Why we run Sponsored Posts…

Running a growing website and online community the size of Starts at 60 is no small feat.  We rely on advertising revenue to be able to function and serve you now we are managing such a big site.  Every single one of us in the editorial and advertising team at Starts at 60 love our jobs.  But it is important that you note that they are just that, jobs.  What we do is not a community service, it is a media business.  And with 290,000 pageviews per month coming through our site and more than 500,000 interactions on Facebook, it is a busy media job.  And our job we need you to appreciate is just like many other jobs – one we need to get paid for doing.

We provide you with a free media website specially tailored to the conversations and needs of over 60s and we need to bring in revenue to do so.  It is a simple problem that many media outlets face, most of them don’t talk in a targeted way to over 60s like us.  We’re working exceptionally hard to do this, and we appreciate your support in building our business to serve you.

We do require advertising on the site to make it work.  And so, with respect I want you to understand how that works.

Advertising can take a number of forms, digital ads like banner ads; sponsored posts or giveaways, deals and competitions.  All of which we use on the site.  And we strive to do so with the highest of standards.  The words “Sponsored Post” are ones you’ll see from time to time and you needn’t think of them like “advertorial” of the print press.  Sponsored Content is just us displaying honestly when a sponsor asks us to address a topic, paying us to do our job.

Our team puts every article and piece of sponsored content through our rigorous writing and review process, making sure it presents you with interesting insights, education and views that inform you about a topic.

How do I know that it is a sponsored post?

Every single Sponsored Post includes a disclaimer at the end that explains that it is a sponsored article, and who the sponsor is.  We will often include a bit of information about the Sponsor’s services or product also.

Who writes the sponsored posts that appear on Starts at 60?

Almost all of the sponsored posts that appear on Starts at 60 are written by Starts at 60 writers, or by expert contributers that are selected with our clients’ assistance.  The stories are real, honest experiences that are selected because they are relevant to you and interesting to read.  If they aren’t we won’t run them.

How many Sponsored Posts do you publish on the site?

We publish about 40 articles and pieces a week, and usually, in that time only about 2-3 are sponsored posts.  When we select our stories for a day, Sponsored Posts do not take away from our daily content numbers.  Instead, we add them in addition to our base content.  They are extras.

Are there ethics involved in our selection of sponsored topics?

Yes indeed.  We will not post blatant promotion or flog anything – it is just not our style!  Instead we work hard to choose topics and sponsors that will inform and explore knowledge of an industry, item or category.  We know you are intelligent readers who can self-select what you want to read so we don’t spend a whole lot of time imposing our beliefs on you.  This is the same as with many other forms of advertising.  We will strive to bring you content and information that you think is good value, like giveaways and competitions.  But other than that, if we’re comfortable that it is not compromising us, you or our Sponsors, we’ll usually run it.

Do you display bias?  Or is it just paid advertorial?

Certainly not.  We will not “spruik” on our website, or flog something to you.  Sponsored Posts, if you read them, are often like many of the other articles we write, they are just written around an area that might not be covered as often by everyday community writers.

Look around

In contrast, if you look closely at the media, you’ll see sponsorship by brands is everywhere and not always disclosed.   Last time I checked, the bank manager wouldn’t accept pageview numbers as a payment on my homeloan, nor would a publisher survive running a successful media outlet unless they could staff it to open the doors.  And if you want to read quality, well-edited content, and writings by strong writers, then your support of our revenue model is logical.

Disclosure is important

Disclosure is important to us, and our brands.  We want to disclose sponsorship so you respect the brands who want to speak to you.  They’ve been few and far between for some time in the older market, so we think seeing people wanting to talk to you (and not about funeral insurance) should be a positive thing.

If you have an issue with any of this, please email us on [email protected].