Should I Tell You Everything?
Should I Tell You Everything?See that blog post below - the one where I tell you what my favourite Google AdWords book is and where to see my review?
That's what's called an affiliate site - that is, if you see my review and click through to buy the book I make a % of the sale from the seller.
Should I disclose that when I make the recommendation?
Mmmmm, not sure.
I kind of figure that people who read this site appreciate the value we provide and trust me not to recommend dodgy products.
I don't of course (!) - I only recommend a couple of web products and what I do recommend are the best of what I've seen (and I've seen a lot).
Pay Per Post Controversy
There's a new service out called PayPerPost.
It's essentially a marketplace where bloggers (people writing blog posts just like this one) write positively about a product/service/company for a fee.
I feel that will compromise the integrity of the value of what's written. After all, if you knew I'd written this post because a company was paying me $20 you'd take the information I provide on limited trust.
And that doesn't seem right to me.
But Isn't The Google AdWords Blog A Commercial Post Too?
But then again, I wrote about the Google AdWords book on Friday and I get paid for that (if you read it, visit the site and then buy the book). And that seems like the same thing to me.
I guess it all comes back to what value the writer provides on an ongoing basis and how much you trust the writer when he praises a product or service.
I Disagree, But Then I Kind Of Do It
So whilst I disagree with being paid to write a positive blog post, aren't I really getting paid for some of the blog posts I write by being an affiliate for the products I mention (I'm only an affiliate for a few products).
Oh dear. I need to think about this one!
Brendon
[ comments ]
But if I was a total newcomer, went there and bought the book and _then_ found you had been paid a commission I might feel rather 'had'.
I guess a good example we've used before in discussions here is the car salesman. if I walk in the door of the dealership I know the person in the suit who comes running to meet me is a commissioned salesperson and I don't begrudged that he/she will make a commission on my sale (if I buy).
But if you and I are having coffee some morning and you, knowing I need a car say "Go see my friend Bill" and "Bill" pays _you_ a commission on the sale as well, it's a legitimate transaction but I'm going to feel hurt and trust you much less afterward ... somehow when you get 'sold' without being in a 'sales' situation it seems much more intrusive.
I don't currently have any affiliate (aff) situations on my sites but I'm going to branch that way soon and I plan to makes all affiliate links with a different color and an (aff) notation ... at least to start ... we'll see if I can get sales going or if that will kill things from the git go.
• The respect your opinion generates is validation of your input
• The respect you have built up can be put in question by recommending something for which you will receive a kickback
• Disclosures do not fully allay concerns about this conflict of interest
• The only way to fully protect your name (or stature of respect) is to not take any kickback
This is kind of similar to the Doctors and Financial Advisers situation you spoke about previously.
Perhaps you could charge a fee for access to your blog (advice) to get rid of this conflict of interest. [umm please don’t, I enjoy it too much!]
At one stage I often read another copywriter's blog - not Brian from Copyblogger - and found the information he provided quite useful. He would occasionaly refer in very glowing terms to something he found useful and he would provide a link.
Whenever I followed any of his links I would end up on one of those hard-sell pages that tells you straight away that the product is nothing but garbage. And of course whenever I looked at the URL there was an affiliate code tucked away in there.
After three trips to sites selling rubbish I gave up reading his blog.
I guess Brendon that any of us who recommend products and provide affiliate links will always be treading a fine line between credibility and bull shit. I guess if it really does concern you then perhaps you should indicate that the link you're providing is an affiliate link - just to cover your bum.
If I recommed somebody to buy a book from Amazon, because I really think this is good, they'll have the same quality book with or without me being paid. If I'm wrong on the quality of my information, people will stop reading me. That's is not something I want.
Have a good day.
It's a tricky one - I don't really like the PayPer Post business model, but then i don't see much difference with affiliate links.
There are some good point sbaove - David's comment: "Disclosures do not fully allay concerns about this conflict of interest" is a very valid concern.
I think I might (when recommending products/services we get an affiliate commission for) disclose the affiliate situation.
Because it doesn't make a lot of sense to me not to take an affiliate commission if one if offered on a product/service I'm more than comfortable with recommending anyway.
Thanks again
Brendon
@ Ross: No one suggested the car salesman not get his commission, if you look again I was turned off by the idea of as third-party apparently not connected with the sale getting paid 'under the table'. In some industries this is illegal, in my US state it's even illegal in the car trade ... only a licensed sales person can receive a commission.
@ David: In deed there truth in what you say that the very act of accepting money may at least give the impression of taking away the reporter's integrity. Many may be familiar with the magazine "Consumer's Report". They have been noted for many years now as being so "upright" in their testing and evaluation that they don't even accept advertising in their publications on the products tested and don't allowed the tested products to mention report results. They seem to have journalistic integrity sewn up tight. The downside? Their testing of technical products like cars, computers and such is so damn washed out and colorless I wouldn't bother to read them ... they're car reports as written by folks who consider a car and a washing machine very similar appliances ... one can be "neutral" to the point that the service you offer is no service at all.
Brendon's potential solution is probably the best choice in a decision that has no clear-cut best choice.
Yep, a few folks might say that it's wrong to do it... but I'd be willing to bet that they'd do the same thing in your situation.
I recommend products all the time to my clients. Sometimes they pay a commission, sometimes they don't. There's nothing wrong with taking advantage of a paid referral program for a product you're going to refer anyway.
Tom