Blah. Blah. Blah. Blog World. Blah. Sponsors.

Hello. I have no exciting greeting for you today, because I'm not feelin' it. Sorry!



In other news, I have a complaint about the blog world as of late. Many of us (myself included) have become blah. All I'm seeing everywhere are guest posts and giveaways (see, I told you I was a part of the blah). This has sort of led me to a difficult place. 

Enter.... sponsorship. I have been doing sponsors on this here blog since... oh, November, I think. I love helping others to grow their blogs, but this is what I have a problem with. I'm going to sound like an awful person for this, but try to hear me out, okay? 

1. People I have never spoken to, who don't comment on or visit my blog, or even FOLLOW my blog asking me to do a sponsor swap with them just because I have more followers than they do. I don't know why, but I feel like I can better recommend people that I actually know and talk to. Like I said, this may be rude of me, but if you claim to "love my blog so much" that you want to sponsor it, shouldn't you do one of the above things? 

2. People that ask me to ad swap and then never put my button up on their side bar. This is a 2-way street, people. I have accidentally done this once, but fixed it as soon as I was alerted. Really, though. I tend to think it's not that difficult, and if you've asked me to swap and you don't have my button up, it's not because I didn't get you my button on time. 

3. Guest posting. I generally don't have guest posters. It's not that I don't want to feature the people on my sidebar. It IS that I don't want to give 12 days out of the month from my blog to you. Sorry if that's selfish, but people follow my blog for me (or at least I like to think so). If/when I do have guest posters, I try to do my own post in the same day so that I've contributed something to my blog. 

4. Giveaways. Oh my goodness I love giveaways. I think, though, that maybe one a week is too many? I don't know, it's really hard to find a good balance with those things. If anyone has a suggestion on how to find a balance, let me know, because I love having fun things to give to my readers. 

5. I don't have anything to put here... I'm just OCD about lists. Sorry, it had to have 5 things. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is this: sponsorship is great, but I want to know my sponsors. I do swaps for free. Maybe if I had 500 followers and asked people to pay for sponsorship, I wouldn't care who was on my sidebar. 

I want to help you grow your blog. I want to help you gain fabulous readers. But I also want to know the person behind the blog. 

With that being said, this is the only call for March sponsorship I will do this month. If you want to be a part of it, email me. If you've already emailed me, don't worry about it - you're on the list.

And for the sake of being a hypocrite: enter my giveaway here

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

I completely agree with you. There is too much guest posting and giveaways, and I even get a little irritated when my favorite bloggers have to spend 5 days highlighting their sponsors. (So sorry...I know that's mean, but I really can't stand reading those, so I don't.)

I tried ad swaps for 2 months before I decided it wasn't for me. There wasn't a significant increase in traffic. I think the best thing you can do to grow your blog is write on it (of course!) and spend time making your way around the blog world meeting new people and commenting on their blogs. That's always been the most successful for me!

Jenny-O said...

I totally agree with #3 (among others of course). However, not to sound rude, I often pay less attention when you have guest posts, only because I read your blog for YOU and absolutely enjoy YOUR writing... that's not to say that you haven't turned me onto some of the blogs I now follow... :) But I've said it to others, I really enjoy your humor and your writing style and that's what I come to see/read! But I do get that it's a great way to promote one another (when you genuinely know and enjoy that person's blog, etc). :)))

Natasha Louise Taylor said...

:) hehe... I actually completely admire your complete and utter bluntness about the actual truth.. There are some blogs I used to love, then they got big and it became all about their sponsors and giveaways blah blah blah... I know people want to make money off their blogs and that's okay, totally okay, but there needs to be an enjoyable blog to read that still reflects the person... you know?? That's something that's always got me, when it seems it's all about making money blah blah

Natasha Louise Taylor said...

:) hehe... I actually completely admire your complete and utter bluntness about the actual truth.. There are some blogs I used to love, then they got big and it became all about their sponsors and giveaways blah blah blah... I know people want to make money off their blogs and that's okay, totally okay, but there needs to be an enjoyable blog to read that still reflects the person... you know?? That's something that's always got me, when it seems it's all about making money blah blah

Natalia Lynn said...

You do not sound terrible for saying any of that! I really agree with what you are saying. And #5 really touched me.... Changed my life :)- christie

Keri said...

I'm blog-dumb and don't even understand what sponsoring IS. :) I come here because I like you, I like what you post, and I want to know YOU.

Keri said...

I also have to be honest...I don't read guest posts. Eek. I'm sorry. I DO read guest posts that are hubbies, because I care about you so I in-turn care about your hubby.

Alana Christine said...

Couldn't agree more!!
I may be a horrible person, but when I see a guest post on somebody's blog, I don't read it. If I wanted to read what they had to say, I'd go to their blog and read it.
I've never had a guest post on my blog, but I've had several people contact me about it. I don't know how to tell them no...lol
I would love to button swap with you again, but if you're doing a limited number of spots, put someone else up there and we'll swap another month. Just let me know!

Natalia Lynn said...

I know Christie already commented, but I had to add my 2 cents. I totally agree on everything! Giveaways, guest posts, etc. There are other things too, like the people that have 1987 followers on twitter and follow 73. Come on people, it's a two way street and twitter is a conversation! You are NOT THAT COOL! And the others that are asking for you to participate in this 'really cool thing' they have going on but no help is offered when you have something. UGH. oh I vented. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

You totally had me laughing several times in this post. :-) Especially with having to have 5 comments haha. But I agree with what you are saying, there are so many posts in the blogging world that are sponsors & giveaways. And I don't think it's asking too much to know your sponsors. :-)

Unknown said...

These are so very true! I would love to stick around im March and keep you around :)

xo Shane

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree with you more!! I was actually thinking about all of this earlier this morning. I read blogs to read what THEY WRITE, not who they're featuring!! :) It does seem like there are TONS of giveaways and guest posting going on. blah! So glad I came across your blog today! I'm a new follower and can't wait to read more! come visit my little space of this blogworld at
www.justchalkintherain.blogspot.com

Rachel Sayumi Porter said...

TOTALLY agree with everything you saiddd! I actually JUST got 2 more emails this morning asking for swap sponsorship.. Like no offense but I have way more followers than they do,I feel like they are just using me for publicity. Gahhh. It's pretty annoying!

Crochet Addict UK said...

I really agree with what you are saying. I am only new to joining in the blogging world and instead of putting myself onto someone I have tried to do the opposite. I have offered guest blogging space on my site for free and I have offered to use all my means to advertise their post. I created a group on facebook and now have over 5,000 members. i joined twitter and increased my followers, the same with pinterest and my blog. One I felt that I had something to offer I then offered away guest blog spots. I'm still only small compared to a lot of others but I prefer to show people I want to join not take. The other thing is it is your blog so you have every right to decide how your site is used!

Unknown said...

I totally agree with you! I get swap requests that are so generic I'm not even sure that they looked at my blog! But cheer up buttercup! There are plenty of us that do read your blog, and aren't using you for your side bar. ;)

Whitney @ EHFAR said...

I agree. I have had guest posts in the post and have even guest post for others. I usually like to keep my blog to just me. I agree about sponsors and they should comment. Sometimes I get behind on blog reading, but I always attempt to leave a comment on some of the posts. I can't even think of all the sponsors on my page. There are some that never comment on my blog and others that do. There was a time that I paid sponsorship on a blog. I was so excited, because they would do a group post about a few sponsors. I was a little disappointed (I lied, a lot), because I didn't even get my picture on there. My header was put with the introduction to my blog (that I didn't write). It was only ONE sentence, and it "really" didn't capture who I was. I was just hurt I guess, especially since the other sponsors in the post had a paragraph (plus praise about how much the person loved reading their blog), plus I only got maybe one comment from them. I still love reading their blog, but it just hurt my feelings and made me think. It made me think, should the blog actually read and comment on the blogs they sponsor?

Amy Harris said...

now i realize one hundred percent that what i'm about to say is a bit hypocritical on account of that giveaway at the bottom of your post is on my behalf haha but i do feel as if the blog world has been SWARMED with giveaways the last few weeks. i'm all for winning free things, but i feel like i'm jumping all over the place trying to win things rather than getting to actually know people.
with that being said... i'm glad you are kind enough to still link to the giveaway and i would like to swap buttons again this month if you would be so obliged. (:

Anna said...

#5 is my favorite. :)
I appreciate you talking about this. (ha, I didn't even know #1 was an issue! Obviously, no one is using me for my followers. lol) It makes me want to be more cautious as I'm starting to grow my blog a bit more.
It's all about QUALITY.

Angie said...

Amen sister. Feels so off balance that way. I would love to reach more readers but I want my blog to remain true to its intent and not full of filler.

Dearest Lou said...

This is so true girl! I feel like over half of my sponsors don't even look at my blog and just get the free traffic ;P Oh well, you were one of my favorite sponsors I've ever had and I enjoy reading your blog (; I've never really had a guest post on my blog but I read your blog for you. I enjoy your writing style and whenever I see a guest post I think "meh.." Just being honest (:

erin e flynn said...

I've met some GREAT people through sponsor swaps, and love doing it, but I agree--sometimes I wonder why people ask to swap with me when it's obvious they don't read my blog.
I also only read guest posts if they're a cool DIY or about something that really fits the blog that's hosting it, since otherwise, I'm like, "why do I care?".
I think the most annoying thing is the pages and pages of "meet my sponsors" when someone has like 50+ freaking sponsors. I mean, I don't mind if it's a few, and I've found new blogs that way, but I'm not going to read through 487328432479 introductions to see if I want to click over to another blog. I know people make money off their sponsors, but I kind of feel like there should be a limit to how many they post--and introducing their sponsors is not equal to a real blog post! I give up on blogs that get taken over by sponsor introductions, giveaways, and guest posts. I don't mind them in small quantities, but when these things are 50%+ of the blog, it's not worth sticking around anymore!

Sara Louise said...

Say it! I'm digging your honesty Alyx, and I know that everyone else had loads to say in there comments, but that's all I wanted to say today :)

Anonymous said...

Tonsssss to say about this but I'm on iPad so im gonna wait til I'm not to leave a good juicy comment :) basically u already know I agree with it all plus more haha

Alex, Speaking Denglish said...

I love your rants, keep em coming!

Vapid Vixen said...

And that's why you're amazing and why I love and will continue to love your blog. It's real and honest and not full of number building bull.

Anonymous said...

so i said id be back, and i am...but i think everyone else basically has covered what ive got to say regarding this!

im SOOOOOOO sick of sponsors overtaking blogs! LOL. i have sponsors on my blog, but i wont let my blog turn into a joint blog. because i like blogging. because the people that followed my blog or continue to follow my blog do it because of me. at least i think? :)

and some of my fav blogs have turned into this nightmare of sponsorship posts and 50 sponsor ads on their sidebar. i guess i dont understand it. i wanted to have 5 sponsors this month max (turns out i miscounted my emails and had to do like 7-8 instead). and i wont charge now because i dont have the time to dedicate to each and every person.

blah i better not continue :)

Anonymous said...

I hear ya!!! And for the sake of honesty... We DO have 500 followers and most of our sponsors pay for their spots! That said, I only do a couple of swaps and they're with people I know and follow!!! Even the ones that pay are blogs that I follow myself. Anywho... I agree. :)

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