Are you guilty of being a PayPerPost Punk?

You know what is super lame? PayPerPost Bloggers.
-Slam Blogger-

That must be one of the most frank statements I have encountered online. And it's not just the word lame. It's super lame.

Maybe you haven't noticed this, or if you did, you just let it pass away. December's the month wherein Slam Blogger published a short post entitled PayPerPost Punks. He openheartedly attacked and ill-wished bloggers doing paid posts or reviews under the controversial PayPerPost. But there's more to that. Let's take this in detail.

Who is the PayPerPost Punk?

PayPerPost (PPP) is a website which helps content creators (like bloggers) find advertisers willing to sponsor specific content, vice versa. Any blogger earning from PPP knows what it is truly about. Now, not all bloggers doing PPP posts are PPP punks. PPP punk is a term created by Slam Blogger (I presuppose) that refers to PPP bloggers posting paid reviews more than original content. This can also apply to a blog whose latest posts are all paid posts. Let's take examples.

For example, if Blogger A's latest post is all about how his mom got a very nice size 12 shoes followed by a short Christmas greeting post, then followed again by a post about his newly-bought cool sunglasses, and the next after the next is another paid post and so on. What would the effect be to the blog? A box full of paid posts? Probably. If you do this kind of thing, then you are a PayPerPost punk. (Note: Bloggers can easily detect which are paid posts and which are not)

Is being a PayPerPost Punk a bad thing?

Yes and no, it all depends on your reasons for being one and its relative effects too. Slam Blogger's words were harsh and mean that some PayPerPost bloggers reacted accordingly, one of which is Jaz who made a reply post entitled Bloggers Slamming Bloggers. Filling up your blog with paid posts is bad in the way it affects your readers. Always remember that your blog's life depends on your readers too. Readers = Traffic = $$$. Readers, human as they are, naturally critic on things. A blog full of (lies) paid posts is seen as a bad blog, some even consider it a spam blog. Readers may leave you eventually. Another thing is Google screws the PageRanks of blogs that are filled with regurgitated, bought-off piss reviews (terms courtesy of Slam Blogger). Note: Some paid posts can actually be made good-quality posts. But some bloggers tell obvious lies when doing paid posts (e.g. statements like my mom bought this, my cousin tried this, I used this and it was great even though these people never did). But what do those bloggers being attacked have to say? Their reasons are valid - they earn from paid posts to send someone to school, to pay bills, etc. They are valid reasons. If one is sensitive enough, you would understand these bloggers. But again, some people never will understand.

How to be un-branded as a PPP punk?

No, don't leave PayPerPost. Just do paid reviews moderately. The ideal posting would be in 10 posts, 1 would only be paid. But this is very ideal and highly impossible. The least you can do would be to place two quality and content-rich original posts between paid posts. That is the least but that's still probably not enough, but good enough though. Another thing is to cloak paid reviews. Make your paid posts very informative and of good-quality. If you do, even bloggers may not know that you are already doing a paid review. Paid posts requiring 50 words minimum can be made 300+ words in the actual post. Don't be so engrossed with a smaller number of minimum word count. It will just push you into creating a nonsense post. Also make sure your non-paid posts are more interesting and of higher quality than paid ones. Doing this would ensure a healthier blog.

Final say

Your actions, you make, but the effects, your readers make. No blogger should judge another blogger without stepping into the other's shoes. What Slam Blogger did was to address a problem that could have butterfly effects. But his words were attacking in nature, which is not so good and hurtful for many bloggers (I, for my other blog, included). There are always ways to do the right things in the blogosphere. And it is up to us to do those.

Photo by Flickr user whiteafrican

Tech Tags: payperpost punk blogging pagerank

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