Are you a rock star? Hope not.

I'm curious if anyone is going to PostieCon? If you're wondering if I'll be there that would be a no (I know, duh). And yes, like most of you, the organizers kindly asked me to speak at the event. Twice. (I should have just sent them a link to my debates over cameras as they likely wouldn't have asked me in the first place.)

You've probably heard that Robert Scoble will no longer be the keynote speaker (as he explains, they postponed the conference until later in the year and the new date coincided with the birth of his new baby). And if you're wondering...yes, I was really let down that he'd speak there in the first place. I've so much respect for Scoble and the lessons he taught us in Naked Conversations, lessons that ran wholly counter to anything post-and-pay related. And that picture they had of him in the earlier marketing collateral when he was the keynote speaker just turned my smile upside down.

I've got to give it to PostieCon, by promoting a conference centered on "bettering your blog and "Be a Rock Star!" (um, does this medium actually make us rock stars? This is soooo very silly to me) and hosting the "Bloggers Choice Awards" the outfit has really tried to use marketing strategies to focus us away from posts that monetize the medium and more on making us better marketers. Or better rock stars.

Btw, I'm sorry I never ended-up voting in the bloggers choice awards (but did think the logo was cute) as I know many in this community were up for them...but when I found they were sponsored by PayPerPost I couldn't bring myself to participate (I think you're all winners anyhow ;-).

I was concerned that marketers weren't seeing through the manipulated messaging but, if the rumors of low attendance are truths, it seems we're in the clear. (Phew!) See, I think the best thing the marketing community can do with our words, actions and attendance is to teach marketers not yet in this space how best to care for it. But everyone is entitled to their opinions and pay-for practices.

For the record: I've nothing against rock stars...but then again, I already think this community rocks ;-).

PS: Alas, this appears to be the one conference where there is a balanced female-to-male ratio of speakers. Umm, not really what I meant. (Sigh)

Comments

[Mario Vellandi]

There's an actual conference for that hogwash?
Gimme a break! That's like a "Get-rich and retire in Hawaii in 9 months!" weekend seminar at your local Marriott, type of event except here you learn how to sell your soul and self-respect while boosting your ego. Oh what a rat race...

[Paul McEnany]

I'm right there with you! There was no way I would ever participate with anything payperpost does. Not my thing, I guess...

[Toby]

CK - After I told the good people at PayPerPost my philosophy about pay per post they kindly didn't seem to want me to participate any longer. What I find interesting is apparently due to lack of response the conference was postponed. That speaks volumes.

[Ted Murphy]

CK,
It seems that like many that are influenced by the "A-list" bloggers you haven't taken the time to really understand what PayPerPost is, how we have evolved and the principles guiding our marketplace.

I invite you to read our code of ethics here:

From and advertisers point of view
http://payperpost.com/advertisers/ethics.html

And from a bloggers point of view:
http://payperpost.com/bloggers/ethics.html

I will be the first one to admit that when we launched we didn't have our ducks in a row. We made some mistakes regarding our policy on disclosure but have proactively come a long way since then. We are working with bloggers to help them become better bloggers and monetize their blog at the same time. Take a look at this:

http://payperpost.com/company/press_releases/raise_the_blogging_bar.html

As far as the Bloggers Choice Awards go they are all about recognizing the best in blogging, whether they are members of PayPerPost or not. We want to give credit where credit is due. We are simply providing the financial, technical and customer support to make this the biggest award in blogging. Nearly 65,000 people have registered and cast votes for their favorite blog. To win this award means something.

As of this weekend there are now 7,000+ advertisers and 30,000+ bloggers in our network. Clearly, we are doing something right and clearly it resonates with a large number of marketers and bloggers.

I think you should open up and consider our offering, whether or not it is for you. If you admire Scoble you have to appreciate his openness to new ideas and willingness to experiment. I would be happy to do an interview with you to discuss the merits of the platform.

[CK]

@Ted: "It seems that like many that are influenced by the "A-list" bloggers you haven't taken the time to really understand what PayPerPost is, how we have evolved and the principles guiding our marketplace."

Since I am a blogger (and that is your target audience along with advertisers) it seems that I shouldn't have to take the time to better understand. First rule of marketing? Clearly communicate your message so that your audience gets it right the first time.

But hey, since 30,000 bloggers are in your network you have adequately shown how inadequate I am. Then why ask me to speak at your conference?

And if you're assuming I'm influenced by the A-list then we DEFINITELY need to talk (no worries as I can't assume you read my blog). I'm influenced only by BIG ideas and causes--might want to read my mantra and then we can discuss how I make good on it every single day by promoting (not monetizing) this valuable community and creating programs working to that very end.

(psst: it's here: http://www.ck-blog.com/cks_blog/2006/05/full_disclosure.html )

[David Berkowitz]

I also felt a little guilty not voting for friends who were trying to get their blogs some much-needed PR, but there are better ways to do it than by dancing with the devil. Rock on, CK.

[Lewis Green]

Okay. I wasn't going to step into this. I am one of those bloggers who was nominated--in two categories. I was really happy and felt honored that someone took the time to do that. (I didn't nominate myself, and didn't even know such awards existed.) To be honest, I know nothing about {PayPerPost).

[CK]

Lew: You're a winner in my book. And I felt bad that I didn't vote in the awards because I do want to honor so many of you...it is just a principle thing for me. In montezing the medium I believe there are other ways than to pay people to post on subjects (even if it's transparent and even if it's on a subject, or I should say 'brand', that they authentically like or love).

See, we are citizen marketers not because we have it in our power to blog about something and effect the world--it's because we organically decide what products, services, practices and people deserve praise or poor marks and that's pretty empowering. As soon as I see a citizen journalist is 'paid' when writing a certain post featuring a certain product it loses all credibility for me. It's also the reason I never blog about clients--I'll only mention the industry and good/bad lessons learned so you guys can learn, too. But I never cite a client. That's just my rule ;-).

[Lewis Green]

CK,

All good stuff. I am conflicted, however, as I made my living for six years as a free-lance writer and still sell (and offer for free) my articles. Writers write and professional writers get paid for writing.

I can't speak to PayPerPost's ethics, but when I am given an assignment to write about a person, place or thing, I don't expect to be told what to write (and never have been). So whether my articles are for hire or for free (my blog), they are honest and credible.

CK, you know I respect no one more than you but I don't know that we are citizen marketers. Like you, I don't name my clients but I do share lessons learned. And my clients paid me. I don't think that makes us less credible.

I don't see us as citizen marketers. We are professional marketers, writers, communicators and get paid for what we know and what we do. If I write about what I know and believe, getting paid shouldn't affect credibility.

Love you. I think we just disagree, maybe.

[CK]

Lew, when I say "we" I mean bloggers. You are right that the "we" of "we" are the marketing community. Totally get that.

And when I say "citizen marketers" I mean those people who leverage social-media technologies to promote what they hold near and dear (be it a coffee outlet, a video game, etc.). PayPerPost pays bloggers to write what they already like, or that is how I understand it...and yes, they're transparent about it. They have come full-circle on that front--because of the backlash when they first started out. So perhaps a leopard can change its spots.

The beauty of this medium is that the feedback and convos are "real"...as soon as we attach a price-tag to those they lose credibility for me (this is for me) and become noise.

I'll just never listen to a paid spokesperson like I will a person that authentically writes about something they're passionate about.

And yes, I love you too ;-). Sorry if I was unclear and no problem if we disagree cuz we agree so much of the time anyhow. I just can't on principle back a pay-per-post model. But, like Ted said, 30,000 do. That's a lot of noise to me.