The Great Debate – Your Vote Counts…
“abusing something like payperpost could simply destroy any future potential a site may have”
I need to set the record straight, and I’m also opening the floor for honest discussion. I’d like to hear what you – specifically, regular ClickNewz! readers – think about the great debate of ‘PayPerPost’. And more specifically, how you feel about my use of PayPerPost.
The quote above comes from the comments at PimpMyPagerank on a post titled Get Over Yourself! where there is quite a PPP debate going on. I agree with the quote, of course – ‘abusing’ PayPerPost is detrimental to the success of the blog.
Of course, so is abusing affiliate links or Adsense or any other form of monetization, right?
However, using PayPerPost properly as one way to monetize a blog doesnt have to equal disaster in my opinion. But my opinion isnt what counts here – I’d like to hear yours. Read on a bit before posting a flaming negative “I dont know what it is but I dont like it” comment, though… 
No-one wants to read fluffy, pro-ppp blogs, as they don’t address the real issues and discussion taking place in the blogosphere. -Stu
What do you want me to do, Stu? Say I hate PayPerPost? 
And dont take that personal – I know you’re under a lot of fire over the topic at the moment. If there’s one thing my long-time readers know, it’s that I’m honest – even if I’m wrong or uninformed. And that I dont mind eating crowe and admitting when I am wrong.
A few years ago (anyone remember this one?) I put out a newsletter issue explaining an embarrassing change-of-heart. For years prior I had mentioned and promoted a certain expert’s products and websites… until one day this particular person published something that was an outright scam.
The very same day I wrote a note to my readers to warn them of the scam, and to let them know my thoughts on it. I would hate for anyone to fall into that pit just because “Lynn recommended this guy, so it must be okay”. I take my reputation seriously, and I do my best to give an objective opinion and review on everything going on in the eBiz world.
So far my experience with PayPerPost has been nothing but positive. I shared some of the results in a recent post titled Something to Blog About, which included a substantial increase in visitors/readers and a 42% increase in Adsense CTR.
PayPerPost is an opportunity for tons of people who wouldnt otherwise have a “make money†option with their blog – at least at this point. Here’s an excerpt from a recent tip I sent out that shares my take on that:
“Making decent money with Affiliate Programs requires good copy for presell, and of course targeted traffic. Making much at all with Google Adsense requires quite a bit of targeted traffic, which takes some time to build. And you cant even get the attention of Paid Sponsors or sell any Text Links until you have consistent traffic and decent PageRank.
Frustrating, right?
If you’re blog has been online for at least 90 days, and you have posted to your blog in the last 7 days, then you qualify for a really cool way to make some easy money…
It’s called PayPerPost and it’s a cool little service that hooks advertisers up with bloggers.â€
For a 3-month old blog, it’s one of the few opps available at the moment. And my target market is the “self-starters†– who likely have newer blogs and are struggling to monetize them like the ‘big boys’ claim they can.
For that reason I am exploring it fully myself, taking the opp seriously for one full month, so that I can report results and details… good and/or bad.
And yes, I am pocketing a little cash ($120 in the first 5 days + other revenue generated as a direct result) in the process – but it wouldnt be a proper case study if I wasnt. And if it turns out to be a great additional source of revenue, I may just continue working with them!
Setting a Good Example
I have two main goals as a ‘Postie’ (the term coined for those actively involved with PayPerPost). They are:
1) To determine the maximum earning potential of the PPP Opportunity, and get an idea of the average earnings an average blogger can expect.
2) To set a good example of how PPP can be implemented in a blog, without offending or annoying their regular readers.
Am I doing a decent job of that second goal? I’ll let you be the judge. And dont tell me what you think I want to hear – let me know your honest opinion
Here is a current list of PPP-Sponsored Posts:
- PPP Photo Assignment
A fun little article on some of the goofy pictures and videos being posted around the web to create buzz about the PPP opp. The sponsored link was to PayPerPost itself, and I was paid to add a photo of my own to the line-up.
 - Covert GPS Tracking Devices
Probably my worst example yet of a Sponsored Post. Relevant to the point that we’re all gadget geeks, and my recent post on having people show up at your home if you publish too much info online. It’s a good article (if I do say so myself) and it’s unique content – but this post is probably the closest to pushing the limits.
 - Affiliate Management Services
This post gets my vote for the 2nd worst. The topic is relevant, written in open discussion style, and I didnt come right out and endorse the sponsor… but it’s more on the iffy side for me, still.
 - How to Create an Avatar
This was a fun post, and I imagine a very useful tool for anyone using forums, myspace or other social networking communities.
 - Coupons, Rebates & Special Offers
Getting creative, I wrote an entire blog post around the topic as it relates to us as Internet Marketers. This will interest my target market and my regular readers, no doubt. I also included a whole slew of great keywords that should attract an entirely different crowd: coupon/deal seekers. And of course I included Google Adsense to monetize that segment of traffic.
 - How Many Eggs? How Many Baskets?
This is a typical type of post for me on this blog, and a topic I would have written about anyway. I simply included a sponsored link to PayPerPost, which was relevant as I mentioned them in the article.
 - What a Crazy Idea!
I would have blogged about this one anyway…
 - Consumer Generated Advertising
Dan had commented on my blog about his post & digg, so I would have blogged this one regardless as well…
 - An SEO Glossary
This is just a review. I wasnt entirely positive, but I was honest – in a nice way.
 - PayPerPost Bashed by Leading Bloggers
8 comments and 1 trackback – case closed. The readers seemed to enjoy this one – and I enjoyed writing it.
 - Get Paid for Blog Posts
A blatant plug for the opportunity, which was obvious. Just me sharing a resource as usual.
Maybe some of those were obvious ‘paid posts’, maybe some were not. Does that make a difference to you (as a reader) – as long as the content is relevant to IM and written to spark interesting discussion?
There were several great paying opportunities that I chose not to participate in at PayPerPost – specifically because I could not possibly work them in here at ClickNewz without sidetracking the whole flow of the blog. I refuse to do that of course… and I dont want to set the example of ‘post-spamming’ to other potential ‘Posties’.
Your critiques, reviews and opinions are welcomed!
Best,
Tags: payperpost, pay per post, ppp, paid to blog, blog ads, posties
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“No-one wants to read fluffy, pro-ppp blogs, as they don’t address the real issues and discussion taking place in the blogosphere. -Stu”
You’ve actually quoted me out of context there Lynn – that quote refers to a comment you made about my post at my other blog in relation to your post questioning the veracity of blogwhore. The point I was trying to make in that comment (over what later turned out to be my mistaken belief that you were mugging me over my thoughts on your post), was that in my blog at blogwhore, I will air both sides of the argument. The pros and cons of payperpost.
No of course I’m not arguing that you should say you hate payperpost, I’m saying that a blog about the payperpost controversy, simply extolling the virtues of ppp would be of little use to readers.
You may be right – I may have done just that. For clarification, here’s the entire paragraph that quote was pulled from:
I appreciate the nature of your blog – no question about that. But the last half of that paragraph made it sound more like “other ppp blogs” instead of “no-one wants to read an unbiased pro-ppp blog that claims to be unbiased” < - which I understand now is what you meant.
No harm, no foul! By the way… all of our miscommunication brings back fond memories of my 6 years of marriage
Lynn
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
I’ll vouch for Lynn’s honesty in a heartbeat. I’ve known her certainlty long enough for that.
It stands to reason that abuse of anything is bad, but those who abuse do not determine its value or quality.
There are many more blog ad programs that are much more questionable than PayPerPost. Who’s picking on them??
Follow me @DanReinhold on Twitter.
I’m a steady reader of your blog Lynn. If there’s one thing I know for certain it is that you’ll tell the truth and give an honest opinion. So you participating in PPP doesn’t give me any pause at all.
Follow me @kellymccausey on Twitter.
Thank you both – and I appreciate your taking the time to leave your thoughts on this topic!
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
[...] Speaking of Lynn Terry, she’s posting for pay and asking for opinions from her readers on how they feel about it. I read her blog all the time – and I have to admit that the first moment I realized she was blogging for pay, I was suprised. But – I realize it’s no different that blogging to promote an affiliate program. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Lynn won’t say she likes something that she doesn’t like. [...]
Prehaps I should be more critical, but my experience to date is if Lynn recommends something I should at the very least look into it.I have found her to be honest, not full of herself, she is the owner of one of if not the best forum on all aspects of being online wether to market something or merly to learn how to do something.
Hi Lynn,
I don’t understand all this moaning and groaning and gnashing of teeth over this “pay per post” thing. Most I see complaining are the “Elitist Bloggers” that think this taints “their” purist territories.
I see nothing wrong with trying to monetize blogs to a limited extent. After all, blogs are basically a website with lots of “articles” (long and short). Most people have websites to make money online – eh? How far a blogger goes with monetizing it is obviously still up for debate. As long as one is still providing good content (just like websites), adding some ads or promoting something related to the blog’s theme shouldn’t really be an issue.
If one doesn’t want to monetize their blog, nothing wrong with that either. Alot just like to write and that’s great too.
As far as your statement, Lynn …
“To set a good example of how PPP can be implemented in a blog, without offending or annoying their regular readers.”
I think you’re setting a GREAT example of how PPP can be implemented in your blogs. You’ve proven yourself over the years to your readers and users of your websites, forums and blogs. You mix the PPPs and your regular excellent content very well and that is the key. The abusers will be in “overkill” mode and won’t last.
As long as you are comfortable with what you are doing, I think most of your readers will be also. Those that aren’t …
Of course, the potential for alot of abuse is there but those people eventually get weeded out, don’t do well and self-destruct anyway. Doing anything online is subject to constant scrutiny and alot of constant changes. It’s tough to keep up with everything online, blogosphere or otherwise.
My nickel, anyway …
Rick Wilson aka CorpRebel
Follow me @corprebel on Twitter.
Thank you Robert – and thank you Rick. You’re too kind!
And Rick — Those that arent… can paypal me $10 NOT to post??
Kidding
Thank you for your opinions – keep them coming! And I’d be curious to know if anyone is interested in hearing the final results in a Case Study on PayPerPost? I have plans to publish it in October, but I’d love to know if any of the regular ClickNewz! readers are interested in this specifically…
Best,
Lynn Terry
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
I’d be interested as long as you don’t write it before they approve my blog!
Follow me @DanReinhold on Twitter.
[...] Lynn at ClickNewz has a discussion going on at the moment about whether she should use payperpost on her blog. [...]
On blogs where the main aspect is to help/mentor/teach/illuminate people, or on personal blogs, I believe that using PPP is misguided.
Why so?
1. PPP is non-disclosurable. I don’t want to read a post which is written with earning $X in min. Tag it PPP in the title, and the reader can decide not to bother clicking the feed link.
2. PPP leads to loss of credibility. New readers to a blog will not know you from old, and so will not be able to see your honesty and integrity.
3. PPP is a waste of talent. If you are good enough to write about a subject, you are good enough to monetise that skill in different, more valuable ways.
You, I, yours should be read in the 3rd person, not specifically *you*..
I am not an A-list blogger by any means. I am just someone who likes to try to bring as much value (in terms of time spent & money earned) to what I do as possible, and PPP simply does not give enough “money earned” value for the “time spent” searching for a credible opportunity and then devising a blog post about it.
Thank you, Gary – YOUR vote counts too, so I appreciate your comments!
RE: Credibility: Unless I am posting adult content, writing a bad article that isnt worth reading, or promoting something questionable… I dont see how any post would affect “my credibility” – even with a new reader. A good post is a good post is a good post (and they happened upon it because they were obviously searching that topic).
RE: Waste of Talent: This is a good point, unless you are also monetizing the same posts in other ways as well, and the content is valuable to you in the long run as the site owner.
On the same note, NOT monetizing your blog in any way could be considered a waste of talent as well. Earning click-change from Adsense could be put on that same list…
And then there is the issue of a new (3 month) blogger that is a GREAT writer, but not established enough yet to sell advertising or earn a decent income in other ways… and for them, PPP is a great way to cover costs and help them get rolling.
Keep the thoughts coming – This is both interesting & helpful!
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
On the same note, NOT monetizing your blog in any way could be considered a waste of talent as well. Earning click-change from Adsense could be put on that same list…
I 100% agree!
Going back to my point about personal blogs – why would anyone want to monetize something that is personal to them? Serious question – I thought about writing a blog post about it, but couldn’t come up with the right words.
A 3 month blogger who can write great stuff, could find value by writing good copy for an affiliated product or website which they use. They could sell text links, they could get together a bunch of great articles and sell them as content for other site owners (perhaps via a WSO on the warrior forum)…just throw ideas those into the mix for consideration
I don’t know that PPP is the answer to anything really, other than earning a bit of pocket money.
BTW, good posts are good posts, but I see PPPers writing the bare minimum they can get awy with and expect readers to be happy about it…that’s a loss of credibility..
A 3-month blogger cant sell text links. They are generally still sandboxed, and PR is the guage for those sales.
Sure they could package content and sell it, but in the long run it benefits anyone to build up their own domain with unique content versus selling it for any price.
Why would anyone want to monetize something that is personal to them? If it was *just* personal, they would just journal it, not blog it. People blog for two reasons: 1) to get feedback, ego boosts or to spread a message they are passionate about. 2) because they were told “do what you love and the money will follow” and “write about something you are passionate about or personally interested in”.
Why does Dooce have paid sponsors?
Do you see that here on my blog? If so, feel free to point out specific posts. I take constructive criticism very well and would welcome your opinion and suggestions!
~ Lynn
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
[...] PayPerPost, however, isn’t taking any chances. PayPerPost, a paid to blog service, has been the topic of much heated debate, because it didn’t require bloggers to disclose sponsored blog entries. That’s changed. [...]
[...] Lynn Terry is a marketer I highly respect, and has been exploring paid posting for quite some time. Lynn has always used disclosure within the content. She might find using my plugin will save some time, and make it easy to change the wording on disclosures at a later date if necessary. [...]