Nerd Thoughts…

Some might say I’m crossing to the dark side by accepting ’sponsored posts’ but I just don’t see it that way. To me paying bloggers to post their opinions about products and services is an obvious evolution in marketing. And realistically, it’s about time.

Over a year ago I put some posts on Craigslist to find bloggers interested in earning additional revenue by posting reviews of client’s sites. The only requirements were that the post provide a “text link” to the client and also that the post be “non-negative”.

Feedback was mixed.

A lot of people were interested in earning money via sponsored posts but many people criticized the “non-negative” aspect of the deal. “Too much editorial control” was a common complaint.

I read the feedback and then, for me, the project basically ended there. I didn’t get the chance to pursue it further. Life side tracked me with becoming a manager of my company’s Internet marketing division, side projects, and AMA courses. But now it seems others are seeing the potential inherent and are entering the arena.

The first site that I noticed was PayPerPost.com. They had the same idea I originally had along with the same flaw. Advertisers could dictate the ‘tone’ of a bloggers post. So for example, they could insist a post be ‘positive’ - Talk about “too much editorial control”! Also, they don’t require that a blogger make an obvious disclosure that a post is sponsored. That seems a little ‘evil empire’ for a lot of people’s taste. Don’t get Michael Arrington started about this topic,

But now I’ve discovered someone doing it right. And this is my first “sponsored review” for them. The site is called ReviewMe.com. It’s brought to us by the same people that bring us Text-Link-Ads.com.

Here’s a few things they are doing right:

1. They do not require a “tone” for the reviews. So there is no editorial control. If you don’t like a product or service you can say so.

2. They insist bloggers disclose that the post is a paid post. They offer some ideas: “Sponsored Post:”, “The following is a paid review:” “Advertisement:”, etc.

3. They have developed a system of pay based on theme, estimated traffic, link popularity, and estimated RSS subscribers.

And the potential here has only begun to be tapped. Here’s my prediction:

In a future not to far away, people will be paid to do video posts. For example, monetary rebates will be offered to people who buy items such as electronics and then post video reviews of those items. - ReviewMe.com don’t forget to give props when you steal this idea!

The biggest issue for bloggers, fear that your reputation as an honest non-influened blogger may be jeopardized, is a concern that ReviewMe.com obviously takes into consideration. This is evident with their “loose” guidelines (reviews must be 200 words and disclosed as being sponsored… that’s it, literally!). And they even spin this open-minded ‘good review-bad review-review however you like’ attitude to advertisers by saying ”how else can you quickly and cheaply get feedback on a product or service from influencers?”

I really think ReviewMe.com is on the right path here. This isn’t the first time blogs have been used to spread word about companies, products, or services. Viral marketing in the form of stunts and gimmicks have existed for awhile - think Coke and Mentos Rockets. ReviewMe.com’s method is just more honest.

So, this ends my first “Sponsored Post” and I don’t feel compromised in the least. I just see it as a topic someone paid me to discuss. And that feels nice. Any one else want to pay me to discuss something?

Tags: Sponsored Post, ReviewMe.com, Review, Pay Per Post, Get Paid to Blog