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| It just does not seem to be getting any smaller now, does it. |
Blogging in America is not seen as New Media.
It is Media.
Today I went to my first session at BlogHer about Effective Brand and Blogging Collaborations. And what I suspected all along turned out to be true
American Bloggers expect to get compensated for their work!
I know! They say that we often travel behind our Merkin Counterparts as far as trends and influencers go, but I was happy to talk to some US Bloggers and let them know... that....
Aussie Bloggers are starting to get compensated for their work!
No longer will we toil over our keyboards and let you into our life for the chance to win a roll of paper towel. That shit will just not cut it anymore. American Bloggers are professional and they value
their space. They celebrate success and strive to be better.
I have seen the Australian climate change over the past 2 years, when a company would send you a mascara, and one to give away........... IF you blog about it.
A FREE MASCARA. I DID IT! (even though I think it was face cream or something)
Little by little and as this site grew, I realised that I was way off base and if I wanted to grow the commercial side of this blog, then I would have to start saying no. And I did. Dozens of times. I concentrated on the handful of brands who took me seriously, and have formed some great working relationships with them as a result.
And not one $5 Baker's Delight Voucher changed hands........
This week I was approached by a major airline to fly internationally to a holiday destination to write stories about on WoogsWorld. A bit like what I am doing here in New York. Oh, I had dreamt up quite the adventure for you...
(Note to self. Do not share this news with Mr Woog via email when you have been in Manhattan for nearly 2 weeks and expect an extremely favourable reaction.)
But there was no monetary compensation and it is not just sitting around the pool drinking cocktails. It is work. I know, because I have done them as freelance jobs.
The interesting thing that I learnt today was that the brands are not after you, they are after the eyeballs on your site. So my question to myself is, why would I spend so many years working on my little stories and let someone some in and flash their brand all over this page for free.
It just does not make sense.
It is media, like it or not.
PS If you are a blogger, please stop working for multi-million
dollar companies for free......
I am attending BlogHer thanks to
A company that understands the value of bloggers.
