Have you ever been on a date with someone who, from the very beginning, seemed to be the perfect match for you? You have so much in common. You both know the words to every U2 song. You both have been to Prague. You both think that any scene involving Chevy Chase in Caddyshack is pure cinematic bliss.
But something’s just missing. No matter how much you try to create it, the chemistry’s just not there. Though you both really want it to work, you eventually part ways. For years afterward you will both reflect on that time and say that "it just wasn’t meant to be."
This is how I feel about most people getting paid by advertisers to write blog posts. This has been a hot topic in the blogosphere lately because of the FTC’s announcement of rules governing blogging, including rules about paid blogging being disclosed ("blogger payola").
While important, I believe that the points about governance are moot. This is because I think that people read 99% of bloggers because they write with authenticity. So regulating paid blog posts is like regulating how fireplaces get installed in Florida. You probably need to, but it’s not something that will end up happening very often. (Of course, there is an underlying assumption that there isn’t a rash of people building irresponsible fireplaces that create fire hazards, which in this case one could argue there is)
People don’t read most blogs because the author writes particularly well, or because he or she is presenting information that no other source is, or because he or she is Einsteinian in his or her mental proportions. Keep in mind that many reasons exist for why people write. Most people in my line of work, myself included, write because it helps us in our day job. But I believe the number one far-and-away reason why people read blogs is for an authentic point of view.
The problem is that if you have made the choice (for whatever reason) to put a lot of effort into your blog, at some point the idea of being paid to write starts to sound pretty good. If you have built a big audience, the idea of paying you to write starts to sound really good to advertisers.
So there you are, successful blogger and advertiser, sitting on your first date, completing each others’ sentences. But it’ll never work. Maybe for a little while, but eventually either the blogger will start to lose readers or the advertiser will be disappointed with the results.
Of course, there are many ways to get paid to write if you have a successful blog. Leverage your blog into a book, or get a column at one of the many great online publications out there. Or, consider writing guest content for a brand on their website or within their online community. Even this subtle change in context makes things click.
I don’t judge any blogger who writes paid blog posts, that would be like judging someone for being on that awesome first date (or even the second or third, trying to find that mysterious way to manufacture the romance). It makes sense to try it. But in the end, getting paid to be authentic takes the focus off where it should be: why people read. And that can cost any publisher dearly.
Filed under: Social Marketing Tagged: | blogging, ftc
