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

The Journey's Contest Has Awesome Prizes!

Not too long ago I made a new friend online, Annie. She is the nicest person! She writes the Country Living In A Cariboo Valley blog. Her and I seemed to be on many of the same sites such as, The BlogFrog community of The Redhead Riter's - Witty & Intelligent Community, Homesteading Today, etc. Then she invited me to join a homesteading forum that she is the administrator of. So I did.

The Journey is a very friendly forum of people who enjoy the homesteading lifestyle. Some are living in the country, some in the suburbs and some are even in the city. Some of the members have been doing big time homesteading for their whole life. Some, just a few years, some even less than that and some..........not at all but they yearn to. It doesn't matter where you are at, just that you want to share your knowledge or learn from the other members.

Anyway, this month The Journey is hosting an awesome contest! The prizes are unbelievable!

• First prize is a beautiful handmade in Canada Welcome sign!
• Second prize is four dozen Tattler's reusable BPA free Canning Lids!  
• Third prize is a 2011 Garden Tips Calendar! Beautiful photos!

All you have to do to enter this contest is to join the journey. Then make at least five posts from now until May 1st. Then you are in and have a good chance of winning one of those fantastic prizes! Not many forums would offer something like this. So join now and tell Annie you came from katlupe's blog! I am on there a lot so if you need to ask me a question quickly, I am usually available there most of the day. So don't miss out on this contest!

Good luck & see you at The Journey! 

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