Thanks for all the feedback on my dilemma about sponsored posts. I'm glad they don't bother you. I did say that maybe I'll only do sponsored posts/press releases/freebie product features on Fridays but when I listed down all the press kits I've received and have NOT blogged about, well, the list is 30-items long. If I crossed out just one item on that list every Friday, we'd be in mid-2013 before I'm done! And that's just for the 30 press kits already received. I get an average of two every week. My Fridays-only rule simply will not do!
So as I was figuring out this new problem, the answer hit me right smack between the eyes. I'm a magazine editor so I'm going to tackle this like a magazine editor! A magazine is half editorial content and half advertisements. Thereabouts. Readers pick up a magazine for the features, yes, but they also check out what products are new and available. Readers don't like it if there are too many ads but neither do they like a magazine if it's just stories (they'd have bought a book instead!).
So that's what I'll do. Write as usual and then insert product features/PRs in between. Obvious solution, I know. My problem really was just I have said yes to too many nice small businesses and I've begun feeling guilty. But I think it's time to reclaim my blog, to take back control. I think it's time to say no. Nicely, of course, but writing posts takes time and time is valuable. My time should not be so freely given and my time must not be given for free.
So as I was figuring out this new problem, the answer hit me right smack between the eyes. I'm a magazine editor so I'm going to tackle this like a magazine editor! A magazine is half editorial content and half advertisements. Thereabouts. Readers pick up a magazine for the features, yes, but they also check out what products are new and available. Readers don't like it if there are too many ads but neither do they like a magazine if it's just stories (they'd have bought a book instead!).
So that's what I'll do. Write as usual and then insert product features/PRs in between. Obvious solution, I know. My problem really was just I have said yes to too many nice small businesses and I've begun feeling guilty. But I think it's time to reclaim my blog, to take back control. I think it's time to say no. Nicely, of course, but writing posts takes time and time is valuable. My time should not be so freely given and my time must not be given for free.