Are travel blogs losing their creativity and going downhill?
Jan 27, 2012, 6:55 pm
#31
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: PDX
Programs: OnePass, MilesPlus, AAdvantage, SkyMiles (unfortunately), PC Plat, HH Silver, Marriott Aluminium
Posts: 739
What?! Surely you're not referring to his constant shouting (!!!!) that goes with each of his posts! Annoying?! Don't you know all those exclamation marks are necessary?! How would us rubes know if it was a good deal or not if he didn't put at least one or two exclamation marks after it? I realize it's sort of like being hit over the head with a 2X4 but sometimes that's what it takes to get through to some of us! He only needs a few pop-up, flashing neon exclamation marks to really get through to us!! (I'm kidding Dan, you don't need any of those!!) 
Jan 27, 2012, 7:08 pm
#32
Join Date: May 2008
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: SQ
Posts: 2,704
Are travel blogs losing their creativity and going downhill?
YES
I am going to make a new blog that does something no one has ever done before.
I'll call it FT Top 10 and will steal 10 things FTers posted each day and claim them as my own. I'll use lots of credit card ADs so I can make money to spend in hotel bars on my quest to reach Hyatt and Hilton Diamond in the same year. I'll write great reports about how it was worth it to pay 295$ to spring for Hyatt this time, because I got two apples and lounge access! What a business model!
Oh, and the Chase Sapphire card is so good. I mean, there is nothing better than it. Just imagine - you can turn the 50k bonus into 10 nights at the Bali Hyatt.
YES
I am going to make a new blog that does something no one has ever done before.
I'll call it FT Top 10 and will steal 10 things FTers posted each day and claim them as my own. I'll use lots of credit card ADs so I can make money to spend in hotel bars on my quest to reach Hyatt and Hilton Diamond in the same year. I'll write great reports about how it was worth it to pay 295$ to spring for Hyatt this time, because I got two apples and lounge access! What a business model!
Oh, and the Chase Sapphire card is so good. I mean, there is nothing better than it. Just imagine - you can turn the 50k bonus into 10 nights at the Bali Hyatt.
Jan 27, 2012, 7:21 pm
#33
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: CLE
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 5,538
Are travel blogs losing their creativity and going downhill?
YES
I am going to make a new blog that does something no one has ever done before.
I'll call it FT Top 10 and will steal 10 things FTers posted each day and claim them as my own. I'll use lots of credit card ADs so I can make money to spend in hotel bars on my quest to reach Hyatt and Hilton Diamond in the same year. I'll write great reports about how it was worth it to pay 295$ to spring for Hyatt this time, because I got two apples and lounge access! What a business model!
Oh, and the Chase Sapphire card is so good. I mean, there is nothing better than it. Just imagine - you can turn the 50k bonus into 10 nights at the Bali Hyatt.
YES
I am going to make a new blog that does something no one has ever done before.
I'll call it FT Top 10 and will steal 10 things FTers posted each day and claim them as my own. I'll use lots of credit card ADs so I can make money to spend in hotel bars on my quest to reach Hyatt and Hilton Diamond in the same year. I'll write great reports about how it was worth it to pay 295$ to spring for Hyatt this time, because I got two apples and lounge access! What a business model!
Oh, and the Chase Sapphire card is so good. I mean, there is nothing better than it. Just imagine - you can turn the 50k bonus into 10 nights at the Bali Hyatt.
Jan 27, 2012, 7:59 pm
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
From "noobtraveler.com":
I can’t turn on the TV, open up my laptop, or listen to the radio without hearing about TIM TEBOW. He is everywhere. This is exactly how I feel about affiliate links. They’re all up in my face. And now that I have some of my own, I have been working on my disclaimer and this is what I came up with:
“I receive a commission for some of the credit card deals on this site. I do my best to stay up to date on ALL the best offers. Let me know if there is one that I have missed. Also, 10% of all revenue I receive goes to charities, 5% to local and 5% to global charities. It’s my desire to give back so I thank you for making that possible”.
I have decided to place this disclaimer as its own page next to my reward credit cards pages at the top of the website. Personally, I don’t want to overload my posts with the disclaimer EVERY time I write something. I also like to use a javascript affiliate link when possible so it is obvious that it’s an ad and I will receive a commission on the card.
My favorite line... "and now that I have some of my own"
Blogger is a fellow member on FT with 6 months and under 200 posts.
Thoughts?
I can’t turn on the TV, open up my laptop, or listen to the radio without hearing about TIM TEBOW. He is everywhere. This is exactly how I feel about affiliate links. They’re all up in my face. And now that I have some of my own, I have been working on my disclaimer and this is what I came up with:
“I receive a commission for some of the credit card deals on this site. I do my best to stay up to date on ALL the best offers. Let me know if there is one that I have missed. Also, 10% of all revenue I receive goes to charities, 5% to local and 5% to global charities. It’s my desire to give back so I thank you for making that possible”.
I have decided to place this disclaimer as its own page next to my reward credit cards pages at the top of the website. Personally, I don’t want to overload my posts with the disclaimer EVERY time I write something. I also like to use a javascript affiliate link when possible so it is obvious that it’s an ad and I will receive a commission on the card.
My favorite line... "and now that I have some of my own"
Blogger is a fellow member on FT with 6 months and under 200 posts.
Thoughts?
Jan 27, 2012, 8:03 pm
#36
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Brooklyn, NY, United States
Programs: AA, BA, UA, Spirit, Delta, PC Plat, SPG Gold, HHonors Diamond, Club Carlson Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,735
From "noobtraveler.com":
I can’t turn on the TV, open up my laptop, or listen to the radio without hearing about TIM TEBOW. He is everywhere. This is exactly how I feel about affiliate links. They’re all up in my face. And now that I have some of my own, I have been working on my disclaimer and this is what I came up with:
“I receive a commission for some of the credit card deals on this site. I do my best to stay up to date on ALL the best offers. Let me know if there is one that I have missed. Also, 10% of all revenue I receive goes to charities, 5% to local and 5% to global charities. It’s my desire to give back so I thank you for making that possible”.
I have decided to place this disclaimer as its own page next to my reward credit cards pages at the top of the website. Personally, I don’t want to overload my posts with the disclaimer EVERY time I write something. I also like to use a javascript affiliate link when possible so it is obvious that it’s an ad and I will receive a commission on the card.
My favorite line... "and now that I have some of my own"
Blogger is a fellow member on FT with 6 months and under 200 posts.
Thoughts?
I can’t turn on the TV, open up my laptop, or listen to the radio without hearing about TIM TEBOW. He is everywhere. This is exactly how I feel about affiliate links. They’re all up in my face. And now that I have some of my own, I have been working on my disclaimer and this is what I came up with:
“I receive a commission for some of the credit card deals on this site. I do my best to stay up to date on ALL the best offers. Let me know if there is one that I have missed. Also, 10% of all revenue I receive goes to charities, 5% to local and 5% to global charities. It’s my desire to give back so I thank you for making that possible”.
I have decided to place this disclaimer as its own page next to my reward credit cards pages at the top of the website. Personally, I don’t want to overload my posts with the disclaimer EVERY time I write something. I also like to use a javascript affiliate link when possible so it is obvious that it’s an ad and I will receive a commission on the card.
My favorite line... "and now that I have some of my own"
Blogger is a fellow member on FT with 6 months and under 200 posts.
Thoughts?
Jan 27, 2012, 8:11 pm
#37
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: HHonors, SPG, ClubCarlson, AAdvantage, BA Avios, US Dividend Miles, UA MileagePlus, Delta SkyPesos
Posts: 137
I know I've had instances where a blogger will push a certain card- say with a $3000 spend for 50K miles and even link it in their story- when there's another link circulating here that only requires a $1000 spend for the same card, same bonus. When you try to reference the better link in a comment, the story doesn't get updated and sometimes the comment even gets deleted.
That's why I trust threads here more than blogs. Besides, the blogs are just summaries of what's in threads here. I read the headlines on the blogs each day to see what's new, but then research it on FT.
That's why I trust threads here more than blogs. Besides, the blogs are just summaries of what's in threads here. I read the headlines on the blogs each day to see what's new, but then research it on FT.
Jan 27, 2012, 8:28 pm
#38
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
The one thing that's driving the quality of blogs right down at the moment, is credit card referrals. When companies stop offering credit card referrals, bad blog writers shall see no more incentive to continue spewing content-free posts in the hope of some quick cash, shut up shop, and those bloggers with something to actually contribute can come to the fore.
And I've never read Dan's Deals before, but coming to this thread I thought I'd give it a visit. It is truly nonsensical drivel, full of blatant advertising, thinly veiled advertising, and the odd post rehashing information found on FT. Sorry, won't be visiting again.
And I've never read Dan's Deals before, but coming to this thread I thought I'd give it a visit. It is truly nonsensical drivel, full of blatant advertising, thinly veiled advertising, and the odd post rehashing information found on FT. Sorry, won't be visiting again.
Jan 27, 2012, 9:03 pm
#39
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Are travel blogs losing their creativity and going downhill?
YES
I am going to make a new blog that does something no one has ever done before.
I'll call it FT Top 10 and will steal 10 things FTers posted each day and claim them as my own. I'll use lots of credit card ADs so I can make money to spend in hotel bars on my quest to reach Hyatt and Hilton Diamond in the same year. I'll write great reports about how it was worth it to pay 295$ to spring for Hyatt this time, because I got two apples and lounge access! What a business model!
Oh, and the Chase Sapphire card is so good. I mean, there is nothing better than it. Just imagine - you can turn the 50k bonus into 10 nights at the Bali Hyatt.
YES
I am going to make a new blog that does something no one has ever done before.
I'll call it FT Top 10 and will steal 10 things FTers posted each day and claim them as my own. I'll use lots of credit card ADs so I can make money to spend in hotel bars on my quest to reach Hyatt and Hilton Diamond in the same year. I'll write great reports about how it was worth it to pay 295$ to spring for Hyatt this time, because I got two apples and lounge access! What a business model!
Oh, and the Chase Sapphire card is so good. I mean, there is nothing better than it. Just imagine - you can turn the 50k bonus into 10 nights at the Bali Hyatt.
Jan 27, 2012, 9:10 pm
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
I guess we are just lucky that when someone posts something about the Chase Sapphire on flyertalk, the words "Chase Sapphire" don't automatically get turned into a referral link that make FT money
Jan 27, 2012, 10:32 pm
#41
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1k, SPG Plat
Posts: 62
Jan 27, 2012, 10:40 pm
#42
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Disney World
Programs: Fairmont Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 321
Last edited by aviators99; Jan 28, 2012 at 9:20 am Reason: Ironic referral links removed :-)
Jan 27, 2012, 10:50 pm
#43
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 754
New Blog Idea
I have a growing list of FF blog satire headlines in a note on my phone. Based on the growing resentment apparent in this thread it may be the time to start fleshing them out. I bet if I could make a post thats 100% referral links....
Jan 27, 2012, 11:27 pm
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
Why should anyone resent blogs? If you don't want to read them, you don't have to. About the only time I go to a blog is when someone here points to one for a link or info on a specific deal. The fact that they exist and the level of their quality is simply of no concern if you're not an avid reader of blogs, and reading and then resenting seems a bit of an odd activity to me. The internet is probably 90% junk, anyway. Blogs fit in quite well.
Jan 28, 2012, 12:39 am
#45
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: PDX
Programs: OnePass, MilesPlus, AAdvantage, SkyMiles (unfortunately), PC Plat, HH Silver, Marriott Aluminium
Posts: 739
And then you can have a rant posting where you whine about the last time that Hyatt only gave you one apple - and it was bruised!! But not to worry, you Tweeted about it and that very night, the manager came up and gave you a bottle of Evian to make up for it. All is now right with the world.