Damn, the PayPerPost PR machine continues to pull me in. Yes, all the negative PR about it makes it more interesting as a business.
It’s like some kind of virus has gotten into the blogosphere. It’s all over TechMeme right now.
Anyway, I don’t think PayPerPost’s disclosure policy goes far enough. Having a global disclosure policy is a start, but in the world of search engines and aggregation sites and feed readers we need a DisclosePerPost policy.
What’s so hard about putting a disclosure on each post? Something like:
DISCLOSURE: My sponsor, Seagate, sponsored this post. Read all about their new encrypted hard drive over at Google News.
I like Andrew Bourland’s idea, though, for how I could make a lot of money. Instead of selling a post he recommends selling my whole blog. He thinks he could get me $25,000. Hmmm.
In response to Shelley Powers, AOL hasn’t offered to do anything for me. But, I agree with Shelley. I should just sponsor Shelley’s blog. I like her photography and her books on JavaScript rock.
I wasn’t paid to say that (and, don’t take my word on it, get a second opinion, but you’ll find that most people agree with me about her photo and JavaScript skills).
Does not getting paid make my endorsement more or less likely to be believed or acted on?
Anyway, my disclosure policy? If I take money to say something I will disclose IN MY POST where I write about them. That way if you find my post over on Technorati or Sphere you’ll know about my biases even if you never visit my blog.
I still think PayPerPost is brilliant. Instead of paying some SEO expert thousands of dollars you can just hire PayPerPost to do a better job for far less money (a link from a blogger, particularly if you get that blogger to use the right keywords when they link is worth FAR more than any link farm or other “black hat SEO” techniques and is far less likely to get your company removed from Yahoo or Google or Live.com). Just remember folks, that $20 you took to write about a company is helping them move up the result set in Google/Yahoo/Live. So, when search gets “noisier” you know who to blame.
Anti-disclosure. Seagate didn’t really pay me to post about that here. They got this post for free cause I really appreciate their sponsorship of ScobleShow.
Scobleizer 
That’s $25,000 per month per sponsor, Robert… Do the math. And you set the limit on how many posts that is per month. Maybe 25, which is a small fraction of the number of posts you make.
Take care,
Andy
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That’s $25,000 per month per sponsor, Robert… Do the math. And you set the limit on how many posts that is per month. Maybe 25, which is a small fraction of the number of posts you make.
Take care,
Andy
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I think you might be misunderstanding my point, Robert.
I said you could make 25 thousand per sponsored post per sponsor and you set the terms as to how many posts per month that translates to.
That could add up to some serious dinero very quickly, and would be worth every cent to the sponsor.
A sincere endorsement from Robert Scoble is major branding power for any sponsor wise enough to work with you.
Thanks,
Andy
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Robert will sponsor me for $25,000 a month!
Zowee! I can afford to feed my kitty now?
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Robert will sponsor me for $25,000 a month!
Zowee! I can afford to feed my kitty now?
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I think you might be misunderstanding my point, Robert.
I said you could make 25 thousand per sponsored post per sponsor and you set the terms as to how many posts per month that translates to.
That could add up to some serious dinero very quickly, and would be worth every cent to the sponsor.
A sincere endorsement from Robert Scoble is major branding power for any sponsor wise enough to work with you.
Thanks,
Andy
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Oops! Delete a couple of those comments. They weren’t showing up so I thought Akismet ate them because of the dollar signs…
Sorry…
Andy
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Oops! Delete a couple of those comments. They weren’t showing up so I thought Akismet ate them because of the dollar signs…
Sorry…
Andy
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Andrew: I deleted one of them. Thanks.
Shelley: oh, you’ll take $25,000 from me? How about $10? You know the old line about negotiating …? Heheh.
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Andrew: I deleted one of them. Thanks.
Shelley: oh, you’ll take $25,000 from me? How about $10? You know the old line about negotiating …? Heheh.
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I agree on keeping the disclosure granular. Much better service to your readers than a blanket “money may may have changed hands in the making of this blog.”
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I agree on keeping the disclosure granular. Much better service to your readers than a blanket “money may may have changed hands in the making of this blog.”
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Negotiation is cool, but $10 is quite a bit different than $25,000, don’t you think. That’s like a lawyer telling his condemned client, “Well, depending on the judge’s mood, you’ll either be hung by the neck, or you be given a noogie and a paper cut.”
How about….$5000! I live in St. Louis, we’re cheap. All that crime and all.
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Negotiation is cool, but $10 is quite a bit different than $25,000, don’t you think. That’s like a lawyer telling his condemned client, “Well, depending on the judge’s mood, you’ll either be hung by the neck, or you be given a noogie and a paper cut.”
How about….$5000! I live in St. Louis, we’re cheap. All that crime and all.
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I love the disclosure policy idea and agree that it probably could be taken further. Maybe a plugin for Windows Live Writer that adds a disclosure to each post you choose in a certain format.
Also like the DP mentions relationships as I think it is nice to know the relationships people have even if they are not directly paying for a post. Example, if I was a big investor in lets say Microsoft, people should know that if I write about Microsoft. I work for Progress software, people should know that if I write about Progress.
(Warning, I came here from TechMeme and haven’t look at all you posts today so you might have done this already) I would love to see what your DP would be like Robert. How about filling it in honestly and critically and letting us see it. You could also point out what you think it is lacking and what needs to be improved and of course, what they did right.
You up for the Challenge?
Molly
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I love the disclosure policy idea and agree that it probably could be taken further. Maybe a plugin for Windows Live Writer that adds a disclosure to each post you choose in a certain format.
Also like the DP mentions relationships as I think it is nice to know the relationships people have even if they are not directly paying for a post. Example, if I was a big investor in lets say Microsoft, people should know that if I write about Microsoft. I work for Progress software, people should know that if I write about Progress.
(Warning, I came here from TechMeme and haven’t look at all you posts today so you might have done this already) I would love to see what your DP would be like Robert. How about filling it in honestly and critically and letting us see it. You could also point out what you think it is lacking and what needs to be improved and of course, what they did right.
You up for the Challenge?
Molly
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Phillip: I will do that.
Shelley: let’s talk offline. I’m interested in working with you if you are in working with me.
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Phillip: I will do that.
Shelley: let’s talk offline. I’m interested in working with you if you are in working with me.
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Phillip: I just tried to fill out the DisclosurePolicy.org form. One problem, it’s too absolutist or too loose.
In step two there’s not a choice that fits my blog. Why? I want the “This blog does not accept any form of advertising, sponsorship, or paid insertion” choice, but can’t go with it because I don’t want to promise that I’ll forever take that stance. So, I guess I’ll have to go with “this blog accepts” choice, even though that’s not true TODAY.
Anyway, here’s my policy as made by the policy generator. I think this can all be shortened to:
You will know where I’m taking money and you’ll know what was expected for that money.
This policy is valid from 30 October 2006
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact robertscoble@hotmail.com.
This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.
This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.
The owner(s) of this blog is not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.
This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content will always be identified. We are employed by or consult with: PodTech.net.
To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org
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Phillip: I just tried to fill out the DisclosurePolicy.org form. One problem, it’s too absolutist or too loose.
In step two there’s not a choice that fits my blog. Why? I want the “This blog does not accept any form of advertising, sponsorship, or paid insertion” choice, but can’t go with it because I don’t want to promise that I’ll forever take that stance. So, I guess I’ll have to go with “this blog accepts” choice, even though that’s not true TODAY.
Anyway, here’s my policy as made by the policy generator. I think this can all be shortened to:
You will know where I’m taking money and you’ll know what was expected for that money.
This policy is valid from 30 October 2006
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact robertscoble@hotmail.com.
This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.
This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.
The owner(s) of this blog is not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.
This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content will always be identified. We are employed by or consult with: PodTech.net.
To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org
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Hey Robert,
Cool. Thanks for that. My opinion is that if you use the DP as it suggests (or a close variation of it) you do it for today and as soon as something changes you change your version of the policy.
I wonder if Mike Arrington would take up the same challenge.
Molly
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Hey Robert,
Cool. Thanks for that. My opinion is that if you use the DP as it suggests (or a close variation of it) you do it for today and as soon as something changes you change your version of the policy.
I wonder if Mike Arrington would take up the same challenge.
Molly
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Disclose per Post heh? Yeah, well everyone else thinks this is all brilliant and I see it for the ugly extension to forum dwellers who get paid to be deceptive. Oh, but we have a disclouser policy. Walmart has proven VERY recently that this isn’t a good idea and people are calling this guy a Genious.
Robert, make the jump, but realize that the moment you do sell out that’s what you’ve done, and you’ll lose my respect. Call this thing out for what it is, a tainting of human life. disclose per post??? Give me a break, don’t confuse content with advertising… Put users first and they will reward you. Some people jump on bandwagons, others jump in front of trains.
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Disclose per Post heh? Yeah, well everyone else thinks this is all brilliant and I see it for the ugly extension to forum dwellers who get paid to be deceptive. Oh, but we have a disclouser policy. Walmart has proven VERY recently that this isn’t a good idea and people are calling this guy a Genious.
Robert, make the jump, but realize that the moment you do sell out that’s what you’ve done, and you’ll lose my respect. Call this thing out for what it is, a tainting of human life. disclose per post??? Give me a break, don’t confuse content with advertising… Put users first and they will reward you. Some people jump on bandwagons, others jump in front of trains.
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SELL ADVERTISING AND THEN BLOG!!!! I SAY THAT ALL PAY PER BLOG POSTS SHOULD BE YELLOW LIKE DRINKING AND DRIVING PLATES ON CARS!!!!! I DON”T WANT TO READ YOUR SHIT… PLEASE SOMEONE WAKE THESE PEOPLE UP!!! Have I GONE CRAZY!!!!!
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SELL ADVERTISING AND THEN BLOG!!!! I SAY THAT ALL PAY PER BLOG POSTS SHOULD BE YELLOW LIKE DRINKING AND DRIVING PLATES ON CARS!!!!! I DON”T WANT TO READ YOUR SHIT… PLEASE SOMEONE WAKE THESE PEOPLE UP!!! Have I GONE CRAZY!!!!!
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Sorry for the caps… This is all a bad idea, content and and advertising should be properly disclosed and seperated, not after I waste my time reading an opinion on something should I find out the user was paid to lie. Sorry, not my cup of tea, I’d rather listen to ham radio, thanks anyways.
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Sorry for the caps… This is all a bad idea, content and and advertising should be properly disclosed and seperated, not after I waste my time reading an opinion on something should I find out the user was paid to lie. Sorry, not my cup of tea, I’d rather listen to ham radio, thanks anyways.
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What Netscape has started by tainting this social sphere with money is worse than what Microsoft has done by Netscaping Netscape. And So Karma is King. And many think the current offering is the lowest common denominator, there is even a lower one who will make money, things will get uglier. Soon, like all good ideas and cocepts we have going, blogging will be another crappy medium like Reality TV. Don’t confuse the innovators with the people who taint newer concepts into trends.
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What Netscape has started by tainting this social sphere with money is worse than what Microsoft has done by Netscaping Netscape. And So Karma is King. And many think the current offering is the lowest common denominator, there is even a lower one who will make money, things will get uglier. Soon, like all good ideas and cocepts we have going, blogging will be another crappy medium like Reality TV. Don’t confuse the innovators with the people who taint newer concepts into trends.
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Robert,
Kudos to you for completing the form and posting it here. Major Kudos.
As to its rigidity, yes. I had difficulty with that as well until I realized at the end of the process that I could edit and/or tweak it to fit my specific needs, which are a bit more rigid than how it was originally generated.
Here’s the thing — they’re looking for a conversation on this, comments, ways to make it better, ways to make it work, to develop best practices around the issue of paid content. I see that as good for everyone. What’s there now is nothing more than a beta version of what could develop into a collaborative asset for the blogging community as a whole.
I appreciate the fact that you’re willing to give it an honest try and post your thoughts (though I wish it weren’t in the comments but in a post as part of the larger conversation) — that and the fact that you are married to a wonderful woman like Maryam prove that you’re a good guy. 😉
– DnW
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Robert,
Kudos to you for completing the form and posting it here. Major Kudos.
As to its rigidity, yes. I had difficulty with that as well until I realized at the end of the process that I could edit and/or tweak it to fit my specific needs, which are a bit more rigid than how it was originally generated.
Here’s the thing — they’re looking for a conversation on this, comments, ways to make it better, ways to make it work, to develop best practices around the issue of paid content. I see that as good for everyone. What’s there now is nothing more than a beta version of what could develop into a collaborative asset for the blogging community as a whole.
I appreciate the fact that you’re willing to give it an honest try and post your thoughts (though I wish it weren’t in the comments but in a post as part of the larger conversation) — that and the fact that you are married to a wonderful woman like Maryam prove that you’re a good guy. 😉
– DnW
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I have done a few PayPerPosts and it is funny what the result has been. We have a wordpress blog so I disclose the actual pay of the post and then use the MORE tag after a sentence so I dont clutter up our personal content too much. The post about mortgages has generated a fun conversation, one that we would not be having if I had not done that post. My explanation on why we are doing PayPerPost is here
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I have done a few PayPerPosts and it is funny what the result has been. We have a wordpress blog so I disclose the actual pay of the post and then use the MORE tag after a sentence so I dont clutter up our personal content too much. The post about mortgages has generated a fun conversation, one that we would not be having if I had not done that post. My explanation on why we are doing PayPerPost is here
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“I still think PayPerPost is brilliant”
Something we both agree on! lol. I have a couple of advertisers that would pay several thousand dollars for a single post and honest review on this site. Let me know if you are interested.
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“I still think PayPerPost is brilliant”
Something we both agree on! lol. I have a couple of advertisers that would pay several thousand dollars for a single post and honest review on this site. Let me know if you are interested.
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As a Quote from The President, ” I think you might be misunderestimating me!”
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As a Quote from The President, ” I think you might be misunderestimating me!”
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Robert, I commend you on giving DisclosurePolicy.org a try. The DP Generator is far from perfect, but it gets people moving in the transparency direction by making it easier.
I’d recommend to all DP adopters that they cut/paste the output of the DP Generator but then add their voice and detail before posting. If today’s language doesn’t work for a specific blog, just change it, but don’t let that be a reason for not adopting some Disclosure Policy that your audiences can always access.
Robert, is it OK for me to capture this post and comments over at dp.org so new visitors can learn from your input? For example, a DisclosePerPost policy makes a lot of sense, particularly for people syndicating content like you.
Although DisclosurePolicy.org was launched by PPP, it is intended as a CGM/blogosphere resource. We just wanted to move the topic from words to action. The current site is a base to build from. If you, PodTech or other associations have an interest in promoting long-term transparency, let’s make a difference on this issue together. Shoot me an email or hit http://www.disclosurepolicy.org/generator/contact
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Robert, I commend you on giving DisclosurePolicy.org a try. The DP Generator is far from perfect, but it gets people moving in the transparency direction by making it easier.
I’d recommend to all DP adopters that they cut/paste the output of the DP Generator but then add their voice and detail before posting. If today’s language doesn’t work for a specific blog, just change it, but don’t let that be a reason for not adopting some Disclosure Policy that your audiences can always access.
Robert, is it OK for me to capture this post and comments over at dp.org so new visitors can learn from your input? For example, a DisclosePerPost policy makes a lot of sense, particularly for people syndicating content like you.
Although DisclosurePolicy.org was launched by PPP, it is intended as a CGM/blogosphere resource. We just wanted to move the topic from words to action. The current site is a base to build from. If you, PodTech or other associations have an interest in promoting long-term transparency, let’s make a difference on this issue together. Shoot me an email or hit http://www.disclosurepolicy.org/generator/contact
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Thanks Robert, but if we worked together, I couldn’t give you a bad time, and where would the fun be in that?
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Thanks Robert, but if we worked together, I couldn’t give you a bad time, and where would the fun be in that?
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Hi Robert
You might enjoy my take on this, as there are some valid reasons why you wouldn’t highlight on every post that a link is an affiliate link.
Techcrunch and Disclosure Policy (picking straws)
There are holes in Techcrunch’s disclosure policy (at least at time of this post)
It is also strange my trackback didn’t appear on the post I linked to on their site.
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Hi Robert
You might enjoy my take on this, as there are some valid reasons why you wouldn’t highlight on every post that a link is an affiliate link.
Techcrunch and Disclosure Policy (picking straws)
There are holes in Techcrunch’s disclosure policy (at least at time of this post)
It is also strange my trackback didn’t appear on the post I linked to on their site.
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