molly.com
Wednesday 1 December 2004
blogging for dollars
BLOGGING FOR DOLLARS? Indeed, I’m about to embark on a little experiment along with Marc Canter and a team of familiar bloggers. The concept? Blog about a product and see if that product can be sold more effectively.
The product in this case is Marquis, which is a CMS. Except that it refers to itself as a Communication Management System. I’m in the process of getting to know the product better so I can write more effectively about it.
Why blog for dollars? Well, first, I can use the dollars! Second, it seems like an interesting experience. And third, I’d never have done it if I had to evangelize or even pretend I like the product. You see, I don’t have to do that. I can write my critique of the product as I see fit. So expect a once a week post on Marquis. I’ve created a “blog slut” category for it ’specially because.
What do you think about this? Is it cool? Is it a form of blog spam? Is blogging for dollars something you’d do?
Filed under: blogging, blog slut
Posted by: Molly | 10:54 am |
December 1st, 2004 at 11:27 am
I like the name blog slut (b-slut). =) Why not if you like blogging, and don’t have to tell things that go against your principles?
Where can I apply?
December 1st, 2004 at 11:28 am
Um…
December 1st, 2004 at 11:30 am
As long as one blogs for the blog (that is: has something to say and convey), and not for the dollars.
December 1st, 2004 at 12:18 pm
Hmm…
December 1st, 2004 at 1:22 pm
I think there is a line to be drawn. As long as you blog because you like blogging and because you want to blog, everything is cool. I think, it’d bother me if I blogged just to get more attention to the product, more potential buyers, more $$$.
but that’s just my $0.02
December 1st, 2004 at 2:47 pm
It’s a tough call for me. I’m not sure I would be willing to do this* because of a couple of things: first, my readers might question my motives (anything positive about Marqui would be suspect.) Second, personally, I don’t think I could be truly objective in this situation. I’d worry I’d be saying the positive things and glossing over the negative things, because I’d want Marqui to be happy and I’d want other companies to hire me.
That said, if you can be truly objective and if Marqui is cool enough not to object to the category “blog slut”, more power to you!
* not that they asked me.
December 1st, 2004 at 4:09 pm
Michael,
I am one of the other Marqui bloggers (now you can properly add a grain of salt to everything I say!)
I’m not sure about my readers, but my friends know my motives… Everyone else can read my disclaimer and take me at my word until they get to know me.
Regarding objectivity, its been made abundantly clear to me that these folks are taking a large risk in letting a bunch of rookies (i mean with their baby) be at the forefront of the discussion about it. I am -fairly- sure that the people in this program are going to be in the top returns when someone searches for Marqui and it could easily be with “marqui sucks”.
Its an experiment that I’m glad to take a part of and hopefully we’ll learn something along the way.
Finally, they didn’t ask me either, I stuck my feet in the pool and ended up liking the temperature. If you want a point of view other than Molly’s, feel free to track me down at my site.
December 1st, 2004 at 5:15 pm
hummm. let me see, kinda like Cascading Tupperware or Moveable Hype?
December 1st, 2004 at 5:32 pm
“blog slut”. I think you made up a word there. Did you make that up? Very cool. I want to be a blog slut too but I’m a guy. Maybe blog pimp?
December 1st, 2004 at 9:52 pm
Molly -
Capitalism for the sake of capitalism? Promote a product for profit regardless of your belief in it? I’m so proud of you. Conservatives the world over, rejoice. Molly has joined us.
December 1st, 2004 at 11:33 pm
Just when I thought I was able to block all the ads, pop-up, spyware, adware, and spam. BOOM! A brand new type of advertising, great.
December 2nd, 2004 at 2:08 am
If you want your audience to keep coming back, you’ll obviously have to take care that they don’t think of your “advertisement” as blog spam. I guess that’d really depend on how biased you are and how much of a sales-person-like talk you do.
If you ask me, I’d prefer the idea of making money as a result of blogging. I wouldn’t like to blog to make money.
Just my 2 cents.
December 2nd, 2004 at 5:20 am
I wouldn’t do it if the company wasn’t nice, if the blog was about something completely different and if the offerings were weak
I think it is a good way of getting critique as a company, because blog commentators can judge as well. As long as you keep it once a week and you keep talking on other topics as well, I think there’s no problem in blogging for money. Just, please, don’t go over the top, like advertising for a Mercedes Benz because they’d pay you like thousands of–wait.
December 2nd, 2004 at 9:15 am
Paid to post
I added a paid to post page to our site today, offering an explanation of what paid to post is and why we’re doing it. Subheadings from the page include, Pimpin’ the Blogosphere, A Blogging Prison Bitch?, and Flame…
December 3rd, 2004 at 7:21 am
You bet I would.
December 3rd, 2004 at 12:05 pm
A web site designed to make money. I don’t really think you’re breaking new ground here. I don’t write articles on my blogs just for the money, but I know the more I blog, the more money my site makes, and I’m very happy about that. As long as the content is worth viewing, I really don’t care what the motivations of the writer are. If the articles aren’t worth reading, same thing.
December 3rd, 2004 at 6:57 pm
I agree 100% with John. If your content is solid, entertaining or informative in some way, it’s no one’s business whether or not you get paid to do it. This whole attitude of “indie content done out of love is the only good content” attitude is B.S. and deep down, everyone promoting it knows it. Many bloggers secretly *wish* they got paid for it.
I ran F*cked Weblog for four years. Every week I read reasons why people quit blogging and there were three reasons that popped up over and over:
a) They never got the attention/fame/celebrity that they thought was a given with blogging.
b) They realized they truly had nothing to say. (the most honest asnwer)
c) It was no longer worth doing because they weren’t getting paid for it.
My own readers for years asked me why I wasn’t making money off my blog, and when American Greetings made a calendar of it, they were happy for me. Not one reader accused me of selling out.
I say go to it. More Molly to read can only be a good thing.
December 4th, 2004 at 12:46 am
I think the idea of honestly reviewing a product on your blog is okay. If the creator of said product is paying you, I believe that should be disclosed to your audience in a clear and succinct manner.
However, your calling the category in which you will post your review of the product “blog slut” somewhat discredits you.
It’s as if, despite what you might really think (or who knows maybe that IS what you think) of what it is you’re doing, or what others may think, you’ve already labeled yourself as a slut. In mind mind, the word “slut” is usually considered and/or used with other negative connotations.
Very personally, I think what you’re doing is fine (asking the opinion of your readership helps), but I disagree with that one aspect in which you have portrayed the idea (calling yourself a slut).
In the end I think all that matters are your goals as a person with a website. If you’re okay with it, and someone else isn’t, they can go elsewhere.
- Rabbit
December 4th, 2004 at 7:38 am
Rabbit -
I don’t think I’ve ever used the word “slut” in a negative manner. I’ve personally found them to be some of the most wonderful people in the world.
December 5th, 2004 at 6:21 am
I can agree with you there. Up until recently I worked with one of the major brothels in Southern Nevada. During my time there I had more than enough interaction with many of the Ladies. Just like everyone else, each had their good and bad sides.
Personally, I have no problems with prostitutes (in fact I think they serve a healthy function).
But I still find the term “slut” to be harsh, and I imagine there exist no less than a handful of Ladies who would take offense if you called them that.
- Rabbit
December 8th, 2004 at 11:12 am
Regarding the “slut” - it’s humor, you see. But, I guess I’m destined to be the girl without a sense of it, at least according to all my ex’s
December 11th, 2004 at 1:28 pm
I’ll bet that any of the people turned off by the idea of blogging would change their minds very quickly if Marqui offered to pay them $800/month to blog about their product. Openly disclosing the fact that you’re getting paid to mention a product seems to clear the air of any possible problems. And really, is this really that different than using Amazon referral links? I doubt anyone has a problem with that kind of paid blogging.
December 12th, 2004 at 3:17 am
I would likely stop visiting a site that bombarded me with advertising in this way. To me, it’s like going to the movies and having those damn ads shown before the film. I’m all for people having the chance to earn a living, but the whole advertising thing on blogs is whacked. I suppose it will all even out in the end.
December 14th, 2004 at 12:32 pm
I really think “blog whore” is a bit more apt. I mean, if the point is that you’re accepting cash to publicize something through your blog, then, you’re whoring yourself out. On the other hand, if you’ll just right about anything and everything for no reason at all (let alone cash) “blog slut” is appropriate.
As for whether you “should” or not… I think that’s completely up to you. I think a point in your favor is that you can call the product out for the crap it is, if indeed it is crap. However, if you get paid MORE for a better review, or that sort of thing, it’s a stickier situation. I dunno, I’d probably do it.
December 14th, 2004 at 12:35 pm
And, yes, I -am- ashamed that I put “right about” instead of “write about.”
That will be all.
December 17th, 2004 at 5:23 pm
I disagree with the concept. Simply put, it’s paid advertising and you’re the writer. It’s easy to write about something once as a review, but having to bring it up in conversation each and every week would make readers feel like the helpless targets of an MLM scheme. If this happened on a personal level and you were my friend who happened to mention a certain product every week, I would quickly suspect that our relationship was not authentic and that you had alterior motives in wanting to talk to me.
If my personal goal in blogging was to gain people’s trust over the long-term, this would not be an option for me, even if I can say what I want to about the ‘product.’ I would feel like I’m selling out and the term, ‘blog-whore’ seems not that far off. If you were my little sister, I’d tell you there’s better ways to make a few bucks if that’s what you need - you’re way better than that
December 22nd, 2004 at 1:21 am
Blogging for cash is an honest career! - I do it already…
With so many spam based internet sites selling dubious products, if someone takes the time to create a blog full of useful information and gives it away free but also includes a few google ads or an affiliate link they’re far from the most evil people on the internet. If you publish information that others find informative and it doesn’t attempt to exhort money then this seems an honest career choice.
Personally I don’t reccomend specific products to much, this works best for me and gives more opportunity for quality. So an alternative to promoting Marquis would be to discuss all the CMS apps you can find their advantages and disadvantages, it would take long time but the end result would be great resource and a few google ads wouldn’t do so much damage.
Making a little extra money via your blog isn’t bad when it’s done honestly and with good intent, good luck with the blog for cash dollars project:)
March 10th, 2005 at 6:38 pm
Yes, it’s CMS, content manipulation system. ^ ^
November 28th, 2006 at 8:56 am
Bloggers as consumer whores…and how!
Now this is interesting: The Marqui Experiment.
Marqui, an entry into an already crowded workplace content management system marketplace, has apparently arranged to pay 15 bloggers $800 to to blog about their product once a week for three months.
This …
March 30th, 2008 at 6:13 am
thanks
April 30th, 2008 at 10:40 am
thanks
May 1st, 2008 at 8:47 am
it is easy to find it on google
October 17th, 2008 at 4:00 am
Hmmm.. thats good..
October 17th, 2008 at 4:01 am
oh right, thanks bro
October 17th, 2008 at 4:03 am
i like.. thanks..
November 2nd, 2008 at 5:50 am
thnks.