Sponsored Posts

I noticed this today at PaidContent:

Nine Systems provides a comprehensive solution for rich media production, publishing and distribution in today’s most popular formats. Our large selection of rich media management tools allows content owners to control all aspects of their media in a robust, yet easy-to-use application, Stream OS. Our aggregated “Network of Networks” is an industry-unique solution that dynamically routes content through a hierarchy of Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), ensuring your content is delivered quickly, completely and cost-effectively.

Click here to learn more about our one of a kind solution.

Apparently it’s not their first Sponsored Post, so I assume this is something they are entering into with some thought. As well all build our blog business, we are continually challenged as to what we initially held sacred. In this instance, it’s the blog post. At one time, for me, it was my sidebar. I didn’t even want to place adsense on my original blog, because I thought it devalued the site so much.

But, when I don’t work outside of my blogging and when I am pouring more than 8 hours per day into my business, I expect, even demand that it earns me money. I’m sure some of you feel the same way. I admit I am revisiting things like ad placement and email newsletters because to make money blogging you actually have worry about those sort of things.

See, I’ve been playing with those things to earn money on my other sites, but Sleepyblogger has been sacred. I’ve only recently begun playing with AdSense on here, and until last week I’ve never even considered a paid post. So, without futher ado, I’ll share with you what I’ve come to believe is the only way you can pull off a sponsored post well.

1. You have to disclose you’re being paid.
Now, I don’t mean burying it somewhere within the post, but put it in the Title and make the entire post scream paid post with graphical representation and the like.

2. Refuse to write sales copy.
I didn’t mind reviewing a site last week for money. That was easy and it didn’t feel dirty at all. However, had they made me pretend to like the program at all, I’d have chosen to avoid the entire shebang.

3. Make sure it’s relevant to your readers.
Don’t waste their eyeballs and time sending them an ad that isn’t worth anything to them.

Were I to do something like what PaidContent is doing, and that is a distinct possibility, I’d refuse to write the post. I don’t mind giving an advertiser some tips on what my readers like, but I can’t write their ad as then I’d be getting paid to say the product was good and I just can’t do that.

I have been contacted by numerous people in the last few months about sponsored posts. Most are off of my topic. They’re just looking at the blog because the traffic is good and the page rank is credible. However, there was at least one who would have been worthy of a sponsored post. I’m considering it because it would allow me to cut some outside blogging in order to focus on writing herein. I invite your comments on this.