I signed up with PayPerPost in October 2006 listing this blog and several others I manage with them. To date, I have posted more than 400 paid posts, spread out over 8 blogs. This particular blog hasn’t seen too many paid opportunities, mostly because I simply do not want it to turn into an advertising forum. A few pennies derived from AdSense clicks is fine with me, although most of my other blogs are fair game when it comes to paid posting.

Here Comes PPP Direct

PPP DirectIf you were to google a search for the phrase PPP Direct you’d find Andy Beard’s piece, “Exclusive - Pay Per Post Direct Changes The Paid Review Landscape“ sitting near the top of the SERPs. I won’t repeat what Andy said in his article, but if you are looking for a thorough explanation about PPP Direct and how it can impact your blog, then Andy’s article is a must read. You may also want to read what PayPerPost has to say about their release as well; you can do that right here.

Not Without Controversy

PayPerPost isn’t without controversy especially with those who dislike the thought of most any type of blog advertising. Indeed, PPP was slammed previously for not requiring bloggers to disclose which articles were paid adverts and which were not. Disclosure badges or some sort of designation for each post (sponsored post, for example) were later requirements instituted by the company. Even then, there is a segment of the blogosphere who still looks upon PPP, ReviewMe, and similar plans as being the worst thing to happen to blogs since spam.

A Better Deal Than ReviewMe

The most intriguing aspect of PPP Direct is what it offers to bloggers — you get to keep a much higher percentage of the funds derived from your post. ReviewMe, for instance, has a 100% mark up rate — if an advertiser is charged $60 for a post, you will see only $30. PPP Direct’s mark up is only 10%, with half of that money set aside for administrative costs (that $60 post puts $54 in your pocket). Furthermore, you can haggle with potential advertisers to set a mutually agreed upon rate — this means you get full control over the pricing process.

Raking In The Bucks

To date, I have made approximately $3500 with PayPerPost, with April 2007 bringing in just over $1300 alone. I worked my tail off to find the posts that I liked and although the money is helpful, the time that was expended by me to reach that amount was significant. There were several days when I simply kept the PayPerPost tab open, stopping by frequently to grab an offer before it disappeared. Most of the higher paying ones (ten dollars and up) evaporate within minutes. If you don’t snag them immediately, you have lost your chance.

The Google Factor

The long term success of PayPerPost could hinge upon Google’s interpretation of these types of posts. If Google sees them as paid links, then the fall out will be tremendous. Google has been threatening to penalize sites for paid links and most PayPerPost opportunities are easily detectable. Wouldn’t it be awful if all of those PR4 or PR5 blogs suddenly dropped to PR2 with the next update if Google decided to institute some sort of penalty? Worse, a sandbox effect or complete loss of PageRank could be Google’s way of putting a stop to this method of blog advertising completely.

For the moment, I may post one PPP Direct badge on an automotive blog, but I’ll wait to include some others after I measure its effectiveness. I’d much rather give PPP Direct a test drive before deciding to add their widgets.

What Others Are Saying About PayPerPost

If you want to read what others are saying about PPP Direct, visit Dosh Dosh for Maki’s review and, of course, you can read what Michael Arrington says about what he considers to be a controversial blogging service in his article titled, “How Much Is Your Soul Worth? PayPerPost Now Lets Bloggers Set The Price.”

No matter where you stand with paid posting, it is currently an important part of the blogosphere. Ultimately, Google may have the final say on just how widespread paid posting’s reach will be, something that bloggers and advertisers should think about before taking that step.