Are readers of online content comfortable with sponsored posts? According to a new study, no. Most are confused and feel deceived.
Sponsored posts, for those not in the know, is also known as advertorial or native advertising. In our field, it means a company has paid (in cash or in kind) a blogger or website writer to write an endorsement. It must be disclosed as such, according to the FTC.
I first questioned writing content in exchange for pay or freebies in 2010, in “Should Food Bloggers Write Sponsored Posts?” Responses were mixed. Some of the plus side comments were:
- “If the writer is clear about receiving money or free products, then it’s okay.”
- “Magazines get free stuff and then they write about it, so why can’t we?”
- “Television shows promote stuff (called product placement) for a fee so why can’t we?”
And on the minus side:
- “Some people will write rave reviews of anything they get for free.”
- “If I see that a blogger is shilling for a product or company – or is writing a restaurant review based on a free meal – I don’t necessarily take that content very seriously.”
- “The knowledge that someone is paying to have that person write about a place or product makes me feel like the blogger is, for lack of a better term, ‘selling out.’”
But now, regardless of what we think, a study of 542 people on Contently shows that most people aren’t even sure what sponsored content means. Only half think it means that a sponsor paid for and influenced the article. Some 13 percent think the sponsor actually wrote the article. In addition:
- Two-thirds felt deceived upon realizing the article was sponsored by a brand
- More than 50 percent don’t trust sponsored content
- More than 50 percent think a site loses credibility if it includes sponsored content
- Fifty-seven percent prefer a banner ad to a sponsored post
- Less than 1 percent would be likely to click on an article sponsored by a brand.
Another finding in this study: When asked “What do you think is generally higher quality?” people gave the category “Blog posts by mommy bloggers” the lowest rating. The highest was “articles in a printed newspaper.” Bloggers — especially moms — have a credibility problem.
Does this study change your mind or influence you about whether you should do sponsored posts? Do you do sponsored posts mostly to make money?
(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
I think this is a bit of a tricky subject. It’s rare that I read a sponsored post that I truly enjoy, although that’s not to say it’s not possible. It’s important for a sponsored post to feel in line with the rest of the site, though. I think if the blog is continuously true to itself, writes with transparency normally and has real, passionate feelings about the product they’re “shilling”, then that comes through in the post. If it’s too obvious that they wrote the post just for the cash or a free product, then I think that blog loses a bit of cred. I’ve turned down plenty of sponsored opportunities because I don’t feel like they jibe with my blog.
However, if I really love a blog and they write a few sponsored posts that make me grimace, I’ll usually give it a pass. Once they cross more than a couple in a month though, I start to get turned off.
Yes, this all sounds logical, Ruthy, and you make good points about what qualifies as a good sponsored post.
The problem is that readers find bloggers who do sponsored posts untrustworthy. From my standpoint, this is the most important thing. Without my reader’s trust, I’d have nothing. I don’t want to squander it or mess with it.
Great post and eye opener but why moms got the lowest rating? I always feel the opposite ! Thanks for sharing
What people say they think, and what actions they actually take are often very different. For example, people say they hate pop-up optin boxes, but those pop-ups have very high conversion rates. People may say that newspapers are of “higher quality” than mommy blogs, but quality is a subjective term, and what mommy blogs thrive on is affinity which is why many of them are able to amass high influence over huge audiences.
So while people may say they don’t like sponsored content, they’re responding to it which is why it’s working for brands. When it stops working, we’ll stop seeing sponsored content.
These are good points, Jenny. I don’t think sponsored blogs are going away anytime soon, and many of them could be more transparent.
Regarding whether sponsored posts work for brands, that would be interesting to know. I do know that they are much less expensive than other forms of marketing. The bar is low to experiment.
I think our attitude towards sponsored blogs is colored by Big Names contracting as “spokespersons” for cosmetics, cars, booze, good causes, whatever. No one believes those Big Names actually use the products, it’s just a business deal. In a sense, so is a sponsored blog, but I would like to believe the blogger is writing about/reviewing the product, service, or eatery because they have actually used it and found it to be a good (or not so good) thing, and are telling us why.
A good example here is book reviewers. No one thinks they get those review copies at a retail bookstore, those books come straight from the publishers. Why isn’t there a negative perception of book reviewers? That said, the canned 100 word, formula review is the kiss of death for me ever picking up said book.
Regarding disclosure, the best bloggers do the disclosing right up front. Some review the product then give it away, a good tactic to measure reader response to all aspects of a sponsored blog.
So, if a sponsored blog reads like a cheaply produced TV ad, or another “blow out” at the automobile sales lot, why should the blogger have any credibility? If a blogger thoughtfully comments on their experience with a product provided by a manufacturer, they are doing a service on many fronts.
Yes true, I don’t think anyone believes that Ellen uses Cover Girl.
I would like to believe that a blogger is writing about a product for good reasons, but I am not sure. For example, would bloggers create a recipe featuring a certain product if it hadn’t been sent to them for free? Probably not. And how much of a “service” is it to hawk a product?
Regarding book reviews, you make an interesting point. I would never label my book reviews “sponsored posts,” because I don’t have an agreement with a publisher to write a post. Just receiving an unsolicited book does not create a contract. I don’t owe publishers anything, in that case. Even if I request a book, I don’t think I owe a publisher a review. But if I do choose to endorse a book, I always say if I received a book for free, and I disclose my Amazon Affiliate program. So not quite the same, but I know what you mean. I sincerely believe my readers would love the book, so maybe it’s not so different than thinking they would love a certain product.
I can’t stand sponsored posts. The authors completely lose my trust and I’ve been unsubscribing to those blogs. I think they have every right to write sponsored posts, but lately I’ve been seeing bloggers write about specific pre-made products they’re using in their cooking as opposed to an ingredient sponsor. It’s one thing to introduce me to a new idea or way to use an ingredient, it’s another to just be one big advertisement. I skip the commercials on TV, and I’m going to skip the commercial posts too. The bloggers need to ask themselves why they’re writing, to make money or to share good ideas and recipes. Which one is more important to them?
I have no problem with using some pre-made products in my cooking and baking, and always have. So I see no problem with me getting paid to share what I do with those products with my readers. Why is the fact that it’s pre-made any different than writing about any other ingredient? Now if it’s just a blog post about refrigerator cinnamon rolls that I popped in the oven and served, I get that would be a turn off. But if the premade products are being used in another way, why not?
Yeah, I’m not a fan of the “one big advertisement” thing and I don’t know why food bloggers think their readers would be interested in that. Most likely they are not thinking about readers at all but only about what their sponsor would like. And as to your question, I’d wager that bloggers think the answer is “both.”
At the very high end, the blogger still offers content that is really valuable so you come back for more (thinking of Joy the Baker’s highly technical and helpful baking series with King Arthur flour) but there are too many blogs out there who will blog for anything (my friend saw a review of a plate once).
I’ll stop following a blog if too many sponsored posts start appearing. They are usually extremely boring.
Yes I suppose it is possible to pull off intelligent posts, but they are rare. I wonder about these posts you find boring and whether the bloggers themselves are bored?
I’ve only been given something once and asked to review it on my blog. It was a product that I had used for years, but the newest version. I had no problem writing a glowing review because I love the product. I have been given other products, but not in exchange for any endorsement, just as a thank you for teaching a cooking class at their store. I definitely want to know if something has been given with the expectation of an honest review. I would have a hard time giving a negative review; I just wouldn’t mention the product. Every month I review a food related book. I wish someone would give me all those books!!! And I would love to get to the point that someone would pay me to put an ad on my blog – but I would only do products that I loved.
I, for one, am not a fan of glowing reviews, yet I have written them for books when I am over the moon. Note to self: find something less positive to say to balance them out. Thank you for the reminder, Carol.
There is grey between a positive and negative review. Those are often the most interesting and hardest to write, which is probably why so many avoid them.
As a fairly new blogger to the scene, I’ve been testing the waters in regards to what would be considered “sponsored” posts. Not in an obnoxious way. Sporadically. It’s obvious one has to tread lightly when doing this. If you’re passionate about the subject matter, I don’t think it hurts as long as it’s truly genuine in voice and tone. Readers are smart. They’ll get turned off if the message is oozing with a sales pitch.
I’m thinking it boils down to reader loyalty, however it’s too soon to gauge as I’m still building a following on my website. Time will tell.
Thank you, Dianne, for this very informative post.
Being passionate about the product can be a detriment, Cynthia. It might result in too many superlatives and an over-the-top sales pitch.
It might be better to take on a product you’re curious about, but not in love with. Doing so will make your copy better. I don’t think this notion has occurred to most food bloggers, though, who think they have to be in love with the product. The best writing is more nuanced.
Good luck with your new blog.
I’ve heard this for so long… people hate sponsored posts. I think it has a lot to do w/ the blogger and how they handle a sponsored post. I have learned over the years only to take on opportunities that feel natural, and I would never work for a brand that I don’t think my readers use in their own home too. Oddly enough, some of my sponsored posts are the most popular posts on my website… they’re usually centered around a recipe that has been developed with that product, and if I’ve done my job right and created a really great recipe… then my readers ultimately love it and the post is well-trafficked.
I guess the key is to not go overboard on promoting the brand because then it feels pushed and weird. I find myself clicking off of posts like that from other bloggers- and frankly, I am not interested in visiting posts that are all about a product without a recipe attached. In the end, people visit food blogs for recipes, not products, and if you can weave a nice recipe into your sponsored posts, there will be interest!
Agreed! It has to feel natural. I turn down so many sponsored posts because I feel it is just not remaining true to my voice and blog. And I totally unfollow blogs that are seemingly one infomerical after another. Doing sponsored posts has to remain authentic to the blog and author’s voice.
Perhaps these posts are popular also because the company sends lots of link love your way? That has got to help.
These are good tips for those who want to write sponsored posts, Lori.
I especially don’t like sponsored posts where the writer feels compelled to make statements like “accept no substitutes” or “this is the greatest substance ever.” It seems old-fashioned and disingenuous.
And I really don’t like it when bloggers add trademark signs and all caps when mentioning the product. They should employ their usual style, and not cave to whatever the company tells them they have to do on their own blogs.
Okay. Off my high horse now.
I feel there’s three real approaches to sponsored posts and each of those approaches determines my trust level with that blogger and that specific post. First, there’s the “I got it for free, so IT’S AWESOME” approach, which makes me think the blogger is a bit amateur, and I have zero trust in the post. Then there’s the “Look at this recipe I made with this super specific product that you’d never otherwise see on my blog!” Again, pretty low trust there, though if I trust the blogger’s recipes to begin with, I feel pretty confident she or he can pull out something that actually works well. I do feel it’s a bit desperate, though, to break up the consistent voice of the blog just for a sponsorship, but I think most readers these days understand the need to actually make money with a blog. Finally there’s the “This product that I already use on my blog paid me to link to them” approach, like Dana from The Minimalist Baker does frequently with Almond Breeze and some others do with Blue Diamond. Same thing with Earth Balance, etc. You know they already use the stuff but simply mentioned them specifically in the recipe.. and oftentimes gush a bit about them in the body copy.
Personally I try to keep my sponsored posts to the last category, and my readers have never given any negative feedback. In fact, the companies with whom I partner report majorly increased traffic on the days I link sponsored posts to their site. However, I keep the number of partners very small and only work with brands I already used in my recipes. I think that consistency and authenticity keeps the trust high, even if it means turning down most of the offers I get. The study is interesting, but I’d love to know if it was designed around one-off recipe browsing or off of dedicated readers who are subscribed to a blog.
I love all these descriptions of sponsored posts, Cheryl! Very accurate, and not terribly flattering.
I don’t like any gushing. It makes me suspicious. There are ways to write about products in a positive way without resorting to it.
Okay, I’ll come right out and say it: There are other ways to make money as a blogger that lead to higher income, fewer ethical dilemmas, and having readers who still trust you. Sponsored posts are low-hanging fruit, IMHO, and not worth the risk. I have no problem with bloggers wanting to make money, believe me. It’s just that this way is fraught with so many problems.
I’m not a big fan of sponsored posts as I feel like the writer is trying to sell me something, instead of just writing about what they are passionate about. I don’t mind affiliate links if they fit in with what they are talking about. If it’s just random and doesn’t make sense, I usually move on.
Yes that does happen very often. And then do you still trust that blogger? I suspect not. Re random and not making sense, those are the worst possible posts!
I’m on of a very small group of bloggers who have never done sponsored posts from the beginning, and this makes me glad I never started down that path. That said, I think there are quite a few food blogs who do them well, so the reader knows the blogger is being compensated for the recipe but any advertorial content is done in a way that seems tactful and appropriate. What gives all bloggers a bad name are the ones who seem willing to promote pretty much ANY PRODUCT for cash. Whenever I start to have that feeling about a blog, I always unfollow them right away.
Oh yeah, I’m with you there Kayln. There are better ways to make money from a blog.
A sponsored post, if done right, should feel natural and not deceptive. The product featured should fit perfectly with the blog. Unfortunately, there are many bloggers out there that do not know how or care to do this. Every blogger has their own set of standards. If the blogger features quality unsponsored posts, then I suspect their sponsored posts would be equally well done. The next question for this study should have been, “What is your definition of a mommy blogger?” As many of us know, there is a big difference in the blogosphere between a “mommy bloggers” and a food blogger who happens to be a mother. I am curious if the sponsored posts mentioned in this study were general product posts or food/recipe posts. I think a good recipe, even if it uses a sponsored product, is still a good recipe and would be well received by the public.
Whether done well or not, the overall feeling of those surveyed in this survey is that they don’t feel the blogger is trustworthy. So yes, there may be exceptions, but in general, regardless of quality, people don’t like sponsored posts.
I don’t know exactly what was shown to respondents, but I assume it was general posts.
I agree that a good recipe is a good recipe, regardless. But having to put the product name in all caps with trademarks, and then writing a gushing headnote doesn’t help.
Re mommy blogger, I assume they are referring to people whose primary blog focus is on being a mom.
P.S. Just read the most charming and plausible disclosure statement here http://5secondrule.typepad.com/my_weblog/2014/09/what-to-see-in-oregon.html
Yes I just read that as well. I love that Cheryl is so transparent about her decision. I am not sure anyone can be truly uninfluenced by freebies, though. I guess I am just suspicious, coming from a journalism background.
(And I have accepted freebies too — books, my weakness. I try hard to not be influenced by the fact that a publisher sent them to me for free.)
At best, sponsored posts annoy me and at worst, they make me deeply uncomfortable. I used to teach ethics to college student before I turned to the food world, and I know that no matter what they say, people are defacto influenced by freebies and pay. If you are being paid to write about a specific thing, there is no way that you can be unbiased. The phrase “even though I was paid to do this post my views are my own” does not ring true. Not surprisingly, I am also in the small group of bloggers who have never written a sponsored post and will never do so. If I review a book (which I do very rarely), I always buy a copy even if I’ve been sent a review copy by the publisher. Finally: I have never heard anyone but a blogger who does sponsored posts say that they truly like sponsored posts. Finally, I realize that my strict stance against sponsored posts does not endear me to the rest of the food blogging world. 🙂
We are in the same boat, Jeanne! I am with you almost all the way except that I will occasionally review a book I’ve received for free.
I appreciate that not every reader is going to like sponsored posts, but a survey of 500 people in the whole scheme of things isn’t going to make me change what I’m doing. If it was a survey of 500 of my blogs specific readers, then I’d consider adjusting things based on what is and what’s not working for my blog. Every blog is different and all of our readers are different. If traffic starts to tank when we put sponsored posts up, then as the individual blog owner we need to make the decision whether the compensation of sponsored posts is worth the potential loss of readers. Like Lori, my sponsored content is some of my most popular. It’s challenging and fun to think of creative ways to use ingredients that are already in the kitchens of my readers.
I think the key when doing sponsored posts is to make sure the product is relevant to your readers and yourself. I only write about products that I already use and love…and then I weave that product into a post that isn’t advertorial but more a natural extension of what I’m already writing about.
Thanks for the fodder this morning… everyone has differing opinions on this and I just think if we all do what’s best for us and our blogs, everyone wins.
Good perspective, Kristen. How fascinating that your sponsored posts are some of your most popular!
I do wonder why bloggers write sponsored posts in the first place. I’ve heard that the money is not very good. Of course, if you’re getting a free trip out of it, or maybe you’re one of the few who are paid well, that’s much more tempting.
(And some food bloggers are thrilled to get any money or product at all, so they blog about it out of gratitude. Certainly as food blogging matures, people get a lot more picky.)
As for why traffic tanks, as we know, it’s not necessarily because you write sponsored posts, although they could be a factor.
Good discussion Dianne, thank you. I agree with many of the commenters, Lori and Cheryl in particular. It comes down to how well, how authentically, and how genuinely the post is handled. It must feel natural and be a part of what fits for the blog and its readers. A few sponsored posts are ok, but not going overboard is important. Or the impression that the writer is just in it for the money.
Doing it just to make money is not only in poor taste but can work negatively. Those who do this risk trading away their reputation and readership for a sponsored post. If it is a product the person already uses and for good reason, then I see no problem with that. It’s got to ring true to the blogger, not just as in cha-ching.
As bloggers, we can add value by sharing what we use and why. Because my focus is very healthy cooking, I have specific opinions from a health and nutrition standpoint about products. I often tell people what I use and why, not being paid to do so. Products I have used for years and believe in. I also tell people it’s up to them to make their own decision about what works for their family.
After almost 5 years of writing my blog, I did my first series of sponsored posts this year for Sub Zero. I have chosen their refrigerators through two houses and two kitchen remodels so it was a natural fit. The posts I wrote were not all about their product. Their products were mentioned, yes, and why I chose them, but the posts were about a recipe or an experience more than anything.
Would I do it again? It depends. I will certainly keep your post in mind. It was a good first experience for me, even if I choose not to do a sponsored post again. Funny, I was just contacted yesterday about a product. I politely declined.
I guess the main issue, Sally, is that readers don’t feel they can trust people who write sponsored posts. There are exceptions, but you have to decide whether this is okay with you. I assume the exceptions are the bloggers who do full disclosure, don’t write puff pieces, and who actually offer value to their readers in the posts.
I’m wondering how many bloggers actually write sponsored posts. I mean, it’s not that easy getting companies to send you products to test/review (is it?), so how prevelant is this? There are hundreds–perhaps thousands–of food bloggers (aside from other subjects), so I wonder what the percentage of sponsored posts is.
Good question, Roberta. I don’t know the answer.
You don’t have to be sent stuff to get freebies, though. I just attended IFBC, where attendees go into a sectioned-off ballroom to pick up as much free product as they want, to put in their giant goodie bags. And I know companies were wooing some bloggers with expensive meals at restaurants.
I think sponsored posts get a bad reputation because of how they’re often executed. At the end of the day, I want to put out a good post, whether or not it’s sponsored. Sometimes you see sponsored posts that are basically just a commercial for a brand, who likes that? On the other hand, I eagerly made a recipe just last night that a blogging friend had posted on behalf of a sponsor because a) the muffins looked incredible, b) she showed me a new way to use a familiar ingredient (the sponsor’s) and c) she spoke in her same voice, which I love to read. If she hadn’t disclosed the sponsorship I never would have known it was a paid post — that’s how it should be, I think.
Nice, Kathy. You make some good arguments. It’s sad that the majority of bloggers are not as talented or conscientious as your friend.
While “material” possession types of sponsored posts are usually dry and boring, (DVD’s, soaps, etc etc) I find that my “food product” posts are incredibly well received. People love to have new recipes using products found in their grocery stores and like Lori above said, if you give them a great recipe, they really don’t care. Again, I do maybe, oh, not even one a month?
On another note, I am very curious, was there an option to weigh in on if they like it BETTER when there are giveaways included? This to me is the most important thing I would like to know, because most sponsored posts DO have a giveaway and I would think that the thousands of comments/entries people get would correlate to people not minding as much? I’d really like to know this!
Maybe you and Lori put a ton of effort into the sponsored posts, since they are paid, and people appreciate that and a good recipe. It makes sense to me if you are not too promotional in the writing. That is what I dislike most.
I don’t recall seeing anything about giveaways, but what a great question, Karlynn. Maybe people don’t mind as much if they think they can win something.
Thank you Dianne! Finally the discussion is based on what the audience/reader wants. That’s something I rarely see written about on any subject. I believe focusing on what the audience wants rather than what the industry says you should or shouldn’t do can make the difference between success or failure. I’ve been publishing content on the net since 1997 and made enough from the enterprise to move to the beach and pay to put 2 kids through college to get their masters degrees. I think I’m qualified to say the audience does not like sponsored posts but doesn’t mind advertising! I figured this out over a decade ago and from then on we made it a policy to keep a firewall between our monetization efforts and the content and it has worked very well for us.
I have found that the audience will tolerate advertising if you provide them high quality unbiased content for free. I’m constantly getting thanked for providing the content I put out and it’s been years since I’ve gotten a complaint about ads. I think the audience has matured to a point where they know that we all need to make a living and will tolerate ads if the content is good and free. I think if you want to do sponsored content you have to have a very well established audience like many of the big names have and even then I would monitor the feedback closely. For the amount you make on sponsored posts it doesn’t seem worth it to me and believe me, we’ve been asked.
I’m with you, Stephanie. I have nothing against ads, having worked in magazines and newspapers, where they paid my salary. But I don’t want to write them on my blog. As you say, I don’t think the money is worth it, except for a select few.
p.s. For a post on what readers want, see: http://diannej.com/2013/write-what-readers-want-or-whatever-you-like/
You know it’s interesting that the same thing was happening on YouTube. A year ago everyone was talking about how you need to do brand deals and do videos plugging products to make money. I refused at the time, but all of a sudden I’m not hearing much about that anymore. I think it’s because on YouTube the audience can and does comment in a big way on things they don’t like about your videos. So I’ve concluded they don’t like sponsored content anywhere! 🙂
I have a hard time with a survey that asks people to evaluate the credibility of “blog posts by mommy bloggers”. What the heck is a “mommy blogger”? Are all bloggers who are also moms “mommy bloggers”? What about daddy bloggers? Should they be trusted then?
This is a sexist issue, if people decide that “mommy blogger” is a pejorative term. A mommy blogger blogs about being a mom. You can be a mom and not focus on that on your blog, of course.
I don’t know what is so bad about motherhood. Daddy bloggers must be too few to count.
Like most things; there are good and bad ways of doing things. And also like most things even if done with good intent some people are not going to like it. The old adage of ‘you can’t please everyone all the time’ fits here. I limit my sponsored posts only to those products that I can really be positive about and only do maybe one per month; mostly out of concerns expressed by the group polled.
There is such a huge gamut of what I see on food blogs it can’t be a one size fits all answer. Personally I don’t accept offers to do lifestyle posts as my readers expect food and cocktail recipes, not home products or even worse, personal products. Some food bloggers have spread their swath wider and those would fit into their blog profile without a problem. For me it’s simple and it’s about authenticity; I can see inauthentic from a mile away and those are the blogs I stop following.
I do find it interesting though that our need to advertise somehow sullies our reputations in the minds of readers. I suppose they would prefer we work full-time to provide them with content without generating any income? That same criteria is not true of other forms of content and advertising relationships so I really wonder why we are held to a higher standard. Remove advertising from cable and radio and the content would disappear. Is there some notion that we just do this for fun and income is simply gravy on top of that? I do love what I do but once expectations outweigh reason I’m OK if those people unsubscribe!
Your plan sounds good, to be authentic and only do posts on products you would really use.
I don’t think advertising sullies your blog at all. Ads are different from advertorial. Ads exist outside the actual blog space and they are visual images. They are clearly different from posts (unless you’re doing embedded ads in text, which are indefensible in my opinion).
Re being really positive, so many commenters have said they choose to do that. But of course you’re going to be really positive. You have no choice if the company is paying for what you write.
Following on what Barbara said, no, there are plenty of people who expect newspapers to offer all their content for free, too! Not just bloggers.
That said, of course it’s legitimate for bloggers to earn money from their blogs. The problem with sponsored posts, though, is the overlap with editorial – for instance at a newspaper, different people are responsible for news reporting and for ads, ensuring the newspaper remains credible. Most blogs are too small for this to be possible. I don’t necessarily have a solution for this, it’s just part of the problem.
As for people saying “mommy bloggers” lack credibility – unfortunately I think it’s just part of a broader societal trend of undervaluing mothers and their work. The NYT reported on research quantifying just that sometime within the past month (relating to the workplace).
Agreed. We are a one-person show most of the time, so there is no one else to write sponsored posts. When I worked at magazines and newspapers, the marketing department handled them.
I agree that this is an issue of undervaluing mothers — and also one of sexism.
Great post Dianne. My dilemma is that I would love a company to approach me as it must feel great to have that sort of attention even if the freebies are pretty basic like a pack of biscuits or a bag of flour. However, I don’t think I would be able to write a glowing piece,as Negative is my middle name. A while back I was approached by a PR company who sent me some awful products to write up (no mention about money by the way). I knew this wasn’t for me. I would have loved to have written exactly my thoughts on what I thought those biscuits would be good for, but thankfully sense kicked in and I refrained. I still have a little giggle thinking about what I would have written which might have gotten them lots of publicity and I would have loved to see the PR lady’s face when she clicked on to the article. I don’t think I will be getting too many requests for sponsored posts especially after my confession.
Hah! I guess people think it’s a compliment to be chosen, and that’s part of why they do it? Thankfully you have concluded this is not the right avenue for you.
Well, a very very controversial topic. I get very confused when it’s a sponsored post, only because I feel that the blogger is obligated to write according to what has been given in the clients’ guidelines. As for a free meal or a product, only a few bloggers have the capacity and the confidence to write what they truly feel, independent of whether a meal or a product has been sponsored.
I don’t think there are across-the-board rules, Ishita. Some companies make you sign a contract about how many, how much, how often and how you will approach social media to promote, plus how you will mention the product and how many times. Some companies are happy for whatever publicity they get. So it’s up to bloggers to develop their own standards.
I don’t particularly enjoy reading sponsored posts because I feel (rightly or wrongly) if someone’s being paid to endorse a product, they’re hardly likely to be objective about it. Similarly if, as a blogger, you’ve been given a free meal in a restaurant, the expectation is that you’ll write about it favourably, in which case, again if there’s something you felt deserving of criticism, it’s going to be difficult to be honest and say so. I was in this exact situation just recently, having been invited to an event by a PR person along with other food bloggers, and whilst I enjoyed the meal and the restaurant, if I blog about it, I’d feel really uncomfortable saying anything that was other than complimentary.
Yes exactly. Most bloggers say they won’t blog about a product unless they love it, so off the bat, it’s going to be a promotional post. Also, if you’re getting paid to promote it, or if you get it for free, it feels mean-spirited to say anything that’s less than positive.
Most bloggers tell me they won’t write anything negative about a product or meal. They just don’t write about it at all. It’s all positive, all the time, which is a shame. Boosterism gets tiring and one-dimensional.
I was invited on one single sponsored trip and only went because it really fascinated me and because I made sure that absolutely nothing was expected of me in return, that the choice to write about it was totally mine. I then chose to write about the trip over two blog posts because it truly inspired me, I learned quite a lot and I did want to share this. And it fit into my blog. The few times I have mentioned products over the years was when they were something I bought myself, were just a gift from a friend or they came to me in a goodie bag from a workshop and I really fell in love with said product and use(d) it often for cooking or baking. And then I don’t think I devoted a whole post to it but mentioned it within the post and recipe and why I liked using it. I have also done book reviews (mostly on HP), books I’ve received as gifts from a publisher, the author when it was a friend or a book I bought myself. Because I loved the book.
What I really hate about sponsored posts is that most feel like sponsored posts, artificial and too much like a paid advertisement. I hate seeing sponsored promotional posts for things that make absolutely no sense for a food blog or that particular food blogger, and this includes giveaways. And when a blogger does too many I simply stop visiting that blog. I don’t like when a food blog becomes a money-making business with content geared towards making money or getting “free things”, mostly through this kind of working with brands. When it feels that this is what it is. I have seen bloggers writing about comped trips and writing about products when it just worked, it felt natural, made sense for the blog and they knew how to write about it. But that is rare, in my opinion. I do actually find a huge difference in American bloggers doing sponsored posts or writing about a trip, a product, etc and non-American bloggers, maybe because in the USA the notion of working with a brand is different, maybe because companies and tourist boards, etc have different expectations and requirements, maybe because it includes cash payment making the blogger feel a certain obligation, maybe because the USA is a very particular market where bloggers can earn a lot of money and a lot of trips by turning their blog into a business where that is much rarer elsewhere. I don’t know, but it more often than not feels like business and no longer a blog. These posts do indeed lack credibility, as do the bloggers.
I think what bothers me – and maybe many like me – the most is the reason blogs started and advertising, promoting and doing sponsored posts is antithetical to the reason blogs were started, or antithetical to our definition of “blog”, which were created to be personal journals. When we buy and read a magazine or even enter a website we understand that there will be advertising. We don’t expect this of blogs, which may be why so many are bothered by it (even if they want to win that stand mixer). What I always dreamed of is a clear division between “blogs” and, well, “businesses in the guise of blogs”. I know people are doing this and hugely successful at it. And there seems to be a place for it. I think what disturbs me is the blurred lines and that those blogs often overshadow those bloggers just wanting to create content out of passion. Does this make sense?
Wow. Great response, Jamie. I love how you have created these categories of bloggers and their motivations, which seems accurate.
Blogging has grown up. There are people who still write for a hobby and people who want to make a living from their blogs by promoting products. I guess we can say “a chacun son gout,” eh? Each to their own taste.
Some people do it well but I agree that they are rare. I have read many sponsored posts by big bloggers that make me cringe because of the fawning and hyperbolic language. It’s just not necessary!
[I posted this comment on Facebook in response to Jamie Schler’s share of this article, then decided I wanted to come back and add it to the discussion.]
Here’s what always bothers me about this topic: Magazines and newspapers get A TON of product for free, don’t have to disclose it explicitly, and write about it. You know all those gadgets and artisan food products Bon Appetit and Food and Wine gush over every month in their front-of-the-book sections? They didn’t pay for those. The products showed up at their offices. Why would those editors and writers be any less biased writing a review of a product they got for free than a blogger? Because the FTC doesn’t make them write “By the way, we got this product for free” at the beginning of the paragraph. I’m not against disclosure – honesty is good – but there is no parallel disclosure in the real world when it comes to free stuff.
Now, magazine and newspaper advertorial is marked as advertising, and that’s the true equivalent to the sponsored post. But the difference there is that magazines and newspapers PAY THE PEOPLE WHO WRITE THE ADVERTORIAL. They are established, with big audiences that can support advertising. What is a small, up-and-coming blogger supposed to do for compensation during the period when he/she is going from zero to a million uniques a month? Advertising when you get, say, 10,000 uniques a month brings in “latte money” at best. It’s all good to talk about separation of editorial and advertising, but for the majority of bloggers advertising is never, ever, ever going to be a viable source of income.
I think readers say they don’t like sponsored blog posts because most of the time they’re not done well. They’re awkward, they’re too gushing, the blogger accepts gigs from companies whose products don’t fit with their POV, the recipes using those products don’t appeal. Bloggers who do a good job with sponsored content should not see any issues from their readers.
Yes, this is true, it is a double standard between the Internet and print. That is because the FTC is going after reviews more than anything else: people who are paid by a washing machine manufacturer, $1 for each comment, to find every single website that mentions their product and to say that their washing machine is the best thing ever. Magazines and newspapers don’t have that issue, so I guess they get a pass.
It is actually very good money to get job writing advertorial for newspapers and magazines, because it comes through the marketing department. Much better than writing for the editorial department, in many cases.
But with blogging, it’s all you all the time, and there is no division. Hence these ethical issues come into play.
I think its become really popular lately to harp on bloggers who right sponsored posts, and Im not sure I understand why. Of course there are going to be bloggers out there that spew out copy from press releases and call it a sponsored post, but there are also some who write really great sponsored content.
There are a lot more people out there who write badly for free in my opinion.
Hah! Good point. Let’s agree that there are both: bloggers who write sponsored posts badly, and bloggers who write just about anything badly.
I have not seen any difference in reception of sponsored versus non-sponsored when it comes to recipes.
That’s a good sign, Robin.
The primary thing that stands out to me, Dianne, is that the sample of people whose opinion this is based upon is so small. I agree with Kristen, that this doesn’t seem a particularly representative number of people on which to base my blog content. 542 people wouldn’t make anything “official”, and frankly, if that many people avoided my blog because of a sponsored post, I would probably not notice their absence.
I can’t say that I find sponsored posts to be detrimental or offensive to my readers. I am careful in accepting sponsored work – it has to fit in with my non-sponsored content [as well as being a relatively small percentage of my overall content] for me to be willing to even use the products in the first place. I must feel that the resulting post, and the recipe, are going to be of value to my visitors, not just monetarily to me. I have an upcoming sponsored post that, on the surface, may not seem like a good fit, but I have a very specific reason why it actually is, which will be the focus of the article – it will definitely be of value to my readers in more ways than one, and the sponsor is very happy with the angle I suggested. It’s the result of my careful consideration, and the sponsor being willing to let it go in a slightly different direction than they had originally conceived – the result of cultivating a relationship with them.
Finally, I just don’t think we can worry about what other bloggers are doing all that much. My readers come back to my blog because they like what they find. I write for them and for myself. Who am I to judge what someone else decides to do? You can’t compare what someone like Joy the Baker has available in terms of opportunities to someone who has been blogging for 6 months. If a mommy blogger of 6 months gets a free bag of chocolate chips and gushes about the product while writing a mediocre recipe, it’s not going to have an effect on how people perceive my blog. 3 years from now, that same blogger may have learned to improve her work to the point where companies will have to compete to get her to write for them, and pay her well to do it. If she is still working for a bag of chocolate chips by then, it’s still not going to have any effect at all on other blogs.
My blog is my business, and as an entrepreneur, I have to consider what income streams make sense for me. In my case, I am just not finding that there is any negative trade off at all, so long as I make sure my readers are finding quality and value in my work, sponsored or not.
You make a lot of good points, Donalyn.
Yes, it’s a small sample, but I think the responses are valid even so. And apparently this survey is not going to stop anyone, at least as expressed through the comments on my blog, from doing sponsored posts if they want to.
It sounds like you put a lot of thought into yours. You are not gushing over a bag of chocolate chips, which I appreciate. Those beginning bloggers have so much to learn!
I too would like to know how effective sponsored blogs are – there should be stats. I think the low production costs are the real attraction from a brand perspective. I suspect brands are realistic that the return will be proportional to the investment.
I see blogging as largely a function of public relations. The danger of the sponsored blog is that a message crafted from media events and promotional material will be shallow. That can lead a reader to conclude that the same is true of the blogger.
Too many sponsored blogs feels like watching a television program with too many commercials – irritating and it reduces the quality of the experience.
When communication or public relations agencies approach me to do something for free it tells me something of their values. For me, it’s never a good fit.
I want to hear a bloggers true voice but I do respect the democracy of the form and a bloggers right to do as they please.
Thanks for writing this Dianne.
Deborah
Yes I think so too. It costs very little to have a blogger promote a product to her fans and followers, so why not? Imagine that it’s hard to have stats on effectiveness of a campaign. It’s not like a product coupon where you can point to the code to see how many people cashed it in at the supermarket.
Many of these sponsored posts are shallow, indeed. And like you, there is never a fit for me either. My blog is too specialized for that, fortunately.
I think there are no rights or wrongs when it comes to sponsored posts. I think that if it sits well with your conscious when the post is published then that is the indicator.
While I’m sure readers would prefer not to see sponsored posts, let alone sidebar ads, most of them choose to not see or ignore the thousands of dollars we as bloggers spend on our blogs from hosting, buying a domain name, themes, ingredients and cameras etc. If they love what we do and want us to do more of it then they have to understand that some of us can’t afford to do it unless we get something back though the form of accepting sponsored posts and advertising.
In the 7 year history of my blog I’ve only accepted a handful of sponsored posts. These have been in the form of recipe development for growers (mushroom growers, avocado growers) because anything else doesn’t sit right with me because I believe in cooking from scratch, not a packet. But what is right for me won’t be right for someone else.
That being said readers never ever seem to have an issue if there is a prize involved. All their ethics over what is right and wrong go out the door when there is a chance at winning a prize. They get the recipes for free and a prize but seem to expect we work for free…….
Anyway, as I said at the start, as long as your acceptance or non acceptance of sponsored posts makes you feel good then is all that matters and after that, to be honest, it is nobodies business.
Well, many bloggers are just clueless, Jennifer. They sleep well at night knowing that they are terrible writers and don’t care if they have any followers. But I am not interested in them. I am interested in bloggers who are trying to establish best practices for their work, who want to be as professional as possible.
Re prizes, yes you are right, they drive a lot of traffic. I don’t see anything wrong with giving away product. It’s what bloggers say about the product that makes readers suspicious.
There are other ways to make money besides sponsored posts. I’m not saying no one should do it, but I think so many bloggers are not paid fairly for their work simply because they are “honored” that a company chose them for a freebie or to give them a few bucks. And then they go overboard in their posts. It’s just sad!
Bungeeing in from the other side of the fence, travel, where we see a lot of the same issues.
I had a guy tell me it was “too distracting” to disclose to his readers the terms of sponsorship up front. But when I read to the end of something and find it’s sponsored after the fact, I feel duped.
I think a lot the issues around this topic can be settled by ultra clear, up front disclosure. If you readers continue to stick around through post after post after post of sponsored content that’s fully disclosed up front, well, you’ve got it sorted, don’t you?
But anyone who argues that up front disclosure is a burden, yeah, I’m done reading them. Sponsors tend to not want that because then, the content looks like advertorial, GO FIGURE. The fact that they don’t want the nature of the content fully disclosed up front seems as good a reason as any to be highly suspicious of the sponsor’s motives and to avoid reading content that initiates with those restrictions.
Sponsored content doesn’t have to suck, nor does it have to be bad by default. But it takes a great deal of nerve on the part of the writer to be honest about their experience. If bloggers showed more spine, our web would be a lot more interesting.
Slightly off topic, but I wanted to respond to the comment about popups. Data shows that they do indeed work to generate signups or boost social media numbers, but there are more detailed studies that show that part of the reason they boost numbers is because users can’t figure out how to make them go away and they end up friending, following, signing up for newletters just to get the damn popup to close. You get numbers, but not quality. It seems obvious to the web literate that those things are easy to dismiss, but well documented tests don’t bear that out across more average uses. FYI.
Pam, I have read your blog for years, and I have read your sponsored posts too. It’s because you write the same kind of post that you always do. You tell a story. Your voice doesn’t change and you don’t gush. And of course, you always disclose. It seems matter-of-fact. If food bloggers could be this good at it, maybe I wouldn’t mind!
Re pop-ups, I expect them on big websites but not on personal blogs. They are annoying. Why would I want to annoy my readers?
I didn’t mind them too much for a while, but since they’ve become so very frequent, I’ve grown to hate them. While I understand that bloggers have every right to make money in any way they choose, I personally have stopped reading many blogs that I used to truly enjoy and trust. Other people who have commented here are right–the blogger loses credibility, especially when the product doesn’t directly relate to their typical posts. It’s just hard to make some things sound sincere.
Of course I realize that I personally will not make or break the success of any blogger, nor do I want to, but I have no interest in reading sponsored posts any more. They’ re actually disappointing.
Another person said that readers don’t seem to have a problem when there’s a prize involved. That may be true for some readers, but definitely not all of us. I never attempt to win a prize. I rarely comment at all unless it’s something I feel strongly about and a question has been asked (such as in this post). Even then, my intent is not to be critical or negative–just honest.
By the way, I’m just a blog reader. I don’t have a blog of my own. I have nothing to lose or gain by sponsored posts, just giving an honest opinion of a person who reads a lot!
I’m honored that you felt strongly enough to comment, Julie. it’s good to hear from a blog reader who doesn’t have her own. Food blogs depend on millions of people just like you. Your opinion is important.
As a professional copywriter who also blogs, I’d be thrilled to post a guest post for a brand’s blog or content … I wonder if blogging is heading in that direction?
Those are well-paying gigs, if you can get them, Lisa.
ADVERTISEMENT:
Hi,
I want to advertise on your site.
Please tell me how much for a post?
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Adam Smith
How funny to have you ask this in the comments. Thanks for making my day. I do not take sponsored content.
Hi Dianne–I am happy to have found as well as freaked out by the stats you shared about sponsored posts. I am in the pre-launch phase of my blog and I had it in my head that I would offer sponsored posts as a way to monetize the site. I didn’t want to clutter it with advertisements so I thought I could find a happy medium this way. I don’t have any e-books or anything at this time, though I do want to publish directories in the future.
I am blogging about product sourcing and procurement. I would like to shine a spotlight on lesser known companies, US manufacturers, etc. I of course want to be paid for my time to write the articles and would not accept any sponsorship that I felt was morally questionable. I would not be blogging about how much I love their products so much as I would be going into greater detail about their product lines and benefits of doing business with the company. (These will be mostly businesses that offer wholesale accounts).
I have seen the sponsored posts that are over the top and yes they make me groan too. Do you think that the type of sponsored post I described above would be a major turn off to my particular demographic? The articles and lists I write are incredibly tedious and time consuming so the thought of gambling on ad revenue makes me break out in hives. Wondering if I should scrap the blog route and just sell e-books. Any suggestions?
(Great post by the way. I have a tendency to look at everything with rose colored glasses and I needed the reality check.)
You have to think about your readers, Marla. I do not know who they are. What do they want from you? What kind of information would delight them? They are your real clients, not the companies you do business with and their products. And if you don’t want to do a blog, and e-book is always an option.
Thanks for the link, DJ. And we have the same initials.