On Friday Night Live this week we dissected and discussed what we are affectionately calling “bloggy burnout.’ After a lengthy 90 minute conversation with bloggers around the web, we came to one conclusion:
Mom Bloggers are simply doing too much.
With the allure of giveaways, reviews, and blog trips, Mom Bloggers have turned from what they love the most, their family, into working directly as public relations for their captive audience. It boils down to knowing your worth and then standing up for it.
While we adore many of our fabulous PR reps and treat them like bloggy friends, our site, and many others, are inundated with hundreds, if not thousands, of product requests each year resulting in massive obligations and deadline stress equivalent to what the General Motors CEO must feel every time he drives into work. We watch our blog friends strive for the next big review or the next big giveaway, but all the while practically losing
MomDot is challenging bloggers to participate for one week in August in a PR BLACKOUT challenge where you do not blog ANY giveaways, ANY reviews, and Zero press releases. In fact, we dont want you to talk to PR at ALL that whole week. We want to see your blog naked, raw, and back to basics. Talk about your kids, your marriage, your college, your hopes, your dreams, your house and whatever you can come up with for one week.
We will host a linky during that week for you to link up every post you do. We will also provide some topic suggestions for each day of the week to get your blog blood flowing again.
We feel this is an important challenge to show mom bloggers that what they are doing, the stress they feel, the deadlines, the time away from their family, it has to be worth it. So grab the picture, link to MomDot for PR BLACKOUT week and COMMIT to blogging for YOU and about you for one week this year.
Let us know if you will be participating along side us. We have scheduled it far enough in advance for you to wrap up all your current obligations and look forward to meeting more of our audience, sharing more of our personal selves, and having the TIME to be much more involved with our own community.
~Trisha
So, let me edit my own comment and say…if this is just your way of taking a moment off, and re-evaluating yourself to find clear direction then power to ya’ people! I guess (since I’m guilty of not listening to the show, SORRY!) I didn’t fully understand the catalyst for this idea. I 100% agree that you have the right to take a breather. Not clear as to why we should all be doing it simultaneously, but get the fact that we all need one from time to time. This is what happens when you open your mouth before you do your research. I know, I suck. So, boycott me too if you want. I can handle it:)
Yeah, I’m of the don’t see the point really group, I guess. I do reviews if I like the product and really think other people like me would too. If I get offered something I’m not really into, I just say no. Not sure why it’s such a huge deal… And, if you find yourself on a review blog and you don’t like it, navigate away and don’t go back (wish mean people who come to mine would do that too instead of leaving ugly, uneducated comments!). It’s just like anything else… If I accidentally find myself on a vintage car site I just leave, I don’t start hating it. I just don’t visit it. But, I know where to look if I’m ever in the market for something like that. Same with mommy review sites. I don’t go to them everyday, but if I wanna know what people think of the stroller I’m about to drop $200 on, then I know where to go to find out. As far as moms that are inundated or overwhelmed by these offers, just stop. No one forces us to take them, and some of us enjoy the opportunities we are provided. If you don’t, then don’t participate. I feel like you just have to be selective and if you feel like you’re being taken advantage of, then don’t play with that PR person any more. I’m not trying to be harsh or anything, I just don’t get the huge ISSUE, I guess. But, we all know I’m Dumb Mom, so that probably explains quite a bit!
I hear you’re getting a lot of flack for this ’round the blogosphere (the backlash against the backlash, eh?). I think that’s too bad. I like challenges like this… whether its NaPoBloMo or “count all your steps for a month” or “don’t buy anything new all month” — I think it’s a great idea. Not sure if I’ll do it or not do it, but bravo.
Great points. Loved the Friday Night Live convo on this.
Im relatively new, blogging for less than a year but can already relate to so much of what your talking about.
Thanks for the great convo.
I’ve been blogging for over four years now – which makes me an ‘elder’ in much of the blogging world; having said that – I’ve been doing reviews for several of those four years and NOT ONE of those reviews was paid, NOT ONE of those reviews brought me extra traffic, and NOT ONE of those reviews ‘helped’ me in any way. I know, I read my stats several times a day just like anyone else.
Do any of you realize how little it costs for these companies to give away free product to be reviewed? Do any of you realize that, singularly, we really don’t matter to them at all? Do you know the true compensation for a review done by a professional? We’re not getting our due, and I know this from a professional standpoint.
Do what you’d like – keep doing reviews and giveaways for mere pittance and a few extra hits (pay attention to how much time the reader actually spends on your blog once they click in to check out the review) – once the stack of books and products I have sitting runs out, I’m not caving every time I get an email or phone call from another PR rep wanting my services for nada.
These are BLOGS, not magazines. I don’t know why everyone else started blogging, but my reasons were purely personal, and will continue to be so.
Nobody is asking for everyone to stop forever – just a break for a week – what mom couldn’t use that time to breathe? I think it’s a brilliant idea.
Totally don’t get this. If you don’t want to do so many reviews, don’t. There are a lot of bloggers out there who would likely welcome the opportunities you are wanting to shun. And most of us talk quite a bit about our kids and families and lives. I seriously can’t wrap my head around why this issue of all things in blog land makes you want to do a call to action.
Two things.
One: PR people wouldn’t overwhelm “mommy bloggers” with requests unless they got results that way. You can’t have it both ways. Getting free things to give away on blogs (not to mention paid mentions) to increase your readership comes with the price tag of dealing with those companies or PR reps who hold the purse strings.
Two: As a blog reader myself, I have to say AMEN. While I don’t think this should be a whole anti-PR movement, I do know that I have stopped reading many of my former favorite blogs because they’ve turned from “look at the hilarious things my family and I are have been doing this week” to “look what I’m giving away, doing a review for, getting paid to praise, etc.” Not to mention the ever popular “go check out what I wrote at my paying gig over on this other website.” Enough already!
I do this all the time anyway. My blog is baout parenting or baby gear the giveaways and reviews are just part of it. Good for you & I will join right in!
EThics? Dude. This has NOTHING TO DO WITH ETHICS.
Can everyone get a grip.
Kai.Thanks.Bai.
rather than calling for a PR Blackout (which in itself is quite a PR move on your part) and fight the system that’s made soooooo many Mom’s blogs poplular, why not simply be constructive and come up with events to focus on Mom’s blogs niches.
the whold anti-PR vibe seems silly. Just don’t use or promote what PR firms send you. why do you need a “Blackout” to accomplish this? most Mom bloggers willing accept the gifts, freebies, etc and thrive on it. No one forces them to post on the “junk” and sell themselves to the PR machine.
Bloggers need to have standards and ethics – if you can’t willing promote a product or service on your blog, DON’T. selling out never works in the long term.
Trisha, you rock!! Just getting back from my month-long hiatus to the UK and catching up! Love this idea — it is after all what our blogs should be!
I’ve read everyone’s comments and I just started blogging. I do post contests (from here lol) if I enter them or think others would love to do the same. I only post reviews on stuff I really love (movies, products and so forth) I can’t imagine a PR nightmare but can see if it’s taking up too much time then a break is a great suggestion.
I’m taking a week off blogging all together (no weekly memes, contests or reviews, post on the kids or anything) July 28th. I’m spending it with my family and as much as I love blogging, I write full time and that can cause burn out as well, deadlines for articles and so forth.
I think taking a break to enjoy the things in life like our children and pamper ourselves is great. I’m going to the sticks with no cell phone reception, no tv, no video games, or computer. Just the lake, trees, camp fires and fun. I cannot wait!
@ Christy:
If you are caught up with your giveaways and prefer not to participate, that’s up to you. I don’t understand why you are being so negative about this. If you have no problem keeping up with the emails and the pitches, that’s terrific for you! Some of us, however, are not.
What Trisha is doing is suggesting that for those of us who do need a break, we just pick a week and mark it off on our calendar. That we give ourselves permission to reply to the emails by saying “no thanks, I’m not available that week”. It can be hard for some bloggers to say no, because they feel if they do, they’ll never get pitched again. I used to have that fear myself.
I have absolute confidence that the PR people I work with on a regular basis will understand when I block off a week on my calendar to use for blogging about products I’ve purchased and want to write about, maybe even to give away some of the things I’ve been sent that I’m not using. There’s no doubt in my mind that the pitches will keep coming
@ Trisha-admin:
I agree 100%! Any blogger should be able to take a break and re-evaluate. When I first started blogging I wrote everyday… sometimes 2-3 posts a day. But now I may post only once or twice a week. I do it because I enjoy it… but my family comes first. So I made that commitment to myself to not overdo it. And that is a fine line because I have a lot more going on then just my blog. So I do understand burnout.
I’ve made it a habit to take time to re-evaluate what I’m doing and why at least every couple of months. I’m not perfect by not stretch of the imagination… but this does seem to work for me. I admit it is easier for me because my hubby works from home so he helps out a whole lot with our son. Otherwise, I could not do what I do.
As I said, I have no problem with you and other bloggers taking time off from reviews/contests. I was just playing devils advocate – and saying what I think some people might derive from the decision for so many doing it at the same time.
I support you all for your decision – wish you all the best! How could I not commend you for the decision to take time to reflect and spend more time with your families…
@ Donna:
Donna, i run a community….we started out on our show as a blog burnout…which is very true. I run a community, i am not an individual blogger. If you listen to the show, you will see that the CALLERS stress brought about the idea, it wasnt me that just made something up and rallied the troops.
The problem is no one listed to the FNL show and then just assumed….this was meant for our COMMUNITY, for our visitors to our blog who wanted to do something fun, not a national media scandal. However, i am not disappointed that its received attention because it means its a conversation that needs to happen.
I will never stop showing moms how valuable they are. Brands do not make us valuable…WE make us valuable.
I am however very disappointed in the very bad renditions of what the intent was, the fact that no one listened to the show, the fact that the FTC and ethics were dragged into it, and the fact that ONE WEEK down was such a big deal.
I find it actually a bit pathetic that taking a week off is considered a strike. LOL! Why not a month? why not forever? It was just a week. Im sitting here at iRobot, i certainly love my PR. But i dont want to be slaves to them 24/7 and i want my community to have time too…
Sometimes women need a reason to stop and evaluate and we provided a time for that for those that cant say no. Who cares if someone doesn’t participate, i certainly wont be stepping on anyones blog toes over at thier place…but that hasnt stopped people from insulting ME on my site.
I do find the whole thing extremely hysterical at this point.
I think I will be doing this August 21-28th while I’m on my vacation. Yes, a big portion of my vacation is paid for because I’m doing a review on the location, but I don’t have to blog about it until I get home. I might not even blog about my family. I might just take a week off to actually ENJOY my husband. “Scandalous”.
Lee
@ Donna:
I can see where it can come off as a PR strike. That’s not what it is at all. It was meant to be a support group. I am not overwhelmed with PR stuff but I do feel the need to check my mail constantly, reply constantly, get stuff up, network. It just made it difficult to do what I started out doing. Which is writing about my family. I love the reviews because it is something I truly enjoy. Personally I am taking that week to claim my blog back and to re-organize it so it’s MAINLY content with some reviews, giveaways and promotional stuff. I’m going to take a break and come back more rejuvenated than ever!
I commend you for making a decision that is best for you! You have every right to stop reviews/contests anytime you choose. I don’t know how you do all you do anyway.
I have been blogging for over 15 mths purely for the love of writing. I have not done any reviews/contest yet. In fact, getting ready to do my first in a couple of days. I decided to do some occasionally, but do not want my blog to be solely a review/contest blog.
However, allow me to play devils advocate. As I said, there is nothing wrong whatsoever with you taking a “vacation”. I think the problem many could see with it is that you not only decided to take a vacation from Aug. 10 – 16 but get as many other bloggers to do it as well. If you mentioned you were taking a vacation from PR for a week and others said they liked the idea and they decided when they wanted to take their “vacation” it would seem, well… like a vacation. But with a lot of bloggers taking their “vacation” during the same week, it seems more like a little “strike” against PR.
Like I said, I don’t know how you do all you do Trisha, seriously! And taking time off for a break and to reflect is a good thing.
Interesting discussion! I, like a couple of others who’ve commented, do very little pr related stuff on my blog and have no intention of changing that. Okay, I plug my own biz on my mom blog occasionally, but only in a vague way. And I do book reviews, but only one or two a month. Even those I don’t do traditional review style, I often talk about the book’s story and how it relates to MY life – I find that type of review more interesting to read, so that’s what I write. I never let my blog stress me out though, just not how I work! I have enough other stress.
This blackout idea calls for mom bloggers to rethink exactly why they starting blogging in the first place. My blog is pretty much a review blog, but I focus mainly on books and products that are of interest to me and my family. I blog because I like to write reviews. I’m not really interested in sharing numerous personal tidbits of my family’s life, although small tidbits make their way into my review posts if you look for them. When the scheduling gets in the way of my enjoyment, I back off. After all, this is a hobby for me, not some lucrative endeavor. While I do understand the need for mommy bloggers to pace themselves, I think it has to be something we do on our own every single week. It is for this very reason that I only rarely participate in live discussions and twitter parties. They take up too much time away from my family during the early evening hours. As far as reviews, I’ve turned down several review requests already and will continue to do so. I won’t be participating in the blackout but not because I don’t think the idea is a good one. It is because I already take my own breaks, especially on the weekends. Have fun those that are participating and thanks to Trisha bringing the subject to light! I look forward to reading your posts.
I’m in!! GREAT idea!
I’m in. I have only done one giveaway on my site, and it’s for something I was excited to share.
I’m certainly not in the same category as some of the other bloggers I’ve seen, but I’ll commit to it since it’s a great cause!
I found this post via Kim at Hormone-Colored Days, and I have to say amen. I’ve always been very cautious about letting PR creep into my blog. I don’t do giveaways and I keep reviews to one every month or so. Not because I think it’s evil, but because I don’t think that’s what my readers want.
If I’m going to back a brand, it’s going to be MY brand. Me. Marketing Mommy.
When your hobby begins to feel more like a job because of all the deadlines you have and people banging on your inbox… I think its time to have the break.
This is supposed to be fun, and while it still is, it’s also extremely stressful at times.
YAY! For the PR Blackout! I’m all over it!
I am all over this!
i’m so in this also!
I’m in!
I’ve already let go of BlogHer Ads. I think it’s a great organization but it was too stressful for me, they wanted too much control.
I think its a great way to step back and breathe. A vaca can clear you mind and re-evaluate. You can decide to step back, change their course of action, continue on…whatever….any way you look at it you will be able to be more effective after even for PR.
I can say that YOU are most definitely on the right track whatever the hell anyone wants to say. I know you are not only taking a act helping many breather for yourself but in fact helping many hundreds of other bloggers that participate in PR.
As part of this community for just a very short time, I admire your intentions and desire to help people not only in this way but in the way you give back and support. The way you have donated money you have received through ads etc and through Bloggers Give.
You are amazing. Screw the a-holes that don’t understand. They never will.
Here’s part of the way I’m trying to prevent Bloggy Burnout: http://angiemarion.blogspot.com/2009/07/public-relations-representatives-simple.html
Look… I’m a single mom. I work FT. My son begins football practice on Aug 1. I will not have as much time for blogging. It’s WORK. and I never though it was like that. But… I love it. I love blogging, not just doing reviews. I’ve blogged for almost 2 years before I started doing review. So I feel ya… but I probably won’t take part in the Blackout.