AlxStevens

This isn't in his advertiser disclosure which only refers to affiliate offers - it would be worthy of criticism if he is paid and isn't disclosing.

Astrophsx

I've seen print ads and tv commercials for Chase Sapphire and SPG Amex that feature Brian Kelly and list ThePointsGuy.com I've also seen several tweets from SPG with links to his webpage. Either he is being compensated or there is some sort of mutual agreement to promote each other.

It's really a blurred line. I've seen giveaways of $500 Starwood hotel vouchers and 20,000 SPG point give aways. MommyPoints is taking free vacations in Mexico, Lucky is taking free area suites to entertain his readers, and TPG is taking free US Open suite tickets. Starwood is doing a lot to get bloggers to promote their products, and the bloggers are all too happy to take the handouts.

I think each blogger is smart and savvy... Just don't let people label them as a travel hackers or a travel bloggers, they are credit card salesmen.

Raffles

If you read the small print of Ben's One Direction suite in London, it is not catered. If you go with SPG on a redemption, you get a fantastic free hot buffet and all the alcohol you can drink.

All they have done with Ben is lend him the keys on a night when SPG wasn't planning to use it anyway but they aren't paying out for food or drink.

To be honest, I had thought of asking SPG for the same favour but Ben beat me to it!

MrTemporal

Great info. Thanks.

AlxStevens

I really disagree with this statement, particularly the bloggers part, because it says that bloggers cannot be businesspeople, and that because they monetize their audience they are somehow not bloggers.

I have no problem with people choosing to read or not read a blog because they think they've "sold out" or are pushing cards too hard, or any reason whatsoever, but that's YOUR personal opinion.

TPG, Gary Leff, Lucky, etc. ARE bloggers - and very successful ones at that. They are successful because they've turned their hard-earned audience into a business and a lifestyle, and I frankly think that much of the criticism of them is sour grapes and the same "we owned it once and you ruined it" criticism (as I said before) that comes from places like indie music and art.

The whole freebies thing I also think is ridiculous, and I think bloggers do way too much hand-wringing over it. Disclose and be editorially honest and all will be fine. Believe it or not, audiences are smart and can see through BS. And I'm pretty sure that they'd rather have a trip report than nothing at all.

LPDAL

One thing a lot of bloggers do not mention such as TPG is that their own travel isn't paid for through credit cards or their associated points. No, it is actually paid for by the banks paying out huge commission through the credit card ads on all these blogs. The actual blogger isn't using any credit cards.

I also find it stupid that many of these blogs imply or even directly state that credit card churning is the only way to travel cheaply [not even straying into the risk of having multiple or many credit cards], and discounting all other methods. Buying tickets with cash is sometimes stated to be a "waste of money".

None of this loot that these bloggers are obtaining is "free". Somebody, somewhere is paying for it.

I also agree that most of the articles on The Points Guy are at best misleading and at worst highly factually inaccurate. An article on internationally configured UA widebodies being used on domestic H-H routes claimed that BusinessFirst service (as in, international BF) is offered on all flat bed aircraft regardless of the route being flown (for example, a BF 752 on MCO-EWR has BF seats, but not BF service). It then went on to state that flying UA GlobalFirst domestically lets one into the Global Services check in and allows access into international first class lounges. The whole article is basically a paraphrased version of United's own BusinessFirst and GlobalFirst product pages, complete with copy and pasted unauthorized and uncredited images as well.

This hits home to me because my own trip report images were stolen and uploaded, unauthorized, as well as without credit to me, to a few separate "points blogs". All of them received a cease and desist letter from me, and my images were removed immediately.

-LPDAL

Astrophsx

I never said that they weren't bloggers. I just see it as a conflict of interest to receive compensation from a company and then expect them to give honest non-biased reviews. So that is why I think credit card bloggers seems to be a better description for some. I accept you have a different opinion and am fine with that.

Here is what frequent miler had to say:

"I know that many bloggers get similar offers all the time from hotel chains, airlines, and more. Some of these bloggers routinely turn down these offers. Many accept thes offers and fully disclose the arrangement in their subsequent posts. Some accept the offers, but do not tell their readers.

The problem with accepting offers like these, whether the arrangement is disclosed or not, is that the relationship can bias the blogger in favor of the company in question. Even if you try hard to remain unbiased, I imagine that its hard to give bad reviews to those who have paid your way. So, I should clearly say “no”, right?"
http://frequentmiler.boardingarea.co...or-shouldnt-i/

There are a million other blogs with trip reports. If it is a chain hotel in a major city it more than likely has been covered by now. So would audiences rather not see any trip report than nothing at all? Well if they are wanting more than just pretty pictures and an unbiased review I would say yes.

I completely disagree with you on audiences seeing through the BS. I think you are giving far too much credit to the casual TPG reader. I enjoyed reading your opinions, you make some good points. I agree with some and disagree with others.

AlxStevens

I have also enjoyed the discussion.

What I think you are overlooking is that the casual TPG reader is still very likely an overall, savvy media consumer. Further, they are probably not reading the "million other blogs" - they are reading the one that they heard about in the mainstream press, that's written, edited and presented in an average-media-consumer way, not a capital-T "Travel Hacker" way.

And as to Frequent Miler, that was an interesting discussion that comes down to them - can they in fact write non-biased reports when they get free stuff. It seems they decided that they couldn't, so they avoid it entirely, which is entirely reasonable, and was a really smart thing to bring up.

I'm just saying that the criticism of TPG is unwarranted because they are not pretending to be anything that they are not. They are a consumer-facing site helping people "Maximize Their Travel", and they have relationships with advertisers (which BTW every blog that takes advertising does) which they disclose, including the fact that "This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear)."

odin99

i'm so jelly they get free stuff and i don't. (sarcasm).

i think they are earning what the get. give them all the free stuff they want. paid advertising to reach a target audience. make sense to me.

LPDAL

I'm wary of anyone who claims to be "Traveling in Cathay Pacific First Class for free every week" and then, as an individual with no corporate experience or relevant business degree, "[The executives running the airlines] are all a bunch of idiots". There is no doubt in my mind that this person bribed the staff of Rolling Stone to be featured in the mag.

[I'm speaking about these type of blogs in general, not just TPG.]

I don't think the problem is that the various blog sites are pretending. Their grammar is oftentimes sloppy, and as I noted above, the articles are filled with incorrect facts and misleading information. Nobody in their right mind would believe anyone is flying Cathay Pacific First Class for free every week. Certain things make sense, and certain things do not make sense. If something does not make sense, it isn't true.

-LPDAL

Kagehitokiri

AlxStevens, note you said "blogger" not "travel blogger"

FTG, TPG, MMS are the big 3 "credit card bloggers"
FTG and TPG were acquired, for a reason
MMS may make more in long run by not selling

ben really succeeded with his award business

Astrophsx

Astrophsx

Did TPG sell the whole company?

“I still have a vested ownership interest in TPG and I retain 100% editorial control,” he tells Skift. “I leverage Bankrate resources as needed, but everything — from marketing, advertising and our SEM/SEO strategy is all internally managed and separate from Bankrate and any of their other owned and operated sites.”
http://skift.com/2014/12/01/the-blur...ravel-writers/

Kagehitokiri

free flight in residence? or taking photo during tour?

"100% editorial control" could not be more vague
we dont know FTG terms either, even though its IB
but if MMS doesnt sell they keep 100% of revenue

ingy

I've been watching this back and forth for over three years now since selling my blog. My observations may be simplistic but still I believe them to be spot on.

1. There is a very small group that suffer from extreme ENVY that have not been able to let go, that others, just like them, were able to monetize the hobby in some cases in extraordinary numbers. These are the constant complainers and whiners about "Brian did this", "Gary said that" "Mommy does this". The ones that call them "sell outs" and "not real bloggers" You will find this vocal minority in this forum, and in the comments sections of successful commercial blogs. They are the loudest but really only display their own personal envy in their posting. Each and every one of them has said to themselves "I should have started a blog" but they never did, and it is so much easier to criticize others (particularly when they can hide behind an Internet handle) than take responsibility for their own missed opportunity.

2. The successful commercial bloggers were in the right place at the right time and provided content readers appreciated, read and continue to read today. None of them were professional writers before starting their blogs. Any member of the community could have if they wanted to: start their own blog.

3. The aspiring commercial bloggers are still hoping for an entry into the promised land of affiliate commissions. If and when the banks are looking to add more affiliates, if their readership numbers are good enough, they will get their chance.

4. The hobby bloggers just do it for fun, but I believe in most instances, with a few exceptions, the majority of hobby bloggers would love to make a living at what they are doing.

5. And the vast majority of the FT community are full time, part time or occasional blog readers that look for summaries of the vast amount of material available on FT. They are of above average intelligence and capable of making their own decisions on which blogs to read and support. They could care less if a blog promotes cards or not. Lets all face it, credit card sign up bonuses run this show regardless if you are a blogger earning a commission or a hobbyists trying to earn miles and points. And most successful commercial bloggers, still apply for credit cards and play the game.

It is evident to me by the lack of shifting in the blogs that are given credit card links, that they are maintaining their readership, or the banks would simply cut them off. And to assume that all the content of successful commercial blogs is just garbage is indeed nothing more than a member of group #1 just revealing their envy again.