Wow. As if we don’t have enough issues in the blogosphere already, now bloggers aren’t just allowing themselves to be “bought,” but they’ve blatantly got the “gimmies.” Yuck.

Now I know we have a good selection of folks here who are both regular blog readers and bloggers themselves, so I’d like your thoughts on this.

1. Should bloggers really feel “entitled” to the same perks as traditional media outlets?

2. Do you have any problem, as a blogger, with the idea of joining a network for the sole purpose of getting free stuff / review copies? Is there a better way to go about it?

3. As a blog reader, would seeing your favorite bloggers actively mooching in this way affect what you think of them in any way (or perhaps how you look at their future reviews)?

Here are some of my own thoughts on those issues:

1. In most cases, absolutely not. Remember, there’s a reason tradional media outlets and journalists are approached with things like review copies. In fact, there are several reasons. They offer a large audience with an interest in what the company’s offering, and they’ve generally been around long enough to build trust with that audience.

Can your blog offer that? More than likely, no. Certainly some blogs are exceptions, but those are also the bloggers companies do approach with review copies already. If you want people to respect you and your opinion on your blog, build it up. Promote it. Build an engaged community of readers. Frankly, as a blogger, that’s your “job.” When you do your job, and do it well, you’ll see the perks.

2. Personally, I find it disgusting that any blogger would publicly exercise a “give me stuff” approach to blogging. Again, there are exceptions. For example, if you write a blog exclusively or primarily focused on book reviews, naturally you’d include your address and submission details somewhere on your blog. But you shouldn’t expect to get submissions until you’ve done what I already mentioned – build the audience and build the trust.

Until you get to that point, it’s your responsibility to secure review material – and yes, that often means paying for it in the early phases. The fact that you can instantly publish something doesn’t entitle you to anything. Anyone can publish a blog these days. You’re probably not as “special” as you think. There’s definitely a better way to go about it, and that’s something I’ve already talked about here.

3. From the reader perspective I find the concept of Serendipstick even worse. If I, for a moment, got the vibe that a blogger I read was “in it for the perks” enough to be blatantly asking for access to free stuff, their credibility would be shot with me. I’d know they were reviewing what they could get for free rather than reviewing what might be beneficial to their readers (including myself). I don’t have enough time in the day to read bloggers with that kind of motivation.

That said, I have absolutely no problem with bloggers actually receiving review copies if it’s for a legitimate reason. What do I mean?

Let’ pick on Heather since it was her comment bringing light to the new site.

Heather blogs about PR and related issues. Heather blogged critically about a certain blogger relations event in the past. Now, if that company were to make changes in their next event, and invite Heather along with the open desire to have her review the event itself as it applies to larger blogger relations issues, that would be effective targeting and relevant to her audience given the past targeting snafus and conversation in her space. As a reader of her blog, I would have absolutely no problem knowing she was invited to a free-access event.

On the other hand, if Heather were to sign up for Serendipstick saying that she wants access to these kinds of events, it would be a different story entirely. Why? Because if you’re flat-out asking for it, the company giving it to you is satisfying your desire. They’re giving you what you want (and asked for), and with that comes a certain implication that you’re not going to say anything “bad” about them – at least not much.

In contrast, if you’re putting your focus on your readers and building your blog, and someone happens to approach you, you’re the attractive party with something to offer and not vice versa. By maintaining that position, you have a better chance of maintaining credibility in what you ultimately publish.

Look, there are certainly perks to blogging, especially after you’re established. But if those perks are the real reason you’re in it, do your readers a favor and just quit. Blogging entitles people to absolutely nothing. Sure, you may feel otherwise, thinking “I don’t get paid for this, so I may as well get something.” But if you really insist on getting something out of your blogging, understand you’ll work your ass off to get to that point. Asking for hand-outs in this way is just sad. If you’re not getting enough from your blogging to justify the time you’re spending, find another way to spend your time.

If you’d like to read more on the issue of whether or not bloggers should be treated as journalists, I have a post at NakedPR detailing a chat with ProBlogger Darren Rowse on the subject: Bloggers vs Journalists.