Jason Calacanis has a short but dead-on accurate post about a new concept in blogging.
It's called PayPerPost.com.
PayPerPost.com is a company that pays people to write blog posts about specific topics.
At first it seems like just another PR firm using bloggers instead of their own staff. But this is a little different. This company is more of a matchmaker. They post "opportunities" for bloggers to write about certain topics for a fee. The opportunity is listed by a company that is looking for publicity about that topic. So, bloggers can choose to write about various topics and get paid for the privilege.
What a great idea!
Not really though.
As Jason so aptly puts it:
"The currency of blogging is authenticity and trust..."
I'm sure many will debate this issue because it enables bloggers to earn money simply by writing on their blogs. Something they would do anyway.
But, once you admit that a post is written directly for pay, the whole situation changes. Your readers will begin to doubt what you say because they don't know if you're saying it because it's true or because you're getting paid to say it.
Your paid blog post is no more believable than the ads we see on TV, in newspapers, on billboards and everywhere else.
It will completely undercut whatever integrity you have as a blogger. Even your "non-paid" posts will become suspect in the eyes of your readers.
And, if you understand anything about the Social Media you know that without trust, it does not work. Paid ads simply have no place in social media because they're tainted. They're not genuine. They have no juice. They hold no value, no currency because social media is based on real people expressing their real, honest, genuine opinions.
Remove that aspect of social media and the walls come tumbling down. Fast.
As you look for ways to communicate your message to your audiences, consider all aspects of the Internet and the social media that it hosts. But tread lightly and learn how to use the social media. Respect is for what it is. Don't treat it like the mass media of yester-year because it's a completely different animal.
And it will bite you hard if you abuse it.
As for PayPerPost.com, I'm willing to bet they have a spectacularly short lifespan.
What do you think?
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