When did running a blog become running a business?

Something a little different for today, I like to mix things up every once in a while! This is a topic that's been going through my mind for a little while, I really want to hear other bloggers opinions on the subject too! I have a feeling some people may think i'm being 'ungrateful' for some of the opinions i'm about to share, but at the end of the day it's just some of my own observations. (but if you don't like this sort of thing, and prefer nail art & fashion then don't fear - i'll be posting more of that later!)

When did running a blog become so business like? I'm not sure if this applies to all bloggers, but from my own personal experience and that of friends I know for a fact that this is relevant to the beauty, fashion and music blogging industries. (is there even such a thing as a blogging industry? I think so!)

I started my blog back in 2009, with absolutely NO idea how big blogging would go on to become. It was just a way to feed my fashion obsession. I was only 17, studying my A Levels, and I needed something to keep my creative energy flowing. For me, my blog was an outlet, and something I absolutely loved.
At that time Bloggers weren't really taken all that seriously within the fashion industry, or any other industry as far as I'm aware and remember. It was rare and exciting for a brand to contact you to invite you to a press day, or send you a sample to review. I remember noticing another blogger, whom I followed religiously at the time, had put her email address on her blog so that PR companies could contact her. At that time, and still today, I felt like a small blogging fish in a big internet pond, but decided to put my email address up anyway - just to see what I was missing out on I guess! Just for the lolz.
Soon, I began receiving emails everyday - some genuinely interesting companies & concepts, some complete spam/scam! At the time, as I was very young, and I felt the weird need to post absolutely everything I was emailed. I literally couldn't say no!! - maybe it's just that inbuilt female need to please everyone!
Four years later, and luckily I've managed to be able to say 'No'! However, what surprises me, is that my blog isn't one of the most popular or well known. I'm still just a little fish. But despite that PRs contact me every day, requesting me to post stuff, asking if I'd like to review things, requesting link swaps, etc. Now I need to make this clear - I AM IN NO WAY COMPLAINING. I am so ridiculously happy at all the unexpected things i've been able to partake in, and all the perks I've gained from writing my blog. But I just wonder whether it's right or not?
Nowadays I know for a fact that a lot of young girls are very aware of the fact that by starting a beauty blog, there's the opportunity they'll get sent free makeup & nail varnishes galore - and I notice a lot of people taking advantage of that. Who can blame them I guess? I just personally feel there's something a bit wrong with girls of 15/16 dealing with PR companies and reviewing products - a job that was traditionally just left to beauty experts in magazines. As I mentioned before, when I started my blog I posted every single thing I got emailed because I felt it was my duty to do so. I also was only seventeen - I had no idea what a PR was let alone what they did! I guess I just find it surprising that companies would have trusted me at quite a young age to promote their products.
It feels as though running a blog has become extremely business like recently. Before I sit down to write a post, I rarely just write the first thing that pops into my head as I used to, or write about a pair of shoes/dress/skirt/trend that i've been absolutely obsessing over recently - instead I have to think about it logically. Did I promise someone i'd review something/promote something for them? Do I have any emails I need to get back to? I genuinely feel like i'm working part time, for myself!
However, once more, I am not complaining. I absolutely love writing my blog, and the opportunities I've had because of it have become absolutely amazing and I couldn't be more thankful. For me personally, this is the industry I aspire to be a part of. So I enjoy collaborating with brands, and planning posts for my readers. I just wonder when did my fun creative outlet become suddenly taken so seriously? When did blogging become a business?
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