CodeAdam10

As Astrophsx mentioned in post #49, the "MegaDo" related blogs from most have been ridiculous. Exact same information given by multiple bloggers ... BoardingArea.com looks quite messy this week with all the repetitive blogs. Couldn't the MegaDo'ers (aka the "industry experts") collaborate and work together to provide more efficient coverage of the MegaDo as a whole? Surely they seem to be getting along pretty well since they can't stop talking about meeting one another.

brasov02

Most of the critique I've read in this thread is fair but there is one common critique I personally don't think is justified: the redundancy of info complaint about all of these blogs is a little unfair. I don't think anyone complains about ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN or all 4 of your local station newscasts all having basically the EXACT same 2 or 3 top stories at EXACTLY the same time every day of the week. Or about how the NY Times, LA Times, SF Chronicle, Washington Post...etc., all have basically the same 2 or 3 front page stories nearly every day of the week. (Don't get me started about the weather.) We don't even consider complaining about that repetition, we just pick one or 2 sources and go with it since we understand and accepts they all provide basically the same info. Maybe if you're a news junkie you'll surf around and get into more detail and appreciate the varying perspectives each news source brings to the same story but basically you just go with one and wouldn't even consider knocking all those other sources you don't bother to read or watch.
There are many things these blogs can be critiqued about but redundancy of info I don't think is one.

belfordrocks

I personally don't mind redundancy- it's more blatant advertising that annoys me, and what I think of blogs going "downhill" so to speak.

darkhunter

I don't get all the hostility at all. I think you all are simply jealous. You are not getting the money for the credit card signups so you want to rain on everyone else's parade.

Who cares if they get a commission or not, they are providing the details to by far the easiest ways to get, say 50,000 miles at a time, for NOTHING, hands down. Do you all care to show me another way to get 50,000 miles for nothing out of pocket (besides charging a $1 item or whatever to meet the 1st use)

Its insane the amount of points and miles you can rack up from CC's. Its the best deal around, so DUH THAT'S WHY EVERYONE COVERS IT !!!!!!!! If there was another way to get that many miles for NOTHING I'm sure they would cover it as well weather they get affiliate money or not.

If you guys are so ticked off about it then don't use their links. But personally I don't see what the big deal in giving them a few bucks is. Someone might as well get it. It just sounds like you all jealous cause you are not getting a piece of the action.

And no for the record I do not have my own blog, never have. Only defending them because I really don't see the harm.

The CC offers are insane good. Why should they not be hyped like crazy ?

If you want in on the action just start your own copycat blog and join them.
You'll realize it takes some effort, so if they make a few bucks on the side they probably deserve it even if it is a lot of copycat info.

Oh and if you don't like the blogs you can always stop reading. No one is making you visit every day ...

Why is it on FT everyone is about HIDING EVERYTHING. I dunno why you all are even on the internet when you want everything to be a secret.

You want no one to cover all the lucrative credit card deals, and then don't even get me on fuel dumping, that's a secret society. Lets just shut down the internet while we are at it too. God forbid a deal slips out and someone else finds out about it.

belfordrocks

I have no problem respecting and rewarding a blogger's hard work by using their affiliate links. I do have a problem when the entire blog is filled with blatant advertising, and otherwise content-free. I also have a problem when blogs are misleading, or offer questionable advice.

As for "hiding" certain things like fuel dumps, historical evidence has shown that when something's not "hidden", it quickly disappears for the rest of us. It's got nothing to do with deliberately being vindictive, it is simply a way of not allowing a select few individuals to ruin it for the vast majority.

darkhunter

Do you have particular examples ? Which blogs are all ad's and no content?
I can't really say I have seen any, not that I noticed in my opinion.

And ad's are just a fact of life. Right now there's an ad at the top and side here on flyertalk. And there's ad's on TV, even hulu. Ad's is what keeps these things free. Would you really rather pay a monthly fee to use flyertalk is putting up with the ad's that bad ? Maybe I'm cheap but it does not bother me any, I am happy to have my content be free rather than paid.

Off subject I don't really have a problem with hiding the fuel dump info cause you are right if it was too out there it would vanish. I wish it was more shared but I guess there's no way to really do it. But it just seems like everyone wants to keep everything a secret. It just seems to be the opposite of what the internet should be. I mean share the credit card links. Whats the harm in that?
They are not mistakes, they are legit offers from the companies. It just seems like every post I read anymore about blogs is whining about the affiliate links. If you ask me that's become more annoying than the links and ad's themselves. What are people supposed to do? Not cover the most lucrative deal in travel by FAR (again unless someone can show me otherwise, I would love to know how to get 50,000 miles for nothing please)

belfordrocks

Dan's Deals for one...

There are about seven banner ads stacked on top of each other right at the top of the site, not to mention banner ads on the sides, as well as posts that are blatant advertising. Please tell me that's not over the top...

darkhunter

wow, ok agree with you there. Never been to that blog before. But i'm looking at it right now...
I guess I mainly read the people who post here like frugal travel guy and the boarding area people. As someone mentioned before FTG seems like a pretty honest and great guy I mean he will tell you to use a different credit card link that he does not get paid for if its a better offer than his affiliate link.

In all fairness though dans deals does not seem like a "travel blog" to me. I mean I see deals for a bit of everything. It seems more like fatwallet or slickdeals to me just with an overload of ad's. I would never take that place seriously as a travel blog ...

84fiero

You make some very good points and I tend to agree (except FD which I have no opinion on, having never gotten into it). The only real gripe I have is some blogs that used to have more original content and seem to have lost their mojo or become puff pieces with a bunch of pictures of their dinner plate.

I'm not bothered by the affiliate links - I don't know how much a site makes from a successful application click-through and I'm sure the site owners can't disclose. But I can't imagine it's more than a token amount - surely these bloggers aren't buying a yacht based on a few web ads? And even if they were, so be it. If I'm not willing to take some time and research (which takes hardly any time at all) the best offer for Credit Card X, that's ultimately on me.

And we all know that these blogs are getting a kickback on successful apps so I don't see the need for the endless disclaimers that some feel compelled (from all the whining) to put on every single post. If someone isn't bright enough in today's day and age to know how internet ads work, that's their problem.

Now I do think it's best if a blogger doesn't pimp their own link when they know a better offer for the same card is available elsewhere. If they aren't aware of a better offer link, then they probably aren't doing their homework and i won't keep reading their blog.

dilvala

but how popular do you think Dan's Deal is? Ads are part of internet as for as no content, than i suppose that blog would not get many hits now would they?

look at it this way... i surf the internet and rarely click on the ad link. why? because when i need something i know exactly where to go to get it.

You do realize that even FT has content problems. @ FT you have to dig for info either that or read about 100 pages of thread before you come to a answer.

Astrophsx

I don't mind that a blogger makes money from a credit card sign up. If all the bloggers went away I wouldn't be raining on everyone else's parade as most of these links are posted on Flyertalk with the best deals. Ben at One Mile at a Time is correct, his blog is probably not written for people on FT. I'm sure most people that read his blog also read many others and have no problem using his referral links to say thanks in some way for the help he has given them.

We aren't just talking about a few bucks. That's what I was thinking at first, but I've come to find that they can make hundreds of dollars per referral. Some of the most popular bloggers I've heard make 5 figures and up just on CC referrals.

We aren't really talking about the regular CC referrals, it's more about the product placement. It's kind of like going to the movies and seeing a film about WW2 and the main character gives a big passionate speech and the whole time he is holding on to a Pepsi bottle making sure the label is facing the camera. You ask yourself... was that really necessary? That's how we feel about some of these posts bloggers are putting up.

Why I am saying that these blogs are going downhill stems from bloggers posting about a story and then trying to plug their CC referral link in there as if in same way it is related to the story. Delta announced today that miles in your account will never expire... oh and if you want a good way to earn Delta miles sign up for the Delta Amex...

Another thing I that I've pointed out is how many of these bloggers act like Paula Deen, in that they are setting an example of behavior that can really be bad for some people and not give warnings. They need to take responsibility if they are going to be making money off of people via credit cards. Frugal Travel Guy is one of very few bloggers who talks about credit scores and who has pointed out what type of position you should be in before applying. I think this should be standard on every post with a CC referral. I'd rather see that then a blogger being up front about making money off the link. I've also not seen one blogger talk about security when applying for credit cards. Making sure you do it from a secure location/computer and protecting your information from identity theft/fraud.

I feel that most people here have provided useful feedback, but you are correct if you don't like it don't read the blogs. If a bloggers starts to see their numbers go down they will have to think about changing their ways. I post about how I feel because I have enjoyed reading these blogs and wish to see them improve.

Astrophsx

Correct me if I'm wrong here but Dan's Deals is fairly popular.

We are simply pointing out that blogs are starting to be like FT, a low signal to noise ratio where you now have to dig to find good content. I'm guessing down the road there will be new blogs that aren't like this and will become popular due to providing great content and being well written. It's hard to post daily. Most bloggers don't have the content do to this but still do it.

iolairemcfadden

There are FTC laws now that require disclaimers for testimonial type posts where the bloggers receives money for the product promotion. You can either have a blanket disclaimer, or do it post by post.

(FYI I suggested to a few of these bloggers that they add a disclaimer and get legal.)

srdshelly

The kind of blogging that is most useful is when a person develops the expertise to explain complicated information concisely. For example, thepointsguy's multipart series on how to use BA miles was wonderful for those of us who had not been in that program prior to the big CC offer. That was not just posting stuff everyone has, or offering opinions - it was practical, detailed step-by-step advice. A blogger who can come up with that kind of material is worth my time and support. The same information may be available on FT too, and there will be many more examples and datapoints, but FT can't provide the same type of systematic organization.

BossB

Well said. I find these three to be a cut above the rest.