There’s a lot of ambiguity in the travel blogging world over ethics.

The debate isn’t something I’m going to delve into… at least right now. But because people look to Revealed Rome for honest advice about what to do, where to stay, and where to eat in Rome, I wanted to make sure that my readers know what my personal code of ethics is regarding commissions, paid links, and so on.

In short: I don’t take any commissions from any of the places I write about. I’m a passionate person, so if I’ve looked at a hotel in Rome and loved it, you can probably tell when I write about it. But that shouldn’t make you wonder, “She seems so enthusiastic about this place, she must be getting some kind of kickback for writing about it!”I’m not.

The same goes for my writing about restaurants, shops, and, well, everything else.

I also don’t do paid guest posts. Nor do I do paid links. So if you click on a link I’ve inserted into a post, rest assured that I used it because I think it brings you to a helpful, trustworthy website—not because I’m paid for it.

Finally, if there’s a professional relationship with a place I’m writing about, I always will disclose it. The fact that I once freelanced for a tour company, for example, shouldn’t preclude me from being able to mention the company when it’s relevant. But it does mean that, if I mention them, I will always disclose that I also blog for them.

And yes: All of these rules also apply to my travel-consulting sessions. If I recommend a place during consulting, it’s not because I’m getting paid to do so. It’s because I like the place that much.

So how do I make money? Good question. There are three ways: My Italy travel consulting sessions. The Google ads you see on the side of the page (the content of which I don’t control). My Amazon affiliation. And, occasionally, other ads. (Hoping to advertise with Revealed Rome? Contact me for more information!).

As you can imagine, though, these “revenue streams” aren’t exactly enough to live on. So if you’re a fan of the site, and want to help me be able to feed myself while continuing to keep it up, consider scooping something up from the (new!) Revealed Rome store, booking a consulting session with me… or, hey, I’ll take donations, too ;).

Got any questions? Comments? Let me know here or email me at revealedrome@gmail.com. I’d love to hear what you have to say!