Originally Posted by
TWA44
I already had a fun twitter exchange with you about the improvements to F2B but will chime in here too.
I agree with Raffles that the photos could shrink, but today's Rocketmiles post on the home page takes it too far
! Hopefully it is just a mistake or the photo is en route.... It matters because I do suggest that you keep the headlines in line across the columns. I think doing otherwise is a step backward. I'd like to see the "Read More" line lining up too.
I do not agree with Raffles on the size of the font in the headlines for each blog. What you have today is fine. I'd rather see smaller photos and longer paragraphs below the photos - more text to tell me whether to click through. I realize that less text may get readers to click through which obviously the individual bloggers would like, but the friendlier the Home Page is to me, the more often I'll look at it. And the more often I stop by, the more chance I'll click through!
A question: How much editorial is done by F2B? In other words, does F2B provide any editorial control before a blogger posts something? Are bloggers ever told that a topic is weak or a photo poor or unnecessary? Or does F2B just post whatever a blogger submits?
Thanks for your efforts to date and I look forward to how F2B continues to evolve.
Obviously the home page and individual blogs use a template and we do have some control over sizes and fonts we try to still fit within the template.
To answer your question, which others have already confirmed, F2B has a written agreement with each of the bloggers that outlines terms and conditions of the website. Each blogger has ownership of their own blog and is responsible for the content independent of F2B. I have never been told to write about any particular subject, but have been given a small list of what is not allowed; e.g. discussing Vanilla reloads etc (I got special permission to discuss them for the April Fools Day post).
I agree with you that some of the posts by some bloggers in particular have been a little weak and we are making an effort to point that out internally. Baby steps. I think things have improved especially in the last two weeks.
In addition, my site has its own
terms and conditions for readers and its own
privacy policy. I do collect email addresses if you submit them and the reason is for a future newsletter, to inform you of new posts and to email "secret deals" before they get published on the site. I may also email you directly regarding a comment on the site. I may email you about a TMP or F2B do, or event that may be held regionally.
I will not sell the list or rent the list. The only way I get your email address is if you voluntarily submit it to me.
F2B's Taxiway is the site of F2B guest bloggers and TheMrPickles is the only other F2B blog site authorized to have guest bloggers. I have an outline of requirements for guest bloggers on my site, which I asked for input from F2B management, but I set the terms for all guest bloggers on my site.
I and my
TheMrPickles editor do all edits of content on TMP, and I edit/censor all guest blog posts so they have correct content flow, correct referral links and correct web links to other sites; e.g. airline, hotel, or train information. I also size photos and import photos from various corporate media approved images and wiki-commons.
Sometimes guest bloggers may not be the best at describing a situation or city and I need to give them a push or rewrite the content.
I have sole decision on when the publish button on TMP gets pressed.
In regards to the comments, each individual blogger sets their own approval policy. I have mine set where the first comment posted by an individual is emailed to me and then awaits approval; then all comments that follow from the same person, ip address & email are automatically approved by the software. I will edit out typos or incorrect misinformation. If the post is obnoxious, or harassing in my sole opinion, it will be deleted. If the comment voices an objection or other opinion then the comment will stand as is.
I try to respond to comments that require a response but I reserve the right to ignore them also.
I have some control over which ads are on my pages, but I do not have any control over the F2B negotiated advert terms.
Regarding embedded affiliate links, which I see as different than referral links (but that is another argument) I may post it within the article if there is one and it is integral to the content of the article, but I am not required to write an article solely around an affiliate web link. I will disclose if I am being paid for the link. From today on there will only be one affiliate link in an article if there is one at all. Most certainly every article will not be by, about, and solely inclusive of affiliate links. In other words, NO HAWKING of affiliate links.
There may be a page at the top added with a drop down to get to affiliate links.
But don't hold your breath, it won't be today, or tomorrow.
All F2B bloggers have sole control over their individual twitter accounts and Facebook pages. These social media sites are not part of F2B and you may see content that we are specifically prohibited from publishing on F2B and should have no reflection on F2B or its management.
Likewise all comments on forums like FlyerTalk and MilePoint and the sole comments of the individual blogger hosted by F2B.
I pay no hosting fee to F2B. Hopefully this is a good explanation, sorry it is so long but I ran into MarathonMan on the weekend and I guess he rubbed off on me.