ReviewMe - Another Controversial Income Stream?
November 10, 2006 by
Adam
Filed under
Internet, Making Money
Disclosure: This is a review of ReviewMe and yes, I am being paid to write this (a whole $30). I was going to write about this service anyway, but I thought I might as well get paid to do so. Only a true entrepreneur would capitalize on this chance, and the opportunity to win $25,000 - so please value my honesty in telling you what Im being paid, and bear in mind that I’ll always tell you if Im being paid to write a post - it will happen only once in a blue moon.
This week yet another income stream was announced to bloggers and entrepreneurs across the world. It’s called ReviewMe and is owned by creators of Text Link Ads, Andy Hagans. Whilst I totally love TLA, Im not sure whether this idea is going to kick off. Here’s why:
A while back a similar service was launched called PayPerPost. In short it caused an amazing amount of controversy as the idea (like ReviewMe), was to get paid to write a blog post. At first, you didnt have to necessarily disclose that the post was a blatant advert, however more recently DisclosurePolicy was launched to help PayPerPost users spread the word more about being paid to advertise.
The main problem with this type of monetization is the obvious bias posts will have. If you’re getting paid to post, then you’re more likely to say positive things about the site or product you’re reviewing. In effect this will make your post sound less credible and will in turn cause your blog to sound less powerful if worded in the wrong way.
ReviewMe has also gone down the path of PPP by offering Bloggers to “Get paid to review services and Web sites that are of interest to your readers, and reap the benefits of conversation with advertisers” and by allowing Advertisers to “Get your service or Web site reviewed by bloggers, gaining your site traffic, invaluable feedback, and word of mouth buzz.”
The main difference that this service assumes is that bloggers must tell their readers that they are being paid to post (just like I have done at the top of this post). While this may put off new readers, it would help clear the air of confusion and mystery around the post. Also ReviewMe states that you don’t have to give a good review necessarily. This should make honesty and bias less of a factor hopefully.
But will it still cause controversy? Of course it will. Many bloggers simply don’t believe in being paid to post as writers will still tend to be biased towards the advertiser for giving them a chance to get money.
And will the advertising be effective? If the reviews are displayed to a blog with relatively high amounts of traffic, good RSS subscribership and a friendly audience then the ads should work out well. But be prepared to face the music as a blogger or advertiser as people’s minds have been swayed after the PPP fiasco.
I haven’t done the pay per post thing, but don’t really have a problem with it. I do think that if you are being paid to post on a specific product or service, it should be disclosed. People get paid to post all of the time, especially if you are a blogger for a successful blogging network. I was wondering what would happen if you wrote a negative review. Great Post.
Yeah, disclosure should always definitely be made compulsory. It makes for a more honest blog and writer and for a better readership.
If you wrote a negative review, according to ReviewMe, that wouldn’t really matter but I dunno. Would you write something bad about someone who’s providing you with money for it? Then again people say that all publicity is good publicity.
Thanks for your comment Chris.
I’m registered there as well. No reviews yet, except for the one ReviewMe wanted to do on their own site. What are your throughts on Blogitive at http://www.blogitive.com ? I’ve be interested in hearing what you think of it. They’re really ramping up now and putting the call our for bloggers. If you’re not registered, use me as a referral - colleen_cc@yahoo.com
Actualy this is the first I’ve heard of Blogitive. I suppose there are loads of these types of services out there including PPP, and all have their critiques/supporters.
Thanks for your referral but I don’t think I’ll signup, all these programs get confusing and it takes me ages as it is to constantly monitor the sites for reviews - and to be honest with a content site like Blogtrepreneur, reviews wouldn’t go down that well.
But thanks for dropping by Colleen
A compulsory disclosure would definitely help keep blogger’s credibility, especially since not everyone says when they are writing something “sponsored”.
I’ve joined ReviewMe, but with my other blog only. This blog is fairly new, and hasn’t built up the ranking required, yet.
Anyhow, I came here through Martin’s site (my quest to make money on the internet). Good stuff you have here… onto my sidebar you go
Hey “the Goddess” lol. Thanks for dropping by.
Yeah, on another blog I read, the author has now stuck to adding a [PPP] note before he starts a paid per post article, so as to warn readers about the credibility of the article.
One side of the debate is that the blogger himself will lose money for shilling out to money in the firstplace. Writers should have their integrity.
On the other hand though (and the side I take), only a good entrepreneur capitalizes on the chances he has to make money. The $30 I got for doing the article was basically free money, so as long as I warned my audience, I was being a “clever entrepreneur”!
Thanks for coming and for adding a link to Blogtrepreneur! I would add a link back but I’ve stopped doing link exchanges, but I appreciate it anyway. Keep up the good work on your blog
No biggie