1. Building a Blog Identity with Integrity
(a.k.a how to grow your blog without
selling your soul)

2. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 3
BREAKING NEWS

3. Meet Food and the Fabulous

4. Mekong Delta, 2013

5. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 6
And they think…
So, you eat for free,
hey!

6. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 7
BLOG IDENTITY SPONSORSHIP
INDEPENDENT
BLOGS
DISCLOSURERELATIONSHIPS
Building an Identity

7. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 8
Who am I?

8. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 9
Facebook Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
PinterestGoogle +
Vine
Flickr
Social Media = Microblogging

9. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 10
Microblog in Action

10. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 11
Blogging is like cake
Layers

11. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 12
• Engage
• Demonstrate kindness
Fellow bloggers
• Demonstrate goodwill
• Get involved!
Hotel/Lodge, DMO, P.Rs
• Understand industry expectations
Your
Blog
Readers
Comm-
unity
Industry
Relationships
Content
Family, Community, the Net
• Credit sources,
• Protect your
content
Your writing

12. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 13
Free lunch?
No such thing!
*Image from web

13. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 14
Travel Blogging – It’s Complicated!
 Competition
 Complicated
 Challenges
 Sponsorship
 Junk Content
 Focus on Reader
 Disclosure
Sponsorship

14. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 15
Conflict of
Interest
Gushing Tweets,
objectivity marred Declare incentives
Long-term
relationships
Transparency Building Trust
Disclosure

15. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 16
The FTC (Federal Trade Commission)
Bloggers and Sponsors obliged to declare freebies
Legislation?
• Prominent Disclosure
• Tweets to carry #ad #paid, start of
tweet
• No misleading info e.g. “World’s Best
Hostel” ? ?
• In SA – Consumer Protection Act
Roussillon, 2013

16. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 17
Independent Blogging – is it for you?
In Provence Verte, 2013

17. Remember…
• Nothing is free
• Nothing is more important than
your integrity

18. Magic Marker August 4, 2013 19
The Trolls!

19. Head up and Blog
Strong!