It’s hard when you start “getting big” as a blogger because you then start getting pitches for “free expert content” and I get mixed advice on this free content. Most will tell me that they charge to place content like that within their blog while others, mostly those who I spoke to at Type-A Parent Conference would say take this free content on, if it’s relevant to your readers.
Image: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
You see, I think as we get bigger as bloggers and start to see “wow I can earn an income from this blog” we start to get this arrogant attitude in a way, maybe arrogant isn’t the correct word but I hope you know what I mean. We start to think my time is worth money, which of course everyone’s time is worth money, but really … free content that is relevant to your blog means that is one day you don’t have to write and yet you get to share useful information to your readers.
Most times free content means you will be linking to another person and giving them some “link juice” with Google or whatever search engines there are out there, but does that really matter? I always thought that we shouldn’t accept free content because, well after all, this is my income but after hearing so many share their other side of free content I am ready to take on pitches for free content and share with my readers just as a way to give light to another voice out there in the world.
I love giving tips and advice but I don’t have tips and advice for every area on parenting, relationships and life so maybe this free content can assist my readers in hearing more than just my daily rambles.
What is your stance on free content? Do you publish it or do you prefer payment for this type of content?
The “Free content” posted on my site falls into one of 3 categorizes
1. Promoting other sites & bloggers that I enjoy, people my readers might like
2. Legitimate charities
3. reviews of products & services that I paid for,liked & think my readers will like
While I will frequently retweet press releases in the tech field on twitter as such updates are welcome by many of my followers, the idea of simply regurgitating a press release and posting it on my blog is not something I’ll consider doing at this time. It’s big news? it’s something that might be important to me or my readers? then it needs to properly posted about in a personalized manner, not sure how I feel about taking the time to do that for a brand I don’t already have a relationship with.
Keep this in mind, those folks who try to guilt you into posting those press releases by saying things like “What? don’t you value your readers enough to share this with them?’ aren’t working for free. You want me to pimp your content? try approaching me in a way that shows you respect my time & intelligence.
Great post! happy Social Media Day!
I agree that if I had a relationship with the brand I would more apt to do free content than just some new contact. Good points! Love your comment. thank you.
I have gotten free content pitches and so far, none of them apply to my site. So I pretty much told them that since it didn’t suit my site then they would have to pay me. I never heard back. It annoys me that I get more pitches in which someone hasn’t really looked at my site or what I talk about.
Overall, I am not opposed to free content if it is something that really is relevant to me and me my readers. However, if I start getting inundated I would probably start charging.
New blog Post: Don’t Be Greedy, Free Content Can be Great http://t.co/d4pz8Xo via @brandyellen <food for thought