This Mom's Confessions

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How NOT to Hire A Blogger in Three Easy Steps

Filed Under: BLOG, blogging, lists, Making Money Tagged With: ,

Dear Prospective Blogger Client Who May Want Something for Nothing,

Thank you for writing back and explaining. But if you are looking to write for FREE on the internet, may I suggest that you start up your very own website for this. I actually also offer website/blog design services. So, if you are in need of such services, please check out my sister site: J9 Designs, where you can get pricing to start up your very own website to do just that.

OK, there are certain things with blogging and writing online that annoy me.

Even though this is clearly something I have chosen to do for better or worse. Most days, I love what I do. This is all I have known for the last 5+ years. Plus, I am a writer at the heart of it.

However, many times throughout those same days I am left aggravated and even reeling.

I usually will chalk it up to ignorance of those that help to induce these feelings in me.

But still, I am not sure what gives the average company, individual or more the nerve to query an online blogger, who uses their site for their own writing platform, as well as for the purposes of making a living and offer little to no compensation in return.

Please don’t mistake that I am heartless or not charitable or willing to give back. But this isn’t what this is about at all.

See the exchange I shared above is one that I had recently with another, who clearly was looking to author an article to share on my site for FREE. I penned this above response to make clear that this isn’t acceptable to ask an established blogger to publish your paid content for FREE!

See the individual, didn’t know me from a whole in the wall. Wasn’t even a mutual blogging acquaintance. They definitely weren’t a friend or even a family member.

But still that didn’t stop them from asking me to publish their content FREE of charge. While get this, they were making money from another company to write a set number of articles and publish them on other sites online. Granted, along the way of back and forth emails to explain this further, I was offered a pittance for my time and trouble.

[Tweet “3 Ways NOT to Hire a #Blogger”]

Still this isn’t even the first and most likely not the last to contact me with this goal in mind.

Therefore from this exchange, I decided to share the top three nerve inducing blogger requests, I see on the average week in my inbox.

How Not to Hire A Blogger in Three Easy Steps

1. Guest blogging but offering NO money.

Let me make clear I always give my rates up front. So, when someone, such as the above individual contacts me to in the end offer me no monetary compensation, I find this to be rude and even downright wrong. No offense, but just like I stated above if you want to write and make money, but not pay someone else to publish your content, then clearly you need to shell out the money to host your own site. The fees, I pay monthly to run my site(s) aren’t astronomical, but still they are my expenses. So in that right, I am all for goodwill for friends and family, but for those I have no prior relationship with, this is a business I run. So, just like Jerry Maguire once shouted, “Show me the money!”

2. Lowballing for outside content.

Once I do reveal my fees, I understand negotiation as a business tactic. I mean, I was a business major in my undergraduate work. However, offering me pennies for my hard work here isn’t going to cut it. As someone once said, “That and a dollar will barely get me a cup of Starbucks coffee!” So, if that is your goal then please look elsewhere.

3. It is all about the Follow Links.

Google clearly states their policy on external links in exchange for compensation HERE. So then, please stop and refrain before pitching me in exchange for these types of links. I will not under any circumstances, sell my soul to the proverbial devil for a few crappy Follow Links. See, I value my search engine ranking and capabilities with Google and don’t need the headache of them banning my site or worse just for your intrinsic need or want in boosting your site. If this is the case, then ease on down the road to someone that may feel differently!

That said, if you are a company or individual, who are looking to work with a smart and awesome blogger, even dare I say a writer/business woman, who enjoys what she does, plus who will freely share your amazingly equal product, service or message, then feel free to check out my Media Kit here for my policies and more on this.

Look forward to working with you.

Humble thanks,

Dedicated Blogger for 5+ Years

About Janine

Janine is a published author of the books, The Mother of All Meltdowns and Only Trollops Shave Above the Knee. She has been featured on The Huffington Post, Mamapedia, Today Parenting Team and SheKnows. She also runs her own graphic design company at J9 Designs.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Laura - The No Pressure Life says

    Yesterday I was contacted by the “community outreach” person for a well-known company sharing one graphic of a DIY idea from their brand and asking me if I’d like to see more of their ideas. Why? She didn’t say. So I replied back saying I’d be happy to discuss a sponsored post with the company and shared my media kit. Of course, her “department” doesn’t handle that sort of thing (meaning, she has no budget). I may be a small/new blog, but I’m not willing to be taken advantage of!

    • Janine says

      Laura, you did exactly what you should have in this instance and my hat is off to you. As for their response, I have gotten that one, too in the past.I also agree whole heartedly and you definitely shouldn’t be taken advantage of no matter the duration of your blogging. Thank you for sharing with me here though and truly appreciate it.

  5. William Holland says

    I get those requests at least once a week and, quite frankly, they piss me off. If I have the time I write something sarcastic back to them, but usually I just delete them and try not to stay pissed the rest of the day. LOL Happy Hump Day, Janine!

    • Janine says

      Bill, I am with you and usually just delete the responses. But I think I have seen quite a few in the last week or so, that I just couldn’t resist replying. Then, something inside of me felt I needed to also blog about it. At least, I got it off my chest I suppose if nothing else. Happy Hump Day to you, too!!

    • Janine says

      Thank you, too as I had this brewing inside of me for awhile, but our conversation put me over the top, as well as gave me the extra added incentive to add my voice to this one finally. So thank you and hugs for that!! <3

  7. Mary says

    I’ve been there Janine. I used to write for free but with my blog exposure increasing that’s no longer an option. If you want me to write for you, you need to pay me, simple as that. I had someone contact me and ask me how much I would charge to include a link to his website at the end of every post. I told him I needed to see his website because I’m particular with who I work with and I’m quoted him my starting rate. He had the audacity to tell me my quote was too high and other bloggers will do it for cheaper and I needed to “rethink” my price and get back to him. On top of all that he never included his site. I politely declined. I have friends that make triple what I charge. The nerve of that man.

  8. Emily says

    I really like the reply you crafted above…I receive those types of requests all the time and it’s incredibly annoying. Sometimes I reply, but most of the time, I just ignore them and don’t respond. I’m actually amazed that there are bloggers out there that would consider being “used” like that!

  9. AnnMarie John says

    I shared a similar post about a year or two ago. I get dozens of them in my inbox and I’ve learned there’s no negotiating with these people so I generally hit delete and don’t even bother responding to their emails. The guest posters are the worst! And those that offer you $50 to publish their “high quality content that are on several other blogs, and those bloggers accepted $50”. ROFLMAO. Well I’m not ANY blogger. My rates are firm and since those “guest posts” all contain links to outside businesses, they are considered SPONSORED posts and will all have no-follow links. Sorry, not sorry, don’t even bother emailing me. I hope they’re reading this. 🙂

  10. Kathy Radigan says

    I wish I could say I never get these myself, but sadly, I do. And the ones that really get me are from big companies who want me to do a campaign for them for nothing. I have been known to say that I’m pretty sure you don’t work for free and neither do I. But now I just write back and say thanks, but I’m not the right blogger for you. Believe it or not I have had two occasions when I got a paying gig from this! Lol! Thanks for speaking up about this!

  11. Selena, The Rambler says

    You know, I had read somewhere a while back about this and it had not dawned on me until then. You are so right, and we have to remember to value our blogs and know when others pitch us and attempt the “We will link back to you”…blah blah blah nonsense. =) Great post.

    • Janine says

      Aw, Echo you are a smart lady, too and know that you are running an amazing blog that reflects this, too. So can honestly say without a doubt you are a wise woman, too 🙂

  13. Jen says

    Preach it sister! I get at least a dozen of these every week. Mostly, I have stopped answering them. i had one lady after I thought we had agreed on a price send me the article and say she would only pay a certain amount, which was significantly less than I had stated. Pretty much, “screw you”, if you do junk like that and expect me to just accept your terms. Pardon my frankness, but this so ticks me off 🙂

  14. Courtney says

    Preach! Keeping a blog going is real work, and I wish every blogger would see his or her value from the beginning. That way, prospective clients would behave as just that, prospective clients, instead of expecting something for free.

  16. Rosey says

    I delete most of ’em, every once in awhile though, I’ll reply. I did so recently and the person was irked that I wouldn’t post for free. I got a “We only offer these articles for editorial purposes to bloggers and you should be glad we even thought to include you” type of response. Thank you for thinking of me. Delete. 🙂

    On a side note, I thought of Lanaya the other day. If you still talk to her, tell her did and howdy? I hope she and her baby (big) girl are doing great. 🙂

    Have a wonderful weekend!

    • Janine says

      Oh man, Rosey I have been there, too and like you have deleted. As for Lanaya, we are still friends through social media and believe she just got engaged to her long time boyfriend. She seems very happy and just glad she is doing so well. Have a wonderful weekend now, too 🙂

  17. Christine Carter says

    Oh my gosh YES! It drives me crazy getting those requests. I often don’t even respond to them. I do think some people have no clue about the blogging business etc. and I’m sorry they aren’t going to be successful if they don’t learn the right way to go about things. BUT it’s not my job to teach them. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

  18. Diane Roark says

    Janine,

    Totally agree! I always spend way more time on a sponsored post than I should. Brands get an awesome deal anyway, I cannot imagine doing all that work for free.

    Thanks for venting for all of us bloggers.
    Diane

  19. Aunt Gloria says

    Good for you Janine! There are always people who are looking for something for nothing and who do not respect business protocol. Good to stay on your toes and keep the losers away!
    xxoo

  21. Rea says

    Thanks for writing this Janine! I always get these types of emails. Guest posters who ask for a follow link to their website are the worst. They even try to deceive some bloggers who don’t understand follow links yet. Recently I received an offer and they want to write a sponsored post + a product review for only $30 and demanded that all 4 links should be follow links. Uhmmm I hit delete right away. Tsk tsk.

  22. Cheryl@Sew Can Do says

    I get tons of emails like that and it’s always with the angle like they’re doing ME a favor by providing me with free content. My recent personal favorite was a well known company asking me to do a review by making a project with their fabric (my blog theme is sewing) and just link back to them in it. I’ve done many reviews like that no problem. After several more emails back & forth, they slipped in “just a question, would it be ok for you to do a do follow link?” I explained why that’s a huge no-no and they told me that’s a shame, we only do those. Thanks for your interest bye. As if I’d reached out to them!

    • Janine says

      Cheryl that just really burns me up. Honestly I am not sure why any company wouldn’t get and understand about the issues with running do follow links as it is a well known policy with Google. That said, to then treat you as though you were the one who suggested the review and link back, I also agree was just plain rude. Thanks for sharing and so sorry you too have had to deal with this.

  23. Nellie says

    Yes!! I want to scream AMEN from the rooftops!! I agree with all of this. You make a brilliant point about website costs, plugin costs etc. I get so many of those guest posting emails it makes me crazy!

  24. Bev says

    I mostly ignore these e-mails now. It’s clear that they usually don’t even spend any time perusing my blog or they would see that their product isn’t at all a good fit!

  25. Leslie says

    Yes! It’s so hard to keep up with all the unsolicited requests. And it’s so disappointing to start negotiating with a company just to find out that they are insisting on follow links. Thanks for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!

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