Looking to earn some money from your blogging efforts? One of the latest offerings in this field is SocialSpark from Izea. While outwardly similar to PayPerPost, SocialSpark takes sponsored writing and word-of-mouth marketing one step farther, adding the community-building benefits of social networking while connecting advertisers and bloggers with a stringent code of ethics.
SocialSpark Code of Ethics
100% Audit-able In-Post Disclosure
There is no guessing game about conflicts of interest. SocialSpark requires full in-post disclosure that a blogger is getting paid for his or her writing. Each sponsored post must include a disclosure badge at the end. . . and yes, there’s one at the conclusion of this post.
100% Transparency
Bloggers and advertisers can’t hide their dealings behind a mask of anonymity. SocialSpark profiles are public, showing which bloggers are working with which advertisers.
100% Real Opinions
Honesty is crucial. SocialSpark notes “If it doesn’t feel right, if you don’t own the product, or if you can’t be honest we ask you to pass on the Opportunity.” Bloggers are encouraged to take only relevant Opportunities from the Marketplace and to alert them if an advertiser suggests some dishonest writing might be in order.
100% Search Engine Friendly
Sponsored links automatically carry a “no-follow” attribute, a requirement which protects bloggers and advertisers alike from search engine penalties for paid links.
As you may recall from Sponsored writing with Pay Per Post, the ethical issues of sponsored writing were my primary concern, and I feel those have been adequately addressed with SocialSpark. So, what else is different?
Social Spark Marketplace
There seem to be a wider variety of advertisers looking for bloggers, and the opportunities offered are generally interesting and relevant. Blogs are prime for viral marketing, and the advertisers here acknowledge that.
Sponsored Posts
The requirements range from simple 50+ word posts with a link to 300+ word posts or even video blogs. You can search the Marketplace for only the Opportunities you qualify for which are open, and you can specify keywords and a dollar amount range. The offers I’ve seen range from under $2 up to $27.50. Some offers dangle a sizable bonus for high quality posts that bring a significant ROI (Return on Investment) for the Advertiser.
Blog Sponsorship
Advertisers can use SocialSpark to create a text, image, or video banner on sponsored blogs. Bloggers get paid per day the Blog Sponsorship is run. Offers run from around $.55 to $13.75 per day.
Spark
Marketplace Opportunities are not limited to sponsored writing and banners. Bloggers can post their own Sparks – free cross-promotion “Blog U Back” opportunities. In other words? Write about my blog, and I’ll write about yours.
Social Spark Community
Tying in with the Sparks, this is a social networking site. Naturally, you’re prompted to complete a public profile when you sign up with Social Spark. The community functions include a friends system, profile/blog commenting, and a thumb-up/thumb-down “Props/Drops” option for giving kudos to other bloggers and their blogs. Sharing your interests not only allows relevant advertisers to find you, but also helps you connect with other bloggers.
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