The unnsponsored content sparsity and why not all hotel reviews are created equal
If you’ve ever seen that episode of South Park where ads try and take over the world, you have probably daydreamed of the perfect world where you would not have to try and decipher what is sponsored content and what isn’t.
I pay with my own money to stay at every hotel I write individual hotel reviews on. I do not accept payment from hotels to write positive pieces in the form of hotel reviews. This is considered sponsored content.
Sponsored content is material in an online publication (like a blog) which looks like the publication’s normal editorial content but it is in fact paid for by a business. It is written under the guise of a blogger’s opinion but it is created solely to promote the advertiser’s product.Â
This could be in the form of a reel where a beauty guru tells you that you need a certain beauty product or it could even be a famous news publication writing an article about a new restaurant that has opened.
Sponsored content is rife on the internet and social media. It has become normalised among marketing girlies and journalists alike.
Sponsored content is usually not clear that it has been sponsored. It is written or told in the form of a story which makes the audience feel like it is a genuine experience, when the only reason it exists is because someone got paid to share it with you. Nothing about this is genuine.
Like most bloggers, I run ads (these are banners in my posts that advertise stuff to you based on your previous shopping habits). I also use some affiliate links when I link to other shopping sites, which give me a commission if people choose to click on them and shop there. These are links to sites I would have linked anyway. My blog has always been a creative outlet for me and it has always been my goal to keep my blog free and accessible for all users.Â
Why do unnsponsored hotel reviews matter
If I was getting paid to visit a hotel and write hotel reviews there is no way that I could be impartial and honest about my experience. Firstly, when you make a deal with a hotel to create sponsored content there are certain experiences (such as trying their seasonal menu or new spa treatment) I would have to talk about as well as certain key words and links I would be expected to use as part of the deal and to fulfil my contract.
Even if I wasn’t told explicitly by the hotel that I couldn’t write something negative in my hotel reviews, it is implied because it would negatively impact my future opportunities with that hotel (this is especially true when they are a big hotel chain). If a bloggers livelihood relies on how much they can sell a hotel to their readers then you bet they will be telling you that the hotel is a 100/10. Thankfully, that is not the case for me!Â
Because I do not create sponsored content for hotel stays I can be completely honest with you about my experience staying at a hotel in my unsponsored hotel reviews. I paid for the experience so you bet I’ll tell you if it was really worth my hard-earned money.
How will you know if a hotel is worth staying at?
I rate my hotels out of 5. Each hotel is rated on 5 different areas: The Look, The Food & Drink, The Facilities, The Room, and The Location. I use a very ✨precise✨ and formal rubric to judge this and it is shown below (can you tell I used to be a teacher?):
| Nothing | Nope | Meh | Yeah, Nah | Likes it | Loves it | Total | |
| The Look & Feel | I turned around and left. (0 points) | Looks like a dungeon run by the devil himself. (0.1 points) | Looks like I’m going to get robbed tonight. (0.2 points) | I feel like I’ll be wanting to spend my holiday outside the hotel. (0.3 points) | Looks and feels like a vibe I can get behind. (0.4 points) | It’s like they had access to my Pinterest board. These are my people. (0.5 points) | /1 |
| The Room | Um, what room? (0 points) | Oh Lord – is that something moving in the corner? (0.1 points) | Ew, gross – don’t touch anything. (0.2 points) | There probably isn’t any bedbugs. (0.3 points) | It’s relaxing but there a few inconveniences. (0.4 points) | I live here now. (0.5 points) | /1 |
| The Facilities | Um, what facilities? (0 points) | They were a safety hazard. (0.1 points) | Like, they’re there. But maybe it would be better if they weren’t…? (0.2 points) | They’re OK, but I’m not that desperate… yet. (0.3 points) | They’re exactly what I was looking for. (0.4 points) | They’re exactly what I was looking for and aesthetic. (0.5 points) | /1 |
| The Food & Drink | Um, what food and drink? (0 points) | I got food poisoning. (0.1 points) | I think there is a 50/50 chance of food poisoning. (0.2 points) | Some options are OK but I think I’d rather starve. (0.3 points) | The food is delicious but the dietary range is small. (0.4 points) | The food is delicious and thoughtful. (0.5 points) | /1 |
| The Location | Desolation of the soul. (0 points) | I’m lost. I hate it here. (0.1 points) | Three trains, four buses and a cab?! Takes anywhere between 2 and 5 hours. (0.2 points) | It was easy to get to the hotel/resort but now I’m stuck (and not in the good way). (0.3 points) | There are a small range of places nearby but they all look like they’re in the process of closing down. (0.4 points) | The location perfectly matches the ambience of the hotel/resort. (0.5 points) | /1 |
| Total | /5 |
Where should I review next?
Got a cute hotel you’d love to hear about? Let me know! I’m at @apicturesquelife
Thanks for reading!
xoxo,
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