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I wouldn’t want to be the marketing director who had signed a PayPerPost contract

People who are paying for blog posts to be written about their products will face a determined campaign of scorn from bloggers disgusted by the underhandness of the approach.

See Jason Calacanis and Mike Arrington for the details.

PayPerPost won’t even disclose who their clients are. Sounds like shame to me.

If you’re a marketer who has recommended this foolishness there may still be time to recant, retreat and save yourself and your brand some serious grief.

There are better ways to connect to your networks. Many, many ways. This will as likely damage your brand as win a few a few leads.

Antony Mayfield

6 responses to “I wouldn’t want to be the marketing director who had signed a PayPerPost contract”

  1. Steve Roest Avatar
    Steve Roest

    I completely agree.

    It reminds me also of something I read about happening to Buzz Machine – their buzzagents were trying to start word of mouth for a coffee machine that was so bad even the agents themselves wouldn’t use the free ones they got given.

    I am new to blogging but even I have grasped the fundamental point of the medium, which is honesty. A blog is arguably not defined by the fact that it has a ‘blogspot’ or ‘typepad’ address.

    I think it is defined by what it says and how it says it.

    Using a blog to aggressively market products is a terrible, terrible abuse of the medium and is liable to lead to an significant backlash against any brand stupid enough to try it.

    It’s also just plain lazy on behalf of the marketers who are doing it.

    I feel sorry for the brands who have bought into this idea. They clearly have no idea of what blogging is.

    Phew. Rant over.

    Steve

  2. Digital Avatar
    Digital

    How not to use a blog, by PayperPost

    Although new to this blogging lark, even I know that the basic premise of it is honesty and transparency. There is no point lying, or writing things that are designed to covertly market something, or spread certain ideas. To this

  3. Jason Avatar
    Jason

    That’s some sage advice my friend!

    No one likes to be tricked or deceived.

    Even worse is getting tricked and deceived by someone who you consider a friend *AND* who is doing it for money!

    PPP advertisers should be outed every chance we get. They should be told by bloggers with integrity exactly what we think about their covert behavior.

    Also, I’m no lawyer, but there are laws against covert marketing and I think PPP is going to have MANY legal and regulatory issues if they gain any kind of traction in the marketplace.

    Of course, I don’t think they will gain any market share and in 18 months after they run out of money they will act as a lesson for anyone who things that deception is acceptable.

    To hear the investors and founders of this company talk about “market forces” setting the rules for deception is a complete joke. They know very well what they are doing is wrong, and if they want the market to tell thm let the massive backlash from A-list bloggers be their feedback.

  4. Ian Delaney Avatar
    Ian Delaney

    Reading your comments, I signed up for the service to see what was on offer. Here are the first few “opportunities”. Apologies for the rough cut&paste job.

    Basically (a) very poor pay (b) resorts.

    TheRiskmaster.com
    Song written by Tim Draper and …
    Review :: Entertainment
    $5.00 40
    Oct 07, 06 Nov 07, 06 +/- Currently 0 out of 5 Tacks.12345
    Costa Rica
    Blog about Costa Rica
    Link Building :: Regional
    $2.50 50
    Oct 06, 06 Oct 31, 06 +/- Currently 0 out of 5 Tacks.12345
    Fellow Blogger Needs Help.
    Help me to build traffic and a reader base to my new blog on entrepreneurship and discovery engines.
    Buzz :: Business & Economy
    $5.50 100
    Oct 06, 06 Oct 15, 06 +/- Currently 0 out of 5 Tacks.12345
    Recommend Travel Site
    Site focuses on tropical vacations and cruises. Excited posts needed.
    Review :: Recreation & Sports
    $10.00 300
    Oct 06, 06 Oct 10, 06 + Currently 0 out of 5 Tacks.12345
    Write about a Colorado resort town
    Glenwood Springs, CO
    Review :: Recreation & Sports
    $5.00 200
    Oct 06, 06 Oct 12, 06 + Currently 0 out of 5 Tacks.12345
    Video Sharing
    Talk about Video Sharing
    Buzz :: Computers & Internet
    $4.00 100
    Oct 06, 06 Oct 12, 06 + Currently 0 out of 5 Tacks.12345
    Saltwater Fishing Jigs
    Plug Deep Jigs used to catch snapper, amberjack and all sorts of other fish
    Review :: Recreation & Sports
    $3.00 50
    Oct 05, 06 Oct 31, 06 + Currently 0 out of 5 Tacks.12345
    New Job Site – Oaseo.com
    Tell us what you think about a new job site dedicated to search marketing pros.
    Review :: Business & Economy
    $5.00 40
    Oct 05, 06 Oct 31, 06 +/- Currently 0 out of 5 Tacks.12345
    Use Your Cell Phone to Save Money!
    Cellfire is a free application that puts coupons for shopping, dining and entertainment onto your mobile phone.
    Buzz :: Free Stuff
    $6.00 200
    Oct 05, 06 Oct 31, 06 + Currently 0 out of 5 Tacks.12345
    Atlantic Coast Conference Pride for ACCSelect.com
    Submit a photo for ACCSelect.com
    Buzz :: Recreation & Sports
    $10.00 20
    Oct 05, 06 Nov 05, 06 +/- Currently 0 out of 5 Tacks.12345

  5. Dan... Avatar
    Dan…

    Hey guys, I bet there is a kernel of wisdom for some PPP bloggers in your thoughts, but it gets drowned out by your vitriol and name-calling. I learned long ago that people respond better to words of advice than they do to threats and insults. If you really want to make a difference, try providing advice to the market instead of operating as thugs demanding that PPP tell bloggers how to engage their audiences. I think you’ll have more impact that way and you’ll avoid the thug reputation — unless, of course, that was your goal all along. ;-)

  6. Jason Avatar
    Jason

    Dan,

    The advice is clear: stop deceiving the public. Clearly label all the advertisements (aka paid posts) as such, and make the process transparent.

    No one likes to be lied to.

    No one likes to be deceived.

    The reason the blogosphere has become such an amazing place is because of honesty, authenticity, and transparency.

    Service like ParPerPost are against everything the blogosphere stands for.

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