Kevin O’Keefe, the zen master of legal blogging, reveals that the old “press release” method of getting people in the blawgosphere to write about you is dead. At the mothership of Lexblog, Kevin writes:

Someone in New York City emailed this morning asking if I had any suggestions of bloggers who might be interested in a press release he was sending out today.

I responded that it’s difficult or impossible to suggest bloggers who would like to receive his press release. Most bloggers are put off by typical press releases.

I do not recall any releases that I have referenced in this blog – and I get 10 a day. I delete the emails and if I have second, I click the opt-out at the bottom of the email so that I am not bothered again. When there’s no way to opt-out of the continued emails, following press releases just remind me to dislike the sender.

It’s not that blawgers (Kevin hates the word “blawg” in any of its formulations, and insists on using “blog” because of its search engine consequences) are callous, or that we get way too many people we don’t know sending us emails asking us to promote them, their cause, their product, their blog.

Unlike Kevin, I read some of the emails I receive.  Some interest me.  Most do not.  I wonder whether this is from someone who has read my blawg, thinks that they have something that will actually be of interest, or are just mass-emailing to everyone they can get their hands on. 

Most of the time, the contents of the email are flagrant self-promotion.  I don’t begrudge them the attempt, though I tend to be a bit grumpy about wasting my time when they try to spin it as if they’re doing me a favor.  Some are totally legit emails from real people, and if the story or link is interesting, and moves me to think, it stands a very good chance of making it into a post.

Sometimes, the email has the makings of something potentially interesting, but lacks enough information for me to decide that I want to take their message under wing.  The other day, I received an email about the top 20 criminal justice stories. Their purpose was to promote their new blog, but the idea sounded interesting.  My problem was that it gave me no idea of the credibility of the blogger came up with this top 20 list, and what made their list any more relevant than anyone else’s list.  So I asked some questions to find out who they were and why their list should mean anything to anyone else, and whether they sent this email to other blawgs as well.

The response to the first question was disappointing, to say the least.  He misunderstood the question, and first responded that these were stories from the media (duh) and that he had come up with the list.  He did say that he was a professor of journalism, as if that should have shut me up.  And yes, I was told, he had sent the email to others. 

My interest in his email died a quick and painful death.  I had taken a look at his stories, and really wasn’t impressed.  But more importantly, if he wanted me to post about him, then he really should have made an effort to respond to my concerns.  I find it funny how people seek my favor, then act as if I’m bothering them. 

But the most important lesson was that I’m not interested in posting a story that has been sent to everyone in creation.  There’s no barrier to emailing a story to a million blogs.  For those that have nothing better to post, maybe they will take the free fodder and throw it against the wall.  That’s not my way.  This is why a well-prepared press release will almost invariably never make it past my delete button. 

Ironically, I haven’t seen this story posted by any of my brother criminal law blawgers. 

So while you may not stand a chance in capturing Kevin’s attention, little guys like me may be willing to give you a shake.  But if you do, please bear two things in mind.  You aren’t doing me a favor by putting me on your mass-email PR list, and if you are sending your self-promotion to everyone under the sun, chances are good that no one will have any interest.  I’m always interested in a fascinating story on criminal justice issues, but it’s not because I owe you a spot on my blawg or have a deep desire to promote you or your agenda.  Your desire for free publicity is about the last thing that will interest me in what you offer.

I have enough to write about already, thank you.  And I have my own agenda.  I’m not looking for a new one.