The points and miles blog business model
Dec 3, 2025 | 7:35 am
#511
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Jan 24, 2026 | 5:56 am
#512
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I noticed how people got banned for noticing his pageviews had crashed.
Then, the Delta bot and the engagement consultant 1990 got free rein. I applaud them for hiring people to manage PR, but its not actually how it works in these AI-driven times.
Interestingly, and this will please Ben (but not Ford), good content will once again rise to the top. That's the inevitable consequence of AI agents. They will, however, also filter out rage bait. In that light, I am not sure he's making the right call trying to pivot to Gary-esque drivel.
Then, the Delta bot and the engagement consultant 1990 got free rein. I applaud them for hiring people to manage PR, but its not actually how it works in these AI-driven times.
Interestingly, and this will please Ben (but not Ford), good content will once again rise to the top. That's the inevitable consequence of AI agents. They will, however, also filter out rage bait. In that light, I am not sure he's making the right call trying to pivot to Gary-esque drivel.
In the meantime creator collabs is where the $$$ is. It's where brands are spending marketing and advertising budgets ATM. I fully expect to see the Titans adopt this strategy soon enough if they haven't already.
Jan 26, 2026 | 2:01 am
#513
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What can the brands do? They start to pump money into sites with a large established audience.
To take advantage, though, you need to a) sell your own ad space, b) sell sponsored content, c) allow sponsored social media content. We do all this and it is working well. None of the Boarding Area bloggers are.
Jan 26, 2026 | 7:36 am
#514
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This cuts both ways though, so its not all downside. All sites are seeing sharp drops in SEO traffic BUT so are the brands.
What can the brands do? They start to pump money into sites with a large established audience.
To take advantage, though, you need to a) sell your own ad space, b) sell sponsored content, c) allow sponsored social media content. We do all this and it is working well. None of the Boarding Area bloggers are.
What can the brands do? They start to pump money into sites with a large established audience.
To take advantage, though, you need to a) sell your own ad space, b) sell sponsored content, c) allow sponsored social media content. We do all this and it is working well. None of the Boarding Area bloggers are.
My wife is doing this and she has more paid collab offers than she can handle. Plus Facebook is now paying high volume CCs for reel plays over 10 seconds as they are adding ads to the reels because brands value knowing people watched and saw the ad. She's making thousands a month this way.
It's all evolving at lightning speed.
Content creator collabs must be meticulously disclosed. FTC requires it, the social platforms require it, and the brands require it. Not doing so can and will get a content creator shut down and tossed from the socials.
Jan 27, 2026 | 5:18 am
#515
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Different words to make the same point. Content creators/'influencers' with followings on the socials or websites with direct traffic still have reliable quantifiable traffic so working directly with brands (whether we call it a 'collab', 'sponsored content', or whatever) is a win-win for the CC and the brand.
My wife is doing this and she has more paid collab offers than she can handle. Plus Facebook is now paying high volume CCs for reel plays over 10 seconds as they are adding ads to the reels because brands value knowing people watched and saw the ad. She's making thousands a month this way.
It's all evolving at lightning speed.
Content creator collabs must be meticulously disclosed. FTC requires it, the social platforms require it, and the brands require it. Not doing so can and will get a content creator shut down and tossed from the socials. [Emphasis added.]
My wife is doing this and she has more paid collab offers than she can handle. Plus Facebook is now paying high volume CCs for reel plays over 10 seconds as they are adding ads to the reels because brands value knowing people watched and saw the ad. She's making thousands a month this way.
It's all evolving at lightning speed.
Content creator collabs must be meticulously disclosed. FTC requires it, the social platforms require it, and the brands require it. Not doing so can and will get a content creator shut down and tossed from the socials. [Emphasis added.]
So what, exactly, is content creator collaboration?
To whom must they be disclosed on Facebook, and how?
What are "the brands"? Airlines, hotels, and credit cards? How would a small bed & breakfast fit in if it had a Facebook page?
Jan 27, 2026 | 7:36 am
#516
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I presume CC means "content creators" here, and not "credit cards"?
So what, exactly, is content creator collaboration?
To whom must they be disclosed on Facebook, and how?
What are "the brands"? Airlines, hotels, and credit cards? How would a small bed & breakfast fit in if it had a Facebook page?
So what, exactly, is content creator collaboration?
To whom must they be disclosed on Facebook, and how?
What are "the brands"? Airlines, hotels, and credit cards? How would a small bed & breakfast fit in if it had a Facebook page?
Hypothetical example:
Brand: Compression socks company
Content Creator: Ready Jet Roam (>200,000 followers on Insta, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok)
Goal: Get more travelers (especially 40+) to buy compression socks for long flights.
Deal: $2,500 for 1 Reel + 2 Stories + a link in her newsletter.
Content angle: My wife tells a quick story about a long-haul flight where her legs felt wrecked, then shows what she uses now and when she wears them (long flights, walking-heavy days, etc.).
Tracking: A link + a code like ROAM10.
Add-on: Brand pays extra for usage rights so they can run her Reel as a paid ad.
Benefits for each party:
- Creator: gets paid (often with free product too) to share trusted recommendations with their audience.
- Brand: reaches a targeted, trusting audience fast with authentic content that can drive clicks and sales.
As for disclosures if youre paid, gifted anything, or using affiliate links/codes, you have to clearly label it as an ad right away (think Ad, Sponsored, or Paid partnership - upfront in the caption and visible on-screen, including Stories). If you dont, you (and the brand) risk the post getting flagged or removed, losing brand deals, getting hit with platform penalties, and in worst cases facing legal trouble or fines for deceptive advertising.
Last edited by kokonutz; Jan 27, 2026 at 7:44 am
Jan 28, 2026 | 2:25 am
#517
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Creator: gets paid (often with free product too) to share trusted recommendations with their audience.
I think "trusted" should be in quotes :-)
With the recent Chase banking restrictions leading to less credit card signups across the board, I am seeing a shift towards other revenue sources, as in memberships and yeah sponsorships and clickbait crap. My tiny non marketing blog had 22% less revenue in 2025 compared to 2024. Almost all of that was from credit card conversions. Jamie at Chase decided he needs to shift $ resources to absorb the Apple cardholders, sigh.
And yet, there are still numerous content creators out there who are still fighting for that much harder to get credit card sale. I think if this trend continues it is inevitable to see staffing cuts.
fwiw
I think "trusted" should be in quotes :-)
With the recent Chase banking restrictions leading to less credit card signups across the board, I am seeing a shift towards other revenue sources, as in memberships and yeah sponsorships and clickbait crap. My tiny non marketing blog had 22% less revenue in 2025 compared to 2024. Almost all of that was from credit card conversions. Jamie at Chase decided he needs to shift $ resources to absorb the Apple cardholders, sigh.
And yet, there are still numerous content creators out there who are still fighting for that much harder to get credit card sale. I think if this trend continues it is inevitable to see staffing cuts.
fwiw
Jan 28, 2026 | 5:11 am
#518
Original Poster
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in VIENNA, AUSTRIA!
Posts: 61,930
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Creator: gets paid (often with free product too) to share trusted recommendations with their audience.
I think "trusted" should be in quotes :-)
With the recent Chase banking restrictions leading to less credit card signups across the board, I am seeing a shift towards other revenue sources, as in memberships and yeah sponsorships and clickbait crap. My tiny non marketing blog had 22% less revenue in 2025 compared to 2024. Almost all of that was from credit card conversions. Jamie at Chase decided he needs to shift $ resources to absorb the Apple cardholders, sigh.
And yet, there are still numerous content creators out there who are still fighting for that much harder to get credit card sale. I think if this trend continues it is inevitable to see staffing cuts.
fwiw
I think "trusted" should be in quotes :-)
With the recent Chase banking restrictions leading to less credit card signups across the board, I am seeing a shift towards other revenue sources, as in memberships and yeah sponsorships and clickbait crap. My tiny non marketing blog had 22% less revenue in 2025 compared to 2024. Almost all of that was from credit card conversions. Jamie at Chase decided he needs to shift $ resources to absorb the Apple cardholders, sigh.
And yet, there are still numerous content creators out there who are still fighting for that much harder to get credit card sale. I think if this trend continues it is inevitable to see staffing cuts.
fwiw
Jan 28, 2026 | 8:01 am
#519
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
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The FTC is very clear:
If a brand gives you free or discounted products or other perks and then you mention one of its products, make a disclosure even if you weren’t asked to mention that product.
Don’t assume your followers already know about your brand relationships.
Make disclosures even if you think your evaluations are unbiased.
Disclosures are likely to be missed if they appear only on an ABOUT ME or profile page, at the end of posts or videos, or anywhere that requires a person to click MORE.
Don’t mix your disclosure into a group of hashtags or links.
If your endorsement is in a picture on a platform like Snapchat and Instagram Stories, superimpose the disclosure over the picture and make sure viewers have enough time to notice and read it.
If making an endorsement in a video, the disclosure should be in the video and not just in the description uploaded with the video. Viewers are more likely to notice disclosures made in both audio and video. Some viewers may watch without sound and others may not notice superimposed words.
If making an endorsement in a live stream, the disclosure should be repeated periodically so viewers who only see part of the stream will get the disclosure.
So are terms like “advertisement,” “ad,” and “sponsored.”
On a space-limited platform like Twitter, the terms “AcmePartner” or “Acme Ambassador” (where Acme is the brand name) are also options.
It’s fine (but not necessary) to include a hashtag with the disclosure, such as #ad or #sponsored.
Don’t use vague or confusing terms like “sp,” “spon,” or “collab,” or stand-alone terms like “thanks” or “ambassador,” and stay away from other abbreviations and shorthand when possible.
https://www.ftc.gov/node/60343
When to Disclose
- Disclose when you have any financial, employment, personal, or family relationship with a brand.
If a brand gives you free or discounted products or other perks and then you mention one of its products, make a disclosure even if you weren’t asked to mention that product.
Don’t assume your followers already know about your brand relationships.
Make disclosures even if you think your evaluations are unbiased.
- Keep in mind that tags, likes, pins, and similar ways of showing you like a brand or product can be endorsements.
- If posting from abroad, U.S. law applies if it’s reasonably foreseeable that the post will affect U.S. consumers. Foreign laws might also apply.
- If you have no brand relationship and are just telling people about a product you bought and happen to like, you don’t need to declare that you don’t have a brand relationship.
How to Disclose
Make sure people will see and understand the disclosure.- Place it so it’s hard to miss.
Disclosures are likely to be missed if they appear only on an ABOUT ME or profile page, at the end of posts or videos, or anywhere that requires a person to click MORE.
Don’t mix your disclosure into a group of hashtags or links.
If your endorsement is in a picture on a platform like Snapchat and Instagram Stories, superimpose the disclosure over the picture and make sure viewers have enough time to notice and read it.
If making an endorsement in a video, the disclosure should be in the video and not just in the description uploaded with the video. Viewers are more likely to notice disclosures made in both audio and video. Some viewers may watch without sound and others may not notice superimposed words.
If making an endorsement in a live stream, the disclosure should be repeated periodically so viewers who only see part of the stream will get the disclosure.
- Use simple and clear language.
So are terms like “advertisement,” “ad,” and “sponsored.”
On a space-limited platform like Twitter, the terms “AcmePartner” or “Acme Ambassador” (where Acme is the brand name) are also options.
It’s fine (but not necessary) to include a hashtag with the disclosure, such as #ad or #sponsored.
Don’t use vague or confusing terms like “sp,” “spon,” or “collab,” or stand-alone terms like “thanks” or “ambassador,” and stay away from other abbreviations and shorthand when possible.
- The disclosure should be in the same language as the endorsement itself.
- Don’t assume that a platform’s disclosure tool is good enough, but consider using it in addition to your own, good disclosure.
What Else to Know
- You can’t talk about your experience with a product you haven’t tried.
- If you’re paid to talk about a product and thought it was terrible, you can’t say it’s terrific.
- You can’t make up claims about a product that would require proof the advertiser doesn’t have – such as scientific proof that a product can treat a health condition.