Since this is now about 90% about what I get in my inbox related to my website now, I wanted to take a quick moment while I’m working on new articles in the background to discuss this:
I don’t do sponsored posts, guest writers, or cross-promotion on this site
My site caters to other computer hobbyists and technology enthusiasts, or casual consumers of technology who are looking to educate themselves about technology, and are looking for an unbiased guide. I am not risking my reputation as a reviewer and someone who is frequently asked to weigh in on technology purchases for friends/acquaintances, to refer my readers to some online gambling or crypto promotion site.
If you own a small, independent, non-commercial website (e.g. a blog) who has a similar audience, I may consider adding a link to a relevant site on one of my articles if you email me about it and are not pushy, and I have done this occasionally in the past. But I make no guarantees.
I don’t know what algorithm is out there which seems to get me inundated with requests for this, I assume it has to do with when I have stopped posting updates for X days, but it’s really irritating, and the repeated follow-ups and attempts to garner my sympathy are at best irritating. If I don’t answer you after 2 mails, go away.
Sorry if this sounds rough, but the transparent attempts to get my meager traffic repurposed for some commercial purposes is very old at this point.
P.S. – Companies looking for a product reviewer: I follow the Lon Siedman guidelines for reviewing: I always put disclaimers about how I got a product, and whether the company had any control (advanced copy notice or approval, follow-ups or replies), which to date I’ve never given any company this power over a review. I don’t accept any compensation for reviews. If I like it, I’ll say so, if I don’t, I’ll be fair and say why and what can be improved. I’ve had good experiences with a small number of companies (e.g. Mezcla who are great) who seem to understand this, so if you want to send me a free sample for a review, which I can return at the end of the review period, email me and we can talk about it.
Chris A
