About

I created this blog because I got fed up with all the PR companies out there who are paid to promote a brand, and then end up scamming a bunch of new bloggers into working for free.

This is important because:

1. No self-respecting blogger will ever work for free.

If you are a blogger, and you are getting pitched by PR agencies to promote on your blog, you are valuable to them. Don't undervalue yourself. If you allow yourself to work for free, you've just valued your work at $0. Bloggers (even small-time ones) are paid for their time & effort. Don't sell yourself short. Do not post for free.

2. PR agencies are paid big-time bucks from companies to promote.

They aren't working for free. What they are doing however, is getting paid those big-bucks and then trying to sucker hard-working bloggers into promoting for free. This is the worst thing ever not just for bloggers who are new enough to fall for this type of thing... but also for the companies being promoted! Chances are that any blogger that will accept a work-for-free campaign is not an experienced blogger with a strong following. Companies don't benefit from this sort of promotion, and if a blogger isn't experienced enough to know all about Google's webmaster rules, there is a HIGH chance that the company is going to end up getting penalized by Google in the long run.

3. PR companies that refuse to compensate for promotions are unprofessional.

You wouldn't walk into a doctor's office and ask to be seen for free, and you wouldn't go to a lawyer and expect free legal service. PR companies that expect a blogger to work for free aren't just cheap, they are downright insulting.

My best advice when dealing with a PR agency that isn't playing by the rules is to go straight to the original advertising company and let them know what is going on.

• Make it clear to them that asking bloggers to work for free doesn't just look bad for the PR agency, but it looks bad on the company.
• After that, outline the kinds of penalties that they may incur if Google dings them for the wrong kind of links and what kind of promotion they can expect from any blogger that is willing to work for free.
• Make it clear to them that the PR company they are working with is taking their money, and not doing much past that to promote their brand. In other words, not only might this sort of advertising hurt their website's chances of being found in search engines, but they are being scammed by the PR agency they're working with.
• Before closing, give them a pitch of your own with a reasonable rate. Don't just offer to post a press-release, think your pitch through and come up with something unique to offer them.

All of the articles presented on this site are real & true pitches that I have received. I have hidden some of the wording to protect certain parties and sensitive information, but everything else is accurate. While I will not outright say that you should refuse to work with any of the PR agencies listed on this site, I am definitely advising you to think it over carefully.

Thanks for reading, and make sure to check out my main site over at MasterofMom.com!