Advertorials or helpful sharing
Recently, I received a few advertisers asking to post on my blog without mentioning that it is an advertorial. Worse part is, I have no say in the post or what is going to be published. This becomes not my blog anymore but a platform for advertising.
I hated it.
I want the money but yet I cannot accept it. Sigh, why is it so difficult to earn some money?! I think my readers will know that it is not written by me but then, my credibility as an objective reviewer will just go down the drain. What if the advertorial post goes against what I believe in? Am I blogging for money or for my hobby?
Preferably both la!
Too bad my hobby can't translate much into earnings. However, this made me realise one thing - I am blogging to share about what I feel, hopefully good deals and prudent tips for everyone. If you can help to click on my ads, then I will be happier, haha!
I welcome advertorials openly but too bad, my blog does not attract much traffic. It's ok because I have less pressure to commit on topics that I do not feel strongly about. It's a nice hobby and hopefully I will have more inspiration once I start travelling again.
I am not here to shame bloggers who do so because I know money is a strong motivating factor and there is a price to everything. Free money why refuse? I did not even give them a chance to offer before I rejected them. Stupid?! Maybe $10k leh? If one day you recognize that it is not my rambling then you will know that some advertisers offered $10k. Haha ok, daydreaming.
Let's not be too quick to judge others (me!).
I hated it.
I want the money but yet I cannot accept it. Sigh, why is it so difficult to earn some money?! I think my readers will know that it is not written by me but then, my credibility as an objective reviewer will just go down the drain. What if the advertorial post goes against what I believe in? Am I blogging for money or for my hobby?
Preferably both la!
Too bad my hobby can't translate much into earnings. However, this made me realise one thing - I am blogging to share about what I feel, hopefully good deals and prudent tips for everyone. If you can help to click on my ads, then I will be happier, haha!
I welcome advertorials openly but too bad, my blog does not attract much traffic. It's ok because I have less pressure to commit on topics that I do not feel strongly about. It's a nice hobby and hopefully I will have more inspiration once I start travelling again.
I am not here to shame bloggers who do so because I know money is a strong motivating factor and there is a price to everything. Free money why refuse? I did not even give them a chance to offer before I rejected them. Stupid?! Maybe $10k leh? If one day you recognize that it is not my rambling then you will know that some advertisers offered $10k. Haha ok, daydreaming.
Let's not be too quick to judge others (me!).
Jes
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Jes!
ReplyDeleteNo!!!!
Companies and bloggers that post advertorials but don't mark them as so are "suspect".
Ethical companies don't do that.
Want to be prostitute also must have standard.
I always say, "No kissing on the lips."
But for 10K, do it!
Just change the font and "smarter" readers will know that's code for "read but don't inhale; its bad for you".
LOL!
Hi Jared,
DeleteHigh class prostitute?! Haha, thank you for also agreeing that 10k is too good money to refuse. Superb idea! Next time I change my font you will know, but then, I think TKK (tan ku ku) la, who will pay so high.
I can understand if bloggers will like to place advertorials on their sites but I think the most important thing is whether the product that they are advertising is something that they endorse. It will be counter-productive if the "values" of the product or service that you are supposedly endorsing is in contrast with what you believe. Regular readers of your blog will know your style and what you stand for, and if you go for something that is totally out of sync with it, readers are sharp and they will know.
ReplyDeleteHi Kate,
DeleteNice minimalist blog you got there. Actually I think some of the advertisers are property agents, insurance agents or even banks themselves. I also believe readers are sharp enough to know the different writing style so the "covert" advertisement are not so secretive after all.
A point to ponder: If readers do know that it is an advertorial in disguise, then even if it goes against the writer's values, it should not matter that much?
Thanks Jes, I am glad you enjoyed reading it.
DeleteOn that point you mentioned, I beg to differ. Unlike publications such as magazines etc., blogs are very much personal. For instance, if there's a property advertorial in a mass-market publication such as Straits Times or even 8 days, I will read them with a pinch of salt or probably skip them totally since I know they are advertorials and also partially because I am not interested. Also we all know that such publications are out to make money and sell advertorials to keep themselves profitable. It's a commercial transaction, we understand.
Advertorials on blogs however, function more like a blog post. And even though there will be discerning readers who will be able to tell them apart, it is still posted under the capacity of the blogger and as blogs are more personal, they will tend to seem like a personal endorsement of the blogger.
I am not saying no to advertorials for bloggers entirely. But the readers of the blog and the blogger has formed an intrinsic relationship over the years. Personally for me, I do not want to endorse anything that goes against my values nor know much about.
If you want to write or present an advertorial of say a home interior design firm whom you have engaged in previously or used their service before, I would say go ahead because it's something that you have tried and would like to recommend to your readers.
But that's just my personal view. I think what's important for every blogger is to find the point of comfort that they are with advertorials.
Hi Kate,
DeleteYes I do agree with you in that advertorials might seem like the blogger is endorsing the product. That is why I did not take any of such advertorials because they do not want me to mention that it is an advertorial. Kind of like cheating the readers. Thank you for sharing!
No free lunch. Blogging too. I learn that after X years of blogging. There is opportunity cost to be free to blog anything without worry of offending any readers as long I don't break the Law.
ReplyDeleteHi Uncle CW,
DeleteI do not know if I can reach X number of years for blogging! Perhaps I should milk it while it's worth? Haha.
For 10k, I'd post anything on my blog! SMOL's idea of changing font is a winner, haha
ReplyDeleteHi GMGH,
DeleteMuahaha, 10k is too much I think. How about 2k? Are we selling our souls here? Yeah I think it's a really good idea of changing font. Let's do it, ha!
Hi Jes,
ReplyDeleteYes 10k sounds too good to pass up, if I got such an offer, I'll use Jared's tip too!
Hi Joyce,
DeleteI do not know if advertisers are really that dumb so if anyone of us change font suddenly, we will know :)
Can always don't collaborate with advertisers that you don't feel comfortable with e.g. Not mentioning is a sponsored post. I always give advertisers a template reply that states my conditions - scares away most of them!
ReplyDeleteHi TI,
DeleteThe aim is not to scare them away, but more to lure them in and subtly let everyone know it's an advertorial, haha! Win win situation :p
Quote : "But the readers of the blog and the blogger has formed an intrinsic relationship over the years." and especially when our blog is also read by close friends, relatives and colleagues. They may just take it as it is without too much thinking.
ReplyDeleteHi Uncle CW,
DeleteI would like to think regular readers are more intelligent than that. We would be able to recognize different styles and catch the obvious advertisement in it. New readers might actually be less discerning :)
Hi Jes,
ReplyDeleteWhenever I received such request, first thing that I will tell them is that I will need to indicate that this is a guest post or sponsored post. In fact, there is a local social media advertising guidelines that all bloggers need to adhere to soon. So, it is not a matter of choice soon.
Cheers!
Hi Richard,
DeleteLong time no see! I am looking forward to such guidelines as it will be beneficial to all readers. In that case, nobody will have such a request anymore and I can finally earn some extra dollars :)
Hi Jes! My ex-prof ASAS who heads up recently issued the new guidelines which state that all bloggers will now need to declare whether it is a sponsored post. So no need to worry liao ;) what I usually do is just put in italics or bold at the bottom to state that it is an advertorial!
ReplyDeleteHi Budget Babe,
DeleteWelcome to my humble blog! Oh, I have not heard of any of such guidelines but if that is true, it's good news. Will they penalize those bloggers who do not state it?