Day: December 21, 2020

The last few days, several bloggers have mentioned the subject of Sponsored Posts. At first, I wondered what they were on about. Then, I happened to look at a blog in the Reader and saw, indeed, that the next post on the screen was by somebody I’d never heard of. In quite indistinguishable text, it said “sponsored post”. So I “got” what was happening.

I read posts almost exclusively through the notifications window. That little bell in the top-right of the screen. When somebody – free or not – posts something new, it tags a notification onto that list.

That list does not contain anything sponsored.

If you have a free plan, when you publish a post, a link to your post appears in my list. Just like it always did.

And, when I follow the link in my notification, it takes me straight to your post. None of this sponsored rubbish. I’d only see Sponsored Posts if I went to the front page of your blog and then manually navigated to your post. I am unlikely to use the site in that way.

Okay, this does mean that somebody could find your blog from a Google search, and would get all this Sponsored Post crap, but be honest – who is more likely to read your post? a passer-by, or me?