Move over FTC and interpersonal mommy blogger wars, there is a new Sheriff in town and its called the Travel Blogger.
And they are pissed.
Apparently Mom Bloggers are stealing their *cough* press junkets and falsifying reviews to make them positive and getting paid for it.
Check out this post that was sent out to the entire Google Travel Writers Group as a factual statement:
If any blogging community is being targeted, it is the mommy blogging group. Never heard of this community? I hadn’t either until a year ago. Large corporations are targeting this demographic of stay at home moms with lifestyle blogs. It is a major source of income for these women as they get paid for reviews. Yes, they are getting upwards of $200 per blog post for positive mentions on their blogs. This in itself is an entirely different subject, but this is a small part of how the FTC decided to update their rules. It affects the travel community because these bloggers have now learned about press trips.
After another mom blogger/travel writer responded and defended mom bloggers from this gossip mongering, the same woman replied, again addressing the entire email chain:
We can respectfully disagree on this particular topic. I have had too many conversations with travel marketing/destination reps who are bit gun-shy when dealing with bloggers. This hesitancy is based on their mommy blogger experiences which have included confidential emails made public and demands for the destination to foot the bill for entire families (referring to airfare). I can only go by the facts as I’ve been told. As with any community or industry, be it travel guide writers or mommy bloggers, it only takes a few bad apples. I’ve attended a small number of the same conferences you’ve been to, and I did hear of mom bloggers accepting cash payment for positive reviews. Fortunate for you that you’ve never met any of them.
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Misinformation much?
I think I may be late to the game. Which one of you is getting paid $200 to put up reviews? Can you send me the contacts?
I would like to quit working for poverty blog level here.
~Trisha <————integrity to sell for $200 a post.
P.S. Whiny [jealous] babies.
Hell..I would do it for $50. With an incentive like that I would write all the live long day. And husband could play mommy.
lol…travel writer wuss. we figured out your secret. cry me a river.
That looks like the babbling of a scared reporter. This is new media, companies are trying new ideas to get incoming links, it wouldn’t shock me if some of that were true. We know the horror story are possible because we’ve seen how some bloggers have behaved when they’re washer breaks down or they don’t get a full refund.
There are blogger being paid $200 to post product information. Social Spark has a blogroll, handpicked by Ted Murphy that pays $150 to $200 for big announcements.
When you all find out who the contact is, please send it my way!
This is ridiculous. If we were really getting paid $200/review, I would have my husband quit his job and join forces with me. Together we would be living large!
Wow! I’m with everyone else, I’d do it for $100.
If you find out who is getting paid $200/post sign me up! I don’t have any paid posts………heck I’ll write them for $100!
WOW those people are crazy to be spreading crap like that!
The majority of the bloggers I know don’t get paid any form of money for writing their posts. We do get a sample of the product we are “reviewing.” It would be pretty difficult to review something you have never used before! I sure would love to know what mommy bloggers are getting paid $200 to write positive reviews!
Okay maybe some people will say I have no integrity, but for $200 per a post I will soooo write anything they want me too! I will even accept $100.00! LOL
Seriously though, do people really get paid that much $$ to blog? I blog for free because I love it, but if there’s that kind of money (or any money even) out there then please sign me up!!
OK well We need to go find out who is paying these big bucks! I would love to write a review for them!!
Hahaha! I want the contact too!
WOW $200 BUcks! HOLY Smackers and free Travel too. Where do I sign up.
YAH know its a dang shame I pay for my own trips and willing to write a review on hotels that I stay at for totally Free and others are getting paid! I must of missed that email
Good grief, that’s ridiculous!
I’ve been sitting here for the last few moments trying to come up with something to say. I’ve got nothing…except. *sticks out tongue* – in a most unladylike and childish fashion.
I have NEVER EVER heard of anyone doing that.
If I ever get offered I will send them to Trisha.
xoxo
See, if i put a little “i got paid $200 to write this” on the bottom, everyone is happy, right? HA!
lol…I would be congratulating you.
funny thing is that where i worked in the corporate world you would get fired for disclosing how much you get paid…
I’m a travel writer, but not a member of that Google group.
I’m wondering if the Google group is referring to SocialSpark.com, a blog and social-media marketing company, which has had some travel-related clients that have paid $200 (and more) for sponsored blog posts. Not the same as a firsthand review for $200, but maybe there was some confusion there?
No clue – certainly not defending the Google group, but throwing it out there.