July 4, 2007
Would You Be Open To Selling Your Soul?
I just got this email:
“I’ve recently looked over your site and believe that your reader-base and visitors might be a possible advertising venue for us.
I am interested in traditional link advertising as well as using link ‘blurbs’ on certain pages of your site, or on certain articles – perhaps even submitting articles. This includes but is not limited to purchasing a post also. We are open to any idea that would allow us to capture interested readers, but would prefer to avoid the traditional ‘Ads by Google’ and ‘Sponsored Links’ sections.
Please let me know if you’d be open to discussing advertising possibilities further.”
Purchasing a post?!? Um, no, I think not.
Cat: | Time: 8:17 am (utc+8)
July 4th, 2007 at 8:32 am
I got that email a while ago, I just marked it as spam.
July 4th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Everyone has a price.. but if they were smart they’d try to get you interested in whatever it is they’re promoting and see if you like it enough to write about it on your own. Although then there’s also the risk you’d think it’s crap and still write about it :-)
July 4th, 2007 at 8:56 am
I got the same message a week or so ago as well. Told them “hell no”. :-)
July 5th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Nicely done. Not sure if you need to sign in to see this link, but it reminds me of this
Which I found very disturbing.
I think celebrities don’t mind selling their souls though. :)
-DT
July 6th, 2007 at 8:20 am
DT: That is disturbing and completely unethical … the good news is that no one watches the Today Show anyway.
July 13th, 2007 at 9:19 am
I’ve just received the exact same email. Pure spam. They don’t even bother to change it, not to mention visit blogs again to see what people thought of those tactics.
July 13th, 2007 at 10:04 am
Eyal: Some folks just don’t understand how the blogosphere works.
July 18th, 2007 at 1:45 am
I don’t understand what the big deal is….they’re just politely asking if you’d be interested in an advertising deal with them. If you’re against it, just say “no thanks.” I mean, they’re offering you money for an article on your site or whatever…how bad of a deal can it be?
July 18th, 2007 at 8:16 am
Audrina: It’s a form of “stealth” advertising that is slimey … it’s a very bad deal to trade your credibility for a few bucks.
July 19th, 2007 at 1:29 am
C Maoxian, How stealthy is it when you add a disclaimer saing a paid post? I Don’t think Advertisements take away from your credibility at all. Case in point you have an Advertisement for Obama, yet you are still a credible source.
It seams to me the smartest thing to do is to take their money, write a negative post, say in your post this is a sponsered post and your golden. Everyone needs money, Is all forms of working or earning money slimey?
July 19th, 2007 at 7:42 am
Anon: They’re specifically interested in concealing that they’re pitching a product and that’s scummy, pure and simple.
July 19th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
I agree with Anon. And if they were interested in concealing a product, it wouldn’t be advertising then would it? Anyways, to each their own. I’ll just agree to disagree.