“Mommy Blogger” is a term I see thrown around a lot lately. I don’t particularly care for the term as it often comes with the connotation that moms who blog are not serious about making money with their blog space. I know a lot of these mommy bloggers and I know they started their blog with the strict intent to earn a little money for their families. Then something goes terribly wrong.

I’ve seen a lot of us bloggers lately stating that we are being literally begged to hand over our blogs to either guest bloggers we don’t know, mention businesses we haven’t heard of in our next blog, run around commenting on blogs we’ve never visited, etc. with no form of reciprocation or remuneration. Many mommies carry around this terrible and undeserving guilt that they shouldn’t make money if the next mommy isn’t. Mommies also tend to want to help EVERYONE at their own expense. Even if it’s people we don’t know.

I’ve done it too before, so don’t feel bad. Not just on my blogs, but in my VA business. It’s this crazy thinking that “if we do it for free for this person, it will bring lots of people who will pay.” Scenario: You bake for extra money. Mom 1 calls you asks you to bake a few dozen cupcakes for her party. You don’t really have time, but you feel guilty for some reason and agree to do it. You tell yourself you are doing it because Mom 1 will tell the others moms you baked the cupcakes and then they will come to you for their cupcakes and PAY you. Realty: Mom 1 does tell the other moms you baked the cupcakes….FOR FREE. Now Mom 2, 3, and 4 call and want you to bake their cupcakes for no charge as well. And once again you feel guilty because you did it for Mom 1, how can you charge Mom 2, 3 and 4? And once again you do it for no charge.

” Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” ~ Albert Einstein

These Want-to-be-Monetizing-Bloggers approaching you know the worth of your blog, but do you? It doesn’t just end with blog space you’re giving up, they are asking for your readership, your reputation, your social marketing, your newsletters, your RSS feeds all for FREE! Even though they don’t mention that part, it comes with the package.

There’s a big difference between a strategic alignment with a fellow business owner that benefits both parties and what I’m referring to in this discussion. Next time someone asks for your blog space, ask yourself these questions:

How long has it taken you to build up your blog into the proud corner of the internet you hold today?

How much of your business are you REALLY giving away for free if you let someone you don’t know take over for a post?

Is your guest blogger going to bring you more traffic and followers, or is this a one-way street?

If blogging is your business, treat it as business. Search out fellow bloggers to share your space with that will make your business grow.