Bloggers Buzz

Tags: advertising, payperpost.com

Business Week has an article on PayPerPost.com

It’s funny to hear him say this because Murphy, who founded a Tampa-based interactive ad agency called MindComet, also runs a side business that pays bloggers to write nice things about corporate sponsors — without unduly worrying about whether or not bloggers disclose these arrangements to readers. (A scan of relevant blog searches strongly suggests that, often, they don’t.)

Murphy is launching PayPerPost.com, which will automate such hookups between advertisers and bloggers and thus codify a new frontier of product placement. Advertisers pay to post details about their "opportunity," specifying, among other things, how they want bloggers to write about, say, a new shoe, if they want photos to be included, and whether they’ll pay only for positive mentions. Bloggers who abide by the rules get paid; heavily trafficked blogs may command premium rates. Those seeking to subvert PayPerPost from within can’t: No pornographic or "illicit" content is accepted.

Michael Kirkpatrick of TechCrunch has also posted in regard to PayPerPost.com:

Is this a bad joke designed to torpedo the blogosphere’s credibility in general? It doesn’t appear to be. If we’re all trying to negotiate a space between Hollywood and mainstream journalism, this is taking things way too far towards the most insipid parts of Hollywood.

And finally an example of a post that was paid for by PayPerPost.com on tabulas.com

I find it an interesting concept in some ways. On one hand I think that it has its merits allowing bloggers to be paid for work that they do in a structured manner that isn’t going to see them ripped off. On the other though I can’t help but think along the lines of how is it different from those dodgey late night infomercials pushing what ever product of the moment. Thats why from my perspective reading any post bought and paid for by a third party wanting their product would leave me wondering about the integrity of the product (and the author).

Incidently, BloggersBuzz does not accept payment for posts. I may occassionally link to a site with an affiliate link but thats it unless they are paying for traditional advertising which i then consider whether its appropriate.

Update I missed coverage by Darren Rowse of Problogger on PayPerPost:

Ok - I should say that I don’t mind the idea of sponsored posts or being paid to write things about a company - but I’d want to ensure that that type of post was transparent and that the post added some value to the reader’s experience.

While I don’t know anything apart from what is on their site, PayPerPost leaves me feeling a little uneasy and I’d recommend caution to bloggers.

Jason Calacanis was more direct in a post titled PayPerPost:Stupid and evil:

The currency of blogging is authenticity and trust… you pay folks to blog about a product and you compromise that. I would almost care about this, but it’s so obvious to everyone that this is either a joke or an idiot that there is nothing more to say.

Update (again) Rafe Needleman at CNET News has picked up the story:

This is a bad, bad, bad thing. It’s hard enough for bloggers and professional journalists to maintain their integrity as it is. Even an unsubstantiated rumor of impropriety can destroy a writer.