PayPerPost or ReviewMe? or Neither?

Last night, I mentioned that PayPerPost is introducing PPP Direct to directly compete with ReviewMe as a paid review service. I’ve had a chance to think a little more about the effects this will have on bloggers’ opportunities to write reviews…specifically with price in mind.

The PPP Direct service will definitely give ReviewMe a run for its money…especially with the reduced commission PPP takes. It’s only a matter of time. Top earners on PPP earn about the same as ReviewMe earners (from what I’ve seen…after commissions are taken), and all they have to do is browse the opportunities that are made available to them based on parameters set by the advertisers (Alexa, Google PR, out-of-5 rating). No need for advertisers to come find them. I’ve made more money blogging this month from review opportunities, aka Sponsored Posts, than I have ever…and because of this system.

It seems like only the top ReviewMe bloggers are reaping the benefits of their service when there are plenty of potentially good bloggers out there (with the required ratings) that get overlooked because they only have 2 stars…since that’s what we start off with. No wonder we’re all stuck at the bottom of the list. I finally made it to the top of page 2, but that’s beside the point. At least with PayPerPost opportunities (not PPP Direct), you can at least create a reputation for yourself with several reviews. Now on a relatively even playing field, everyone has a chance to make or break themselves. I’m kinda playing devil’s advocate on this one. I realize that a blogger directory is a great tool to have.

Now with the introduction of PPP Direct, I’m concerned that this will cause advertisers to “get in bed” with certain bloggers. Sure I wouldn’t mind if I were one of those, but what about the beginner bloggers that are excellent writers? Life isn’t fair, I know. But, why not set the bar where everyone can hurdle it…and allow them to raise or lower it as they progress/regress? Hopefully PPP Direct will recognize up and coming bloggers…and established bloggers doing reviews for the first time…for their efforts and talents. And hopefully it doesn’t favor bloggers, while ignoring others who are capable and qualified.

The Battle Isn’t Won, It’s Only Begun
The evil man that he is, John Chow opens a new can of worms. His discussion about PayPerPost falling short of ReviewMe started a wave of “facts” and opinions to be examined. We can all speculate at this point, but who really knows how the introduction of PPP Direct will affect its Sponsored Post format….or ReviewMe pricing…and moreso how it will affect pricing as a whole.

Even Ted Murphy of PayPerPost had something to say on John’s blog…

First off anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis has to realize John is biased towards ReviewMe, which is fine I have no problem with that. However, it is hard to argue with the numbers.

Would you rather keep $200 on a $400 advertiser spend or keep $360 on the same spend. That is a no brainer. I would much rather have the maximum amount possible.

So let’s put your theory to the test. You say that the money comes from advertisers finding you through the ReviewMe marketplace, not the other way around. Let’s assume you are 100% correct (which I don’t believe you are, you already had a following before ReviewMe).

Now let’s say you remove the optional ReviewMe badge at the top your blog and replace it with a PPP Direct badge. You will still be listed in the ReviewMe marketplace, and the transactions they generate won’t be lost. However, the transactions YOU generate now come with an HUGE increase in the money you put in your pocket. You get the best of both worlds.

I do agree with the need for a directory of participating bloggers. We will be releasing a blogger directory in the near future. We want to work out any issues before pushing this on a large scale to our advertisers.

O.K. So, let’s get this all straight:

Our marketplace charges only 35% while Review charges a 100% markup (not 50%, they take 50% of the charge which is not the same). Ontop of that PPP Direct transactions happen a 10% markup. The Directory is just around the corner. PPP Direct is far more elegant than any other solution out there. What did I miss?

For more information go here:
http://blog.payperpost.com/2007/05/part-one-of-birdo-release.html

For a video go here:
http://blog.payperpost.com/2007/05/payperpost-direct-overview.html

Andy Beard breaks it down for us over at his blog. Read Exclusive – Pay Per Post Direct Changes The Paid Review Landscape Great post!

Just Do It!…Yourself
There are many bloggers that believe in skipping the middleman and offering direct advertising on their blog. That’s a great idea…if you have the time. I blog on a part-time basis, so for me a service like PayPerPost or ReviewMe is ideal. However, if direct advertising is something you’re interested in, Maki over DoshDosh.com has a series of direct advertising strategies that you should read with alot of great suggestions.

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