Don’t Bloggers Value Themselves?
Bloggers *Should*
Value Themselves.
Blog advertising has inevitably taken off as of recent and i’ve been wanting to write about this for some time but as usual, either i was busy running around/it slipped my mind.
Then today, someone told me yet another quote that a fellow blogger has agreed to with a client.
The prices some of you are going for are so low that i’m appalled.
You might say that i’m being jual mahal, but the truth is you should know your value with the hits you get as well.
A monthly magazine ad goes for a price rate of RM3-5k a page with approximately 10-20k readers a month.
We (i’m putting this figure on average for the top bloggers) get about 50,000 unique hits a month.
Think about it.
Why on earth would you undercharge when you get a focus of the same number of people (maybe more) viewing your ad/blog post?
For instance, an established brand approached me to blog about their products for RM200 a post.
200 ringgit?
That’s ridiculous.
They also approached a few other bloggers with around the same number of hits i get… and they agreed.
Can die okay.
“No. If they want me to talk about their products, we’ll negotiate but i won’t go lower then – a post.”
“The other bloggers are agreeing to do it for RM700 for three posts, right? It’s okay wut, why are you being so difficult?”
“I’m *not* being difficult. I just know the value of the viewership they get and if everyone starts charging peanuts, then clients are going to take advantage of the prices some charge and everything will drop!!!”
It’s like stock okay.
I cannot stop the rest of you from charging what you’re agreeing to.
But know the value of your blog from the amount of hits you get and stop undercutting because then, you are responsible for setting the standard and drawing that line.
Another call came through when i was at a company party.
“Hey, will you blog a few posts about ——-? They’re offering — plus throwing in a thousand bucks worth of products.”
“What?! No way!”
Okay maybe it was the alcohol talking but my divaness came out.
“Come on, *you* know also how they throw products to magazines like nobody’s business. Products are nothing to them. Who the heck will do it?”
Some did.
-_-
Again, i say, “Can die okay these people.”
I’m not saying that products are worth zero.
I’m just saying that you cannot compare product consumer price to cash.
Think about how many ads you want to take on.
If you keep on taking on so many advertisers for so cheap, you’re selling yourself out.
True, if you’re going to advertise, might as well go all the way right?
Go for quality. Not quantity.
There’s no point making a quick buck if in the end, you end up ruining the sanctity of your blog.
Don’t underestimate the value of your blog.
(Phwoar, i sound like an anti-drug campaign. Okay i’ll stop nagging now.)
Some blogs may get lots more ‘unique hits’ a month, but many of these hits may still be from the same people e.g. fans (or stalkers..hmm) who visit a few times a week, but people won’t usually buy the same magazine twice a month. If I went to your blog again next week i thnk it would still make your ‘unique hits’ number go up.
Just a thought.. !
This whole idea of advertising on blogs is lame. Advertising controls content and if everyone started doing it, it would ruin whatever little freedom of expression we have left on the internet. You have a good blog, people read it because they have an interest in what you have to say, not what you’re paid to say. Your whole “i am worth a lot more” attitude, and blog post about it, just takes the piss.
No need to over react on the issue lei. If you’re happy why not. Advertisers are smart enough not to jeopardize their products right. If they have the mutual understanding so both parties will gain the same benefits. Are you hinting the advertiser that your going rate is 1k? hee hee…
erthset: of course i understand what you’re saying, i’m merely saying take other forms of media as a way to compare. Since this is still a new form of media to advertise on, people cannot expect it to hit max potential straight up right.
notreally: if advertising on blogs is lame, then why is it occuring? -_- i’m just expressing that other bloggers should value their blogs, exactly for the line you wrote as well – “if everyone started doing it, it would ruin whatever little freedom of expression.” People would blog because they want advertisers, not because they genuinely want to blog.
tinktank: not overreacting laaaa, just wanted to say so. True, if both parties can come to a comfortable conclusion, then why not. Actually hor, maybe i should remove that 1k thing >_< unnecessary ha ha
No issue against review of products by bloggers. I thought it’s better to hear from the bloggers personally rather than newspaper ad. Anyone can demand any price they want. Willing buyer willing seller.
But if you don’t want to do it, others will. And companies starts squeezing on you bloggers unless you bloggers have agreed to charge a minimum price for a review π
Maybe pricing control will help. It’d be interesting to see. Keep up the posts. Any reviews/postings, I still enjoy them anyways. Good luck
I think whatever advertisers are paying for advertising they already have a certain budget for it. its up to them how well they spend it to get te max effectiveness of whichever form of advertising they think will help promote their product better. I say bloggers shud be bold about their prices because it is an industry this advertising thing. So dont sell yourselves cheap! i agree with the blue fairy so i hope everyone will learn abit more about adverts pricing on blogs. i mean bloggers have everything to gain right? advertisers…. are well advertisers…
“Advertisers are smart enough not to jeopardize their products right.”
uhh… not really. I’m from the industry, and most of them don’t really know what’s good for them (although a few do. If you are my ex-client, you obviously fall under this elite list la duh).
Thing is, they think of blogs as the latest trend without understanding the potential. In fact, i’d say don’t sell your posts at all, because it won’t do any good for either the advertiser or you.
Get them to sponsor something for your readers. Run a contest. or just run a banner. Then at least they don’t destroy the very medium that they’re trying to use.
Joyce: REVOLUSI!!!!!! MOGOK YAAAAAA!
You pay peanuts you get monkey.
Pay coconuts you get Kenny.
Yes Aunty Fairy.
Whatever Chak said.
Blogging is a form of expression as much as it is media. People use blogs to air their viewpoints, and then there are people who just read ’em like magazines. And like you said, as long as people are reading them like mags, then theres money to be made from advertising.
And why not? Chak’s right when he says that advertisers should stick to banner ads or running contests for readers etc. IMHO it destroys credibility when you review something or post about something for money (not that you do).
Ever read a Jeremy Clarkson review totally destroy a Mercedes Benz or a BMW even when there’s a big fat ad in Top Gear about the exact same model? Ads and opinion don’t mix.
But then again, on the flipside – who says blogs have to play by the rules of old-school journalism?
I think, to each his own.
my opinion
most clients or ppl in the media industry here are yet to understand the trend and take advantage of the internet advtg. Blog advtg is still something very new to them.
A few hundreds to blog about their products, to me i think is quite fair. afterall, it is not an ad banner or something. The other way i am looking at it is; how often do you post and what is the life span of that particular post on the front page. It’ll be lost in a day or two if you blog quite often.
Perhaps, you can justify by offering them the banner ad + products review. Then, i guess there is some form of value to the clients. Example: blog/review products (RM400) Banner (RMxxxx).
When you review the products, you can treat it as writing a story for a publication. If they (the clients) want their products to be seen always, then you can offer them the banner ads. Just my 2 cents. welcome feedbacks.
hey kinkybluefairy, need to get in touch with you for some giveaways, mind sendin me a blank email and i’ll reply to it? sorry cos i can’t locate ur email addy here…:P tks
hi there. thought i ought to drop u a note since i took a pic of you while shoppin’ at the Curve’s flea market last week and blogged it.
hope u don’t mind; or i could remove it immediately if you do.
cheers!
like this entry… couldnt agree more. and i look at it the same way i look at how ppl who were employed into accounting firm have got no value in them… they are pratically slaves… close to having no right and paid peanuts. mind you… all graduates.
back to bloggers, you’ve probably just uncovered the profit making mechanism of the 2 blog advertising company in malaysia.