"Sponsored" blogging:ethical gray area or emerging business model?

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Permalink Reply by Crissy on March 13, 2009 at 10:44am

I do not receive anything for free (I just started blogging), but if I did receive something for what I was blogging about I feel that I would have to mention it.

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Permalink Reply by Gray Cargill on March 13, 2009 at 12:08pm

Great question, Angela! I agree with Crissy, transparency is key. If you are not transparent about any exchange of payment or freebies, it undermines your credibility. Suddenly every opinion you've ever posted comes into question. I have not yet been faced with this situation, but I would have no problem accepting a freebie in exchange for publicity for a [hotel, restaurant, etc.]--but I would make it very clear upfront to the [hotel, restaurant, etc.] that I'm also going to be very honest about my experience--positive or negative--and I would acknowledge the freebie in the article as well. Anyone who doesn't like those terms doesn't have to play ball with me. But I'm not going to say something is wonderful if it's not just because somebody gave it to me for free.

Along these same lines, I am very selective about choosing which companies I place affiliate ads for on my website. I only choose companies I personally have used and would use again and believe in. The ones I would recommend to my family and friends. That way, if and when I do recommend those companies in blog posts, I am being genuine and not influenced by any potential money I might be making off ads (if indeed, I were making any money off ads, which I'm not).The exception has been Google ads, since I have no control over content--and that does distress me a bit. Now that I think of it,I probably ought to place a statement somewhere on my website stating my policy on these issues, so people know.

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Permalink Reply by TBEX Admin on March 19, 2009 at 9:10am

I think Gray's response is right on the money. I have a unique perspective, since having worked in many industries, travel is the newest to me. While in other industries, the rules would be very different, I think the high cost and time commitment of travel makes this a very different situation. It seems to me that allowing a press trip to a new hotel or resort is similar to a tech company giving away free copies of new software to a select group of technically savvy people (except travel bloggers tend to be slightly less snarky than techies). It is your job as a travel blogger to tell the truth, poke some holes, give it back and tell the other folks. When viewed this way, it startles me that the whole practice is so controversial.

What would make sense for many travel bloggers is to have a posted policy of what/how they will accept sponsoship and as Gray so aptly put it, point out in no uncertain terms that the review will be honest regardless.

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Permalink Reply by Nerd's Eye View on March 19, 2009 at 9:25am

Gray's thought on this are pretty much in sync with mine -- though up until recently, I've been less exacting about selecting my advertisers.

Thing is, though, there are no "rules" for bloggers. But be aware: I'm on the receiving end of a lot of the same press releases you are, and I can tell when a blogger is just repurposing a press release. That's free advertising, friends, and adds little to no value to the reader. I also raise an eyebrow when a blogger never says one single bad thing about place, not one. Both of those types of content will have me ceasing to read a blog, pronto. I'm reading your blog because I value your critical eye, not because I want to consume ad content.

This is part of setting your own standards. Mine, which are kinda mean, are different than those bloggers who think it's totally okay to repost press releases or those who are always glowingly positive.

I do think it's okay to take freebies -- for me, it comes down to some very basic math. I can not afford to [pick one or more] stay in your hotel, eat at your restaurant, buy your gear just to review it, etc... and if you don't invite me/send that stuff my way, it's not going to end up on my blog. The NYT may not allow writers to take comps but it also pays them more than 5 bucks a post, and -- does anyone know? Are their expenses reimbursed? Do they have a budget for travel? I do and it doesn't cover much. Anyhoo, like Gray, we discuss that I'm going to write as honest a review as I can, and yes, I think you are inclined to be more forgiving if it's free.

With that in mind, I disclose to my readers up front if I've received something. At least they know where I'm coming from. As for how that flies with the PR folks? They say they understand. I'm not totally convinced that they do.

True story? I once reviewed a movie that I hated, just hated, and posted the review. When I was done, I sent a note to the PR folks, as I ALWAYS do, saying, my review is up, sorry I didn't love it. I've got your screener, would you like me to pass it along to someone else who might be interested? The response? Sure, if you can send it to someone you can promise will write a good review.

Who's got ethics issues now?

Also true. I was researching a guidebook and wading through seas of comp offers. I got email from a provider who asked me to come along his trip. Would it be comped? I asked -- limited time, budget, need to be clear on terms. The guy laid into my ethics. (Note that objectivity in this case was absolutely not a requirement.) It's a pity, I actually thought what he did was novel, and would have liked to meet him to chat regardless of if I took his tour or paid for it myself. But wait! A friend working on an article spoke to the same guy and he offered her a free pass.

I'm rambling, I know. I guess my point is that you have to make your own rules -- and a living. The way you balance those things should not be in a way that your integrity/credibility is compromised. Ultimately the reason a PR company wants their clients on your blog is because you're a trusted source, right? If you're compromising the trust of your readers by not explaining the terms, you'll lose them and the opportunities to even consider advertorial are moot.

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Permalink Reply by Kim Mance, Founder of TBEX on March 19, 2009 at 10:04am

Agreed all, it should definitely be noted when a freebie is received or when a PR company has given a free trip, etc. Disclosure = credibility. And if readers/viewers still don't like it they can go to....oh wait, there's *nothing* in the world that doesn't receive ad revenue (even the NYT) or freebies when reporting travel, news, etc.

Hmmm, or, we could start charging the general public to read travel blogs, similar to magazine subscriptions. Well, unless we all either win the lottery or come into a big inheritance to pay for all that travel. But somehow I think that wouldn't fly... :)

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Permalink Reply by Julie Ovenell-Carter on March 22, 2009 at 11:56pm

This is on my mind a great deal at the moment as I make the move from being a print-based travel journalist to a travel blogger. It was an issue in my first world, where freebies were the norm among established (and even some not-so-established travel writers) and I can see it will be an issue in my next...

I have just accepted my first corporate sponsor for my all-Canada blog--a regional tourism board--and starting in April, their ad will replace the Google ad on my site. I am ok with this, because I know the region, I know the tourism board in question, and I have no qualms at all about what's being advertised. I have told them that I will occasionally, on my own schedule, write about their region because, frankly, *anyone* blogging about travel in Canada couldn't ignore it: it's an incredibly popular destination and I had intended to blog about it anyway. But I won't promise specific content.

So, my rule number one is: I CONTROL MY OWN CONTENT.

I also am very clear in the "About" section of my blog that I do sometimes accept hospitality from the industry--just as I did/do as a print-based writer--but I never make promises about what I will write, or even IF I will write, about a hotel, or tour, or meal, or whatever. I work a little bit differently than Pam in that I try to blog about things I would tell my friends around the water-cooler at work--so that tends to me really really GOOD things--or really really BAD things. I don't throw a bad comment into a generally positive review just to show how unbiased I am. I tend to want to blog about the things I heartily endorse (or at least, would like to heartily endorse if I haven't actually experienced them first-hand).

So rule number two for me: I AM CLEAR UP-FRONT WITH MY READERS AND THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT FROM ME IN TERMS OF TRUTH-TELLING.

The other thing that is proving successful on my blog is contests. For example, I recently wrote a blog-post "Top 10 Tips for a Successful Home Exchange", which resulted in a spot on CBC Radio, Canada's national radio station sort of like NPR in the States.

I knew there would be a big audience for the interview, and I wanted to give them a reason to come to my site, so I approached HomeLink, the home exchange company I used (at my own expense) to secure my first home swap to France, and asked if they would like to offer a one-year membership to one of my blog readers in a random draw.

They were thrilled by the proposal, and so I posted a contest, which I announced on air. My hits spiked, and suddenly I was getting comments from as far away as Australia. I don't think there's anything unethical about that at all--and in fact, it ended up that a competing company, Intervac, said, "Hey, how about some publicity for us too," and I said, "OK, why don't you offer a one-year membership too." So they did! Who wins? The readers AND me, in that I know someone is reading my stuff!

(If you or your blog readers are interested in the contest, feel free to link to it)

So rule number three: I WILL DO WHAT'S BEST FOR MY READERS--AND FOR ME. NEVER JUST WHAT'S BEST FOR ME.

Great topic. Look forward to hearing from others...

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Permalink Reply by Mary Jo Manzanares on March 26, 2009 at 11:05am

As someone who has a "day job" in the travel industry, I've been getting special perks, comps, and discounts, for so long that it sometimes ceases to be a novelty.

I do not always disclose if I received something for free. If I've received a special rate as a result of my airline employment, that's something that I'm not free to share or discuss. Do I think that compromises my view of something -- not a whit. Because of connection with the industry, I may have an even more critical eye and voice.

My reviews are certainly not all glowing, but I tend not to be a trash reviewer. If I love something, I may gush, but if I don't like something, I can usually explain why. If it's a personal preference, I also try to share who might like it and why.

Of course, I do the same thing with products I've purchased myself, hotels where I've stayed and paid, tours, etc. My approach isn't any difference, so I'm not sure if someone was reading I'm not sure if you could tell what was comped and what wasn't. If the comp was provided because I'm a travel blogger, I mention that, but not if the comp was a result of my "day job."

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