hobo13

I didn't say it was the ONLY factor, I just said it was a factor. We all have our own way to judge people / blogs / FT members -- and yes, everybody judges, just some of us admit it.

And part of what I'm judging is whether the person is credible. If they joined FT/MP in the past few months and have <100 posts, I'm skeptical. Maybe they know a lot, maybe they don't. Just can't say. And it's also not obvious that they genuinely want to help people, or if they just want to make money. But when Mr.Pickles started a blog, I instantly added him to my reader, because his reputation precedes him. Do you see my point?

As an academic, you know that your reputation is the most important asset in this world. (No, it's not your credit score, sorry Rick.)

Scottrick

But is he still on your RSS reader? Mr. Pickles has great comments on FT and Twitter. His blog, however, has relatively few posts. He and I have discussed this before, and there are reasons for that. It doesn't mean he doesn't know his stuff, just that FT and Twitter might be better creative outlets for him. A blog might be a better creative outlet for me.

There is a difference in my mind between choosing which blogs to start reading and those that you should keep reading after they've begun posting and you have a chance to judge their quality. I think the purpose of this thread is to focus more on the latter.

MileageUpdate

I'll read anyone's mileage or travel blog. I'll even give them a lot of leeway in thinking of whether its worth it to read their space. I can go months sometimes before deciding whether its worth it. Some cool stuff comes out of the smaller blogs sometimes.

fishdance

Oh please, spare me. Let me ask you this and you really don't need to answer because its pretty clear how it was done. Which way did you do your "research"? From list of cards (read cards with ref links) and what their benefits are or from best benefits to worst benefits? Count for us how many ref link cards and non-ref link cards you stuck in that one post.The entire blog is nothing but a ref link farm.

hobo13

Yes, Pickles is in my Reader. What does it matter if he posts once a year? It doesn't fill up my Reader at all.... in fact, most blogs in my reader are relatively inactive. That's the whole point of why I love Reader..... so I don't have to continually ping somebody's blog to see if they made a post. And I don't really care what Pickles has to say, I'm going to listen to the guy. Same with Pudding. Now of course, if they were to just start jamming CC affiliate links at me everyday, eventually I would reconsider.

Take TPG/FTG for example. I've had both of them in my Reader since Day 1. And once upon a time, I really respected what they had to say. But lately I realized that I'm not clicking on their posts! (Reader provides cool stats like that!) Their posts just aren't that interesting to me anymore.... very corporate. Occasionally, I just want to listen to Rick go off on why he should be able to fly to HKG for 4 miles, and still get his senior discount! That's entertaining. But those posts are so few and far between now that it's not worth it. Instead, I'm adding TBB and will rely on him to tell me FTG has something interesting or controversial to say.

So yea, I have a few slots open in my reader it seems. Tell me what makes your blog different and why I should plug you in and maybe I will.

(And in fact, that last line is why I'd like to see a whole forum devoted to blogs. Give every blogger a chance to explain what makes them unique, and then allow other FTers to comment on that.)

And finally.... you think there is a purpose to this thread? Really?

JSteele

Here is how writing for the web works: I am assigned a topic or I pitch one to the outlet. I then research and submit my work. Then the editor adds whichever links are appropriate. At no time am I told to write about this card or that, I just address the issue I am writing about. Obviously, the issue here is credit cards so I have to mention them just to get my point across. But that does not mean I am writing it for the links.

For example, in the piece in question, I highly recommended both the Sapphire Preferred MasterCard and the Discover cards, for which (unbeknownst to me when I wrote it) the outlet has no affiliate link for. Of all the pieces you could criticize, it is ironic you chose this one as I have no idea what links TPG has or does not have.

Think of it like a magazine or a newspaper. The author writes the story, but the publisher then inserts advertising. Same with television content and commercials. Don't blame the author because you don't like viewing the ads.

Yes, web content has advertising within context, i.e. hyperlinks, but I can assure you that my writing is organic in the sense that I as the author did not mention cards just for the links. I can't speak for other blogs or outlets, but I have written thousands of articles online, and no one comes to me and says you have to mention this card so I can link to it.

hobo13

I'm not good at that. By tomorrow, I'll be bored of this thread again and won't venture back for a few months.....

flipkick27

Interesting. I had no idea that you (a contributing author) didn't have any involvement with ref links. Here I thought you were trying to make a buck off my ignorant sign-up on your link instead of using a higher value link elsewhere, when really you just authored the information for the information's sake (and your article fee) and the blog editors are the ones linking everything.
How often do you think authors are really publishing without ppc in mind?

JSteele

I think it depends, but here is how to find out: Does the site post inferior links when better ones are out there? Does the site recommend inferior cards with links over superior ones without? How about sites that mention some cards without any links at all (like the article in question). I mean, just because links are there, doesn't necessarily mean that the content is compromised because of the links.

Also, keep in mind that most of the people I know in this business are doing this part time on the side. I am full time, and Brian and some of his staff are full time, but we are the exceptions. Yes, there is money to be made in this business, but most bloggers are hardly raking it in, especially travel bloggers.

There are a million sites with credit card links, but the point/mile travel sites will quickly find their readership withering if they are simply link farms as many allege.

I think most of the point/mile sites are written by people like me who are genuine hobbyists who write because the love this stuff, but then I can't really know what goes on in their heads.

jethro

[QUOTE=JSteele;20402095]Here is how writing for the web works: I am assigned a topic or I pitch one to the outlet. I then research and submit my work. Then the editor adds whichever links are appropriate. At no time am I told to write about this card or that, I just address the issue I am writing about. Obviously, the issue here is credit cards so I have to mention them just to get my point across. But that does not mean I am writing it for the links.

Wow is all I can say............might think about pulling Brian out from under the bus your driving.

hobo13

So are you full-time or a hobbyist? You contradict yourself in the same post!

QL_714

What is the best blog for info on funding accounts with a CC?

JSteele

Not contradictory. I spend a lot of time playing with miles and points for my own benefit as a hobby. I also write about it, although it is a small percentage of what I write. Most of my writing is about credit cards and general personal finance. TPG is one of several sites I write for.

JSteele

[QUOTE=jethro;20402409]Not sure how I thew anyone under the bus. I am asserting that the outlet I work for has granted me a measure of editorial independence. In the world of media, that is considered to be a compliment.

Astrophsx

You have two accounts? I believe other bloggers have their name changed on here with the "formerly" underneath the name. I guess if someone has a problem with this they should flag your posst if they want a MOD to review it and make a decision.