David Berkowitz at Search Insider has written a captivating article which discuses the worth of a link back to one's site.This is a chief query that props up with PayPerPost. This is a service wherein an advertiser can pay a blogger to write about them and give a link back to their site. In such cases the link is obviously what counts the most. However, a problem faced with links from PayPerPost is that they are in the editorial copy of a blog instead of within the advertisement. David says, “This presents a double-edged sword for PayPerPost. If the links were off to the side or otherwise demarcated as ads (such as when ads in RSS feeds are set off in a shaded box or surrounded by the word “advertisement”), then there wouldn’t be much controversy over money changing hands for running them.”

David further adds:
The backlash against PayPerPost stems from these ads being included as regular posts. The fact that there’s a disclaimer requirement doesn’t do enough to blunt the negative effects of such a slippery slope with ads being included in the editorial content. Additionally, the disclaimer can negate the value of the blogger’s write-up (making the link the only real value) — and bloggers with impeccable integrity, or enough of an audience to otherwise monetize their blogs (whether it’s through ads, new business, or other leads such as speaking engagements) won’t risk their reputations to join.

He concludes by saying that, “It’s up for marketers to determine how much links are worth for them. They should keep in mind that the price can include intangibles that harm their brands. And that, by the way, is full disclosure.”

To get a better insight, read the complete post.

Click here to subscribe to our RSS feed to get a daily digest of news around search engine industry. PageTraffic SEO Blog is updated four times a day and is ranked as one of the best search engine resources blog by Pandia!