Follow me on twitter
Facebook
Are you a web prostitute?
October 6th, 2008After, “Do I look like a comment bitch?”, here’s “Are you a web prostitute?“. I came up with the idea to write this post by reading an article on John Chow’s blog (Not to confuse with The Cow here…) because John Chow is one of the best web prostitute out there.
I used to hate John Chow
I used to really hate John Chow. Not because he makes 400K a year with his blog and I don’t, but just because of the way he makes that 400K. You know, his blog is filled with hundred of ads, it’s hard to find the content and more than half of the posts are damn sponsored reviews. ShoeMoney makes the same amount of money out of his blog, but it looks so much cleaner and he actually writes very good content. I then analyzed Chow as the web marketer, not as the person and I have to admit he’s a damn good web marketer. He’s good at driving controversy and he knows how to make things turn viral. There is a lot we can learn from John Chow and I finally ended up respecting him because I think he knows his stuff.
The Web Prostitute
Let’s get to the core of this article: Are you a web prostitute? Would you do anything for a couple of bucks and some traffic to your blog? Personally, I wouldn’t, so we can say I’m not a web prostitute. Unfortunately, this isn’t about me, so the question is not cleared. I occasionally read johnchow.com and the day I ended up reading him in the week, he was writing a sponsored review. It wasn’t a review about some cool WP plugin, some good website to drive traffic or whatever, it was about a natural sleep aid and fat burner. What? I was so pissed off when I read that post.
I receive tons of spam comments everyday with anchor text like ‘Burn fat’ and ‘one rule for fat stomach’ and then what? These bloody products get into my Google Reader inbox because one of the biggest blogger out there is a Web prostitute.
This is really bad. I don’t subscribe to a web marketing blog to be spammed by these fat burner products. It’s OK to do sponsored reviews, but IT HAS to be related to your niche.
Did Chow really needed that 500$ he charges for a review? No, but it’s an easy 500$ I guess and he wanted to check what the reaction would be. I can tell you, the readers weren’t very happy.
Being a web prostitute will hurt your business
Being a web prostitute will hurt your business in many different ways. First of all, accepting money from everybody is a great way to make money in the short term, but it’s a sure loss in the long term. Your readers will lose faith in you and will go away. Also, your readers won’t see you as a respected authority in your niche, but more as a greedy blogger. It is also disrespectful to your readers to think you can just write any crap and they’ll enjoy. As examples, let’s have a look at some of the comments on the fat burner pills article:
This has to be the oddest post I’ve seen so far on your blog. I know it’s a review, but it was definitely surprising to see a post about a sleep aid. I thought I had clicked a wrong link.
See? People not recognizing your website anymore.
Unfortunately the quality of the site starts decreasing once products like this one start getting reviewed. But for $500.. If would do it too.
You are a frickin’ web prostitute too.
Just before I doze off… I read this, and while the review is reasonably honest, I really think that accepting these kind of sites for reviews here is stretching things a bit.
This is really bad and I think it degrades the quality if this normally excellent blog. The whole thing reads like an infomercial and the author then adds that final paragraph to try and add a bit of balance, which is too late. I hope John will remove this article from his site. Sad day for this blog
Ok, this go on and on and on. Probably this won’t affect Chow too much because he’s one of the big guy, but he certainly can’t do it on a regular basis or people will start to go away. It’s the same for you, your readers will go away if you do stupid things like that.
Paid reviews are OK
As I said earlier, paid reviews are OK and are a good way for bloggers to make money. Always remember it’s YOUR blog, you can always refuse offers if you think this will hurt your business.
So, are YOU a web prostitute?
39 Responses to “Are you a web prostitute?”
What do you think?
Subscribe : A new sketch every morning
Receive this blog in your inbox by entering your email address:
I guess it all up to the person if they want to do reviews or not. I guess if you wanted to make a quick buck you can do reviews.
I personally wouldn’t do a review unless it was really worth while doing. I don’t think reviews carry much weight anyways
Brunos last blog post..How to Make your Blog a Success
@Bruno: Totally agree. I think for something like a 10$ once in a while it’s not worth it but if you can manage to get 50$-100$ per review it’s a pretty good way to monetize your blog!
Sure, sure… If he is so bad why he makes 400K and why you are blogging about him instead of someone nice?
Blogging and making money online are different things. Who cares that someone is bad blogger if he is making money? You don’t complain when someone is awesome blogger but total crap at monetizing, right?
Rarsts last blog post..Why you should stick to expensive USB flash drives
@Rarst: Yeah, John is an awesome web marketer but damn he’s greedy!
Well, I guess that’s why he’s so special, right?
Well, I do agree paid reviews are fine but sometimes it all depends on the blogger himself and no, I am not a web prostitute. ;D
Roger Hamiltons last blog post..T.I.N.A. – The unfriendly copy made in China – The Beetle . . . [Andreas Wiedow]
Haha it’s good that you’re not Roger
I am not a web prostitute…yet! LOL!
I don’t make much cash from my site as of now, so I may be open depending on the arrangement. I don’t think if I was in the six figure range through my blog I would be concerned about $500, but then again, I am not in his shoes and maybe he is making $400K a year, but spending $450K a year and really needed that $500.
That is the thing about money. Someone could be making a lot of it and people will be impressed, but if they are mismanaging their money, then it could lead to taking $500 for an off niche review.
Hey, I am not saying that Chow is in trouble financially, only that you never know what is going on behind closed doors. Feel me?
Good stuff, Ben!
Don’t be a prostitute!
Freddies last blog post..Monday’s Motivational Moment – Go Before You’re Ready
You’re right Freddie, it’s not because you make 400K a year that you’re in a good financial situation. As you say, we never know what’s going on behind closed doors
Anyway, if he’s 500$ short I feel bad for him hehe
LOL! Yeah Ben, that would be a damn shame to be $500 short after generating that type of money. The crazy thing is people are out there like that.
I own a real estate appraisal business and you wouldn’t believe the types of financial messes people get themselves into.
Example, i will go and appraise a $750K home in a great neighborhood. The outside looks amazing, but inside they are living like some chit. Seriously, I have seen this. Cloths thrown everywhere, no furniture in the house, it smells.
Sounds crazy, but the truth is you don’t know what is happening behind your neighbors or bloggers door.
I am getting a little off your topic, but I think you can feel me.
Freddies last blog post..Monday’s Motivational Moment – Go Before You’re Ready
No worries mate, I love off topic
Stuff like that really scares me. One of my friends also always has a lot of stories like that. He works in a bank and he gets people in his office for a 1000$ loan to buy a new fridge and they just bought a 750K home. That’s bad! If you can’t afford the 1K fridge, you can’t afford that 750K home…Anyway! hehe
Great post! It all depends on the type of blogger you want to be. John Chow and Darren Rowse are both massively successful bloggers using two totally different strategies. I guess it comes down to finding the one that works for you!
Tom – StandOutBlogger.coms last blog post..RSS Challenge With InfectedByBugs.com And I Need Your Help!
@Tom: Absolutely! And it’s important not trying to be someone else. Too many bloggers try to imitate the big guys out there but if you don’t have the right personality, it is simply not possible. I can’t be John Chow, so even if what he does works well, I couldn’t do it the same way, it’s not me.
So yes, it comes down to finding the strategy that works for you.
Yeah, I’ve come across quite a few whore blogs. Yeah, I’m in it for a couple extra bucks but I’m not opening popups to porn sites. I think that good content and saying something interesting is the key to a good blog.
Paunchinesss last blog post..Oh Thank Heaven. Obama vs. McCain at 7-Eleven
I could certainly use an Extra $500 Grand for Hookers + Blow this Winter in Ibiza!!
Sign Me Up!! ;PPP
BillyWarhols last blog post..I DREAM OF JESUS 046
@Paunchiness: Exactly, it’s important to set a limit to what kind of advertising you are ready to show on your website. And yeah, content is always the key I guess
@Billy: I would yoo, let’s advertise fat burner pills then!
*sigh* I guess you’re right. No more male enhancement ads for me! Just kidding. I haven’t taken any of those. Or casinos, etc., even though those are pretty much the only ads available to somebody like me with a PR 3.
I’m a stay at home Mom and really need the cash. Times are hard. We’re all strapped. I’d do anything to be able to continue staying at home (after working outside the home since I was 15) to raise my young children by myself, rather than paying somebody else to do what’s nearest and dearest to my heart.
But you’re right. I’ve recently been struggling with the whole issue. I want my readers to trust me. I don’t want them to wander if I’m recommending something because I really like it, or because I’m being paid to do so.
But what to do? I really enjoy blogging and I can’t justify the time commitment otherwise. Hopefully it will all congeal tonight during my hour of the wolf.
Great post!
Heathers last blog post..Google Page Rank Meltdown aka Help Me Obi Mari Smith
This has to be THE best post I have read all year – I’m putting it in my link roundup on Sunday
Simon from Otooos last blog post..It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know
@Heather: I totally understand. Well, It’s also a matter of testing what works well with your readers. If they don’t mind casinos or whatever it’s ok, but you have to ensure it won’t hurt your credibility.
@Simon: Thanks buddy, I really appreciate that!
I will be a ho no mo!
Heathers last blog post..Sign up for General Mills freebies with Pssst
[...] blogs and the title of these two posts are: “Do I look like a comment bitch” and “Are you a web prostitute?“. Trust me, these titles REALLY stand [...]
I think paid reviews in general are a slippery slope. Since you’re being paid you pretty much have to say something nice, so if you’re not a fan/user of the product service, you’ll pretty much be lying. Many people including myself are not comfortable with lying outright, I don’t mind shades of gray but pure black is no go. Somehow I don’t think john chow ever is a regular user of a sleep aid or a fat burner product. Anyways enough ranting, I say only accept paid reviews if you’re a user of the product or ar prepared to become a user.
Software Developers last blog post..Are You Using The Full Power Of Spring When Injecting Your Dependencies?
@Software Developer: Agree. I think you can also be clear with the company purchasing the review, that if you don’t like the product, you’re going to say it in the review. Because the last thing you want is your readers going away because you’re providing false information…
well, john cow always has something up his sleeves anyway.. and he’s good at that. but not everyone can pull it off anyway.
ChiQ Montess last blog post..Make Money Online: Creating Content Niche Sites
Aha, I like how you describe this as web prostitute. I think my site is far from being one (yet) because right now it is “clean and neat”. A lot of bloggers out there blog to earn but not everyone blog just for money. Earning a little side income won’t hurt though but if flashing ads are all over the page, it will scare away the readers. A balance of ads and quality content is really important.
Wysterys last blog post..London Restaurant takes dining experience to next level
@Chiq: I was talking about Chow, is that the person you are referring to as well?
@Wystery: Thanks mate
My best advise is to keep your site clean and neat, it’s a lot better long term!
I really love John Chow, he is a great inspiration to all bloggers out there… But the review he made seems to be out of place… I think people who own their own blog should just stick to their own niches… But I guess all of us have different thoughts about this.
i just started so i can’t really tell..yet. but thanks for the reminder. i did a paid review once and i am proud to say i was honest when i wrote it.
btw, it was nice reading your blog.
ks last blog post..half life
@Ice Rabia: Yes, I do respect Chow as the excellent web marketer he is, but that was really bad. I in fact removed him from my rss reader and twitter after that post.
@k: An honest review is a good review!
Oh pulease. One important fact we should clear here. Chow is NOT famous because of his supposed “controvertial off-topic” style, but INSPITE OF IT.
Look at the beginning of his blog, oh wow actual content! Now he neither needs to nor cares to provide anything useful.
Dennis Edells last blog post..Do Advertisers Judge You By Design? What Do You Think…
Not now, but will be a web prostitute.
One that wants to represent themselves in a way that doesn’t make others think about this issue would need to keep a handle on the components of their site. It is very easy to get pulled into the cycle of adding numerous items to a site to the detriment of the viewer.
Armen Shirvanians last blog post..Quality Builds On Itself
I added it to Digg.
Hi Ben,
I didn’t read all the comments, but I wanted to point out that Jeremy over at Shoe Money doesn’t make a ton from his blog. He makes his money from all his other web ventures. Not all of John’s money comes from his blog either. I think if you want to make money online do some other things besides writing a blog.
Cheers,
Jeremy
Jeremy Days last blog post..Interview with Yan: Author of Thou Shall Blog
Are you a web prostitute?…
Are you a web prostitute? Would you do anything for a couple of bucks and some traffic to your blog?…
Well I can’ safely say I’m not a web prostitute LMAO! I don’t do reviews.. well maybe a few here and there for my friends I meet that needed the help for traffic but besides that nothing. I also never got paid to do a review! I guess it’s because I don’t have the traffic at my blog that interested someone either!
If I was his reader I would be pissed too! He’s technically a sell out I guess to spam reviews….
bbrian017s last blog post..Top 7 Pointless Facts That Are Nice To Know
@bbrian: haha I’m glad you are not a web prostitute!
I don’t do review either except for blog reviews. I don’t do product reviews as I don’t feel good about promoting stuff just because I’m paid to talk about them. If any product can benefit my readers, I’ll talk about it for free!
I do blog reviews because I think it actually helps the blogger paying for it: getting some traffic and also some good comments/suggestions on how to improve.
I have never heard about web prostitute before. After reading this post. I can say that i am not web prostitute
.
I am new to your blog. This is the first post i read. will be check more posts.
Nihars last blog post..Friday Night Links Party – 05 December 2008
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
I am not a web prostitute? I have seen may on the web. Yo can browse it there are hundreds or maybe thousands of them.