Before I personally started blogging, I only had a few blogs that I read regularly. I never knew what a sponsored post was, and wasn't sure I had even ever seen one. Now that I have a blog of my own, I have come to understand that you want companies to work with you! Making money by sharing your opinion? That's the blogging dream. Forget ad clicks! Your favorite companies send you goodies to talk about, what could be bad about that?
Sharing your love of something seems so natural, so why does it come across so incredibly forced in the blogging world? I can't tell you how many times I've started reading someone's post, got really into it and bam some random product was thrown in there. I always feel like the blogger is lying to me! That random allergy medicine is not your Favorite Summer Accessory, and you know it!
Usually the person is upfront about it. In the fine print they write that ''the opinions are all my own". But, I know that they would not be writing this post without the pressure from a company. These posts are filled with buzzwords and sound just like a commercial. I'm not even talking small newbie bloggers. I have read posts done by very popular bloggers that look and sound so fake. I am all for making money from home, and using your platform, 90% of these posts feel like an abuse of power.
Now it has occurred to me that my issue may just be with badly done sponsored posts! Those favorite blogs I faithfully read before I started my own blog may have done sponsored posts all the time-but because they were done well I didn't notice. That's all I am asking for. Something natural.
I am new to the blogging world, and have had just a handful of companies ask me to talk about their products. I have turned down every single one so far. It has just felt so inauthentic. This blog is about me and I do love sharing my favorite things with everyone. In fact I have a ongoing series of my Top 5 Favorite Things, and every single thing on those lists are truly my favorite things. I wasn't paid a dime to talk about them.
It may be that I do sponsored posts in the future. But, I want to promise that it will be only when I would talk about that product anyway! I do not want to be an inauthentic blogger. This is my life, as real as it gets.
xoxo Kristen
Well said!!! Even tho I work for loft, I give my honest opinions. Sometimes their stuff doesn't flatter me and sometime I wonder , 'what were they thinking when they made this' haha! Can't win em all. =]
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