Advertising, sponsored content, and affiliate disclosure
This page explains how the site makes money, what I accept from advertisers, and why I turn down most of what lands in the inbox. Short version: I recommend gear I would actually put in a home, and nobody can buy a link here.
Affiliate disclosure
Local Smart Home Guide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I may also use affiliate links from other retailers and manufacturers.
If you buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The price you pay is the same either way. Pages that contain affiliate links carry a disclosure notice near the top of the content.
Affiliate relationships never decide what I recommend. A product with no affiliate program is still recommended if it is the right choice, and a product with a generous affiliate program is still called out if it phones home, drops off the network, or locks you into a cloud account.
Guest posts and paid links
I do not accept paid guest posts, and I do not sell backlinks. This includes offers described as "content collaborations," "sponsored articles," or "SEO-friendly contributions" where the real product is a link back to another site.
Three reasons:
- Paid links that pass search ranking signals violate Google's spam policies and put the whole site at risk.
- Guest-post-for-link content is almost always generic filler that would sit next to my real buying guides and make them harder to trust.
- My readers come here because the advice is independent. That is worth more than any one-time fee.
If you send me this kind of pitch, you will most likely not get a reply. Nothing personal; the answer is just always no.
Sponsored content I might consider
I am open to sponsored content in narrow cases, and only when all of the following are true:
- It fits the site. The topic is local-first smart home hardware, privacy, or practical cross-platform compatibility. Unrelated products and generic "smart tech" roundups are declined.
- It is labeled. The page carries a visible "Sponsored" notice at the top of the content, not hidden in a footer.
- Links are marked. Every outbound link in sponsored content uses
rel="sponsored". I do not publish dofollow links in exchange for money, and this is not negotiable. - I keep editorial control. I can edit, cut, or reject the copy at any stage, and sponsors do not choose anchor text.
- Claims are honest. No made-up pricing, fake urgency, or misleading comparisons. The same standard I hold my own articles to.
If that still sounds like a fit, send the site you represent and a specific topic idea. Pitches without a target site or a concrete topic are treated as mass outreach.
Product samples and review units
Manufacturers occasionally offer review units. I accept them only with the understanding that the device may be reviewed critically or not covered at all. Any article about a device I received for free says so. I do not accept payment for reviews.
How to reach me
Corrections, compatibility notes, and reports of broken product links are always welcome and get priority over everything else. Advertising inquiries that already meet the criteria above are welcome too. Everything else, please assume the answer above applies.