Because Mommies Spend More

I just watched a Good Morning America segment on “mommy bloggers,” the point of which is that there are a host of mommies out there blogging away for loot.  Some get free stuff for their kids from, and I quote, “hundreds of companies,” while another held herself out as professional, supporting her family on her blogging income. 

One of the complaints was by a reader, who wanted to know the best stroller, and later realized that the blogger upon whom she relied was a paid shill.  This was offered as the genesis of the FTCs consideration of bringing blogs under their control, to prevent the mommies of the world from promoting goods without disclosing that they are on the dole.

What struck me most was the proud pronouncement that the blogger who was keeping the deliveryman so busy bringing hot new kiddie stuff to her home that she had 2000 readers.  No, they didn’t leave a zero off the end.  Just 2000.

Curiously, this isn’t a problem for lawyer blogs.  At least not for this lawyer blog.

Granted, people send me books to read and review, and the occasional movie.  Of course, as my reviews make clear, there is absolutely no connection between the free book and my take on it.  Whether I love it or hate it, my opinion is never colored by the fact that it’s gratis.

But where are the other perks that are flying out the door to the mommy bloggers?  I’m not getting squat.  Zero.  Zippo. Nada.  Is it me or is it us, lawyers, that hold no interest for those who have great stuff to sell us? 

It seems most likely that it’s me rather than you.  Whenever I go to a meeting or convention, there are always a wealth of vendors trying to entice us to buy their wares, with flashy porn to suck us in to switch from Lexis to Westlaw to Whitney to Lois.  They want our money, and send their people across the country to sell, sell, sell.  They just don’t do it here.

I get a ton of emails trying to get me to promote stuff for free.  For free, they’re interested in me.  It’s borderline idiotic, much like the offers to exchange links with websites offering feminine hygiene products because of the wonderful overlap in our respective audiences.  What possible reason would I have to promote your commercial enterprise?  Either they’re morons or they think I am.  Again, the answer is unfortunately obvious.

It’s often crossed my mind what the same companies that are bent on lawyer hegemony don’t do two things: First, allow blawgers access to their offerings, from Lexis to the various fee-based publications.  I am not going to link to your story if I can’t read it, and I am not going to pay you for access so that I can give you some free advertising. 

Second, you’ve got a lot of nerve sending me your press releases about your new and improved service or product, as if I’m going to post about it, when you haven’t given me your product to use.

Now here’s the downside, and perhaps one of the reasons why you aren’t keeping my mailman busy.  If your product sucks, I will say so in no uncertain terms.  I don’t care how much you love me, or how sweet your love note.  Crap is crap, whether for free or not. 

But the fact that this stuff is flowing freely to the mommy bloggers, while not a drib nor drab is coming to the lawyer blawgers, tells me one more thing.  We are just one sucky market as far as business is concerned.  We’re just not worth the effort.

Two thousand readers?  Sheesh. I would do better to blog about pampers.

7 thoughts on “Because Mommies Spend More

  1. Anne

    It’s a myth! A myth! (“Yeth?”)

    This mommy blogger has never received a thing, save 2 small donations via the “bail us out” button, plus 2 books (same book, one hard cover, one soft cover).

    Free stuff: not so much. Work: yes but it’s fun. Adoring fans: priceless!

  2. SHG

    If you did a post about which stroller is the cutest, I bet they’d be banging down your door.  Need pampers?

  3. Anne

    I did post once about a terrible inflatable castle accident/trial in the UK. I get many hits from people using the search term “inflatable castle!” (But not nearly as many as I do for using the word “marijuana” in a sentence!)

  4. SHG

    When Ford Motor flew her to Detroit this year for a test drive of the Fusion hybrid, she says, she expressed her true assessment on her blog, saying that she thought the vehicle would work for a family with teenagers, but would not fit the needs of her three children and a dog.

    Don’t lawyers drive Mercedes, BMW and Porches?  Yet no one offers to fly me to Germany to test drive them.  What gives?

  5. Turk

    You are clearly under appreciated by corporate America. They only seem to appreciate you after the subpoenas are served.

    There is no justice.

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