84fiero

I can just feel the quality already! But don't steal the concept for my blog: Points, Miles, and Mojitos...or its sister Canadian blog: Points, Kilometres, and Kahlua

benzemalyonnais

I guess the real issue is that everyone thinks that they're an expert.

The reality is that most of the bloggers on BA and other websites aren't experts. I don't think anyone on here will go running to Delta Points for advice about how to book a DL award to Jakarta with a stopover in Tokyo.

Most of us on FT (or is it just this forum) know how to find award space, know what cards to use and how to maximize their benefits, know how to manufacture spend, know how to do all of it.

Obviously there are more newbies out there than experts, because these blogs are thriving.

It's really a shame because they're saturating the web with usually average advice, so when someone like my mom searches for something she gets one of those average reviews by the points guy littered with mistakes.

I don't enjoy everyone preaching information to me like they are an expert. It reminds me of the time when I took COMM101 as a summer class for transfer credit at a local college and the teacher was half as good at giving presentations as I was.

kokonutz

I suspect that what happens is that most bloggers ARE the expert in their own circle of friends, family, co-workers, etc. Which gives them the confidence to start a blog.

And if they just post to their blog the same stuff they would otherwise have posted to a FT thread, they can generate some post volume.

Whether they get those coveted 'quality UVs' appears to be another question.

Canarsie

What Exactly Is an Expert — and Is There Really Such a Thing?

84fiero

I hadn't really thought about this aspect but good points all around. The miles game isn't rocket science or brain surgery. It just takes a bit of time and effort depending on how much one wishes to maximize it. I suppose that there so many newbies or folks who don't pay any attention to their earn-burn of miles, that anyone who even appears to have some working knowledge of the details seems expert-like.

I do all of the management of our miles & points, and trip planning, in our household, so my wife has just a cursory awareness of any details of programs and such (and that's how she prefers it). And yet, she almost always is the most knowledgeable person when the topic comes up when she's at a gathering of friends, family reunion, etc. I'd submit that she could probably cobble together a blog that's no worse than many that are out there who profess to be "experts".

Canarsie

It is not only that...

...but there are so many facets of miles, points and travel that it is impossible to be an “expert” — especially the way the landscape constantly changes...

...and that is where weblogs and Internet bulletin boards such as FlyerTalk come in: to share information and help all of us become more knowledgeable; as well as to keep updated about changes and apprise each other of new and potentially valuable information that exists about which we may not know...

kokonutz

Your wife should start a blog!!!!!

Other FlyerTalker's wives have: http://magicofmiles.boardingarea.com/

PWMTrav

Screw that, I'm definitely an expert. Just not at anything I blog about. Then again, I never promised that I'd do any more than write about the travel situations I bumbled through and swore to do differently the next time. You could say I'm an expert at setting expectations.

f0xx

I actually like her reviews on the Ritz locations.

bthotugigem05

I think this is a great point. I started my blog not because I thought I was an expert, moreso because it was easier to write everything down and put pictures in one centralized location that I could point people to who wanted to hear about my trips.

Then they asked about how I was taking the trips, so I branched out a bit, but nowhere near an advanced level, so hopefully I'm not positioning myself as an "expert", but my friends referring to me as the Extreme Couponer of Airline Miles (instead of the usual name they call me, Captain Awesome) did give me the confidence to put myself out there.

kokonutz

The few that I have read are mostly photos. Not much about the relative experience of them.

But good photos.

oliver2002

The PH Vienna website for example has great pictures already, the blog report had way too many high res pics reminiscent of MMS hotel reviews. I suppose its part of the process of learning to blog.

PWMTrav

This is interesting discussion as it pertains to me. I'm very new to blogging and thought I'd give it a shot really just to pass on some experiences and even force myself to write down some things that we did as a family before my daughter could form the memories. So far, I feel like I don't include enough pictures, and I already know I'm too wordy and need to start breaking up posts. The problem is, when we're doing things, we might snap a few potato quality pictures, but we're busy doing not posing. At what point does a lack of photographic evidence turn readers off?

SkiAdcock

I've known Jen for over 10 years as well. She's had a personal blog before & her writing is excellent. Look forward to reading her new one.

Cheers.

kokonutz

It's a personal decision. Some blogs are photo-heavy and that appeals to some readers.

Others are text heavy and that appeals to some readers.

But even within the realm of a photo-heavy blog, there are variations of usefulness. Picking on magicofmiles RCDC post, for example, photos of Independence Day cupcakes and flowers in the lobby are worthless. But photos of the West Wing Club Suite are helpful (there are too many in that post, imho, but YMMV).

When it comes to hotel reviews in particular, what I find helpful (and always try to share on my TripAdivsor and FT reviews) are:

1) Check in process and room assigned based on rate, status, etc.

2) Review of room (a couple photos are all that are necessary).

2) Lounge access policy and review (maybe a single photo).

3) Review of service.

4) Review of bar/food if applicable.

5) Review of pool/beach/other amenity specific to that property (maybe a photo or two).

6) Check out process.


Again, though, I am interested in posting this information to TA and FT rather than a specific blog because my interest is in open source centralized reviews to help me (and others) make buy/no buy decisions, rather than on monetizing my experiences and knowledge. Here's a very recent example: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...l#post23162824