Mommy Pehpot

Top Mommy Blogger Philippines- Super Mommy; Award Winning Mommy Blogger

3 Reasons Why I Don’t Post Press Releases For FREE

touchy topic! let’s discuss it anyway!

BLOGGING IS NOT FREE

Reason number 1: I Don’t Post Press Release For FREE because Blogging is not free. I paid for my domain. In fact, for this blog alone, I bought two domains, pehpot.com and mommypehpot.com. I bought my own hosting account too,  which is not cheap. I also paid for the design of this blog (which includes social networking sites cover photos/ profile photos, media kit, calling card design, watermark design and anything with my logo on it).

PRESS RELEASE POSTING IS NOT JUST A COPY&PASTE TASK

Reason number 2: I Don’t Post Press Releases For FREE because it takes a lot of time. Here’s a step by step guide on posting a press release:

  • Open email
  • Download the file/ document
  • Open the document, copy
  • Open blog dashboard
  • Create new post
  • Paste document
  • Publish

If the press release have photos, I have to save the photos in my computer, upload it on photo storage site like Photobucket, get the url and place it on the blog post.

It does not end there for me. I still have to share the blog post via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and all the social networking sites I can think of.

PRESS RELEASE POSTING WON’T HELP MY BLOG RANK

Reason number 3: I Don’t Post Press Release For FREE because Press Releases are not that really great content according to bots. Sure it has all the keywords that you need, well written article and very informative but, the material is not unique to your blog. It’s not about duplicate content (I think I need to do some refresher course about duplicate content, it’s not what you think it is), it’s just that, when a lot of websites publish the same content, bots get confused on which site has more authority on the subject matter.

My blog won’t be penalized for posting press releases but it won’t help my blog to rank either. 

BUT

I STILL POST PRESS RELEASEs FOR FREE.. not just once and sometimes not just in one blog..

I POST PRESS RELEASE FOR FREE….

because I believe in the product

I love the product, I buy the product and it’s an honor to help in promoting it

If the product being promoted in the press release is included in my grocery list, ay! If I can, I will give them not just one press release blog post, I will write a detailed blog post about the product.

because the topic is interesting and related to my blog

Topics such as sales, bazaar, workshops, free events and the likes are some that my readers love to read, if the press material is interesting to me, I’d be more than happy to post it. And because this is a parenting site/ mommy blog, it’s hard to say no to topics concerning kids.

because I love/like the people handling the product

Need I say more? There are just some agencies that made you feel at ease even after your first event with them and those kind of agencies, I treasure a lot.

because I promised to attend an event but didn’t (it’s my way of saying, sorry…)

Big big problem of a stay at home mom of 4 kids with no Yaya (OK, I have a part time helper but she’s not Yaya no)… every time I said yes to an event, I have to appease 4 kids and if I can’t, I have no choice but not attend the event. I owe it to the organizer to at least post something about them for reserving a slot for me.

because the agency who’s asking me to post the press release approached me nicely

PET PEEVES! Read this for reference>>> How To Email Mommy Bloggers

because I have nothing to do (which rarely happens) and my internet is working double time (which never happens, by the way). 

OK friends! I want to hear your reason why you would post a press release FOR FREE!

—————

P.S. I used to include press release posting in my “work with me” page but later realized it doesn’t sound good.. so now, it’s either I post a press release (with personal touch) for FREE or I don’t post at all.

Comments

  1. Hello! Thanks for the tips! Ya know I’m still new in the blogging world, this will help me discern my write-ups =)

    Puede palambing? hihi…..sometimes plug Manila Workshops’ events too =)

    Reply

  3. I completely agree with you, Mommy Pehpot! I used to post press releases for contests before but then I realized, baket pa? Di ko naman bet masyado ang company saka di nman ako nananalo. Haha! 😀 Now I’m more careful. 🙂

    Reply

    • hahaha oo no, dapat maingat ka on which is post-able (may ganun bang word?!?) and not.. some agencies will take you and your blog for granted din eh

      Reply

  4. Loveet! I don’t like posting press releases either simply because I don’t like having the same content with others and it would take time to rewrite the whole thing – and brands don’t always want that. Many want their press releases to be verbatim.

    Reply

    • TRUE!! ang daming effort to make it as close to your blog writing as possible di ba.. napaka formal pa naman ng writing style ng mga press releases.. eh ang blog is more on personal.

      Reply

  8. Thanks for the tips. Your blog has helped me understand “blogging” more. I am new to intentional blogging. I used to blog for just personal reasons, but now I am starting to blog seriously. I really admire you for asking “professional fees” for posting a PR that is in line with your mission. I wish to do that also but, I don’t know how do bloggers range the payment and that if I am allowed to, because I am just a starter and I still use free domain in wordpress. So, I write PRs for free when the product, events, and nature is in line with my intention and that people have collaborate to me nicely. 🙂

    Reply

    • I do not ask professional fees for posting a PR 🙂 the main point of this article is, I post for free or I not post at all 🙂

      Reply

  9. Hmmm.. Mga thrice pa lang ako nka post ng PRs ata and I change them up. Pero they weren’t really free because they sent me products/GC. I’ve always wondered how to politely say no hehehehe.
    Learning a lot from you mommy Pehpot!

    Reply

  10. PR and organizers should know when to stop sending Press releases. I had this experience na yes I support this PR company and madalas sila magemail for posting. Oo sige will post kapag meron time. But this time ng send sa akin at this press release is katatapos lang nila magevent. I find it insulting na magpapapost sila ng ganito pero hindi ka man lang na invite nila or any their future projects. Gusto ko sana sabihan pero baka kasi magalit at they can’t take my reaction about it.

    Reply

  11. On rare occasion I do post them for free especially if its a brand or product I love and feel that the information is great use for my readers . Let me tell you a little story- yrs ago many yrs ago lets say 4 I was posting press releases about Disney movies that were due to release .. then one day Disney emailed me and invited me on their very 1st of many blogger trips – a once in a life time trip to meet the one and only Elton John as well as the director and Emily Blunt.

    While not all press releases have topics near and dear to my heart the few that I have posted have landed me in wonderful opportunities. you never know who’s watching.

    Reply

  14. Mostly the same as you – if it’s a charity I believe in, or a product I really like with the chance to work with them in future, then I might do a short post about the PR. But I would never copy and paste, therefore it’s actually more work than you’re suggesting here.

    I have to say, it’s quite rare. I’ve probably only done it once.

    Reply

  15. There are certain “press releases” that I do post for free. They are usually things that I now will benefit my readers though. The main ones I post are for movie releases. My readers know they can find that info and I have been asked to do some press events as well.

    Reply

  18. I agree with you and your reasons. I don’t like working for free unless I’m writing my own content for the jot of writing it. I still get companies who get sticker shock when I give then review prices.

    Reply

  22. Great tips! I am still fairly new to blogging and have not really given this area concerning press releases much thought. Your post is very helpful. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  23. This is great information and I will have to look more into it because I am not a blogger. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  24. We are soooo on the same page! I am totally the same way. I used to do “favors” but I just can’t do it anymore. Too much of my times and nothing in return!

    Reply

  25. I have posted press releases for free in the past, but only when I am genuinely interested in the content or I have worked with that brand or company in the past for something that wasn’t free. I really like building reputable relationships, so if I have worked with a company before on either sponsored posts, advertising, product reviews, what have you, and they email me with a press release that I think my readers would find valuable, I’ll post it. But press releases emailed to me that start with “Dear Blogger” or something to that effect, um, no.

    Reply

    • what? that happens there too? I received a few email with the “dear blogger” greetings and it goes straight to trash.

      Reply

  26. From a client/PR POV, I don’t really like to see copy/paste press releases in blogs. One, it doesn’t fit the voice of the blog. Two, I’d like to think of press releases as a guide for the blogger.

    Of course, there are still old-school clients, who prefer to see copy/paste materials but it’s the PR rep’s responsibility to educate his client why press releases do not work online.

    PR reps should never expect bloggers to use press releases all the time, in the same way that PR reps do not expect newspaper writers to publish press releases in the papers. This is where relationship comes in. Minsan, nadadaan sa pakiusap at pakisuyo. Minsan, the blogger herself uses the product so it’s her call to use the materials.

    At the end of the day, it is still the blogger’s call, and that is something PR reps should always respect.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for the insight Roche! It helps a lot to hear your pov as a pr practitioner.

      It’s also nice to hear that we’re doing it right when we personalize Press release..

      I’ll interview you one of these days ha!

      Reply

  28. Can so relate with your reasons. All our blog posts are valued, even if the content were sourced from PR. Unlike on tv or magazines when the information are lost in a blink of an eye (when you change channels or put that magazine away), blog posts go mainstream and they are just there ready for taking, as long as we retain them on our blogs. Talk about eternally free advertisement.

    Reply

  30. Mommy Pehpot, may problem is when they ask if i can post a PR and if we can discuss exchanges or ex-deals or what are my requirements for blog posting, waley me masagot. 🙁 So, ending free na lang…

    Help?

    Reply

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