Thanks very much for your long and thoughtful response. For those who can handle “tricky” and “blurry” as things evolve, it is indeed an amazing time to be at the center of Internet development.

As I wrote in another comment elsewhere this morning, I’m not saying that I’d never have some sort of contractual relationship with a brand or company that I really loved, but so far the disadvantages have outweighed the advantages for me.

If I DID have such a relationship, then as far as I’m concerned, I’m doing PR/marketing work for them, and that’s not what they want. They want that “authentic blogger voice.” Well, you can’t have it both ways. I’m either speaking independently or I’m not, and for me, speaking independently means paying my own way.

Listened to Naomi Klein this morning on Democracy Now discussing the 10th anniversay of her book “No Logo” and the concept of corporate branding.

Bloggers are the frontline of individuals who are taking branding back to a personal identity, usually with some clearly associated values and direct accountability.

A large corporate culture has attributes of benevolance on one hand with charitable efforts and employment opportunities, but on the other hand will gouge the consumer for everything possible. This is a pervasive aspect of the travel industry.

The lines are blurry though when the blogger is marketing the corporate marketers efforts. We are in an evolutionary period where bloggers will be working with marketers in a way the music industry has to work with radio stations to be heard by the masses.
The message has to be spread for travelers to be aware of what is available in the world of travel and bloggers are part of the relay medium.

The pay issue is tricky.

Do we become paid or gifted (swag and free trips) endorsers of a product for a company or association that will pay us to write for them?

Do we grow our personal brand and rely on income from advertisers who want access to our audience?

Do we become thought leaders in social media and educate the corporate culture and public as paid speakers and consultants?

Any or all of the above?

This truly is the right time to be working in this space of blogging and social media.

And I concur with your statement, “In my master plan, the money will follow.”

Hang in there; we’re in the right place at the right time with the right skill set. In my master plan, the money will follow.

Hi Gary,

You’re right about “bloggers as a type of press release tool;” I see way too much of that. Also, they seem to think that I can’t come up with material on my own – that I sit around waiting for ideas from their PR emails. Uh, no.

I usually send an email back telling them they can just buy advertising.

There are still many companies that view bloggers as a type of press release tool.