PayPerPost
OK, so I promised I would post my views on PayPerPost…first up is to determine precisely what is PayPerPost. Let's take a look at the PayPerPost site to get an idea; just like every coin, there is a head and tail - heads being those people who want their products and services to be advertised on blogs, and tails being those bloggers who accept cash to advertise the products and services.
So far, so good - all nice and simple. But in the middle is "Mr PayPerPost" taking a cut of every bloggers earnings, or every advertisers spend. But that's fair enough, as without the middleman, how would advertisers and bloggers meet ?
Ok, so now we know exactly what PayPerPost is, and it's pretty straightforward. A blogger gets paid to advertise goods and services - so where's the problem?
- You alienate your readers
If you want to use PayPerPost on your blog, do it - but don't be surprised if some of your readers decide not to read any more. - You are whoring yourself
Even the skankiest crack-whore gets more than $5 a trick. - PayPerPost advertisers tell you what to write about
Whether they say (or imply) you have to write good things, or whether they allow you to write your own thoughts, how do you, the blogger, know what to write about if you do not own the product or service that you are advertising - is this good for your credibility ?
What I cannot understand is why a person who is good at writing would spend an hour creating a blog post for a payment of $5. It's quite sad, particularly when the blogger then goes to war with his readers - is $5 really worth it?
So, what's the solution?
It's pretty simple - if you are thinking about using PayPerPost, then you most likely have a skill in writing. Why not take that skill and monetise it in a different way? Let's look at some figures…let's place the scenario that a blogger wants to earn $100 from his writing;
With PayPerPost, he spends 20 hours (20 posts, researched for 1 hour each) - and gets paid for each post. Total earned = $100, over the course of 20 days at 1 hour per day.
Monetise that skill instead; Spend 20 hours putting together a pack of 10 articles about XYZ subject. Zip them up and place them for sale at $20 per pack. I have no doubt that you will sell at least 20 to 30 packs. Total earned = $400. I know just how well article packs sell - having been in that game for many months, as both a seller and a buyer.
In addition, selling article packs in this manner benefits you in another way - you start to build a mailing list. If your articles are of good enough quality, you will find you soon have repeat customers, and repeat customer are your bread and butter.
Comment by Dan... — September 18, 2006 @ 10:40 pm
I've been researching the consumer generated advertising platforms and focus a lot more on the data: value to blogger, value to advertiser, value to reader. I've seen big numbers on all three sides of that equation. Your flamefest with Stu was a rare exception so I take your post here in that context.
As for your three points:
re:1) what data do you have to back this up beyond you disliking Stu trying to pay the bills? His "in your face" approach in the comments screamed out for mass complaints, but I only saw a few people take his bait. As for the rest of the blogosphere I haven't seen a significant reader/commenter backlash — to the contrary, pro-PPP commenters were the loudest when some of the advertising-driven elites complained about mainstream bloggers making money via PPP. Do your own Technorati search and I think you'll find 20X more supporters than detractors in posts/comments?
re:2) This point, while inflammatory, doesn't add much to the data pro/con PPP
re:3) This point is just plain wrong. Try a system before blogging and calling it a "case study".
Although I think your suggestion about article packs is interesting, I don't see PPP and that approach as mutually exclusive. In fact, I'd love to see a case study where someone devotes themselves to both approaches and reports their results. As with the "PayPerPost beats AdSense" meme out there, I wonder if article packs would also fail to compare.
Hey, that would be a great real-data comparison you could do, make money and share with everyone??
I love the overall entrepreneurial slant of your blog, but this "case study" was a bit short on reality. I'm guessing reality will probably fallout somewhere between your's and Stu's PPP slugfest.
Keep on bloggin'!
Comment by burt — September 19, 2006 @ 7:56 am
Dan, you've kind of missed the point. I'm not, and never have said that PPP is a "bad thing". I've not and never have said that Stu can't use his blog in whatever way he wants…
In fact, I've said "do it" on numerous occasions.
What is sad is that Stu (or indeed almost anyone using PPP) has enough verbosity to make proper money, a weekly wage, by spending time on more fruitful exercises rather than cranking out whorish posts for a few dollars a throw.
That's the whole point. I brought up the idea of article packs in Stu's blog - that was ignored. I brought it up again here - ignored. I even emailed him an idea for which I would pay him, to write me an eBook. Ignored.
The Truth of PPP is that it is not bad. I do not like to see people using a talent to gain such poor returns - that's where I stand on this issue…
Comment by burt — September 19, 2006 @ 8:03 am
On a personal, or entrepreneurial blog, where such things matter, PPP or in fact any other system (like adsense) should not be implemented - there's a time and a place for anything..
My point about #3, is all about credibility and integrity. For my money, I would rather see good product reviews with an affiliate link(or not, depending upon the review) as this is more credible than any other form of monetisation in my opinion.
Going back to Stu (sorry Stu!), the problem is that he lacks direction; this is shown by his flipflops from one extreme to the other regards PPP. He'll do whatever it takes to make a spot of cash (and rightly so), but my motivation for posting on his blog was to try to show that there are better ways to *do the same thing* (write) but make proper money.
In his latest comment he states that "burts in a world of 50k" and he (Stu) scrapes by having to do what it takes. What he forgets is that I've been putting in foundations for the last 3 years in order to earn that income, it doesn't happen overnight. But with direction and a bit of elbow grease, it would be easy for him to earn $500 to $1000 a week, *within a few short months*.
Comment by Stu — September 19, 2006 @ 10:06 am
Sheesh, I keep saying that I'm not going to be saying any more on this subject, then someone says something which I can't help but reply to
Yes Burt, you did bring up the idea of article packs on my blog, I needed time for the thought to marinate a bit. you made reference to it here as well, but sheesh, this post is still less than 24 hours old!
I certainlky haven't received any emails from you Burt, I'm not silly enough to look a gioft horse in the mouth, without at least discussing the subject first. Could you please resend the email to mail@pimpmypagerank.com?
Yes I have taken the idea on board, I'm actually half way through a post for my blog on this very subject, I'll finish it tonight, I just wanted to give it a little more thought before I posted it.
In relation to your thoughts about advertising of any kind on what you have called "entrepreneurial" blogs - that's one way of looking at it, not one which I would subscribe to, but vive la difference, hey?
Thanks for your thoughts on my verbosity (I think! :-))
I wasn't suggesting that your success had come overnight Burt, I applaud you for the hard work it must have taken, and you've maybe given me the kick in the ass I need to get my thoughts together on a whole pile of issues.
I may have lost a couple of readers in the last few days, but what I have gained is a little perspective, and possibly direction.
I'll be posting tonight Burt about the whole article bundling thing, I hope you'll take the time to read my thoughts, if not, that's cool.
Comment by Stu — September 19, 2006 @ 10:07 am
apologies for spelling and grammar in the previous comment - tring to write and get tea for the kids at the same time!
Comment by Lynn Terry — September 21, 2006 @ 5:00 am
You do realize… you could've been paid for that post? LOL
I actually joined PPP to test it out, and find plenty of opportunities that match what I am already blogging about (or give me great topics TO blog about).
I blog for the same reason I always have - adding content, adding value to the web, keeping my readers happy, etc.
Now I just add in a related text link, or put up a quick post on a relevant topic (or do a review), and rack up some pocket money with practically no additional effort. Those are things I was doing anyway…
Great blog, by the way! Enjoyed it
Best,
Lynn Terry
Comment by burt — September 21, 2006 @ 9:12 am
I coulda been paid for it! D'oh
PPP here I come!
Seriously though, as I have mentioned in this post and on other blogs, there are better ways to monetise a skill.
I'd also like to point out (again), that I have never told anyone what they can and cannot write on a blog, and I would never dare to. Write what you want, do what you want! It is my choice to stop reading a blog once I consider it no longer brings ME any value.
In addition, I have never said that PPP is bad for the internet. It's bad for bloggers as they become incredibly uncredible (the opposite of credible)