How many blog [CC] affiliate links have you used?
Sep 7, 2017, 10:02 am
#16
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,588
How have they killed it? Maybe they've killed MS, but nowadays the airlines have killed the USE of miles. Even without bloggers the airlines would have caught on how profitable it was to tell miles to credit card companies and allow them to give away 100k sign up bonuses. Now you can have 100k AA miles and barely be able to use them. Without bloggers it would have just been a 4-5 year wait till social media influencers came along to take their place.
Sep 7, 2017, 10:31 am
#18
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Omaha, NE
Programs: Marriott Gold, Delta, AMEX Membership Rewards
Posts: 140
I'm all for supporting the bloggers I read. Is every post a gold mine of useful information? No. But, I figure if they save me a little money or add a little value to my travels they deserve a kick-back.
Sep 7, 2017, 12:55 pm
#19
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
At the same time, a majority of blogs that push referral links to inferior offers so they can get a commission. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but Doctor of Credit does not even provide links and yet seems to survive.
Sep 7, 2017, 1:25 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2002
Location: STL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, DL SkClub LT, Marr LT Plat, IHG Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 2,000
A friend of mine rebated a significant % of his affiliate commissions back to the person signing up. He was the first to offer a program like this and became one of the biggest affiliate sites on the Net. He banked a $$$ fortune because of the generous split he offered. Customers earned "points" for signing up to various sites and these points could then be redeemed for various gift cards for major retailers.
I'm not sure if it's greed, ignorance or some sort of regulatory requirement but if a blogger could use this model with CC signups he/she would almost immediately corner the market.
Sep 7, 2017, 1:45 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Omaha, NE
Programs: Marriott Gold, Delta, AMEX Membership Rewards
Posts: 140
No, you're definitely right. If bloggers aren't pushing the best offers then they don't deserves a dime.
Sep 8, 2017, 8:11 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Fairmont Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,041
Interesting thread, some facts I would like to throw in here:
Regarding splitting commissions, it is explicitly forbidden. The risk is too great to be found out as the punishment is having your links taken away.
Most bloggers started this as a hobby. Some have managed to make it a huge business.
It is the responsibility of each blog reader to reward good blogging practices and blogs that ADD value to them.
Most blogs quit due to life changes and/or not getting enough support from readers.
When you post on the internet you will attract trolls/haters. If you do not have a thick head you should not become a blogger.
In my blog I review miles and points blogs. I keep a list of blogs I love, like and ignore. Many of the blogs the OP mentioned are in the Ignore list. ...! But hey, if they add value to you please support them.
This is not a hobby anymore. This hobby thrives in being under the radar. And the airline/hotel industry is incredibly different from many years ago. Commercial blogs are a HUGE reason for the hobby slowly disappearing...This will reverse when most blogs quit when the banks stop paying fat commissions to keep selling credit cards to newbies----->people who never had a travel rewards credit card before and are probably not suited to managing credit responsibly...
I could go on...
Regarding splitting commissions, it is explicitly forbidden. The risk is too great to be found out as the punishment is having your links taken away.
Most bloggers started this as a hobby. Some have managed to make it a huge business.
It is the responsibility of each blog reader to reward good blogging practices and blogs that ADD value to them.
Most blogs quit due to life changes and/or not getting enough support from readers.
When you post on the internet you will attract trolls/haters. If you do not have a thick head you should not become a blogger.
In my blog I review miles and points blogs. I keep a list of blogs I love, like and ignore. Many of the blogs the OP mentioned are in the Ignore list. ...! But hey, if they add value to you please support them.
This is not a hobby anymore. This hobby thrives in being under the radar. And the airline/hotel industry is incredibly different from many years ago. Commercial blogs are a HUGE reason for the hobby slowly disappearing...This will reverse when most blogs quit when the banks stop paying fat commissions to keep selling credit cards to newbies----->people who never had a travel rewards credit card before and are probably not suited to managing credit responsibly...
I could go on...
Sep 9, 2017, 12:46 pm
#24
Join Date: May 2015
Location: LAX, BUR
Programs: AS,AA,JB, HH Gold, Starriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Explorist, Global Entry
Posts: 1,930
Sep 9, 2017, 2:20 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
So, for example, if a blogger mentions a competition that Chase is running on its website and you click though to it, that will set a cookie which will pay if you take out any card from Chase via their site over the coming weeks.
Sep 10, 2017, 10:14 am
#26
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Zero. I'd rather give the credit to a friend or family member or frankly to no one rather than to a shill.
Sep 11, 2017, 3:45 pm
#27
Join Date: May 2015
Location: LAX, BUR
Programs: AS,AA,JB, HH Gold, Starriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Explorist, Global Entry
Posts: 1,930
The general rule is any click which takes you to the website of the company concerned.
So, for example, if a blogger mentions a competition that Chase is running on its website and you click though to it, that will set a cookie which will pay if you take out any card from Chase via their site over the coming weeks.
So, for example, if a blogger mentions a competition that Chase is running on its website and you click though to it, that will set a cookie which will pay if you take out any card from Chase via their site over the coming weeks.
Am I cookied to the point if I apply for any of the same cards they're promoting on another site or Incognito with a better offer than they are showing they still get paid? Or do I have to click on one of their card links to keep the cookie clock running?
Sep 11, 2017, 4:14 pm
#28
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Reading a site with an ad on it doesn't set the affiliate referral cookie. Clicking on it does.
Sep 12, 2017, 4:36 am
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Note that Award Wallet sets affiliate cookies when you auto log-in, unless you turn off the option in settings.
Didn't know that did you?
Whenever you ask it to, for example, auto log-in to Hilton you are handing AW a chunk of your Hilton bookings for the next 14 days.
Didn't know that did you?
Whenever you ask it to, for example, auto log-in to Hilton you are handing AW a chunk of your Hilton bookings for the next 14 days.