How do I get sponsorships and still live with myself?
March 31, 2009 4:19 AM Subscribe
Let's say you're a travel blogger/website owner. Is there a way to "make yourself available" for, or otherwise attract, sponsored trips/hotel stays/junkets (with the understanding that I write about these experiences afterward) without coming across as a freebie whore?
Best answer: I used to be EIC at Gadling, the travel blog owned by Weblogs, Inc/AOL. We don't accept any junkets, and rarely, RARELY accept press trips that are fully covered. Unlike what Happy Dave said, anything provided is without any expectation of a positive review. But we do get a ton of offers.
But like Happy Dave said, without the traffic or recognition, it's unlikely that you're going to attract much attention from people selling travel-related things.
What kind of travel blog would this be? A travelogue, or covering the travel industry in general? Honestly, it's going to be a lot easier if you find your niche and stay on that topic. Are you interested in covering hotels? Gadgets? Budget travel, business travel?
Become an industry expert on a particular travel niche. This will be easier than trying to score the amount of traffic a general travel blog needs to gain the attention of people hocking their wares. Pick that niche and start covering it, footing the bill for your trips and gadgets and hotel stays, but still review them.
Once you have an actual blog with real content, you can approach companies whose products you're interested in covering. Start small, like a backpack manufacturer or boutique hotel.
Also keep in mind it's in your best interests to fully disclose when a review was sponsored, and that many people will consider accepting junkets unethical. In short: I don't think scoring free trips is the right reason to start a travel blog; start a travel blog because you love travel and want to write about it.
So the best, and only, way I know to "make yourself available" is to provide good content for readers and increase your traffic. The sharks will follow.
posted by nitsuj at 6:41 AM on March 31, 2009
But like Happy Dave said, without the traffic or recognition, it's unlikely that you're going to attract much attention from people selling travel-related things.
What kind of travel blog would this be? A travelogue, or covering the travel industry in general? Honestly, it's going to be a lot easier if you find your niche and stay on that topic. Are you interested in covering hotels? Gadgets? Budget travel, business travel?
Become an industry expert on a particular travel niche. This will be easier than trying to score the amount of traffic a general travel blog needs to gain the attention of people hocking their wares. Pick that niche and start covering it, footing the bill for your trips and gadgets and hotel stays, but still review them.
Once you have an actual blog with real content, you can approach companies whose products you're interested in covering. Start small, like a backpack manufacturer or boutique hotel.
Also keep in mind it's in your best interests to fully disclose when a review was sponsored, and that many people will consider accepting junkets unethical. In short: I don't think scoring free trips is the right reason to start a travel blog; start a travel blog because you love travel and want to write about it.
So the best, and only, way I know to "make yourself available" is to provide good content for readers and increase your traffic. The sharks will follow.
posted by nitsuj at 6:41 AM on March 31, 2009
I keep a blog about traveling and life in South Korea (http://chrisinsouthkorea.blogspot.com), and have yet to be offered any 'free junkets' or the like. At this point I have a solid readership, but hardly the hits to justify the coin spent by an organization in the hopes of a positive review.
In short: unless you're the next Oprah Winfrey, guaranteed to bring more visitors than you can handle, you probably won't be getting any free trips along the way. Write about what you love, not what someone paid you to write about. To do any other thing would make you a freebie whore.
posted by chrisinseoul at 8:53 AM on March 31, 2009
In short: unless you're the next Oprah Winfrey, guaranteed to bring more visitors than you can handle, you probably won't be getting any free trips along the way. Write about what you love, not what someone paid you to write about. To do any other thing would make you a freebie whore.
posted by chrisinseoul at 8:53 AM on March 31, 2009
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If you're just starting out and don't have the visitor numbers, it's going to be tough to get free stays and the like. If you have an existing platform, then you may be able to do as John has done and review stuff as it comes in.
However, tech gadgets and travel locations are normally a bit different. I'd usually trust someone's 500-word rundown of a shiny thing they got for free if I know the blogger well, as they're generally provided in the hope the blogger will take a shine to it and don't have a lot of strings attached.
Junkets, free stays and room service, I'd guess, normally come with an expectation of positive coverage ranging from full-disclosure 'this is great, really' to full on puff piece. Hence I'd be less likely to take it as an honest assessment.
posted by Happy Dave at 5:45 AM on March 31, 2009