Is blogging headed to a completely SPONSORED or PAID to blog model?

If so, is it necessarily a bad thing?

 

Need feedback. Thanks

 

No, I don't think blogs will ever be entirely sponsored. There will always be blogs for individuals that care more about having an online outlet to write for.

I do think that paid blogs will get more complex and have better targeted advertising on them. For example, if you have a technology blog and it focuses on handheld devices more than computers or electronics, you will be running more targeted ads for readers interested in handhelds.

 

I don't think that they will ever completely sell out to advertisers. In truth, an honest blogger who tells an unbiased opinion will probably make more through affilates and Adsense then he would if he was receiving a straight payout.

 

I don't think that every blog will become like that, but many of them will take that route.

Many of the individual bloggers need cash, and the opportunity is huge.

 

Well, the current atmosphere online is comparable to the rise of magazines in the 19th century. there were a lot more private magazines then, then now. A lot more totally non-profit things out there. It professionalised to the point where most magazines now (the ones people talk about and read anyhow) are paid or work on a business model. The same with newspapers.
With blogs the entry price is virtually zero. Anybody can start a blog. Starting a blog on your own domain name costs a bit of money, but people will not go broke over it. That means that there is no reason for people to stop doing this for nothing - if they just love to write.
So yes, the profitable area's online (including blogs) will become more and more professional (monetized), but low paying niches and online diary-type blogs won't go away any time soon.

 

I agree re targetting.

 

Seeing as recent changes to US law mean US residents have to identify everytime you blog about/post about a product where you are getting compensated (straight up or affiliate commission) any blog that is only shilling will quickly get found out and lose their readership.

 

LINK please

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/11/AR2006121101389.html

 

All the paid to blog schemes that I have seen require non-paid posts to be posted between the paid ones, in at least 1:1 ratio, sometimes 2:1. Plus the blog needs a certain level of traffic to be accepted into the paid schemes

 

That's definitely a smarter way to go.... A good version of the paid to post (better version--not just raw paid to post) is reviewme.com There's a mutual selection process.

 

Come on Gene, you know better than this. Most "real" bloggers don't do so for money at all.

 

I would think it would vary. On a few of my blogs, I have kept up writing for free about things I liked, seen, heard or experienced in everyday life to the net. Than on the other hand oft times, I do get paid to post. I do carry a disclosure policy on those blogs that I get paid to do a blog post.

And yes I would say paid to blog will have its + and -. And can go exceptionally well and or big. It depends on how the FCC, Free speech etc go.

Writing via the net is an unopen can of .....well a brand new territory. So many boundaries and envelopes to push.

 

You are on a webmaster forum. Old school "bloggers" are from the everything should be free crowd and would rather make $5 a month than to "sell out". They see most monetized blogs as spam even if they aren't and have no interest in getting paid to post. If they ever took a payment 3/4 of the page would be their disclaimer so they could make sure they didn't "pull one over on you" inadvertently. Bloggers cry when you put adsense up, bloggers cry when you link to affiliates, in general bloggers cry about everything. To think that that userbase is suddenly going to have a change of heart is incorrect.

 

Lmao, welcome to blogging. Isnt that great thing about blogging, that one can do such a thing. I cry free speech. lol. I like to be free to speech about anything. I cry to get paid if I feel like having them in my blog.

Sometimes actors do paid adverts as well. But I guess that isnt really the same thing. A hard core true artist, getting paid or not paid for their skilled talents and connections. Some will always cry blasphemy.

Question is when will one cross the line to earn $2 for a loaf of bread or next months web hosting?

Would it say one is selling ones self short. I would have to say borderline no. Not always and depends on what the blog is and what the product is.