I went to bed fuming last night. Blood was boiling. I never tell you when I get angry, I think I’m going to start. To be honest though, it doesn’t happen too often.
I had a few conversations with agencies & clients over the last few days that made me wonder what the hell I’m doing. Also made me wonder what the hell they are doing? I have heaps of PR friends in the city and I’m starting to wonder about those relationships. They’re in meetings coming up with all these expensive & fun campaigns for big name clients with the intent to do blogger outreach & connect with ‘top influencers’ but not putting any budget in the plan for that. Gimme a break. Do you work for free? Why should we?
This morning I logged into WordPress (blog publishing platform), like I have done every day for years and had a different feeling about it. Last night after talking with Mum and friends, I didn’t know if I’d be back to publish today. I didn’t feel like it.
Clearly, I am addicted to publishing and love writing so I’m back but I’m different.
Every morning I read Mashable on Flipboard via my ipad and this morning they published an article that touches on exactly what had my blood boiling yesterday.
Those in the marketing and agency world are privy to the buzzwords “paid,” “earned” and owned.” Traditionally, they stand for the different types of media and can be easily broken down like this:
- Paid: Buying a 30-second Super Bowl spot
- Earned: Coverage on Mashable
- Owned: Your company’s website
You should read it, especially if you work in PR, media or are one of my wonderful friends at an agency who regularly ask me to share your product with my readers. I’m not singling out anyone and I love my PR friends but everyone is doing it and bloggers are being taken advantage of by doing work for pop, chips & booze. That ain’t currency.
“To some extent, everything that’s done by a media agency is paid media,” says Andrea Wolinetz, director of social media at PHD. “Whether it’s managing a Facebook Page or blogger outreach, people get paid for that work, so it always starts from a place of paid media.”
I decided yesterday that I should be more honest to my blog, to you, to myself. I have many opinions & will never run out of things to write, ever.
This Is My Life and as long as I’m living, my baby it’ll be.
xo CASIE
