Month: November 2006

This post is an advertisement, so no need to read on

I had to try ReviewMe out. The ReviewMe sites scheme is to get people to write a blog post about a specific company and pay them to do it. It doesnt matter what I write about the company as long as I write 200 words and make a link to them.

The website is really simple to use so its quick to get set it up and get going.

TechCrunch has has a couple of posts on this subject where theyve talked about a company called PayPerPost:

Is this a bad joke designed to torpedo the blogospheres credibility in general? It doesnt appear to be. If were all trying to negotiate a space between Hollywood and mainstream journalism, this is taking things way too far towards the most insipid parts of Hollywood.

And the runner-up ReviewMe gets noticed as well.

While we do not endorse this business model, we do note that ReviewMe has removed the most egregious aspects of the PayPerPost business model: no disclosure requirement, and a requirement to write a positive post.

A new advertising business model has seen the light of day:

The PayPerPost model brings up memories of payola in the music industry, something the FCC and state attorney generals are still trying to eliminate or control. Given the distributed and unlicensed nature of the blogosphere, controlling payoffs to bloggers will be exponentially more difficult.
Our position on these pay-to-shill services is clear: they are a natural result of the growth in size and influence of the blogosphere, but they undermine the credibility of the entire ecosystem and mislead readers.

Apparently the site will pay me $30 to make this post although I still have my doubts about that. But if you read this far and I get the money I owe you a beer, punk me for it next time you see me.

Have I sold my blog soul?

[Update December 1st] Got the $30 transfered through paypal today.