You’ve followed your favorite blogs for years and are convinced you can do just as well. With nothing holding you back except for lingering insecurities, you’re prepared to try your hand at blogging. If you want the effort to turn into an enjoyable and possibly profitable hobby, there are things you’ll need to keep in mind as you get started. [More]
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3 Ingredients Of A Solid Business Website
By 11.16.11
As the times evolve, so do the requirements of a website. Whether you’ve got a blog or have a hand in a business’s web presence, it’s important to look for ways to improve sites that represent you. And whether you want strangers or your own grandmother to check out your handiwork, you need to stay relevant. [More]
Erotic Phishing Attack Steals Thousands Of Tumblr Logins
By 6.29.11
Thousands of logins for emo-blogging platform Tumblr have been stolen in the past week via a phishing attack that lured users to enter their credentials in exchange for the promise of erotic content. [More]
It'll Cost You $300 To Blog In Philadelphia
By 8.23.10
I grew up in the Philadelphia area and I can’t remember a time when the city wasn’t described as “cash-strapped” by the local media. But I’d never imagine Philly’s financial follies would be so dire that it would begin requiring business licenses for businesses that don’t really exist. [More]
FTC Keeping Eye On Possible Blog Payola Cases: Ann Taylor Not Punished
By 4.29.10
A reminder to any bloggers who like free stuff, and companies working on exciting new Internet marketing strategies: the Federal Trade Commission is watching you, so keep to their guidelines that dictate bloggers must disclose any compensation that they receive for posting about or reviewing a product. While they didn’t take any action against clothing retailer Ann Taylor for offering gift cards to bloggers who posted about a new collection, the scrutiny was an important message in itself. [More]
FTC Says Bloggers Can't Hide Endorsement Deals
By 10.5.09
For the first time since 1980, the FTC has updated its rules about endorsements and testimonials, and they’ve added blogging to the books. Now bloggers who don’t disclose that they’ve been somehow compensated—either with cash or with free services or products—can be fined up to $11,000.
Finally, A Personal Finance Podcast For People Who Don't Want To Listen
By 9.16.09
The blog Personal Finance Hour is the home to a weekly live audio show with personal finance bloggers over whatever topics they like. Sometimes the conversation turns inward and focuses on trying to blog for profit, or blogging as a part time job. Sometimes the conversation is about things like remodeling your home or planning for a vacation.
Don’t Try To Use Your Blog To Extort A Pair Of Crocs
By 7.28.09 — Updated: 3.18.13
Here’s a story that will teach you a little something about how not to behave. According to George Smith, who does online marketing for Crocs, a blogger at the BlogHer conference in Chicago tried to extort him out of some shoes. This is not a good idea.
By 7.9.09
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Hey, look! Comcast has their very own blog! It features mostly regular company news about Comcast services and the adventures of employees and executives, but at least it allows comments. Even Consumerist favorite Frank Eliason, Director of Digital Care (aka @comcastcares on Twitter) has joined in the fun.
FTC Wants Bloggers To Reveal When They're Being Compensated To Promote A Product
By 6.11.09
You know what’s worse than not having a big bag of M&Ms on your desk to enjoy while you work? Having to read a blogvertisement disguised as editorial content! Hold on, I have to eat some more M&Ms. Good gravy these are delicious. Did you know M&M’s cure malaria? It’s true! Anyway, the FTC says bloggers should reveal when they’re being compensated in some way to promote a product, and I agree.
Comcast Loves You So Much They Keep Billing You… 4 Months After You Canceled
By 9.30.08 — Updated: 3.25.13
Oh Comcast, you romantic. You were so sorry to see Michal leave that you pretended he didn’t. We get it: he bikes, he blogs, he helps toddlers learn Polish. But after four months of him repeatedly asking you to stop billing him, when you still won’t stop it begins to look a little stalker-ish. Your computers can’t always be down.
Would You Judge A Real Estate Broker By His Blog?
By 8.17.08
The Washington Post reports that consumers are starting to judge real estate agents by their blogs. Almost 10% of real estate brokers are apparently blogging, a number that is likely to rise faster than that sketchy “up and coming” neighborhood you’ve heard about for years.
Comcast Frank Is Real And We Have Photographic Proof From The New York Times
By 7.25.08
Comcast’s Twitter-jockey has his own New York Times story. Awww. We love Frank, even though we probably make his life really crappy by posting lots of Comcast complaints. Oh well! Sorry, Frank.
Blogger Who Wrote About A Business Wins Defamation Lawsuit
By 11.9.07
Considering the lifeblood of The Consumerist is publicizing stories of bad businesses and bad business practices—including drawing attention to personal stories on other peoples’ blogs—we were happy to read that blogger Philip Smith won the federal defamation and trademark dilution lawsuit brought against him by a company he wrote about on his personal blog. Although it doesn’t guarantee that other angry business owners or their legal teams won’t come after you for writing about your unpleasant experiences with them, it cheers us to know that, at least in this case, a federal judge felt that Smith should be protected from retaliation for telling his side of the story. “It’s not about the title, it’s about the content, said Judge Henry Hurlong, Jr.; a journalist turns out to be anyone who does journalism, and bloggers who do so have the same rights and privileges under federal law as the ‘real’ journalists.”
Delta Starts A Blog!
By 8.24.07
Delta Airlines has started blogging! You should check it out, if only for the excellent comments from Delta’s real-life actual customers.
Where 311 Fails, Will Blogging Succeed?
By 3.21.07
Sigmund, a resident of Brooklyn, is hearing a piercing alarm-type sound that lasts anywhere from minutes to hours on end. The sound can be heard with the windows closed. Upon complaining about this noise to the police and local authorities,Sigmund was told that unless other people complained… nothing could be done.
Hotels: Nature’s Free Blogging Oases
By 11.24.06
PINEVILLE, NC – This morning we blogged from a Best Western just down the road Best Buy. The hotel came in really handy, as our diagram illustrates.
Post Photog Repays Walmart For RV Trip Expenses, And Other Fallouts
By 10.13.06
• The Writing On The Wall explains to Laura St. Claire why what she did was wrong.
