Thursday, October 13, 2011

Protect Your Blog Reputation


 Colors of fall!

Free Products! Free coupons! Free Giveaways! Sounds great doesn't it? Watch out though, it's not what it appears.  I have been wondering about these blogs and sites I have come across, where they keep telling you to sign up for something free. A free coupon, a free product, a free service, etc. Then when you sign up, they want your address........of course, to send you the free gift or coupon. Plus, they want your telephone number. And down at the bottom of the page in tiny writing, it tells that you are giving them permission for you to receive marketing telephone calls from their sponsors. Give me a break! That is NOT free in my mind! No, No, No way! I have enough trouble with telephone marketers and I am on the "Do Not Call list."

 Backyard outdoor fire pit

Then last week I went to a site from a blog that recommended a photography contest for pet photos. I entered my pet's photo and what happened? I had to go through those list of things to sign up for. When you get to the end, after saying no thanks the whole time, the link ended. No contest to speak of. Now my email box has been full of spam and the photography contest keeps sending me emails to buy their book, because my cat's picture won the contest! Turkey feathers! What a bunch of spam!

 Georgie Girl

I want to see some REAL photography contests! I want to see some REAL free products or coupons! Everybody has a gimmick and they don't mean what they say. I am sick of it. What is wrong with the bloggers who blog these types of things? Be honest and accept only honest giveaways, coupons, deals, free products and contests. Protect your readers. It also protects your reputation as a blogger.

Birdwatching!

What about you? If you are a blogger, do you feel you are putting your blog's reputation in jeopardy to endorse a coupon or free item and it being a scam? Or don't you test it out first? I have written posts that I am paid for, but I try to find ones that are up my alley, so to speak. I have turned down a lot of them because they just don't fit my blog. And especially my homesteading following! I think if someone wants you to write about their product without you testing it out first, it must be something you are familiar with in some way.What do you think? Am I wrong?


Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2011  Kathleen G. Lupole


5 comments:

Paula said...

I know what you mean. Being so new to the country I tried nearly all and everything and very quickly changed this approach! Even with a extra email account to receive all these emails etc. it was overwhelming and very little to do with the original offer. By now I am very selective about the blogs or products I am considering!
The cat pic is so much CAT. Love it. Much love to you

Ladybug said...

So Agree with you... So glad you
took the time and posted this post
for others to read and see...
Amen I Say !!!! :-) Thanks
Hugs...
Ladybug

KathyMorelli said...

Love your cat pic! And we owned horses for many years, but no longer..they all passed and we didn't get anymore..Miss them alot!

Annie said...

Sometimes I wonder with the great huge increase in blogs in the last few years, if the "competition" as some see it, gets more and more intense.

I feel the same way you do, and I very much dislike those contests where you enter once by liking their Facebook, once by following on Twitter, etc....

Have a nice weekend Kat

mergie said...

Love the cat birdwatching. Did he ever get anything?