Paid blogging has generated interest since it debuted in 2006. The business model seeks to capitalize on the thousands of avid bloggers already online. Kate Kaye wrote an excellent review of the paid blogging marketplace for Clickz’ Insight. In it she interviews key people from the various blog-for-money companies, such as ReviewMe, PayPerPost, LoudLaunch and questionably-named CREAMaid.
Only a Popular Blog Can Be a Paid Blog
Being paid to blog on a specific topic is not as easy as registering with any of these services. Each of the companies has different criteria for evaluating if a particular blog has what it takes to become a blog for money. A blog is eligible for paid posts if it gets sufficient traffic already, which justifies to advertisers that posts on that blog are worth money. The requirements vary; ReviewMe evaluates a blog’s Alexa rating and number of RSS feeds, while PayPerPost focuses on the blog’s number of posts over the short- and long-term, and then on search engine rankings.
Both of these techniques make sense: a blog that updates regularly over a long period of time draws in more readers, while a highly-ranked blog obviously has those readers. Paid blogging companies need to demonstrate effectiveness in creating a “buzz” around a particular web page or business, something that can’t be measured directly in most cases. Companies that are willing to pay money for bloggers need a certain comfort level that their investment is worthwhile.
Who Controls a Paid Blog Post?
This is particularly important when the issue of control comes up. While some services, like ReviewMe, permit advertisers to select the bloggers they pay, those advertisers are not permitted to disallow negative posts. PayPerPost permits more control over the tone of the posts which will be paid for in blogs, but their clients may not choose the who blogs for money.
The paid blogging field is receiving quite a bit of buzz, and is likely going to have a shaking-out in the near future. PayPerPost now requires a disclosure on all participating blogs, while CREAMaid's policies don't allow more than occasional paid post on any given blog. However, the paid posts must be positive in most cases, which makes business sense but raises ethical questions.
Paid Blogging Could Launch Online Writing Career
For a person that is unable or unwilling to leave home for work, and also enjoys writing, paid blogging may be an excellent supplement to other income. However, the investment in time to create a blog that is popular enough is not insignificant. There are other paid online writing jobs out there, and any serious writer should consider writing for free to hone their skills.
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