We bring you a post about what are points worth, a Faroe Islands trip report, shocking Russian elections and a warning about how clickbait spreads and more!
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SPG is turning into Marriott….Starwood Hotels 6 of 77 international hotels did not drop SPG category March 6 as announced.
Some really good thinking about “What Are Points Worth to You“. This is not about the totally ridiculous “valuation” posts by the big commercial bloggers, which are nothing but fodder to pump their readers more credit cards for the sales commissions! I am looking forward to learn more about vacation rentals.
This is an amazing video about Hang Sơn Đoòng – THE LARGEST CAVE ON EARTH in Vietnam.
There is a remote town in Norway where it is illegal to die!
This is a thorough look into how America moves its homeless. One way bus ticket out. Bussed Out. Devastating read…I had no idea about this.
Reading this is so devastating: After Daughter’s ‘Unimaginable’ Death, Parkland Family Moved To Action.
Here is another TBB fav song recommendation: Tinariwen – Oualahila Tesninam
Let me present to you another travel expert. This time is on the Maldives Faroe Islands. Fits the blogger mold here, you go to a place twice and you proclaim yourself an expert. Okay, I am kidding. Pretty nice report from a place which may become the European Iceland. I would still prefer to visit it in the summer though!
Project Riese: The Secret Nazi Tunnels in Poland. They were huge!
I hate to break it to you but in case you have not heard…there was an election in Russia yesterday. And, please sit down, Putin won! Anyway, here are some crazy pictures from the Russian elections:
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One of the slowest weekends ever in the blogs…
One Mile At A Time asked for applications to be a contributing writer. The number of applications was HUGE. I am shaking my head…I guess they need more ways to sell more plastic and posts like this:
Crew To Passenger: “Would You Jeopardize Your Holiday For A B***job?”
I am certain he did it to get back at me for giving Mark at his blog grief about them exclamation marks!
I was going to work on an epic rant against this clickbait shit that is now competing for your eyeballs. I can understand a whole blog post every once in a while. But when these blogs make it a regular feature (along with their credit card pimping of course that almost never stops) of what they offer…you need to wonder why others or even bloggers will link to this shit. So, here what I was thinking to do in the pic depicted below. It is in reverse chronological order. I was going to do a write up like I usually do and inject some vicious humor to it for your entertainment. But then I looked at my conversions and quickly dropped the idea. So, here is the run up of a few days last week (I had to cut it off at some point so the phucking pic will fit and not take over my space!):
No, wait. Just over the past weekend this shit did not stop
Great NCAA Basketball games. For University of Michigan, what an ending! Not so for Michigan State, watching that game was just painful all around.
And I leave you with this…[The persons depicted herein are of pure fictitious nature and contain no connection to reality. This post is to exercise our free speech rights to entertain our readers. You do not have to read it. Be responsible at all times okay?]
TBB
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Gold
I hate the ridiculous clicbait… getting worse …. sell sell sell
Yeah, it is getting so much worse.
The ass kissing started early Monday am:
Was A Mom Kicked Off A Plane Because Her Baby Spit Up? – Pizza in Motion
While I have fallen prey to this myself (and will likely do it in the future), I know for a fact that I cost myself a lot of views by NOT going the clickbait avenue. But I cannot help it – I really, really dislike that stuff.
Almost as bad is when blogs put some tantalizing headline about something and then they do not even break down for you how to get it – they just send you to another blog. Do your own research once in a while! 🙂
Oh, one more thing about headlines – it is actually one of the most difficult things about blog posts for me! It is a careful balance between not wanting to give away the store in the headline while also not clickbaiting.
Case in point – if I am doing something about a deal with Aegean miles, I always hesitate about putting “Aegean” in the title because people may skip it since they don’t fly them. But, the post also shows why it is important to be interested in them for reasons they may not have thought of so I need the headline to give them some interest.
I am sure some of you can help me with this – and I welcome it! 🙂
You are in a slightly abnormal spot though because you are fighting for attention on the BA home page.
The value to me given all my readership is direct or Google (our home page is 33% of our traffic) of running click bait headlines is nil. My regular readers would hate it.
That is partially correct. It depends on the content. Before my short slowdown, I had probably 20% from the BA page. Flipboard is a big referrer – where clickbait does seem to work.
Gary should start doing webinars (for a fee of course) on how to write these clickbait headlines, the guy is unmatched.
What I despise the most is others kissing up to shit like that…
I get 30 clicks a day from Flipboard, clearly doing something wrong as they never promote my stuff.
I also have been eschewing most of the sensational stories at The Gate; but let us be realistic here:
Click bait sells. Sex sells…
…and as long as throngs of people want to read articles about naked women who prostitute themselves by selling credit cards with emotional support animals which encounter uncontrollable bouts of diarrhea aboard airplanes, there will always be a profitable market.
There would be no “spam”; no attention paid to Kardashians or others of that ilk; and no sensational click bait articles if people did not continue to buy all of that garbage — but they will keep buying it to our chagrin no matter how much you or I may protest it. End of story.
The whole idea is rather sad; but it is true…
For a second said, I thought you said “thongs” 🙂
Yeah, you are right. I am wasting my time here. Even Ingy abandoned me. Maybe time to join Mile Nerd in retirement soon…
what sells. the difference between pimp bloggers and non pimps. caring about selling is the priority.
And this is why I operate my blog out of my dark cold basement, sad!
Those wild overvaluations are, sadly, sticking in people’s minds. They book a trip, then find the highest retail price for the flights and rooms (which no one pays with their own money), then they work backwards to convince themselves and others that the miles they used are worth 4, 8, 12 cents each. That in turn lights the fuse on doing anything, paying anything to get more miles.
So what happens when the 41,000 people on Richard Kerr’s Facebook group all try to redeem points? Well, when they can’t find availability, they can hire a booking service to find it for them. Liquor in the front, poker in the rear. (And, to be clear, I think Richard Kerr is ok and not doing anything I wouldn’t (well,except maybe writing for TPG)).
Buzz- I saw a member of the House Intelligence Committee on Meet the Press yesterday. Chuck Todd asked him why they didn’t interview you during their investigation. He answered that “We didn’t think George Papodopoulos was a long term player”. Todd then asked him “How did you know that if you didn’t interview him”. I love watching blowhards dance.
But seriously, does this mean that the offer from TPG finally came in? Afer the sale, will you have to have your name attached to half-baked ideas posing as worthwhile posts? Will you have to do a Friday interview with MMS?
God, and it’s only Monday.
If I was doing a Best of TBB Comments this one would be in for sure!
I am always a long term player but I am starting to think there is no selling for a blogger that does not pump credit cards and screams “Shocking video”.
As far as what happens after the sale, we are getting ahead of ourselves, aren’t we? If the sale terms force an interview at MMS I would refuse it. Because TBB is no ass kisser! And you can take that to the bank….my bank hopefully LOL.
WTF is going on at Austing with the bomb packages?
Meanwhile, Pointchaser tells her readers to use their credit cards for EVERYTHING #mindblown
Busy today!
I wish it was Friday 🙂
Of course Doctor of Credit will lead with another link to View From The Wing. Rumor says he gets more bang from that than with my linking to him lol.
Hey, this is looking after your readers so they won’t miss another shocking video or the XX ways he loves another credit card that pays him…
Hey, this blog made $2.08 over the weekend….Was that Brian ready to make that buy out offer to me bwahahahahahhaa.
I say Ingy posts before 12 noon 🙂
China Eastern Denies Flight Attendant Orgy (Despite Video) – View From The Wing
Apparently this guy has no shame at all…
Great song…again! Perfect background task music.
But that video about the cave—so overproduced! Reeks of “look at us, in this faraway, inaccessible place! We have DRONES filming us! Tents! Guys contemplating life! All set to music!”…..I could go on and on….
In fact, I almost considered that it was a parody of millennial-look-at-me travel for a minute…
Hate this sort of thing.
(P.S. The cave is cool.)
Lol…Yeah, if the video did not have these guys at all would have been so much better!
These guys are getting worse by the hour…
Guy Strips Down On Flight… And I Don’t Actually Care That His Reasons Are BS – One Mile at a Time
I think Trump has more online meltdowns that Ingy, sad!
Ingy blows smoke as always
FANGMAN now has a combined market cap of $4tn.
Did we just return to the gilded age? Capitalism failed back then. How about some regulation before our brains turn into mashed potatoes.
https://twitter.com/Schuldensuehner/status/975505058434600965
I think Zuckerberg may start a Kickstarter campaign today lol.
China Eastern Denies Flight Attendant Wild Sex Orgy After Video Appears Online – Point Me To The Plane
I need to take a break, can’t keep up with this shit anymore…
Disgusting bullshit!
In fairness, that is actually a plane I might want to be pointed towards. (I haven’t seen the video so I can’t be 100% sure…)
Saw a pic of fhe orgy on Feedlyand I can assure you it is even darker than my own basement! #pitchblack
Miles to Memories post on reselling.
Your thoughts?
So quiet about fees!!!
Is this the 2.0 version of “look at me in my flat bed drinking Krug and you can do it for free too”? Seminars to start teaching the “new” hobby?
What I want to know is:
What was NET NET profit and how that translates per HOUR for him and his partner wife…
Meanwhile, this Gary dude reaches new lows with every post:
Mother Kicked Off Flight When Baby Spit Up
while I continue being positive and calling this shit out…for, basically, free. Sad 🙂
Amazon Sales 2017: $921,144.79
Cost of Goods Sold: $478,998.69
There were obviously no other fees and costs resulting in profits greater than $450k + points! Because you know, Shawn has a new definition of CoG.
I can’t understand why Ingy thought reselling was a pain to deal with.
I am an idiot for waiting for a buy out offer crom TPG! Shawn!!!! #Hint
If Ingy does not come out I am goibg to quit, cone on man!!!!
I made it very clear in the article that there are fees when selling and didn’t try to hide that fact. I set a limit as to how much info I was willing/comfortable sharing and thought it was worth it for my readers to get that info despite the limit. Perhaps the idea that I paid 52% of what my buyers paid on Amazon can open some minds.
Of course some people will never be happy, because after all if TBB doesn’t have !!! or CoGs to criticize then you don’t have a post to put up everyday. But yeah, show me someone else in the miles/points space with a $1 million reselling business who takes the time to share some basic info with those who are interested. There may be someone and I would applaud them if they wrote such info.
Oh and for the record my post had SIGNIFICANTLY less affiliate links in it than yours. As always, I’m a true fan George. Can’t wait to see you in July. Hoping you’ll autograph my Princess Poppy mug.
Posting those two huge numbers may have lead readers to think this can be viable for them to do too? I always think about the readers FIRST. It is in my DNA, my middle name is F. Not as Fuckup but as in Fiduciary lol
You make a good point about me having a post to put up every day. First, I am done in posting every day so there 🙂 But, seriously, today over lunch this thought came to me “What if I just really take my own medicine and IGNORE all the blogs I beat up on FOR REAL?”…Will that make my life easier? Of course it WILL! But, you know, if I go down who will protect the NEWBIES? At least they have a blog that looks out for them…Seriously, that was my train of thought.
My comment was constructive. I just thought if you were going to post these two numbers you should not have stopped at them alone! That’s all.
Lets please not get into which posts had more affiliate links. Looking at Mark and Danny 🙂
Looking forward to July. You are invited in my house, hope you don’t blow me off again like last time 🙂 It should be a great time, I pour my blog’s annual profits back to my guests…Ok, a bit exaggerated but…Close!
I missed your deep travel related posts with your family. Hope your son is doing okay, not an easy age! And hopefully your little one is past the crying fits!
Are you sending subliminal messages to Mark he does not use enough !’s? 🙂
I didn’t blow you off. I flew out that night. This time I’ll be there though. Can’t wait to see your palace. Can Mark come too?
I know, come on.
Yes, Mark can come too!!!
Well, I think I am doing it again but not official yet….All it takes is a phone call from a cousin in Greece and I am outtahere!
My palace…good one, you should see my basement!
Come on George! Shawn’s a good guy. I looked into his eyes and I saw his soul 🙂 (Hey Shawn). 🙂
The thing about Amazon reselling or whatnot, and why he’s so successful, is that he’s treating it as business. Not a hobby, not MS, but something that involves a lot of work and cultivation. I tried it once and quickly folded, not my thing. What newbies often fail to realize — often to their detriment — is that business comes first, before the caviar, bubblies, and suites (with or without butler).
What’s in July?
Exactly, so why give them a different impression?
“Liz: That is amazing. I might have to start reselling instead of MS someday.”
“DT: Second job netting $350k profit after expenses/fees and before taxes?”
Give them a balanced view of the hustle. Reselling is primarily a business. And if it’s a business, you also pay yourself a salary. You’re just fortunate to generate tax-free points in the process.
@ ABC:
You got my point.
But to be fair that’s exactly what he said at the beginning of his post, that it’s more like a business than a hobby.
@ Andy:
I like Shawn, he is one of the good guys in this horrific state of blogs lately. Some people are ethical (like you) and I want the best of them. But good to challenge you guys once in a while. It makes it more fun. Plus, it creates content for my blog lol.
You make GREAT points about making it a business. I guess that will likely never work here. Unless Shawn buys me out as I gave on Brian Kelly 🙂
In July we have the Ann Arbor Art Fair Do. I think it is year 15 or 14. And it is FREE, no $249 fees like at FUs. Sorry, I meant to type FTUs 🙂 I usually have a party at my house, all paid for by my blog’s profit for the year. I like to give BACK you know. See thread in FT under Community Buzz or email me.
Ann Arbor Do, of course! I knew that. 🙂 I’m never around in July, but might be this year. Still considering going to TBEX in Czechia, though.
Hey, I like Shawn too. Maybe he’ll whisper his Amazon secrets to me one day. 🙂
So what’s a travel hacker to do when they also have a keen interest in wild orgies, an interest that pre-dates their traveling?! Asking for a friend.
Resell orgy passes!
Brian Cohen is absolutely right, clickbait sells, and that’s why people produce it. Everybody in this hobby is aware that if people are rewarded for doing something, then sooner or later people will do it. Ergo, clickbait.
Yep, he is absolutely right.
Obviously, what I am doing here is fighting Dangerous Bullshit probably does not help much. But if I can stop one newbie from clicking on this shit I feel like I have contributed to make our planet Earth better. And, that to me hiding in my basement, it is worth it. Until I get tired of it…Amazing it has not happened in 5 plus years.
For the record, Ingy predicted that I will last only 3 months blogging. He also said he will never stop commenting in my blog. FAIL. AGAIN.
But you are assuming a clickbait reader is worth as much as one who is attracted by a serious miles and points topic.
And they’re not, unless you live off ad revenue.
Boarding Area is all about ad revenue 🙂
You are correct, Raffles — and the Comments section of The Gate is proof.
Although articles do not garner as many comments as before, the quality of the comments in general has significantly increased since I stopped posting stories which are even moderately sensational…
I wish my blog was making money off its comments 🙂
Where is Ingy??????????
Breaking: Dog in cargo aboard United barked! With VIDEO!!!
Perhaps there is an experiment here. I start a blog called clickbaittravel or similar and find a freelancer to write it. Pay them $15 a pop and send over links to the best BA stories.
20 articles a month would mean $300 writing costs. I would need 60,000 page views per month to cover that from Adsense income.
Doable?
$15? It’s that cheap to generate “content”?
Only need 2-3 CSR to break even.
Can’t see TPG paying more for cut and paste strories involving weather or incidents copied from BA blogs per piece 🙂
We are living in a word of shit in other words, sad!
InsideFlyer pays €15 in Europe
Blogs which pay writers as a share of as revenue will be paying less than this, probably under $10
George, did you link to this one yet?
https://www.theonion.com/report-we-don-t-make-any-money-if-you-don-t-click-the-1823460398
That’s just perfect, what I am talking about!!!!
Linking to it tomorrow, enjoy the HT 😉
And thanks to reader for the card conversion. That’s #5. Sticking it to Ingy with every conversion, he has not seen one of them in 6 six years. Bwahahahahahahaha.
Click Your Heels and Start a Business, You Need Small Business Card Rewards – View From The Wing
Phucking Aaaaaaaa