As a writer who’s active in social networking and the mom blogging community, I hear a lot about PR companies contacting bloggers. And unfortunately, most of it isn’t good. Companies aren’t doing their homework. They are casting a wide net without getting to know who they are pitching. And it’s blowing up in their faces.

Bloggers are not like newspaper reporters (although there are some who have a journalism background) and sending them press releases generally doesn’t work. Why would they write about your company or product? They aren’t getting paid like reporters, so writing something for free rarely appeals unless it’s a charitable cause close to their heart. Don’t underestimate the power of the mantra, “What’s in it for me?”

This is a different game. If you want to get a blogger’s attention, you must first pay attention. You must get to know them. Read their blogs. Find out if they blog semi-anonymously or if they freely post their names (I do). If you send them an email that says “Dear blogger” or worse, you get their name wrong, they will immediately trash your missive. When you can’t take the time to get the details right, why should they take the time to hear what you have to say?

Some companies do take the time to build up a relationship with bloggers. They listen and learn what works. What really surprises me, though, is that companies don’t ask for help up front. If you know someone who’s fairly active in the community, knows names, knows blogs, and is so entrenched that they know the bloggers and their audiences, why not just ask that person to consult with you?

That’s right, if you want to pitch mom bloggers, why not find a mom blogger who knows exactly who might be open to the company and even help you improve your pitch? It’s not foolproof of course, but you certainly have a much larger chance of success by talking to someone who knows the scene. It’s the same with business blogs, techie blogs, and politics. Find someone who already knows. Ask them to help.

It doesn’t dismiss you from doing your homework, but it can help cut your time by giving you a list of people to talk to and get to know. And then, you might be a little closer to actually getting it right.

image: sxc.hu

Yesterday, I posted some thoughts about commenting on others’ blogs. One commenter, Brian McLaughlin, had this to say:

I scan quite a few blogs and when there is a particularly insightful item I like to acknowledge them but many blogs make it VERY difficult to comment if you don’t have a WordPress account or don’t choose to provide what seems to be excessive amounts of personal data, just for the ability to leave a note…

He’s absolutely right! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to leave a comment on a blog only to realize that the blogger has made it hard to do so. Now, if you don’t mind fewer comments, more power to you - set whatever comment parameters you want. However, if you wish more people would comment, here are a two things to keep in mind:

Image: sxc.hu

• People shouldn’t have to subscribe to your blog to comment.

Sometimes they have something to say the first time they visit you, but they aren’t willing to subscribe yet. Also, not everyone uses RSS feed readers. For example, my mom bookmarks sites she likes and just checks back regularly. I’m not saying that’s the best way to do things, but at the same time, you need to respect your readers’ decisions.

• Have an option for non-bloggers.

This is  mainly a tip for those using Blogspot blogs. Some bloggers make their commenters “sign in” before leaving a comment. Well, what if I don’t have a Google ID or a WordPress log-in or other profile? Can’t I use use my name and email address? ALWAYS make sure this is an option.

Comments can give you new ways to look at old topics, adding value to your posts and interest for your readers. The whole reason blogging is so popular is because it’s interactive, after all. If you don’t want comments, just add articles to your website or turn off comments completely.

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If you write online, you likely read information from tons of websites. I don’t know about you, but I’m quite the surfer at times, both for work and pleasure. And I leave comments - but that’s something that many people don’t do.

Comments are not always the best way to promote your own blog or other writing. Once, I did a blogging experiment where I commented on 100 different times on others’ blogs, using my own URL in the comment form. I didn’t say anything spammy or promoting my own work - I just left good comments on blogs that related to my topic area.What I found was that less than 15% of those bloggers and their readers checked out my website. I was actually pretty disappointed about those results.

So if not for traffic, why should you leave comments?

Think of your comments as a “tip.” Of course, it is better to actually leave a tip for the writer if they have a donation button and you have the means, but a comment tells the writer that you appreciate their work. Even when you leave a negative comment, it shows that you’ve read the post and found it interesting enough to say something.

I think I’m lucky here to have many regular readers who leave comments. I want to encourage you all to do the same on other blogs. If you’re a “regular,” say thank you by commenting! Trust me; bloggers like to know when someone’s reading their work, and no matter what the stats say, comments are a real indicaton of quality traffic. So, don’t forget to comment!

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Thinking about starting your own blog? From experience, you’ll have a much better change of getting off the ground if you have these seven things:

1. An “About” Page

Your readers will undoubtedly want to know more about you and your blog. Your about page should be linked near the top of your page and include a way to contact you.

Image: sxc.hu

2. A Blogroll

Some bloggers are opting to leave off the blogroll, but I honestly think that every blog should have one, filled with great related resources. When you do link to other blogs, make sure you introduce yourself so they know you’re adding them to your blogroll. They may return the favor.

3. An RSS Button

People can subscribe to your blog without click on an RSS button, but it it inconvenient. The button reminds people to subscribe and makes the process super easy for your readers.

4. Dates

Some bloggers opt not to put a date on posts, and I think that’s a bad idea. People who come to your homepage or follow a link to a single post want to know when the blog was last updated.

5. Pictures

To me, nothing says a blog is amatuer-ish more quickly than a lack of pictures. Yes, they can be a pain in the tush to use, but they’ll instantly make your blog more interesting.

6. At Least 10 Posts

Before you launch your blog, make sure that you have at least 10 posts written. New readers want to look through posts and see whether they actually enjoy your blog and want to subscribe or if they just enjoyed one of your posts.

7. Good Navigation

To me, the nail in the coffin for any website is weird navigation. I want categories, archves, and an easy way to get to the homepage. If a site’s navigation confuses me, I likely won’t be back.

Do you write for scanners? No, not computer scanners…I’m talking about the kind of reader who doesn’t actually read an article, most of the time. I haven’t seen any official studies done on it, but I’m willing to bet that 90% or more of Internet readers scan articles quickly - and then maybe read them. I do it. You probably do it too.

Image: sxc.hu

So how can you make your blog post, article, or other piece of writing easier to scan? Use these tips:

• Bold-face the things that are most important.
• Use headings for longer pieces.
• Add bullet points or numbered lists.
• Use pictures.
• Break up huge chunks of text into smaller paragraphs.

Yes, I know, these aren’t ground-breaking tips…but to be honest, only about half of the websites I see actually use these tips at all, so I felt like I HAD to write something.

When a reader can easily scan your article, they’re more likely to actually stop and read it, and creating an easily-skimmed article doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice quality.

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Normally, I don’t post job ads here…there just aren’t enough hours in the day and other people do it better. That said, I did want to share with you a call for applicants that will be worth your while, should you be qualified. The job is writing right here, for Bizzia.com!

No, they aren’t looking for another person to cover freelancing…I’m not going anywhere! What they need is a blogger for their Corporate Finance category starting July 1. If you’re interested, you can email my manager, Kori, directly at kori.ellis@b5media.com with resume and/or samples. Make sure to mention that you’re a Freelance Writing category reader!

I can’t share pay information with you, but I will say that b5media makes it worth your while, in my opinion. They’re a great company to have as a client, and I’ll be celebrating my two-year anniversary with them come this fall. If you have corporate finance experience, I highly recommend that you apply to this job!

When I tell people that I get paid to write for blogs, they’re usually interested to know about how that works, exactly. Writers who’ve been around the block a few times have likely seen this information before, but for those new to the field, I thought I’d share the different ways you can get paid to blog.

Image: sxc.hu

• Ad Revenue

If you decide to run your own blog, this is typically the way you’ll get paid, unless you have an investor. You can use affiliate ads (where you get paid a percentage of every sale from clicks through to their site), Pay-Per-Click ads (where you get paid every time someone clicks on the a link), and basic ad space sales (where you get paid by selling an ad spot on your blog for a set amount of time - usually a month). Some clients who hire you to write for them may also want to pay you based on ad revenue - usually a percentage (60/40 is usually the split).

At first, you aren’t going to get money from these ads…unless maybe you’re a celebrity and your blog is super popular right away. Working for someone who pays you based on ad revenue isn’t something I recommend. It isn’t really fair to the writer, because the client could decide to reduce the number of ads or report revenue falsely to pay you less money. In general, it’s not a good route to go.

• Traffic

Many clients wanting blogs and professional blogging networks pay ou traffic instead, which is easier for you as a writer to control. You’re paid based on a CPM - which basically means that you’re paid a certain set amount for every 1,000 visits to your website. CPM number usually range from $1 to $10 - it depends on the client and the subject matter. Clients like to pay bloggers this way because it encourages good writing, more posts, and at least little attempts at promotion. Is it fair? That depends on the CPM you’re offered. Before you sign up for something like this, ask to see the site’s history of traffic so far.

• Pay Per Post

In my opinion, the best type of payment plan offered to bloggers is the flat fee, where you get paid per post. Sometimes the client also offers you a flat fee per month, and you need to commit to a certain number of posts at minimum. With flat fees, there are often rules, such as word counts you have to hit for each post or the use of pictures.

To be honest, the most common payment plans you’ll find for bloggers (after the jackasses who want you to blog for free) is a combination of pay per post and CPM or ad revenue. I think that’s fair - you’re ensured you’ll be paid for your work even if no one reads it, kind of like a kill fee. At the same time, you’ll be rewarded for working hard to write great posts and promote the blog. More traffic = more money, and that’s quite an inspiration!

Please, though, be careful to understand your commitment before you sign a contract. A lump sum per month might seem like a lot until you break it down by hour and the ad revenue they “anticipate” many end up being pennies - literally - at the end of the month. Do your homework before taking any blogging job!

Do you blog for a client? What do you think is a fair payment method?

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Not all freelance writers are bloggers, but I’m willing to bet that a fair number of you guys and gals know your way around WordPress (or another platform). Blogs are all about driving traffic, and one of the best ways to drive that traffic is to run a contest on your blog.

Image: sxc.hu

Unfortunately, though, many bloggers who try to run contests get a total of three entries - and one of the is from Mom. Contests can really fizzle, and that’s not good for you if you shelled out money for a prize. It’s even worse if you found someone to sponsor the contest for you and they saw no traffic or publicity for their donation. It’s all about ROI, people.

So how do you ensure that you have a great contest?

• Pick a great prize. I don’t want an envelope of coupons or an old ebook, in most cases (yes, there are exceptions). Give your readers something they can really use or a gift card from Amazon or Visa.
• Don’t make your contest overly complicated. Give them a single task that involves leaving a comment after visiting a sponsor’s site or subscribing to you.
• Broadcast your giveaway on blogs that specialize in contest postings.
• Don’t hide the contest within another post - make it really clear that your post is about winning something.
• Offer extra entries for people who comment on other blog posts, subscribe to your twitter, post about your giveaway on their blog, etc.
• Make the contest open to people world-wide if possible.
• Follow up the contest post with a really great post that is relevant to your target audience. You want the top post on your site to be fresh and interesting so people consider becoming a daily reader, not just leaving after entering your contest.
• Give a clear end date to the contest. You’d be amazed at how many people don’t do this!

Contest sometimes still flop after you follow of of these tips. That’s just the nature of the blogging world - readers aren’t always easy to, well, read. I don’t recommend a contest to kick-start your blog. Instead, build up readership in other ways, and use a contest to add to that readership. That way, hopefully your regular readers will jump in to enter the contest, giving you a boost without any work.

Recently, I wrote about how it isn’t fair to upload pictures to Flickr without understanding your licensing options, and then persecuting others for using your pictures. I’ve gotten mixed reactions as far as comments go, and one of those comments by “Lulu” was as follows:

Bottom line, you’re a thief. Try taking your own photos rather than stealing another’s creations.

That’s a ridiculous statement. It’s like if I went to a yardsale that has a “free” table, took something that was free, and then had the police called on me. Hey, if you didn’t mean to have it on the free table, I’ll give it back, but at the same time, it isn’t my fault you misclassified the item. It doesn’t make me a thief.

Later, someone identifying him/herself as “Me” left a comment in reply:

I agree with Lulu. Flickr is a social networking site, not a stock photography site. The default is not set for all rights reserved. This has been a huge issue for Flickr users who join and do not know the intricate settings and defaults behind the scenes.

When someone steals your articles, which will inevitably happen, and posts them all over the Internet under their own name - or yours to completely ruin your reputation, maybe then you’ll learn how the other side feels. I hope they are just as nasty when you ask them to remove that content.

Ok, let’s not even talk about the facts that A) I didn’t steal anything, B) I fully attribute every picture I use, never claim them as my own or use them to ruin people’s reputations, and C) I’m not nasty to people who change their minds or have made a licensing mistake and ask me to remove their work.

Let’s talk about this commenter’s claim that Flickr should be used for social networking, not stock photography. While I respect that opinion, I totally disagree.

Here’s why you shold use Flickr for stock images, as long as you do so correctly, searching under the right licensing options:

1. Many photographers use Flickr for exposure and actually WANT people to use their images.

It can be hard to get your work out there for the public eye if you don’t use Flickr or other image uploading websites. They’d like to sell some of their work or even get hired to do photoshoots. So, they upload a few samples under licenses that allow people to use the picture, with attribution, in hopes that the picture will be used by bloggers and website owners. It’s the same reason why some people choose to upload articles for free on article databases. They want people to enjoy what they see and come back (and pay) for more. One of my photographer friends has noted that she’s made a few sales because she uploaded some pictures to Flickr’s Creative Commons.

2. The default setting ABSOLUTELY is “all rights reserved.”

I just checked by uploading my own photograph to Flickr. The default setting is “all rights reserved,” which means that your picture doesn’t even show up on Creative Commons searches, UNLESS you change it.

I took this picture myself and uploaded it to Flickr. Yes, the default settng is "all rights reserved." I don't understand why some people are having an issue with that.

So don’t tell me that people don’t understand. Sure, there may be mistakes from time to time, but as a photographer, you have the responsibility to understand your licensing options. I checked out the information page that Flickr uses, and it isn’t hard to understand. If you don’t care enough about your images to actually know what rights you’re giving away, then do us all a favor and use the default setting so your rights are reserved.

3. Networking with photographers is a good thing.

If you use someone’s image, they’re likely to check your website to see how it was used. They might recommend your sites to others, link back to you on their own site, or, at the very least, become a reader. Maybe the photographer needs a writer and will want to hire you. Maybe the photographer will offer to give you more images in return for attribution. Maybe the photographer will want to buy advertising on your website. Networking makes the freelance world go ’round, people.

The bottom line is this: Using Flickr images that are licensed to be used by others SHOULD be used. Doing so doesn’t make you a thief, as long as you attribute it properly and never, ever take a photo that hasn’t be licensed for you to use. Flickr might be a social networking site, but it is also a resource for images that you can’t get anywhere else. Use it. Love it.

And for heaven’s sake, be nice to your fellow freelancers. Karma.

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Yesterday, I posted about whether or not you should accept guest posts. My advice? Yes, though in moderation. However, not every guest post you’re offered is a good post for your blog. Here’s how to pick the best guest posts from the pool you have been offered:

• Make sure the subject is relevant to your blog. That should be a given, but you’d be surprised at some of the guest posts I’ve seen on other blogs. They shouldn’t kinda-sorta-maybe be related to your niche. They should be extremely relevant to your readers.
• Choose posts that are ready to go. You don’t want to have to do a lot of editing when you’re given a guest post. If it comes with pictures and links, all the better.
• Look for posts you can use as inspiration. The best guest posts can be starting points for a number of other posts that you write yourself, either to debate the topic or just to cover different facets of the same subject.
• Link-able posts are best. If a guest post makes reference to older posts on your blog or can otherwise be linked, it’s a winner!

Make sure you also choose posts from people who contact you professionally. Even for the best guest post, I won’t work with someone who is rude, acts cocky, or seems to be spamming a ton of bloggers. I want to associate myself with people I like, even if it is just on a business basis.

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Image via Flickr.