PayPerPost, who recently announced $3 million of first round funding, is a web site that offers bloggers money for writing blog posts about a specific product. PayPerPost allows a blog post board which enables marketers and advertisers to request a blog post for a set price about a specific product or service. TechCrunch posted interesting write-ups (here and here) and a recent TalkCrunch podcast episode discussing the funding announcement, the unique business model and the ethical questions swarming around the product. PayPerPost is really walking the ethical line between good and evil. I think it was created to help connect marketers and advertisers with grassroots product reviews.
Splog Post Generator?
Is PayPerPost producing spam blog posts to optimize search engine ranking? Is it a human splog generator? That is a great question, and after much thought I have come to the conclusion, that it really depends on the blog, writer and the actual write-up. For example, if someone is getting paid to write a post and therefore is not objective in a review then of course PayPerPost is NOT a good thing at all. There are a number of blogs that produce high quality and very objective content, so could this destroy the purity of the blogosphere for everyone?
Blog Post Generator?
The flip-side of the debate, while bloggers get paid for their work the product offers leads to bloggers who may have run out of things to write about. Therefore, bloggers may find the leads from PayPerPost helpful in generating blog post ideas or leads. As long as bloggers remain objective and non-evil the service could be a win-win for marketers, advertisers and bloggers alike – and everyone lives happily ever after without fear of boogiemen, terrorist or natural disasters.
Maintaining Perspective / Keeping It Real
It is likely that just about every blogger that maintains a consistent flow of content has received emails from marketers and advertisers introducing them to products and services to preview as explained in my previous write-up exposing the blogosphere underground. When I do receive these emails previewing new products and services, I take a very close look at the product or service and I leave it up to my own discretion if the product or service is worthy of a write-up. Though it may sound similar to the PayPerPost.com model the major difference is that in receiving emails from marketers and advertisers I am NOT getting paid and therefore I can remain totally objective and only write about things I want to write about. Another example can be drawn from my recent move to join AOL. Since joining AOL I have written a few reviews about new AOL products and have been sure to keep my perspective legit. It I don't like them I would point out the things I don't like in my review. Maintaining my objective and frank perspective in my reviews is of utmost importance since it keeps Somewhat Frank, fresh and real – it also keeps my conscience clear.
Bottom-line: It is difficult to say at this point the impact PayPerPost will have on the blogosphere - it is a heated debated. It is obvious that PayPerPost has created a new business model which draws comparisons to Overture’s creation of the pay per click advertising model which was also debated but later perfected by Google with AdSense.
