So for a while I have been thinking about mentioning the few changes on my blog that have taken place. I started sponsorship on my blog a couple of months ago (buttons to the right). I'm pleased to say that this has been working very well and I've loved growing friendships with the talented bloggers and businesses that are working with me. Having sponsors on my blog also benefits my readers by offering discounts and giveaways and so whilst sponsorship was set up 'for profit' I like to think it is also making my blog a better little corner of the Internet to visit.
Accepting affiliate companies (buttons on the left) was a natural progression from this, but each and every company that I feature on my blog is chosen as I believe it fits with the ethics and general feel that I am hoping to create with my little blog. I guess you're wondering how the 'coupon' button fits with my ethics? Well, in negotiating a spot on my blog I firstly made sure we were of the understanding that any 'coupons' the button would be advertising would not be used for certain products or by certain companies (for example Nestle). Clothing lines such as Fever London were chosen as they are genuinely a favourite brand, I know they are made well and I can endorse them with full sincerity.
Lately I have been contacted by a couple of brands in regards to reviews and I accept these simply because I am a stay at home mum and hey, free gifts are nice! All reviews are my own opinion and I would say if there was something I didn't like about the products I am testing. I am also careful to select that the products I review would be of interest to my readers and withing the general feel of this blog.
I'm not to sure where I am going with this post but I felt the need to state where I am with this. I take pride in my little corner of the Internet, it has taken me three years to get to the place where it is now. Becoming a 'for profit' blog was a step I had decided to take when I felt my blog had reached a certain standard. I still love blogging 'just for me' and appreciate every comment on here and every person that has taken time to read about our life. I hope you continue to enjoy reading about our adventures and supporting Tigerlilly Quinn
xoxo
Accepting affiliate companies (buttons on the left) was a natural progression from this, but each and every company that I feature on my blog is chosen as I believe it fits with the ethics and general feel that I am hoping to create with my little blog. I guess you're wondering how the 'coupon' button fits with my ethics? Well, in negotiating a spot on my blog I firstly made sure we were of the understanding that any 'coupons' the button would be advertising would not be used for certain products or by certain companies (for example Nestle). Clothing lines such as Fever London were chosen as they are genuinely a favourite brand, I know they are made well and I can endorse them with full sincerity.
Lately I have been contacted by a couple of brands in regards to reviews and I accept these simply because I am a stay at home mum and hey, free gifts are nice! All reviews are my own opinion and I would say if there was something I didn't like about the products I am testing. I am also careful to select that the products I review would be of interest to my readers and withing the general feel of this blog.
I'm not to sure where I am going with this post but I felt the need to state where I am with this. I take pride in my little corner of the Internet, it has taken me three years to get to the place where it is now. Becoming a 'for profit' blog was a step I had decided to take when I felt my blog had reached a certain standard. I still love blogging 'just for me' and appreciate every comment on here and every person that has taken time to read about our life. I hope you continue to enjoy reading about our adventures and supporting Tigerlilly Quinn
xoxo
7 comments:
Good for you! Personally, I feel that every blogger is entitled to do whatever they want with their own personal space, and i applaud you for staying true to you & your brand. And kudos for being able to monazite it! I'm hoping to reach that point sometime :)
i totally agree with kyla, it's been great to watch your blog grow! I admire how well you've done with it all, and how you have managed to keep updating so much and keep it interesting with a busy baby!
and i'm seriously jealous of all your freebies!
It's tricky isn't it! I've been approached by a few people lately about sponsorship & products to review, which I really beat myself up about at first thinking that it would change the whole feel of my blog.
But then i sat back, thought i should probably just chill out a bit and if I fancy doing a few reviews of stuff i'd be happy to use and ramble about anyway, then that's fine too. It will be the same with sponsorship if i do choose to take them. I look at it like it's my teeny corner of the internet & my passions & posts in general won't change because of of product reviews & sponsorship!
Thanks for this post - i think your blog is great :)
Thanks so much KylaI really appreciate you saying that! Your blog is so beautiful I'm sure you will get to that stage in no time!! xx
thanks Abi! xx
Thanks so much, I know exactly what you mean. There is a certain element of guilt when money comes into it. I've certainly struggled with wondering if I am 'using' Wilf so make money. I think your blog is great too and I wouldn't feel worry about the free stuff..us mamas need a little treat now and then! xx
I always feel it's a real shame when bloggers feel embarrassed or uncomfortable about accepting products for reviews, paid posts and the like. A blogpost is content and content is a commodity just like anything else - it doesn't come for free. I don't mean you shouldn't blog for the love of it - but it takes time, effort and dedication to create and maintain a blog to the point where you have regular readers who visit again and again, and that's valuable. So why shouldn't you gain value from it yourself?
For a start there's no obligation for you to be overwhelmingly positive about a product or brand - if they send a product to a newspaper or magazine they have to accept the reviewer will give their honest opinion and it's no different with blogs.
Secondly as you have built up a readership who clearly like your style, views and opinions that makes you influential, and brands should - and I hope do - pay to benefit from that influence. If you say you think something's good, people are likely as not going to buy that product or try it out - you've made a brand money. If you say you think something's bad, that's honest feedback and they can then review their product or offering and use your input to make it better, and make themselves more money. They can't expect to get that boost in sales or honest feedback for free, that's exploitative of the blogger in question.
I know there are vocal critics of sponsored posts, advertising on blogs and accepting products for review or even just as a thank-you but in my humble opinion those bloggers probably just wish they were on the receiving end or had the influence and reach needed for brands to actually notice them.
As for using Wilf to make money - I wouldn't worry about that. Babies cost an awful lot more money than they make. The odd free thing isn't going to change that simple fact :)
xx
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