Why do bloggers continually review the same product?
Jan 14, 2015, 9:40 am
#16
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http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....hyatt-vendome/
Yeeeeah. That's a yet-again-review twofer! Including a review of a product that will be going away soon.
Last edited by kokonutz; Jan 14, 2015 at 9:46 am
Jan 14, 2015, 9:44 am
#17
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As for why they review the same thing over and over again, most likely because they like actually consuming the product so they keep doing so. And if those are the flights you're on and you feel compelled to write a trip report for every trip then those are the flights you'll review.
So, I guess the complaint being made here is "Why do these awful credit card pushing bloggers still write trip reports even when it's recycling material extensively? Why can't they just go away, because they're so awful? Incidentally, I hate bloggers who push credit cards, have I mentioned that recently?"
Well, if they did we wouldn't have this lovely forum, wouldn't we? Can't have metacommentary without the commentary to be meta about.
FWIW, I've seen prolific trip report writers report on the same product multiple times in the TR forum. But they're not pushing CC's so it's all good. They should totally be allowed to write whatever they want to on whatever subject amuses them. But once you're a blogger... well...
Jan 14, 2015, 11:11 am
#18
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To be fair, doesn't OMAAT try out lots of different A380's?
The problem is that it seems that most bloggers travel alone, so grabbing 1 seat is hard, but 2 or even 4 is impossible. Then you factor in kids, work, etc and travel time gets reduced...It will be interesting to see if Mommypoints cuts her travel back some. Kids can only miss so much school...Or will she travel solo so she can push the credit cards...Time will tell
The problem is that it seems that most bloggers travel alone, so grabbing 1 seat is hard, but 2 or even 4 is impossible. Then you factor in kids, work, etc and travel time gets reduced...It will be interesting to see if Mommypoints cuts her travel back some. Kids can only miss so much school...Or will she travel solo so she can push the credit cards...Time will tell
Jan 14, 2015, 11:21 am
#19
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To be fair, doesn't OMAAT try out lots of different A380's?
The problem is that it seems that most bloggers travel alone, so grabbing 1 seat is hard, but 2 or even 4 is impossible. Then you factor in kids, work, etc and travel time gets reduced...It will be interesting to see if Mommypoints cuts her travel back some. Kids can only miss so much school...Or will she travel solo so she can push the credit cards...Time will tell
The problem is that it seems that most bloggers travel alone, so grabbing 1 seat is hard, but 2 or even 4 is impossible. Then you factor in kids, work, etc and travel time gets reduced...It will be interesting to see if Mommypoints cuts her travel back some. Kids can only miss so much school...Or will she travel solo so she can push the credit cards...Time will tell
But they both run award booking companies, so are constantly tracking award availability and are therefore able to snag multiple seats.
But even amateurs like me can find 2 award seats with some patience, tenacity and flexibility.
Jan 14, 2015, 5:42 pm
#21
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They don't talk about it much, but I think both OMAAT and VFTW travel with others. VFTW typically his wife. Most of the pronouns used on their trip reports are 'we's rather than 'I's.
But they both run award booking companies, so are constantly tracking award availability and are therefore able to snag multiple seats.
But even amateurs like me can find 2 award seats with some patience, tenacity and flexibility.
But they both run award booking companies, so are constantly tracking award availability and are therefore able to snag multiple seats.
But even amateurs like me can find 2 award seats with some patience, tenacity and flexibility.
Jan 14, 2015, 5:43 pm
#22
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Jan 14, 2015, 9:23 pm
#23
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This is obvious to me
Why does Gary have 800 reviews of CX F? Because that's what he wants to fly.
Why does Ben fly A380s over and over when most of his readers don't? Because he wants to fly them.
Neither of them care about the readers actually using their advice, they just want to enjoy their holidays. It doesn't seem to matter at all level of content as they control the market which is filled with newbies.
I just clicked on Gary's click-bait UK tax waiver headline and want to call him up and ask for my .02 in ad revenue back. That was cruel.
Why does Ben fly A380s over and over when most of his readers don't? Because he wants to fly them.
Neither of them care about the readers actually using their advice, they just want to enjoy their holidays. It doesn't seem to matter at all level of content as they control the market which is filled with newbies.
I just clicked on Gary's click-bait UK tax waiver headline and want to call him up and ask for my .02 in ad revenue back. That was cruel.
Jan 15, 2015, 7:28 am
#24
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I have been reading both VFTW and OMAAT from day one. I no longer read their trip reports, I find them so repetitive I would rather cut myself mercilessly. They keep doing them because it fits well into their branding "Look at me, I am an expert, you can do it too!, click my credit cards).
I even did this a few times because someone challenged my expert title
I even did this a few times because someone challenged my expert title
Jan 15, 2015, 7:55 am
#25
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A review of Cathay First Class will get many more clicks than a review of American Eagle regional jets. None of us like spending our time writing something that no one reads.
I've continued to write reviews of the second city domestic properties I stay in but my most-read review is of the Grand Hyatt Singapore, a hotel that many other bloggers have already written about. (And I think I got some of the clicks because I dared to say that I didn't think the Grand Club lounge was "all that", a contrarian view to many of the other reviews.)
I've continued to write reviews of the second city domestic properties I stay in but my most-read review is of the Grand Hyatt Singapore, a hotel that many other bloggers have already written about. (And I think I got some of the clicks because I dared to say that I didn't think the Grand Club lounge was "all that", a contrarian view to many of the other reviews.)
Jan 15, 2015, 9:06 am
#26
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A review of Cathay First Class will get many more clicks than a review of American Eagle regional jets. None of us like spending our time writing something that no one reads.
I've continued to write reviews of the second city domestic properties I stay in but my most-read review is of the Grand Hyatt Singapore, a hotel that many other bloggers have already written about. (And I think I got some of the clicks because I dared to say that I didn't think the Grand Club lounge was "all that", a contrarian view to many of the other reviews.)
I've continued to write reviews of the second city domestic properties I stay in but my most-read review is of the Grand Hyatt Singapore, a hotel that many other bloggers have already written about. (And I think I got some of the clicks because I dared to say that I didn't think the Grand Club lounge was "all that", a contrarian view to many of the other reviews.)
Not sure why.
But of course there is no way to moentize those reviews with chain-affiliated credit card pumps, so probably not a market bloggers want to touch.
Jan 15, 2015, 11:51 am
#27
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It's a different target audience though. People go to tripadvisor to specifically get advice about (usually) hotels in a certain area. I can only speak for myself, but people don't come to my blog for advice about hotels in a specific area, they come for the conversational writing style and the photography (based on feedback I've received).
I think reporting on a "typical" hotel in a certain area is only beneficial if you've stayed at similar hotels in that same area (Gary's reviews of the LAX hotels, for example). I haven't, so I don't typically write about the non-aspirational ones.
I have a bunch of pictures sitting around from the Hyatt Place Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, I'll put together a review and see how the traffic does.
I think reporting on a "typical" hotel in a certain area is only beneficial if you've stayed at similar hotels in that same area (Gary's reviews of the LAX hotels, for example). I haven't, so I don't typically write about the non-aspirational ones.
I have a bunch of pictures sitting around from the Hyatt Place Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, I'll put together a review and see how the traffic does.
Jan 15, 2015, 1:26 pm
#28
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It seems like there are acceptable and unacceptable products in this industry, and FT is definitely guilty of it too.
Acceptable: AA, Hyatt, Starwood, Star's non-US partners (LH only in F, SQ, TG), CX
Gray Area: Hilton, BA, Marriott
Unacceptable: DL, IHG
Not only do you have to only review the good ones, you have to continuously insult the bad ones. If you aren't making fun of Delta, you aren't blogging right.
Acceptable: AA, Hyatt, Starwood, Star's non-US partners (LH only in F, SQ, TG), CX
Gray Area: Hilton, BA, Marriott
Unacceptable: DL, IHG
Not only do you have to only review the good ones, you have to continuously insult the bad ones. If you aren't making fun of Delta, you aren't blogging right.
Jan 15, 2015, 1:53 pm
#29
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Some of this like asking why TV networks broadcast reruns. Everyone hates it but it happens anyway. For the true hobbyist, though, nuances are key and what seems like repetitiveness to me may actually be key to helping someone spend their hard-earned miles/points in the best way (for them) possible. One guy out there, and we all know who, has even reviewed every single A380 first-class product out there! Ugh.
My favorite trip report blog posts tend to be those with new spin or new information. Recently, I liked Ben's very funny "La Compagnie" saga and Mommy Points' equally amusing mileage run report last October where she said, "I’ve never been a fan of the mileage run for many reasons, and I much prefer a ‘vacation run’ where you hang around in a city at least for a night or two to actually enjoy the travel rather than do the completely asinine thing of never leaving the airport." I'm not a Mommy Points fan at all but, really, I laugh every time I read that. Pure greatness.
If you make me laugh, I'm going to keep reading.
Edit: Oh, and CMK10, I confess to liking Spirit . . . .
My favorite trip report blog posts tend to be those with new spin or new information. Recently, I liked Ben's very funny "La Compagnie" saga and Mommy Points' equally amusing mileage run report last October where she said, "I’ve never been a fan of the mileage run for many reasons, and I much prefer a ‘vacation run’ where you hang around in a city at least for a night or two to actually enjoy the travel rather than do the completely asinine thing of never leaving the airport." I'm not a Mommy Points fan at all but, really, I laugh every time I read that. Pure greatness.
If you make me laugh, I'm going to keep reading.
Edit: Oh, and CMK10, I confess to liking Spirit . . . .
Jan 15, 2015, 1:54 pm
#30
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It seems like there are acceptable and unacceptable products in this industry, and FT is definitely guilty of it too.
Acceptable: AA, Hyatt, Starwood, Star's non-US partners (LH only in F, SQ, TG), CX
Gray Area: Hilton, BA, Marriott
Unacceptable: DL, IHG
Not only do you have to only review the good ones, you have to continuously insult the bad ones. If you aren't making fun of Delta, you aren't blogging right.
Acceptable: AA, Hyatt, Starwood, Star's non-US partners (LH only in F, SQ, TG), CX
Gray Area: Hilton, BA, Marriott
Unacceptable: DL, IHG
Not only do you have to only review the good ones, you have to continuously insult the bad ones. If you aren't making fun of Delta, you aren't blogging right.
If it's not LH or CX F then it's CRAP! @:-)