AlxStevens

Because it doesn't matter what kind of blogger you are.

You can be a travel blogger and make affiliate money and take freebies - it doesn't inherently make you a CC blogger or professional freebie-taker or just flat out not a travel blogger. It has to do with how you write when you take those things. You may think that TPG has crossed that line, I do not.

By all means, read the blogs that do it solely for the love of blogging, the love of travel or the thrill of the hack. I do, and many of those blogs kick .... However, that doesn't make blogs that make money wrong, which is what I keep feeling like these criticisms are saying.

Kagehitokiri

i dont read blogs, and i agree with questioning some who do
but some treat it like (trainwreck) reality TV

ben regularly makes references to reality TV, pop culture, 'drama' etc

some dont like mainstreaming, but no one argues its not mainstream

thats a separate argument

ingy

I gave up complete editorial control and am now just an occasional writer and consultant.

And the check cleared on the day of the sale.

Astrophsx

I think it is kind of a cop-out to call people envious. Oh, my friends are just jealous and envious because I travel so much and in first class... No, that's not why your friends have a negative opinion of you

I agree that there is going to be a minority that will be vocal and yell sellout and you are ruining it for the rest of us so you can make money! The reason this thread got bumped was due to a feature TPG on Vice.com that was far from accurate. I'm not going to bring up that the travel is not really free argument again... but I know for me I am not kicking myself saying I wished I would have created a travel blog 5 years ago.

Five years ago you were posting a well thought out post once each day. The market has transformed into clickbait titles, stolen content, incorrect information, poor writing skills, asking readers for advice, etc... I remember also how you would go in depth about how to protect your credit and how it is one of your biggest assets.

ingy

Thanks for the compliments on my ancient past. I still answer reader emails with concerns about their credit. The market has indeed changed and I'm so glad I got out when I did. But I personally stick to my assumption the majority of whining is envy. A normal individual that doesn't like a tv program just changes the channel. It's the same group of whiners here day after day. IMHO that's envy

sbm12

Nah...they provided conversions the advertisers appreciated. There's a HUGE difference there.

I don't begrudge anyone getting paid for the work they do. I do challenge the "free" assertion we see all too often as well as the less-than-forthright manner in which some of the writing or disclosure comes about.

exoticfusion

Pretty much this. When someone gives criticism, it seems the automatic default response is, "You're just jealous, envious or a hater." It is a copout because it's an easy way to not engage and analyze said criticism.

As a noob in all of this, I've seen many TPG articles (and other mainstream "bloggers") that didn't give the full story on a sign-up bonus. Stating things like "last chance" when really it's the last chance for their referral link and not the actual card itself. Or things like not telling your readers that they can get a statement credit on a particular card. Not telling your readers that if you go in branch or call a CSR the AF on a particular card could be reduced. Not reminding their readers that Amex has a once in a lifetime policy when it comes to acquiring their personal credit card bonuses, etc. You start noticing things like that, so in my opinion the criticism is warranted and valid.

Let's not forget the lack of creativity or unoriginality of their "blogs" and the constant copy and paste of the same old stock or stolen photos. There isn't much original content because the basis of their content is to push affiliate links. It's a "successful" template and very formulaic.

Here's an example of "successful bloggers" formulaic template:

Input:
[Insert travel destination] + [Insert which credit card was used and post affiliate link] + [Insert detail of destinations hotel and post that affiliate link] + [shamelessly plug credit card details over and over] + [Insert the same photo you used about a couple of months ago] + [Neglect to mention a very important detail to said referrals link].

Output:
[Bali is an amazing destination] + [with a beautiful beach culture] + [I was able to relax in the sand with some Mai Tai's, thanks to my Sapphire Preferred credit card, which earns 2 points on dining and 3 points for every first Friday] + [I stayed at the St. Regis where I used my Starwood Preferred Guest credit card] + [which I highly value at 2.2 cents]. + [We later flew in Cathay Pacific's first class for only 60,000 miles!] + [Then I got a nice massage and sipped more Mai Tai's]. + [I rented a car and used my Sapphire Preferred credit card] + [because it comes with primary car insurance]. [Today, I'll go hang out in the sun some more.] + [It's too bad I can't use my Sapphire Preferred credit card] + [on the sun!]. + [Imagine if we could some how game nature and earn points with the sun!] + [I've heard that NASA is colonizing MARS.] + [I'll use my Citi Premier credit card for the fuel it takes to fly to MARS]. + [After all, the Citi Premier credit card has 3x points on gas]. + [Now that American Airlines Shuttle to Mars new route will start January 1st, 2089] + [I'll have an enormous amount of mileage to rack up, from Earth to Mars!]. + [That's 54.6 Kilometers or 140 miles!] + [that I can use in order to gain American Airlines Shuttle Lifetime Status!]. + [I value those miles at 3.5 cents a piece]. + [We took a tour of the American Airlines first Shuttle service into outer space] + [and let me tell you, it was phenomenal!] + [Here is a picture of my flight from Etihad, it looks just like the one in American Airlines Shuttle]. + [Anyways, they have a robot maid like what you see on the Jetson's who brings you copious amounts of Venus Champagne]. + [I talked to a representative for American Airlines Shuttle and they relayed to me, that the Venus Champagne was actually mined on the planet of Venus, from underground grape vineyards discovered beneath the surface of Venus!] + [I hope that American Airlines Shuttle comes out with a Venus Mastercard, I would value that at 4.5 cents a piece.] = Ca-ching! Rinse and repeat.

Astrophsx

Rick I will respect the fact that you are still active on FT and that you don't mind butting heads on here from time to time ^ I agree with you that we are a bunch of complainers, but I enjoy the conversation on the topic from time to time. I do my best to not say anything that I wouldn't be willing to say in front of a person's face. Feel free to set me in my place if you feel different.

gpapadop

Three words:

Last chance!

&

Yawn

ingy

I don't disagree. We have respectfully disagreed many times in the past and yet been civil in our discussions. I object to the tone of many of the other whiners, with name calling and accusations as their leading volley.

This is a HOBBY about miles and points and the venom spewed between members of this hobby is way out of bounds and over the top

84fiero

You're a quick study, newbie!

It's like most things- TV shows, music, food, clothing, etc. - there is a lot of the same old repackaged drivel with a handful of real standouts either due to quality, originality, or utility. Mind you, the drivel can be just as successful and popular - McDonald's has served billions and billions for example. Dozens of vapid sitcoms are out there for the occasional Breaking Bad.

In the early days of it, I actually read TPG daily and he was pretty good, I thought. Then it started to get too commercialized, bad/incomplete advice crept in more often, and it seemed to be more about flashing neon lights over quality.

But that's alright because in the meantime some great newer blogs have come around like Frequent Miler as just one example. And I bet TPG isn't going to be losing any sleep over occasional criticism as long as his business model keeps working for him. That's life in capitalism.

I'm guessing this TPG article won't get near the exposure of the RS article on Lucky. But sensationalist articles like these, particularly espousing the "for free" line, are a trend that I hope doesn't increase in the mainstream media.

LPDAL

Oh yes, there are still some great small and midsized blogs / vlogs. One of my favorites is Modhop by Jake Redman, who hits on all the points I want to see in a review. He even has a great sense of humor (such as a short clip of a rat running across the ramp in one of his video reviews, that got me. ). Another one of my favorites is Live and Let Fly by MatthewLAX, who also frequently comments on my trip reports as well.

That also leads into my next point -- a good blogger will add their personality to their post, but not too much and not too little. Several pages back someone linked a "Layover" guide which sounded like a barely masked press release from the local municipality filled with stock images from the Dubai Government. Why not just post a "Visit Dubai" advertisement? There's little to no personalisation and I would bet money that a lot of these "authors" are one person hired posting under pseudonyms.

-LPDAL

baccarat_king

IMHO, it's all about the mix. I mean you can have some commercial connections; but when it's constant it does get annoying. In my mind, it's just so much of the same over and over. I mean, who much Krug do people really drink? That is one of my pet peeves. I spend my life dining out and planning my dining expeditions. I also never drink vintage (luxury) Champagne because it's not necessary and there is so much goodness out there at lower price points. I get a "little" hot and bothered when there is such a focus on Champagne, and I can't remember who but some blogger recently referred to a bottle of NV Champagne (it might have been Billecart-Salmon NV) as "drinkable." As if, since it was not Krug or Dom Pérignon it just had to be ok. I just think it's not only snobbish, but also inaccurate to portray only luxury vintage Champagnes as "the best." (side note : I happen to be a huge fan of Billecart-Salmon.)

As I said, so much is about the mix. I mean, we are finishing a two part review of a Borgata (Atlantic City) room and experience today that is probably way too detailed. But, sometimes you just have to do what you love. Heck, I've been working on a piece about the (long gone) Playboy Casino Atlantic City for the past few weeks. Alas, one always needs the mix since we have to be realistic about attracting some level of readership. It's sort of funny, I barely ever mention credit cards or write bout them because I find the subject rather boring. (If it was a "cash cow" for me, I am certain I would jump on the it... but, I don't have to worry about that problem....) Though, I drop my favourite hashtag on a post (mostly private, FB) as an "inside joke" (well, perhaps not so "inside" anymore) --- #blackcarding. I'm guessing there are not many in the blogosphere that are Centurion. But, it's just so boring to talk about. I mean, can you imagine if there was a Centurion referral bonus?

gpapadop

Just want to make a few points, for the record:

For the commercial blogs, this is NOT about a HOBBY, it is about the BUSINESS of selling credit cards! "Conversions is all that matters".

I wish more blogs added "personality" to their blog posts, especially for trip reports/reviews. I don't want to see that flat bed or towel or Krug glass again without a single person in it. So cold....makes me yawn.

Go USA, beat Mexico tonight, woohoo!

FallenPlat

I just don't get the excitement about this blog one way or the other.

To paraphrase the title of Ralph Nader's first book, for me it's completely unreadable on any topic.

So I've taken my own advice. I don't read it.

I do check in every once in while "just in case." The last decent thing I found was the summer intern's week-long series about the East Coast Admirals Clubs. The "food" reviews, especially, were priceless.