We are Independent Fashion Bloggers. We may blog professionally. We may blog as a hobby. We have built our influence and trust with our readers over time. Our skills have enabled us to grow our communities, and provide content for our readers to enjoy.
As fashion blogging has hit the mainstream, we fashion bloggers have been approached by a growing number of companies asking for all types of coverage and advice on how to navigate the new media. In many instances companies have enabled bloggers to provide content that they could not ordinarily cover on our own, and to which we are grateful. It has helped the medium grow and gain more credibility. However, there have also been a growing number of proposals from companies disguised as opportunities that do not add editorial value to our blogs, nor do they present any real benefit to us at all.
We understand the difference between editorial, news and promotional content. We do believe in helping our friends, our community, each other. However, we also recognize the difference between good will and companies profiting off our work.
We believe we should be fairly compensated for promotional work, for providing material to be sold by a third party, for sharing our knowledge to companies who will profit from that said knowledge.
We believe we should be fairly compensated if we are asked to do the following things:
- Asked to write a post that is clearly promotional, NOT editorial… even if our readers might benefit
- Asked to make specific endorsements to increase sales and/or for promotions with specific terms
- Asked to publish specific text or specific links in a post during a specific time frame
- Asked for anything that will be sold for money ie – photos for book
- Asked for expert in-depth opinion about products or services
- Asked for contacts, specialized lists of bloggers that might help a brand
The above items do not fall into the category of gifting products for potential editorial coverage. When a blogger is given something with the demand to post in a specific time frame, any coverage is no longer editorial but promotional.
We value our work, our talent, our time, and our influence.
We ask for fair compensation because we believe this will help establish the medium of blogging as a whole, establish credibility, and instill a sense of professionalism in our trade. Fair compensation will provide a greater service to companies, to our readers and to ourselves in the long run.
Thank you.
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