Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Me Versus PayPerPost Reviewers...

I've written nice things and at times some criticisms of PayPerPost, for those of you who read my latest Blog it! Toledo column, PayPerPost is mentioned and I think I did a fair representation of all of the popular pay to blog programs that I participated in.

I'll be the very first to say, sometimes I'm not perfect and I appreciate being told if I've missed a link or done something that needs to be corrected during the whole reviewing process that happens on all of the pay to blog formats. When I've made an error, I correct it and voila..Happiness reigns... To err is human to forgive is devine...

I also gave some great advice as far as doing paid blogging, especially for PayPerPost requires patience at times. It's advice that I try to follow as well, reviewers are human and sometimes they make mistakes. I try 99.9% of the time to keep my communication with them in the same spirit it is being done with me.

However...incidents like today really burn my butt...Having already experienced a rejection for one $75.00 post that the system said I was qualified to take and would have been approved had the review been done in a timely manner but...over two weeks later things changed, I was miffed. I dealt with it, moved on a lesson learned and now over because the rating system was firmly in place for alexa numbers and that was a temporary glitch. Today I was rejected for a $50.00 post that was also written quite some time ago, almost 20 days ago and has sat without approval while other newer posts that were much lesser amounts for the same category of technology/computer/internet related were approved as well as having in that genre paid in the past. I have a screenshot of the opportunity but I'm not going to embarrass the advertiser because this has nothing to do with them, the reviewer said I don't write enough about tech issues, granted I'm a very prolific writer and I don't expect the reviewer to go thru all 1,709 posts that I've written to try to dechiper how often I talk about the internet or computers or technology or hamsters for that matter. Of course I'm mainly political, which was the reason he or she gave me for the rejection but if that was truly the case where that was the key issue then I'd be rejected for the majority of the posts I've written here.

Will I get mad and take my marbles home and say I hate PayPerPost? No, of course not, but this is one frustrating part of the system and I know that I'll probably be rejected again for the post and give up in frustration, because it gets to the point where it's not worth fighting over but it's frustrating to be placed in a situation where the advertiser has already gotten the benefit of the post, it's almost 20 days later now and now for it to be rejected is to me unfair. It'd be like painting a house for someone and doing your very best job and have them tell you 20 days later that because they decided they didn't like the color they wanted their money back...

That is one area where I do have to say some of PayPerPost's competitors do a better job, granted it could be said that it's because they have less volume but they don't place you in a situation where you end up doing something for free that you originally should have been paid for. I have a few other very high paying posts still awaiting review that have been written some time ago. Which I guess means I'll need to update my Blog it! Column because as it's looking if this is going to be general direction, my February earnings were incorrect.

:-)

As an update - I resubmitted giving my reasons why and the post was approved rather than being rejected for a third time. So despite my brief butt burning moment, I'm glad I was patient.

9 comments:

VC Dan said...

Great feedback Lisa. As the only sponsored post network providing this level of review for advertisers, it will drive better rates for bloggers in the long-run. That said, the growing pains still don't feel so good. Keep the good and bad flowing!

payperpost said...

Hey Lisa -

Categories have been in discussion since the last roll out, and we hope to make some changes that all users will find beneficial!!

As for this particular blog - hmmm . . I've taken a look at the categories currently attached to it, and I'm drafting a separate email to you about it. Let's work together so we can have all your blogs on target!

Thanks!!

Karen
PPP

Unknown said...

I don't disagree with that Dan, I was happy with some of the posts with my recent venture into the advertising side of it. I wish I could say all of them were good, but three were extremely well done and I made sure to let those posties know that.

Unknown said...

Karen,

I don't mind being told if I'm wrong at all, I'm not always right and I try to only take what I know fits for this particular audience. In this situation what was the most frustrating was the fact that it was almost 20 days out. I know you guys are working on this issue but...it's frustrating especially when I've been approved for that particular category before.

Anonymous said...

Good for you, Lisa! It's about time someone got paid for the work they do. I'm still bent that an advertiser got 10 full days of a great post and PR5 link from me and I got nothing in return becasue SOMEONE doesn't think I talk about shopping enough. Feels like you've been cheated, you know?

ted murphy said...

Thanks for the feedback lisa. We are working through the kinks in the system. I appreciate the feedback, keep it coming.

historymike said...

Struck a nerve with me on this one, Lisa.

I have had several posts rejected after the advertiser got a few weeks of free space on my PR 5 homepage.

There should be some form of compensation in cases where bloggers - in good faith - complete the requirements, only to have an advertiser back out a few weeks later.

And, while I enjoy working with PPP, this sort of silliness is annoying. If I took an ad out in a local paper, and then tried to back out, you can bet that the paper would sue my arse if I didn't pay up.

Unknown said...

Completely understandable Mike, I didn't know it happened to you too - we need to talk more often.

:-)

Most times it's the reviewers though and not the advertiser. From what I've been told once they get more reviewers on staff there will not be the delay lag so if there is an issue of category or some other reason why a blog doesn't fit it will be addressed much faster. I think all of us realize once in a while a post is going to be rejected but after that many days...frustration is understandable.

roman said...

I don't know about the rest of you but I have only seen about four posts that have to do with hamsters on this blog, Lisa can you please post some more exciting and thought worthy articles on hamsters.
The reason as to why is simple, That is the only pet that this house does not have, and no this is not a comment requesting any hamsters.

:)