

Then, I let the comment sit for a few hours or days and I inevitably start thinking this:

"That's not fair."

I understand that some people might not love sponsors or guest posts or giveaways.  That's fine.  I don't love commercials, and I hate it when my favorite morning talk show cuts to ads.  That being said, I accept it because I am grateful to the people who entertain me, and I realize that they must be compensated in some way.  They deserve to be paid for their time, their energy, and their talents.  I would never call the producers of New girl (my current favorite tv show) and say, "Hey!  I love your show! Can't wait for season 3!  But I hate the commercials.  I'd watch it a lot more if you didn't have them so can you cut that out already?"  I don't have to pay to watch New Girl, so to compensate, I must watch the commercials because the commercials pay for all the production costs and make it possible for me to watch for free.  I don't complain about that.

Or... how about I request that I can go see my favorite sports team without having to pay for the ticket?  Or I complain to the local movie theater that I would enjoy the movie a lot more if I didn't have to pay admission or watch previews?  Of course we don't want ads, and of course we want things for free, but it's not fair to the creator of the product.

When I read an email like this what I hear is that a reader would like me to produce high quality writing, entertain her with wit and charm, and develop completely original and funny content five to six times a week for no pay.  She would like me to spend in the neighborhood of 20 hours a week (on top of a full time job) writing to entertain her and not receive a penny for it.  When I do start accepting sponsors or receiving some money for my time she will inevitably tell me that I have been "carried away with making money" or that I have turned my blog into a "cash cow."  What I read is "Can you please go back to writing your butt off every night and making no money like you used to so that I don't have to read your guest posts once a week? Mmmkay thanks!"

I repeat.  That's not fair.

I do love blogging, and I get great fulfillment from it sans monetary compensation.  Just like athletes love playing, just like actors love acting and just like any entertainer loves entertaining.  That being said, it is still work.  There are times I would much rather take a bath or go to a movie or go to bed early than I would slave away for two hours on a blog post. A reader who expects me to do this every night for them for no reward of my own is quite frankly, a very selfish reader.  You do not have to pay to read my blog, so if I ask you once a week to read a guest post or click on an affiliate link to help me justify the time I put in on this blog and support this passion of mine, it is not me selling out or me being obsessed with money, it's just me trying to justify to a very small extent the exorbitant amount of time and energy this blog consumes.

All this being said, I, of course, understand there is a certain balance that a blog has to maintain, and perhaps readers are complaining to me because they feel like they have lost my blogging balance. No reader should have to be subjected to guest posts and giveaways day after day after day and I understand that. The balance is something very tricky that I am striving toward.  BUT if once a week there is a sponsored post, I hardly think we as readers can demand that the blogger stop accepting the sponsors to satisfy our own selfish desires.

If I were not getting paid for this blog or did not see the potential to make money from my blog, there is no way I would be able to justify the time I spend on it.  I couldn't justify it to myself, my husband, my students, my family or any of the people who need me in some capacity.  I could never justify missing a date with my husband or staying home from a family dinner or handing my students' papers back a day later to work on a post- all things that I have had to do to be consistent in my blogging and deliver quality posts.  I am able to post as often as I do and spend as much time on this blog because I receive pay.

There is a weird culture in the blogging world where we expect to read blogs for 100% free.  This needs to stop.  We don't want to pay, we don't want to look at guest posts, we don't want to tolerate any promotion for the blog.  It's not being sensitive to the blogger. I ask that as a blogging community, we change this attitude and be more supportive of bloggers and their sponsorships, realizing that every day we read their blog for free.  When our favorite bloggers put up a guest post, we click on it if it is interesting to us.  By doing so we are supporting our favorite bloggers.  We should click on interesting sidebar ads, too.  That's supporting the blogger.  If the blogger is doing some random sponsorship with Sears and we really love that blogger, we should click on the Sears link and check it out.  As a blogging community we should understand that this is our way of "paying" the blogger for her time and effort she puts into the blog.

I hope that this explains the reasoning behind the sponsorships and giveaways on this blog.  I hope those of you who get frustrated can see it in a bit of a different light when I have a guest post or giveaway.  I hope as a blogging community we can support bloggers in their sponsorships (within reason, of course!) and "pay" for the free blogs we get to read on a daily basis.  From the bottom of my sassy little heart I thank you for reading this blog and for your many comments.  I love this blog and the people who visit.  It is a great source of fulfillment and satisfaction to me, and I thank you thank you thank you thank you for reading.

67 comments:

  1. Amen! If you don't like my blog, sponsors, etc, LEAVE. No one is making you follow me. Who are you to expect me to be your personal blog jester?! Good for you Bon. I love your blog and would love to be as lucky as you to have sponsors that successfully and regularly.

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  2. Anonymous8:22 PM

    Well said Bonnie. Well said. I also like that you encouraged clicking on sidebar ads.

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  3. I'm not a blogger, but I am an avid reader of blogs...and I just want to tell you that your efforts to maintain this "blogging balance" shine through to your readers. Many blogs have become outrageously commercial, but when a blogger makes a clear attempt to balance content and compensation, that is just as apparent as when a teacher shows genuine interest in a student. Thanks for the content; I will keep reading!

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  4. i love this and I agree. great analogy of why there are commercials on tv. there are ads everywhere it doesn't mean anyone is selling out.

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  5. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on how readers can support bloggers. Someday I would like to be able to offer giveaways and guest posts on my blog, and I wonder what that will be like. Now that I've read your post, I'll be prepared when that day comes.

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  6. You're dead on, friend.

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  7. I agree! Good analogies too!

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  8. Bon, I read a lot of blogs..a lot of "extremely popular" blogs, yours is by far my favourite! Sometimes after reading certain blogs I roll my eyes and think "When will Bonnie save me with one of her posts!!!" I honest have not noticed a change in your blog, "commercials" are a way of life lol.

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  9. Anonymous9:54 PM

    I have never thought of it like that, but it is such a great way to put it!! I don't mind guest posts and giveaways (who doesn't love free stuff if we win?), but I have definitely heard of complaints like that. People expect too much from bloggers! For those that are really good at it, it really is extremely time consuming!

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  10. I agree with you, it's not fair to the blogger and how knows, a sponsored post can be pretty informative sometimes too! Can't say that they're all bad :)

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  11. Wow, I had no idea you (and perhaps now all/most of the bloggers I read) do this to get paid! I thought it was a hobby, a personal outlet, something you all did just because you want to, etc. I didn't realize it was a job... :/

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  12. I'm glad you have sponsors and guest posts (and not just because I've ben one). I've found many of my favorite blogs through yours!

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    1. been* oh gosh, I hate reading back on posted comments and finding errors ;-)

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  13. LOVE this!!! I don't make too much money from my blog yet, but who says we can't get paid for our hobbies?! I always feel guilty when I hear other bloggers getting rid of sponsorships, etc. because they write for them and don't want to get caught up in the business of blogging. Which is awesome for them! But I like to get free stuff, and I love to promote other bloggers that I love, etc.

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  14. I was just thinking about this over the past few days, and I really like how you've phrased it.

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  15. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Bonnie! You are spot on with this! I don't have sponorship because I don't want to put in the effort and I really just blog for fun. But awesome that you do and that you are able to make money off of it!

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  16. You. Awesome. 'Nuff said.

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  17. Anonymous12:17 AM

    Very well said in a fair and diplomatic way. I have just found your blog and cannot wait to read more :)
    Ellie
    xxx

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  18. It's definitely a necessary part. Although I have seen a couple of blogs incorporate sponsors in every post, and what I start believing about that blogger is that every post has been modified, even ever so slightly, to incorporate the product being advertised, which to me loses some of the genuineness of the writer. Like you said, it's about balance!

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  19. Amen Bon!
    I actually enjoy reading guest posts and checking out new sponsors, I love to find new and interesting blogs to read which is only really possible through sponsorship!
    Love this post.
    Love Gi
    xx

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  20. I'm a fairly new blogger and I have not gotten to the point where I receive sponsorship yet, but I totally DONT understand how readers and viewers(in case of You Tube) can sit there and complain about sponsors. It takes a lot of time and energy to produce quality content online. On top of that bloggers/vloggers have to deal with a lot of negativity that comes with putting themselves out there. If a company sees enough value in sponsoring a blogger/vlogger why cant the reader/viewer accept that? Don't they deserve anything for the hard work & time they put in?
    I think the biggest problem is that people are ok with advertising from companies because its a separate entity and therefore they cant equate the money going to an individual's pocket. But when it comes to an individual they feel like the person is taking advantage of them/getting "rich" off them and they start questioning if the person is worth it.

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  21. I totally, 100% agree with you!! I recently started bumping up my sponsorships and I worry that my readers will hate it, but in the same token... I'm doing this for them, they can give a little back right? I've never ever had a problem with bloggers having sponsors. I also see it as a way to support this whole community and find new blogs. What's so wrong with that?

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  22. Good post. I will always keep reading. :)

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  23. Love it! All hail the awesome blogging queen cause she's amazing!

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  24. Nailed it, very well said!

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  25. Yes, yes, and yes. Very well said.

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  26. To the readers who hate sponsored posts...just don't read them....it's an easy fix. I'm obviously not crazy about sponsored posts left and right but sometimes I genuinely do like to find new products and new bloggers (I actually always like this part), and what harm does it do to click on a link and then find out the product isn't for you?! I'd say it's a thousand times less inconvenient than a tv commercial.

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  27. Anonymous8:37 AM

    Go you!!! Way to stand up for what you are doing because this is one of most well written and entertaining blogs I read. I respect the work and passion that you put into it. Glad that you spoke your mind!

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  28. I can't believe people actually write comments like that! There are a lot of things I don't "like" or that annoy me, and you know what, I just don't read the post, or I don't comment! (I don't mean on your blog, I mean in general!). But this post is well written and I hope it sheds some light onto the topic for those readers.

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  29. I am a blogger and have been for 7+ years. I have also never read your blog before, even though I follow on Facebook (probably for a giveaway entry). For so many years I blogged just for me. I just found it a bonus that bloggers can also get paid to have quality content, as well as advertisement for other blogs and businesses. While I struggled to understand it in the beginning, coming from a "blogging as hobby" stance, I understand it now. People devote hours to their posts and blog content. Bloggers spend time not only writing posts, but taking pictures, editing pictures, editing posts, linking affiliate links, linking picture sources, emailing readers, replying to comments, etc. It can be an exhaustive process that requires passion and a genuine love of blogging. For those who do not understand or appreciate this aspect of blogging, there is an easy fix. You are not "required" to read sponsored content, unless it really interests you. If you don't like a sponsored product or blog, then simply click onto the next post or read other posts. I am not saying every sponsored post should be ignored by ever reader, but for those who utterly despise it, it's easy just to move on. Thanks for posting this!

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  30. Amen! So well written and thought out! Keep doing what you're doing girl! xoxo

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  31. I agree with a lot of the comments above! I read popular blogs that have so much advertising going on. I do agree that bloggers should be compensated for their time, efforts, and talents! You keep us coming back, why not get paid for it. But I have enjoyed your blog so much! I love that when its a guest post, you add in a little more before it. You deserve to be sponsored and paid for how well you write. I want to say thank you for this post. Some people just don't understand.

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  32. Totally agree that as long as you find a healthy balance, they are just like commercials. Every reader is different and non-bloggers are the worst bc they don't understand anything!!

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  33. I agree and think your blog is an example of "doing it right". I don't think you overdo it with sponsors/giveaways and I also cant believe some people would email and tell you to stop - if you don't like something in a blog, stop reading! On the other hand, there are a few blogs that I read that I started reading when they were smallish and now have 1000s of followers and literally the only thing they post about is sponsors/giveaways OR another non-favorite of mine, random lists of things...when the blog stops being personal and starts being just another one in a sea of sameness I stop reading as well.

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  34. YES.

    And if they really don't like sponsor posts so much they can just skip that one post lol

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  35. I don't like sponsor or give away posts that take up more space than original posts. This is the problem with a lot of bloggers. They focus more on sponsors or give aways daily, spamming them to death on all social media, then they crap out maybe one post a week. That is the problem. I have zero problems with someone writing a post then at the end talking about their sponsor or give away everyday.

    But if your blog has more sponsor or give away posts a week to your original stuff eh it's not worth wading through the rest of it to find the original stuff anymore.

    Does this make me selfish? I don't think so. I think I'm looking for quality over quantity. I'm not going to waste my time on someone who isn't giving quality content.

    I'm all about compensating a blogger who writes wonderful posts and cares about their readers. For people like you I have zero complaints. But I have one or two bloggers that don't give two craps about readers they just want to get paid and push out crap posts (multiple times a day) and then spam twitter with it.

    IDK I have a love hate with it. If a blogger can find a good balance between the two and not make it ridiculous who cares? But too many see $$$ and they get lost in the shuffle of trying to make it big.

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  36. I do not mind one post a week that is a guest or a sponsored post. I typically always read guest posts, and that is how I found so many blogs. If a blog has a sponsored post for a product that I am not really interested in, I will likely not read that post, but I will come back the next day!

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  37. I appreciate sponsorship posts from blogs I really enjoy, because their recommendation often leads me to other blogs that inspire me. Without those connections, I would be lost trying to find blogs that resonate with me! Sure, there are times I don't feel like reading a sponsorship post, but it's so incredibly easy to just mark that post as "read" on BlogLovin and forget about it. As long as it's tasteful and not overwhelming, sponsorship is just another wonderful facet of blogging.

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  38. I totally agree with you even though I'm not particulary a fan of sponsored posts and giveaways. Maintaining a blog takes LOTS of time and the better it gets, the more time it'll consume and as you say, getting something in return is sometimes the only way to justify all the time bloggers dedicate to their hobby and passion. So it is only logical that a blogger will seek some compensation for all this hard work, most of the time in the form of sponsorships.
    It is almost cynical for a reader to complain about sponsored posts anf giveaways as these features are somehow fuelling the blogs (s)he loves and offering some interesting information form time to time. As I said, I don't really like sponsored content and half of the time I choose not to read it but when I do I sometimes find some great blogs with insightful content(like this one!).
    I think there's nothing wrong with sponsored posts as long as the blogger manages to keep the right balance. There are really some blogs who only live and breathe sponsored content and that's when the blog stops being interesting - and I'll skip the sponsored posts altogether.
    Great post, you nailed it!

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  39. AMEN sistah! This is so true. Thanks for sharing.

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  40. No truer words. I am inspired by you, Bonnie. I think you are awesome.

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  41. It's a balance. Some blogs do it right and others don't. Yours is good though.

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  42. Seriously sister. You've got this spot on. I think it's easy to have opinions about how blogs should go, but we're all finding our way and part of doing that is discovering what works for us -as in me. And what works for me won't work for you and maybe it won't work for anyone else. Does that make it wrong? No, not for me. Yes, for you. Screw the haters.

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  43. I think it's great! It gives small blogs a chance to get out there and you a chance to make some money for all your hard work! And why are people complaint about giveaways? It's free stuff people!!

    Mywaytofitandfab.blogspot.com

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  44. I still can't believe people have the nerve to say, "I think you should stop it with the sponsor posts." Um, I think you should stop reading my blog, ass.

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  45. Yeah it's definitely the balance. I see why people don't like that stuff when a blogger turns to sponsored or product reviews every. single. day. But you have a schedule, and I like that. I keep Mondays open for guest posts and giveaways. If I have none that week, Monday is empty. The rest of the week is always all me. So if someone really hates sponsor posts and giveaways, they can skip my blog on Mondays. I know you do it that way too. Easy peasy.

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  46. I am a non-blogging reader who enjoys reading about people' s lives and different points of views. I love bloggers who are "real" with authentic lives, real problems and ideas. I stop reading blogs that become overly cautious, too jazzy, fake. Those are the ones that usually have amped up the sponsorships and have lost themselves. It becomes unrelatable. Bravo to you for keeping the balance. You are one of my favorites!

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  47. I love this post! You nailed it :)

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  48. I respectfully disagree.

    First off, I do agree that it isn't fair for someone to email you and tell you how to run your blog. That's wrong. But at the same time, we anti-sponsorship/giveaway people have some valid points, too.

    I'm really struggling with this mentality out there that we deserve to get paid for blogging. I personally find that ridiculous. Blogging is a hobby. It's not a job. I know people are trying to make it a job, but the fact is it just is not a job. No one is forcing you to blog 5 times a week and handing you a paycheck for it. These are all made up rules in an effort to get more attention. I mean, isn't that the point of sponsorship? It's so people will find your blog. I'm not saying it's wrong to network and want more readers, but really, what's the motive? For attention? For money? What happened to writing for the sake of writing and for enjoyment? It sounds like it's more stressful than it needs to be. It's a world of made up rules about post lengths and pictures and lining up sponsors and hosting giveaways. It does not need to be that complicated. And why should someone pay you (not you personally, but bloggers in general) to write about weekend plans (yawn) and take bumpdate pictures? We do not deserve to be paid for talking about what we ate over the weekend and where we bought our clothes. That's ludicrous. I don't get paid for my other hobbies, so why blogging? I don't get paid for updating my twitter or instagram feed, or facebook status, so again, why blogging? Your readers aren't sitting here demanding 5 posts a week and x amount of twitter and instagram updates, so why do you feel you should be compensated as if they were? And if I am to follow the logic of all the commenters telling people to "just not read the sponsor posts," then why should anyone sponsor them if the author of the blog is telling readers to skip over the sponsored posts? I came to your blog to read about you, not someone else.

    Let it be known I don't sit on top of my anti-sponsor post and bash this method all day long. I do what everyone is saying and skip posts/unfollow the blog quietly, never making a scene. But I'm allowed to voice my opinion, just as you are yours. I have a full time job, a husband, and other hobbies, meaning I have limited time to read blogs, and I don't follow blogs where I have to sift through sponsor posts and giveaways. I don't have a huge blog by any means, but I have a solid group of readers and friends, and my blog still grows. Maybe not as fast, but I blog because I love to write, and I don't think I'm entitled to compensation. If I were writing a book, that would be different. I write when I feel I have something worthwhile to say, not just a generic rundown of my weekend or asking people for praise on my outfit. My readers follow because they like my writing, not because they were forced to through a giveaway. I have no desire to ever monetize my blog, as I think that would be a skew of priorities.

    These are just my two cents.

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    1. Whether bloggers "deserve" to be compensated for their work and whether blogging is a job or a hobby are not the issue here. The point is that a blog (like a TV show or a book or a local theater production) is an entertainment product for which there is a market (in this case, readers). Take the local theater production as an analogy: some people working on the play may be donating their time for free (for example, a high school student who is volunteering once a week after school because he loves theater), while others may be doing it for pay (the director, for example, who has to devote a large amount of time to the production every day). A blogger can choose which of those roles she wants to play, and it may not make sense for her, personally, to take on the director's job without receiving some compensation for it. It may require her to sacrifice other things in her life, including other sources of income. So the reader is faced with a trade off: you can be content with the blogger who writes one post a week in her spare time without sponsorship (because that's all the time she can give up without getting something in return), but if you you want a blog with daily posts, some of those posts may have to be sponsored so that the blogger can reasonably devote the necessary time to blogging at such a high frequency.

      If you had a friend who made jewelry as a hobby and you asked her to make you 20 bracelets, you would probably compensate her for the extra time and energy it would take her to churn out that volume--even if that's not her "job."

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  49. This is so well put. I respect blogs that don't sponsor, and I respect blogs that do it well. I remember when I first started finding blogs that were sponsored they were just poorly done. It literally was every other post was some sponsorship thing, and that gets boring. I have to have an interest in the blogger to care about their thoughts. But you and other bloggers that I follow seem to have a great balance. If you can get posts like this out, posts with length and substance, on a regular basis, why shouldn't you get paid a bit? It is absolutely entertainment for us reading it, entertainment and information.

    I really enjoy sponsor blogs when they are able to pick and choose who they have. I can then trust who they recommend and the products that they use. It's just more information about them and the things I love.

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  50. As always, love your posts.

    Now here are my two cents. A job is basically a paid position of regular employment, is it not? I'm thinking it is. So I go to my blog and regularly employ myself to write. And I put a hell of a lot of work into it. So to me, yes, I consider it a job. I consider it a job I love and am incredibly thankful I am able to make the small amount of compensation that I do. Is it my hobby as well? Absolutely. Then again I've always been a sucker for the phrase, "find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life." It's kinda my mantra.

    Do I "make up these rules in my head" that I have to go to my blog every day? I sure do. As do I make up a lot of other "rules" for myself, although I call them goals.

    So for those that think it's "ridiculous" some bloggers get paid for talking about their weekends or where they bought their clothes, I guess to each their own. Ask the companies or other bloggers whom they are promoting, perhaps they think otherwise.

    Then again, I'm not usually one to throw the first stone regarding who I think is worthy of getting paid for something and who is not. That being said, I'll be my own devils advocate here and admit I happen to think it's kinda ridiculous reality starts get paid to drink, or have sex, or go to clubs in las vegas. So I guess I'd rather get paid to write. Even if it just a hobby.

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  51. Well, plenty of us post content every day, and even host giveaways, and don't get paid a dime for it.

    I'd rather read a blog geared toward what I want to read (which has more to do with how they handle their sponsors and who their sponsors are than just them having sponsors).

    But I think getting upset over feedback is kind of beneath you, given how little free time you have- I don't think you need to justify your blog choices. If readers don't feel like your blog is pushing their buttons anymore....so what? They'll stop reading, and you'll keep writing, and other people will read (or not) and there's no big impact on the world or your life.

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  52. I don't mind sponsors and giveaways on other blogs, however as a reader, I personally don't like when its clear the blogger treats these posts as commercials. Done right, product reviews can actually be really interesting... I normally start out reading them, and find myself disappointed if the blogger doesn't make a true effort to share their experience or post accompanying pictures, etc. You can tell when its done half-ass and that might lose me as a reader simply because I'm no longer engaged.

    Same with sponsoring other blogs--I genuinely enjoy finding new blogs through those types of posts, but more so when the guest post includes an interesting Q&A or anecdote, or what not (I've seen some great examples of this with you and the Daily Tay!). These sponsoring opportunities can totally be done right! But I find the generic blurbs ("She's the sweetest!") slipped in at the end of a post kind of a rip-off, frankly. As someone with a smaller blog, I'd definitely look into sponsoring blogs for the exposure to an audience I might connect with, but I would be discerning and go for partnerships that are interactive, authentic, and interesting to the readers.

    All in all... I think a blogger deserves to be paid for their work--sponsored and otherwise--if it is in fact engaging to their readers. I'm more likely to click on the Sears link if the post was well-written and intriguing. If I click on it, you've clearly done your job well! Lots of bloggers do! But those who start losing the life in their posts and filling weeks with countless giveaways... some readers will inevitable lose interest and move on. You do a great job of achieving this balance :) Keep up the good work!

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  53. As someone who is coming from a small blog, I think it is incredibly inspiring that you can be successful doing something you love. Just because you are getting paid, or receiving "sponsorship" doesn't mean you've lost touch, it means you're able to spend even more time on your blog because your time is worth the compensation.

    I commend you, and thank you for keepin' it real!

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  54. Yes! This is exactly how I feel. I've received some of the "you're selling our for money comments." And I don't even post sponsored posts every week.

    I consider my blog to be my second job. I make money from it. And I'm darn proud that I do. It's a great feeling to know you can make money from something you actually like to do.

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  55. I also think it's sad when people don't click on guest posts or read through them because I juts want to be like...one time that was you. We all started somewhere.

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  56. Anonymous12:50 PM

    What a well written and thought out response to something I, myself, have been struggling with - to allow or not allow sponsorships. I think there are blogs who begin accepting sponsorships and lose themselves in the process - their writing goes away and all you see are these "commercials" - that, is what I would assume, people dislike. But, when a blogger writes a round-up post of sponsors or truly writes about a product (even if it is sponsored), I don't really care. I won't always read it (especially if it's too gimmicky), but I will read the ones that are just like all their other writing - well thought out and concise, because that's what keeps me coming back. The writing. The photos. The person.

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  57. Amen to everything you said.

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  58. Anonymous7:24 AM

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  59. very well written ... can't agree more

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  60. I'd guess I'd be able to read this if you didn't start with such an idiotic analogy about not paying to watch "New Girl". Yes you do. You pay for Netflix or cable or Hulu. So, yeah. Ugh. Unintelligent crap like that makes it impossible to read further.

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  61. I disagree with you Michelle, and want to thank Bonnie for this post. As a freelance writer, blogging has been one of the best ways for me to get clients ( I either blog on their business site or they sponsor my travel site and I write content about their service/hotel). This debate as to whether or not a writer ( which a blogger tends to be, whether they acknowledge such or not) should be paid for their storytelling/craft is absurd, and frankly insulting. If one's hobby is writing in blogging format fantastic for that person to find a space for them to share their soul or day to day struggle with others. If writing online in blogging format is for a writer to make an income, put food on their table, and create a tribe that believes in their storytelling, then AWESOME because you know what? For centuries writer have struggled incessantly. Even if they were published, most didn't even receive that much as an advance and thus had to actually rely on speaking gigs to make a living, or teaching. Nowadays, there are more opportunities for writers ( again referring to those of us who choose make a living from our craft) to find an income, if not multiple streams of income ( blogging, indie publishing, mainstream publishing, Kindle publishing, copywriting, corporate blogging, etc).


    Can bloggers accept sponsors that are not in alignment with their readers or blog message? Absolutely and it's indeed annoying. But you know, we all make mistakes and I have more to do than judge how a writer makes an income.


    Hobby bloggers/writers are fantastic, as are those of us who make a living from doing that which we are most passionate about: storytelling.


    Great post Bonnie!

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