When I first started blogging, I did it to record all the little moments with my family, to document our house renovations, to share some recipes, crap on about my garden, but mainly just to amuse myself. I like writing. It never occurred to me that other people would actually read anything I would write, and newsflash - not that many do! I love and appreciate every single one of my readers, but this little blog is small fry to lots of other blogs, blogs that have lots of readers and impressive stats. I don't at all begrudge anyone their success; on the contrary, I am genuinely happy for anyone to achieve success in something they love. If I was ever that successful, I hope those people would be happy for me.
Before I became a blogger, I studied and worked in the field of marketing. I wasn't a big mover and shaker, but I loved it - I love the way marketing strategies work, I love the thought and creativity that goes into different segments of advertising. I love the psychology of it, the cleverness. I don't think this makes me a capitalist running dog, it just means I have an appreciation for a field that I devoted a decent part of my life to.
It's no surprise that I like working with brands. Yes, that B word! Not all brands, just the products that interest me and that fit in with my life and the stuff I blog about. I like being a small, tiny part of their marketing strategy. I love that I get to sample products and tell you what I think. I like blogging about stuff that rocks my world - if it didn't rock my world I couldn't be passionate about it, so what would be the point of writing anything? I love being able to offer giveaways to my lovely readers, because I am always thrilled to receive a giveaway myself.
I've heard alot about 'not selling your blog for a packet of biscuits' and it has occurred to me that recently, I might be considered to have done just that (Hello Orgran!). It never occurred to me that I was selling my blog, or my credibility, or just selling out - I was just very happy to rave about a product that I loved, and offer another reader the opportunity to try it as well. I still am very happy about it. Not conciously 'developing my brand', rather blogging about my own likes and dislikes (hello Nokia N9) among other stuff, on my own blog, in my own way.
With a marketing background, I certainly do see the value that bloggers have to brands. I see that the depth of the market reach that a blogger may have might be very lucrative to the people thinking up the marketing strategy. I see that the value of this can be converted to money, and that money is the actual bottom line where most brands are concerned. I don't think it is the bottom line where most bloggers are concerned.
I did not start blogging to make money, and money is certainly not my driving reason for continuing to blog, but I have no problem accepting money for my part in a marketing strategy. And check back to the first paragraph - I am not a super blogger! So I do not earn the super dollars. One day I might, and if that day ever comes I hope that it is still not the main reason I blog. And in all honesty, I do not think it is the main reason anyone blogs.
Please, tell me your thoughts on this. I would love to hear them.
xx
Labels: Life, product reviews