Hi people, I've been researching a bit about paid blogging since I wanted to earn some extra bucks. However, I've found a lot of bloggers against such practices for several reasons. Most of them agreed on the idea of finding unethical being paid to blog. Darren Rowse, from Problogger.net, back in 2006 (when PayPerPost was founded) said that paid reviews blurred the transparency where the blogosphere was built on. What do you think? Do you do paid blogging? Why?
When I started off I used to do quite a lot of sponsored posts, but I've virtually given up on them now because they provide poor value to my readers. I don't find them particularly unethical as long as you disclose what you're doing. Even with disclosure I think they're slightly disingenuous. People visit my blogs to read what I have to say - not what an advertiser wants me to.
I agree with you. I don't like the idea of posting for money because that would put off most of my visitors. As you said, they come to read what the blogger has to say not to read blatand advertisement.
Not if it is real. I can agree with being a paid reviewer, as along as you are free to write honestly, but being paid for a favorable opinion...(especially for the peanuts that most Pay Per Post companies pay), is utterly ridiculous, and unethical for the companies that are paying for the sponsored reviews, especially if they pass them off as honest opinions.
yeah, I joined all those programs IE PayPerPost, etc, but felt the same way. My readers want what I have to say not what I'm paid to say. What I rather do on my blog, therefore, is from time to time I will do a product review of one's that I'm affiliated with. My readers already expect that kind of post every so often since "Product Reviews" is a defined category. Even with product reviews, you have to be absolutely genuine otherwise it sort of comes off as phony.
I think that if you have affiliates for your site, writing a review about that particular business isn't a bad way to monetize. I'd do it, in fact, I'm working on one now for my gardening blog. I have an affiliate I just happen to have personal experience with, because they are in my home state, and I've visited them several times. I think that if I write my experience, it might get people to buy through my site. I wouldn't do it for a business I knew nothing about and hadn't dealt with, though. I think writing what you know is imperative to having a believable blog.
I did it for one post and thought it looked totally fake. I don't have many readers on that particular blog, but I ended up removing the post (even though that meant not getting paid for it). I think if you have a blog geared towards product and site reviews, and the paid posting program allows you to write honest posts (not necessarily always positive) then paid posting would be okay. This way it seems fitting and your readers expect the reviews instead of throwing one out there every once in awhile.
Paid posts will die eventually, there are "certain" people who are jumping in and ruining it for everyone else.