You know I’ve been slightly…no…greatly disillusioned with the whole blogging thing, right? I think I’ve been fairly vocal in my discontent. Because why not, right?! It’s my blog, I can complain if I want to. You would complain too…
I had started a bitchfest post a couple of weeks ago. Then, I was going to post it on one of those anonymous blogs 😉 so I could hide from the aftermath. But I changed my mind after reading Mom Spark‘s post about the very EXACT thing that has been driving me nuts. And I got excited and inspired. But I decided not to bitch. I think a matter-of-fact approach is more appropriate.
I’m talking about the same ol’, same ol’…
Every single conference, the same very popular, very well spoken and prolific bloggers are asked to speak on their panels. EVERY stinking time. To the point that, really, why go to all the different conferences. It seems like if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. As darling and sweet as they are…
The question remains…WHY?
Why are the same bloggers constantly propelled forward by speaking at all of the assorted conferences, big PR companies give them awesome opps, newspapers ask them for blog posts, radio shows, etc? What is it that these bloggers offer that no one else can or does?
It seems that all these various conglomerates are missing the bloggy boat.
Obviously I’m not the only one who is getting disenchanted and disgusted.
I guess I fail to understand what it is that this particular flock of bloggers has to offer that we don’t. And when I say “we”, I’m talking the en masse WE. The rest of us. Great bloggers with tremendous voices. No different than the, so called, A-list bloggers. Only, we aren’t A-list so we get overlooked and ignored. Our voices stifled or barely heard.
I think, also, a HUGE part of the whole blogging experience is being neglected…
COMMUNITY.
We are a community. A village, kind of. And instead of helping raise each other higher, many are getting stepped on. Both subjects I’ve already written about and will not go into detail. I’ve linked them if you care to read about my little old opinion.
I believe that blogging and all of its “stuff” should have a sort of Three Musketeer type mantra…all for one and one for all.
Not I before U and don’t ask Y.
Really. Enough is enough.
There are a kagillion other bloggers out there.
Not the same ones we heard in July or whichever month we go to whichever conference.
Not the same ones we heard speaking about a fantabulous product given to them by big companies.
PR companies, event planners, radio, t.v…
There needs to be a revision on that tiny, tunnel-visioned list.
There needs to be change.
It’s the time of the season…for change.
And I for one, and one for all…am so ready for it!
OMG, I can not agree more! Well said
Dude, I hear ya! I need a TV show like Kathy Griffin- I’d call it “My Life on the D Blogger List” – ha!
We, the ‘real voice, non-McDonalds sellouts’ are the silent majority, too. And you know what? I ‘m going to say this because it’s the elephant in the living room and I dig being controversial like that: SOME OF THE so-called “A-list Bloggers” are (ssh) not even that good!
Snap.
kumbya.
😉
or boohya.
whichever. 😉
Which is why I love your idea for a new blogger community. I’d be happy to help out with that, really. Because you’re right, there are some dang good voices out there that deserve to be heard and aren’t because the loud ones are drowning them out.
Yay! Well said, you! Let’s take over the world together. We can promote eachother and call all the TV stations and be THE speakers to go see at BlogHer next year! Wouldn’t that be the best? Seriously? Sigh. I don’t know, I have lots of connections in the media world, but I’m too lazy to do anything about it! I have writtten a few children’s books, and they’re just sitting in my room. I’m not motivated right now to do anything, but I do want to do more… just don’t really know how. I’m so with you here. You rock, so you keep on rocking, k? And you said it so well… we are a community… a great big one! 🙂 We should all support eachother!
While I agree, it’s sort of an echo chamber I also know why.
Numbers.
It’s a stats thing all the way. Page views, click throughs and search engine results. Advertisers/ PR companies go where they can get the most bang for their buck. Because these “A list” bloggers are speaking at conferences they are seen. Numbers go up both because other bloggers are looking and PR companies are now looking. The more looking, the more attractive they are to advertising.
I can go on and on to this end because I’ve lived it. I’ve been there, done that, watched the numbers, felt the push and used all the socmed terminology to get it done. (With several different “brands”) And while I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to write an entire blog on the whole freaking thing I’d have to sight company names and I’m honestly not interested in that happening.
Of all my majors in college, marketing was never one. But Politics is pretty damned close and I’ve worked in a marketing position.
WOOHOO! You said it woman! I, personally, don’t read the bigger bloggers (except, I admit, Jessica Gottleib, sometimes). I’d rather hear what my peers have to say about their everyday lives & things that happen to & are important to them. I consider us a huge family that share our lives with each other & encourage each other. None of the stepping on or cutting each other down. We pull each other up & hold each other up when we need a helping hand. I don’t understand or care about getting ahead of everyone. I’d rather walk, hand in hand & side by side, with each one of you! XOXOX
Good luck with that, though. It’s the same in every profession — the movie stars are the ones people come to see, until some unknown puts in a stellar performance or hits a grand slam or catches the imagination by composing some brilliant post that gains the attention of the New York Times or CNN, and boom! A new star is born. Promoters are simply to lazy and complacent to prospect for new faces when the old ones are still bringing in the audiences.
oops “TOO” lazy.
Can’t believe I did that.
I wouldn’t want to hear someone like me on a panel at a conference. But I’m also a douche bag. I don’t know why the same handful of broads are chosen to represent the rest of us.
I agree. That’s why I try to just have community with those who do bother to engage with me on twitter or on blogs (mine or theirs). If I get ignored too often, *flick flick* off they go…
I wonder about all this too. I wonder how someone who started blogging about the same time as I did, is now jetting around the country being interviewed on national TV, speaking at all these conferences, making $$ out the.. you know. What did she have that I don’t? Why is what she has to say so much more important?
I don’t get it either.
I’ve only been to one conference (BlogHer09) but I certainly hope the same faces don’t continue to be around again and again and again.
I’m all about change! I hope business and PR firms recognize the importance of change too.
Really well said, Meliss. When I was away last week, I wondered many of those same things. WHY am I blogging — I asked myself this question many times. I decided I do it for the love of writing AND community AND people like you. Not people who look down on me. Because there are some who definitely do. Many of the panelists, yes. Some of whom live in my own city and can’t even be bothered to follow me on twitter — and I’ve been around a long time and they know it (UNFOLLOW). I refuse to think of myself as a “little person” in this scheme of things — even though I’m under 5″1′. That’s not what I’m here for. And I’m not here to climb a ladder either. I GOTTA BE ME! (sing it!). Life’s too short. There are many MANY bloggers in the virtual sea. Again, GREAT POST! Tell it like it is, baby!
That would be 5’1″. I’m not 5 inches tall…..!
Well, as someone who decided who was speaking at her conference, I think I’ll weigh in….
I did not attend Blogher and have no idea who spoke there, so when it came time to book choose speakers, I looked to people I thought were interesting. People who had really built something in “bloggyland”. People, who in a somewhat short period of time were able to make some exciting things happen. People who had different (and in some cases, opposing) points of view.
Out of the 10 or so speakers at SITScation, (at the time we asked them to speak), I think 3 of them had spoken at a conference previously…and we have a whole panel of “regular old bloggers” speaking- bloggers that started with SITS and used it to build their audience.
I know people have this misconception that these “big bloggers” are making all this $$$, but I have to tell you, unless you are Dooce or Pioneer Woman, that is just not the case. What is an “A” list blogger anyway? The blog world and it’s labels crack me up. My “A” list is those on my blogroll. Those I email or tweet with. Those I look forward to having a drink with one day- like you in Vegas!
If you got into blogging to make money, I am sorry, you will be hugely disappointed.
My understanding is that Blogher’s speakers had their registration fee comped- that’s it. They still paid their air and hotel- so saying they are being “jetted all over the country” is not exactly accurate.
The way I see it, its going to be really difficult to make money off of blogging when it seems there is always a blogger out there willing to promote something for free…. until we all decide to change that and PR people start to really look for blogs that are a good match to their brand, people will be doing anything to get pageviews. I am tired of seeing the drama created in the name of links.
I know some say SITS is all rainbows and unicorns. Everyone being all nice and supportive.
Boring?
Maybe.
But hat’s the way I like it.
xoxoxo,
Tiffany
This is why I won’t attend more than one conference. I went to Blogher this year and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Although I’m uber irked that I’m missing Sitscation. Next year. For sure.
The fact is, though, WE make the big bloggers big by reading their blogs. They aren’t big because no one likes them. I can also tell you, from talking to some of them, they work their asses off for virtually NO money. They may get some free stuff and a free trip here and there*, but if you average it out, it comes down to way way less than minimum wage.
*Almost every speaker at Blogher, that I spoke to, had their travel, hotel and sometimes even clothes and stuff paid for by sponsors.
I was slightly disillusioned after Blogher – when NO ONE said boo, hello or nay to me! Wait, I take that back, Motherhood in NYC was very kind to me! I was slightly taken aback by behavior there . . . and a bit out of sorts on my return to blogville. BUT, I didn’t let that affect “ME”. I really could care less how other people act . . . I blog for me and what makes me happy! If you don’t like my blog or my tweets, don’t read them!
oh and that last comment was so not directed at you!! I was just saying that in general! (Smiles)
I was wondering if I should attend blogher? mostly of what I have heard it was a good time…
good for you for voicing your opinion! I did hear that some feel that they are gods fo blogging…whatever??!! click click good bye
PS-I heard you had some really cute cards!
Well I am glad to know I can comment here with no fire since you and I are always on the same page!!
I just don’t get the whole thing…I see MomSpark (Amy) creating this post about blogger status….for what purpose? Why? So she can go talk smack about those who comment on HER article. Interesting?!
I also don’t get who the A-Lister’s are and why are there even classifications for any of this. I see it as total minutiae! I know I have my A-Listers as Tiffany put it which are those who I follow in Twitter, in Blogger on my Dashboard, in my feeds in Google reader. I may not always keep track, but I sure as hell try….I do it because I like what they have to say. About kids, family, the trials of being a blogger and a woman, not this “Look at me…I am a Prima Donna Princess…and boo hoo people are talking about me…but Oooh I love it…but Boo Hoo” I mean seriously!
Enough mellow drama and bi-polar mommy blogger issues there for another blog, and something I don’t really care for anyway.
I’m glad as always you keep it real my friend and so glad to know that if you and I don’t always see eye to eye, we don’t let it get in the way. We always agree to disagree.
So much for having an opinion on MomSpark.
A lot of our personal experience depends on which bloggy circles we run in. I keep away from the big blogs or the ones obviously aiming for that. I have felt some frustration at the odd time, thinking that what I or a fellow favourite blogger has written about deserves a wider audience. But overall, I strive for community and thee are many others who do too. And that’s the experience I go away with.
I run in bloggy circles where personal journeys are the priority and giveaways and reviews are mere trivial passing occurences. Friendships are formed, support is given and gained. It’s amazing.
Agreed…and I’ll dare say that the same bloggers being chosen over and over again aren’t as prolific or well spoken as they seem to think they are.
that was very well said, my dear.
very. well. said.
I’m just now getting to my comment!
Of course, you know I agree with your concerns, as they are mine as well. I look forward to sharing some new, interesting ideas and points I have learned by this whole experience in a future post.
I agree A LOT with Cara when she said that many of these “A-list” bloggers work very hard for FREE before things like summits, panels, and sponsorships become available. PR reps want bloggers who will go way and beyond.
My focus is not on WHO is doing what, because in all honestly, we should be happy for their successes, if we are decent people. My focus is on HOW to make amazing things happen for us, so we can work together to get there. Not every blogger is going to picked, sadly, but we have to still stick together, both “big” and “small”.
As I said in my post, relationships are key, whether they be in friendship or sponsorship. As YOU have said, we should all “play nice,” which includes congratulating our fellow bloggers, even if you don’t agree with their successes. It is okay to disagree, but I do not think insulting or name-calling really gets us anywhere.
Great post, Melissa, and you know I’m super happy for you and your successes!
I read Scribbit, who I think is technically an A-list. I don’t know Jessica Gottlieb. I like who I like, including you, and as far as I’m concerned you’re all A-list in my blogroll. But I’ve always known I’m smarter than the big corporations.
I will never be A-List and i am so fine with that, helk I’m not even sure I am DList LOL
I think you touched on some great points starting with Community…we are a sisterhood, I can’t think of anyone in my personal real live life that has been there for me as much as my bloggy friends have-they have lifted me up,supported me made me smile….they have been my constant…