Let’s face it, we Australians have never been shy to share an opinion. It’s not surprising, therefore, to learn that a survey by US company Forrester claims that around 35% of Aussies who are active online now regularly post product reviews or contribute to online forums.
It seems we’re also a creative bunch, with more than a quarter of Australians actively using the internet to regularly post original content such as videos, blogs and holidays snaps (putting us ahead of markets such the US, where the figure is around 20%).
There’s no reason to believe Australian travel consultants are any less creative or critical than the average tech-savvy Australian, and when it comes to travel they are certainly better qualified to voice an opinion.
That being the case, next time you return from an intense educational trip, instead of simply sharing your stories or tips about good and bad hotels, tour operators or experiences with colleagues, consider posting your thoughts on one of the growing number of travel websites that will reward you for your efforts.
Numerous sites pay for written reviews, including Associated Content (www.associatedcontent.com), Helium (www.helium.com) and Review Stream (www.reviewstream.com). And agents who enjoy taking videos of hotel rooms can upload them to sites such as Trip.tv (www.tripr.tv).
When it comes to payment, these sites operate a variety of models for reviews, videos or slideshows. Some provide a set fee, some link earnings to the number of people who read or view your work (think of it as a commission scheme), and others operate a combination of the two (base plus override).
In most cases, once a contributor has generated a minimum amount of money he or she can simply download their earnings using an online payment system such as PayPal. But other sites eschew dollars and instead pay in points, which can then be redeemed for vouchers or products (a good example is Rough Guides — www.roughguide.com).
Now a new online travel agency in the UK is hoping to lure a million unique visitors a month to its website by paying for user-generated destination “guides” that result in the actual booking of travel products.
Simonseeks is the brainchild of online entrepreneur Simon Nixon, who has already made a fortune by creating and floating price comparison websites Moneysupermarket and Travelsupermarket. Visitors to the site can already search the more than 1500 guides (based on destinations, themes or budget), then rate them on quality and relevance, with the most popular pushed to the top of the pile.
Every time a reader takes the next step by clicking through to an affiliated site product and making a booking, Simonseeks splits the commission it receives 50:50. It also shares display advertising revenue with review writers.
It’s not an entirely unique approach; budding film makers can also earn money from Tripr.tv when their work results in a hotel booking. But Simonseeks is the more aggressive venture (recently it has been giving away £20,000 {$36,000} worth of prizes to great review writers).
Unless you’re an exceptionally prolific writer with a knack for holding the attention of fickle online travellers you’re probably not going to get rich selling your famil reports. But if you’re out in the field contemplating another day of endless hotel inspections, a little extra income might just ease the pain. n