I KNOW I am worth more than what I am getting right now. But, as you said, it’s all about the traffic & numbers, neither of which I have at this point in time. But you did contradict yourself by saying that it is about traffic first and content second. Dooce has traffic, sure, but so does The BLoggess. Big Brand Companies seem to not care about Dooce’s R-rated posts, so why should they care about Jenny’s?

My point is that when PR gives me a CONTRACT each and every time they ask to work with me AND a compensatory paycheck, then I will have my attorney look over the paperwork. Until then, start noticing the great writers with not so great traffic and start treating bloggers in general like they are truly worth their weight in gold. Because we are. You all know this and so do we. The Mom Blogosphere can make or break a company with reviews and posts. The World Wide Webby isn’t as large as you think it is. And Mom Bloggers do have power.

To the PR-I am one of the newer bloggers and its incredibly hard to get recognized when the PR people say “Its all about the traffic” . You know what it makes me want to do? It makes me want to stop doing business with anyone, stop reviews, stop giveaways, stop posting releases. Because according to PR. I don’t have numbers high enough for them to care anyway!

I don’t make any money from my blog, no ads, no paycheck. Nothing. Why would I get a lawyer for nothing? I don’t have contracts either. Apparently people with that great traffic get contracts.

You cannot lump all of us bloggers based one Dooce. You aren’t giving newer bloggers with a great voice, a chance to help your brands. Ignore the numbers. Take chances a little.

Look for my professionally written terms of use coming to my blog soon.

I agree with the comments that many bloggers can’t even afford hosting and are blogging for cupcakes – there’s no money in the cookie jar to have an attorney review a contract. Perhaps the contracts or agreements aimed towards the mom blogger market should be written in plain language, not legalese – write for your reader.

By the way – I’m a Paralegal by profession.

Hiring a lawyer to review what? I don’t have any contracts … I don’t really understand..most of us are work at home mom’s or stay at home Mom’s. I am a married mother of three who has a husband who just quit his job back in August and ever since then I have been scrounging to make it financially. My blog is my place to keep my head above water … and to keep the positive flowing for myself and everyone.

I don’t get why bloggers are getting all this crap placed on them lately … most of us do FREE advertising for these brands…what more do they want?

What I don’t get is the do as I say, don’t do as I do attitude that seems to be prevalent amongst “professionals” in the bloggysphere. This isn’t just blanket to PR, but in general those that put themselves out as Leaders seem to break the rules as often as they make them.

With new women entering the blogosphere trying to find a true, authentic voice in addition to working with companies without ’selling out’, there definitely is a lack of information that lead women in any direction. I actually hear women they are AFRAID to post their beliefs. That’s really sad considering companies entered this space to harness the relationships women have already developed.

And while I am really open about freedom of speech and even public relations, I am still under the attitude that we are always being watched and if someone is talking to me ABOUT a subject, I expect them to be following the same rules.

My article really isn’t about individual companies because companies are reaching out and we are far from “G”. In fact, I have worked with Tide quite a bit, was at their blogger luncheon, part of pre-testing program, and they were even kind enough to send a car at BlogHer for us at the airport. So while they may be “conservative”, they do plenty with bloggers that are just not all candy and roses as well. (And this is probably one of the more tame articles we have done related to controversial subjects -which they are well aware of.)

Regarding attorneys, its just not realistic to expect that a blogger in this space would go that far. Its easy for someone in an industry with a steady paycheck to say to talk with an attorney, but we are talking about household women that work for cupcakes and coupons. Most women cannot even afford hosting their own website and certainly the majority dont reach enough page views to even make CPM worth their time.

I understand taking a profession seriously, and most women in this space DO do that. But jumping to attorney and contracts when most of the industry barely takes mom bloggers serious, is like asking someone poor to buy a Lexus. Unless companies are going to provide an attorney to the bloggers, or someone is receiving a contractual agreement that pays, well, in the “Dooce” range, i think its just a moot point for 99 out of 100 bloggers.

Regardless, my real point was that I disagree with people on panels that give out one bit of information and then turn around and do another. If all eyes are on US every moment, then PR needs to believe, and practice, the same thing. I am not the only one that feels that way.

I hold my teachers in higher regard then anyone else and if someone is paying to attend a conference, at the very least the answers, and actions, shouldn’t leave more questions.

~Trisha