I recently spoke to a brand that sells women’s products, and told me that a few bloggers approached them to sponsor their travel costs to attend uber popular Blogher. This particular brand didn’t accept the offer, but I do know of others, such as Intel sponsoring the lovely Sarah Austin (I’ve been on her video) to attend SXSW, likable Chris Brogan was sponsored to attend CES. They aren’t alone see this ever growing list of bloggers and brands that are involved in exchanging products, services, and even money for editorial influence.
Bloggers, which have been receiving an incredible amount of attention as the new influencers continue to grow in importance. Reading about the events at Blogher, it’s clear that brands are kowtowing to these household influencers and offering them products, samples, and other events. It’s not just the women bloggers category, but all over, tech bloggers are now part of the regular media/PR outreach list for tech, security, and device conferences.
As the demand for bloggers increases, I can only draw simulatities from other places. It’s common for authors who want to get on speakers’ circuit to have a speakers agent. we should expect a bloggers’ agent to appear that represents top bloggers to brands, conferences, and beyond. In some regard, Federated Media, Glam, and Blogher do this to a limited degree, but we should expect brands to be contacted by a media representative (like celebrities do) to approach the marketing department of brands.
Takeaways
- Bloggers to continue to make creating content a full-time position.
- Expect bloggers agents to appear that represent bloggers to brands.
- A new agency will be built, these blogger agents will make a living –but likely not get rich.
- More blog posts to appear that will have to be indicated they are sponsored.
- The FTC to continue to sniff this area, and put some rules in place to what this means
Chime in below, what do you think of this concept, as a blogger, a brand, a conference organizer, or as a spectator.
A few relevant tweets
Suzyqbee10: @jowyang I want a blogger agent…Wow what time I would save..Trying to reinvent the wheel…LOL
greenteacup: @jowyang I tot bloggers should be independent, objective, like journalists, can’t receive offers from companies?
MrBusinessGolf: RT @jowyang: .. bloggers being up front and asking brands to sponsor their travel and board to attend conferences. I WANT IN ON THAT
findenlake: @jowyang That’s a desperately slippery slope. Money buys new journalism and PR?
2healthguru: .@jowyang disclosure, disclosure, disclosure; then add affiliate marketing angle; transparency essential for ‘Tweet-cred’!
StevenWalling: @jowyang What’s your feeling on that? Ethical or not? I admit I’ve considered it in the past.
stacylwilson: @jowyang Working on policy & code of conduct client materials today, so really great timely info. Thanks for all you do!
jspepper: @jowyang You should have been at BlogHer, then. A bunch of NASCAR’ed Moms.
bibs4drips: @jowyang doesn’t that defeat the purpose then? hm. do you have example(s)?
The influence of popular blogs is derived from the notion of being impartial. Sponsoring bloggers can only erode the trust and influence that a popular blogger commands.
However, in the spirit of openness and transparency lauded by social media I can see a situation where a brand or event could sponsor a blogger as long as they demonstrate that they are comfortable for the blogger to comment freely and without prejudice.
I’d put a lot more faith in a brand that can show its willingness to learn from negative feedback rather than try and engineer or ‘buy’ positive feedback.
I’d rather have an ongoing, more developed and mature sponsorship relationship with an organization (even one with a contract as short as 6 months to a year) rather than be a walking, talking, swag-handing-out sponsored Booth Babe at a single event.
You’re right about the agent idea, although that’s not much different than hiring a PR firm to work with and represent you. Only thing new is the term “blogger,” which is only hip, cool and new to some folks. Substitute the word “writer,” and no one would think it odd to have an agent if you’re that big a deal.
This is the natural progression of those who hold word of mouth power…celebrities, athletes, socialites, pr people, and now bloggers. What will be interesting is how their audience will react to this. What makes bloggers so different from celebrities, athletes, socialites and pr people is that there is authentic and genuine voice behind their blog. That is what makes people appreciate and listen to their contributions. Would it make them less authentic and more fabricated, driven by a payout by a brand or is just all part of the game?
2nd attempt following site crash. Hi Jeremiah. I guess this is inevitable however I believe this ‘sponsorship’ places the pressure firmly on the Blogger. A Blogger’s impartiality is very important (see the disclaimer next to your photograph) and full disclosure an absolute in the Google age. I think readers/event attendees are smart enough to recognise and accept commercial reality and nimble enough to vote with their mice and go elsewhere if the Blogger provides limited value or becomes a ‘push’ marketing mechanism.
Thanks all.
It’s possible for a blogger to be sponsored to a conference without even reviewing a product from the sponsor, here’s an example:
In the instance of Sarah Austin, she really doesn’t talk (that i’ve seen) about Intel’s products, but her association (and the geeks that love her) at tech conferences bring a brand association to her –all without questioning her credibility in my opinion.
Jeremiah always sheds an unique light! As a speaker in the world of speaker bureaus/agents and an author who has had several literary agents(love my current one), this is an “interesting” concept. And possibly, an OY VAY moment!
Being sponsored could cast a shadow on objectivity. Speaker agents take anywhere from 20-30%. Blogger agents may not. But they’ll have a whole world of different aspects of “agency” (sports, literary, acting, real estate, lecture) to incorporate.
GOOD LUCK, bloggers. Keep those posts coming!
Disclaimer: I’ve been an (almost) weekly blogger for five years. My latest book is Face to Face: How to Reclaim the PERSONAL Touch in a Digital World.
Ok, my head’s getting filled with more questions as I think about this. My main thoughts (more like questions to myself):
1. As a blogger it’s important for me to be fair, objective and transparent while at the same time espousing my causes and opinions. First reaction to being sponsored by a company was negative, but if an NGO or a non-commercial organisation sponsored me, would that make it ok then? Or if a game I really like sponsors me, my first reacton would be to say yes, but then again, that’s also a company. They all represent interests so is it just a matter of finding where their and my interests intersect?
2. Would sponsoring and eventually having agents create something like (or formalise) a ‘blogger divide’? I mean won’t companies just want to sponsor only the top popular bloggers? How can that opportunity be extended as well to those that are still trying to make their way to the top? It’s already hard as it is for a lot of serious bloggers to gain credibility when they have limited means and access to first-hand research material, contacts — and conferences — that can help them generate original content.
@Timi That is a great point: blogger’s agents would increase the advantage to first movers. But everyone assumes a blogger’s agent would focus on the stars: what about an agent who could give a new blogger a leg up? For example, a book publisher might want their new author to write a blog and develop a following prior to publishing their book. This is, of course, contrary to the highly touted examples of bloggers turned bestselling authors, but it is consistent with the more common business cycle. In short, in a world of agents, agents control the business.
Timi
Yes, brands and conference organizers will just sponsor the top bloggers in their industry (perhaps not ‘top’ overall) and perhaps those that are objective, fair, or even friendly towards the brand.
Steven,
A blogger agent will likely have a range of blogger talent in her pool she could draw from –seasoned to novice, popular to not so.
Pretty much see this happening in my circle of people. I am a creative and influencer in Christian media circles. I enjoy the free CDs. 😉
If you combine the fact that I know authors who were already bloggers, it seems to be a trend in my opinion.
Does that mean transparency is now spelled “tran$parency”?
It is amazing, but yes, everyone can have an agent these days. It comes down to the ROI — the trade-off between paying someone to promote you and and how much revenue you generate. I think Bloggers have to be careful and really know who their agent is.. Just like Sports. Is the agent receiving any special $$ under the table, etc. You don’t want to be caught in place where your agent gets you to blog on a site that is paying your agent to get you there — and you don’t get a good % of it. And then there’s the issue about ‘endorsement’ rules and regulations. Personally, I like the blogger who have a clean, authentic and tranparent bill of healthy. Objectivity will always be an issue, but I would hate to have some of the best info resources on the web be paid and swayed in a certain direction.
Figures.
Blogging is so powerful right now, that TV and Radio
ads simply can’t compete. I think we are on the verge of
the new advertising age-the age of blogging.
Igor
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