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Im confused as to why IZEA is still listed with BC.

Posted by m38967 • 1/14/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: google, izea, loadlaunch, pagerank, paid reviews, ppp, reviewme, smorty, sponsored reviews

First, let me say that i am a blogger and recently had a blog of mine (one i dearly love and cherish) get penalized by Google. They completely stripped the PR 4 from the blog. My blog is now a PR0. As far as my blog, i love it, will continue to develop it, and im very proud of it. (regardless of PR number)

Having said all that, im really upset over the fact that things such as paid reviews, which are NOW considered to be taboo, are still being promoted by big blogs and even here on BC.

What gives? Who here is also confused by the mixed messages, and upset over this whole thing?

User Comments

1/14/08

ghostytwofish

It's simple. This isn't Google.

[reply]
1/14/08

jungl

I don't think there is a law about how you should run your blog

Do what you want.

[reply]
1. 1/14/08
  
  m38967
  
  jungl: that is a fallacy.
2. 1/14/08
  
  jungl
  
  Huh, how is it a fallacy?
3. 1/14/08
  
  m38967
  
  I wouldnt use the word "law" but there is a certain "code of conduct" if you will, that bloggers are suppose to follow. Only a few blogs can survive without the help of Google.
  
  What percentage of traffic would you say your blog gets from Google searches? Mine is pretty high, but if Google decided to ban my (or your) site from its engine, well i (and you) would lose alot of visitors. How can i (and you) get banned from Google?
  
  That's right: from paid reviews, link sales, etc.
4. 1/14/08
  
  jungl
  
  But PR 0 doesn't mean that you get banned from Google. How you get listed in Google is much more complex than that.
5. 1/14/08
  
  m38967
  
  My site is NOT banned, im referring to others who might use IZEA, not full well knowing what it might cost them. Google spared me (i guess) but they could easily have banned it, if they felt like it.
6. 1/14/08
  
  ghostytwofish
  
  Once again, if you care about being ranked with Google, stop doing paid posting. Make up your own mind what you want to do, and nuts to the people who feel there should be some sort of a "code".
  
  The code is more what you call guidelines, than actual rules. ARRRRR.
7. 1/14/08
  
  garydenness
  
  "I wouldnt use the word "law" but there is a certain "code of conduct" if you will, that bloggers are suppose to follow. Only a few blogs can survive without the help of Google.
  
  What percentage of traffic would you say your blog gets from Google searches? Mine is pretty high, but if Google decided to ban my (or your) site from its engine, well i (and you) would lose alot of visitors."
  
  I lost my PR on a site. I still appear in Google's search engines in all the same places, and my visitor count is unaffected.
8. 1/14/08
  
  m38967
  
  Right, gary. That means you weren't banned. But wouldnt it have pissed you off royally, if Google had banned you, and your blog was nowhere to be found in the engine?
  
  Point is: If you're a new blogger reading this, and you're thinking of doing paid reviews, just make sure you know the risks.
  
  The risks are:
  1.) You COULD lose your Pagerank.
  2.) You COULD be banned, and your site or blog will not be found in the Google search engine.
  3.) You will NOT be able to do more reviews, if you lose your pagerank.
1/14/08

m38967

Yes, but its a blog community, where bloggers abound. Its been made clear to all bloggers, that paid reviews are not looked favorably upon.

So why endorse something that is DETRIMENTAL to bloggers.

[reply]
1. 1/14/08
  
  garydenness
  
  "Yes, but its a blog community, where bloggers abound. Its been made clear to all bloggers, that paid reviews are not looked favorably upon...."
  
  ...by Google. And as has been mentioned, this isn't Google. IZEA is breaking no law that I know of.
  
  How exactly is it detrimental to bloggers anyway? Page Rank meaningless. They might make a few bucks, if they choose to go the paid posting route. It seems to me that they can only gain.
2. 1/15/08
  
  legbamel
  
  I don't think BC is endorsing PPP any more than they are endorsing your blog. IZEA has a blog, it's listed here. That doesn't imply sponsorship or other BC support for their business, just that the blog listed met their guidelines.
1/14/08

ghostytwofish

It's only detrimental if you care a whit what Google thinks concerning how you appear in their results. If you don't care about having a PR0, keep on PPP'ing. If so, stop. No one can make the call but you.

[reply]
1. 1/14/08
  
  kopidunia
  
  PPP is detrimental to everything concerned with building a reputable blog, PR or no PR. Look at it this way: What products do you find at All A Dollar stores? What products do you find at Harrods? What kind of store would you rather be?
2. 1/14/08
  
  ghostytwofish
  
  I'll be any store I want to be, and you have no say about it. There's your analogy, really. It's my store.
3. 1/14/08
  
  kopidunia
  
  That's exactly what I mean. You can be exactly whatever you want to be and attract whoever you want to attract. That's up to you. I know where I want my blog to be.
1/14/08

m38967

I'm referring to those bloggers who might be new, and not well versed in the whole paid review and pagerank thing.

Im versed in it, and you might be, but not others.

[reply]
1. 1/14/08
  
  ghostytwofish
  
  Welp, what can we do? Send them a newsletter? The info is out thre, its in a bazillion forums, including PPP's. If someone joins PPP and doesn't know the deal, the impetus is on them to do their research. It's not hidden info in any way, that's for sure.
2. 1/14/08
  
  kopidunia
  
  Well, we're already helping them by making this thread, if they would only read it...
1/14/08

bsd13

Who's IZEA and why should we care who choose to promote them or not? Private property still being private (sort of) and all that...

[reply]
1. 1/14/08
  
  ghostytwofish
  
  Just the person we we talking about.
  
  PayPerPost. Know of them?
2. 1/14/08
  
  bsd13
  
  We were? When were we doing that?
  
  I've heard of payperpost. In fact I think I signed up at one point, but never bothered to do anything with it.
1/14/08

pointlessbanter

But because you do PPP you are making a choice to go for money over page rank. There isn't a code of ethics, they aren't doing anything wrong. People need to do their research before signing up.

I would never use Izea but it is all about different strokes for different folks.

[reply]
1/14/08

crkian

Has anyone actually been banned from google search for using ppp

[reply]
1/14/08

NINE

Correct me if I am wrong, but I was under the impression that the penalties applied to PayPerPost were because the reviews (which contained links) were being based off of PageRank and the links were not being no-followed.

The idea is that Google cannot base their relevancy on people buying links. Since PPP was based off pagerank and was passing juice it was being used to buy links and PR therefore lessening the actual search value of the website.

So paying for a review isn't bad, paying for links on a high PR website to gain more backlinks and boost your own PageRank is looked down upon.

[reply]
1. 1/14/08
  
  m38967
  
  I dont believe you will find many advertisers within PPP that will pay to have a review with "no follow" links. The PR juice is what they want, isnt it?
  
  I wont say much more about this, i am just really bothered by all the mixed messages. You go to Problogger, in the footer you will see TLA and PPP being promoted. John Chow same thing. All the big ones do it.
  
  Yet, Google has clearly disavowed of both. Im not using them, and i'm not telling anyone what to do, im simply expressing my discontent with the situation.
1/14/08

TonyB

Paid reviews are not considered taboo.

IZEA provides a marketplace for bloggers and advertisers to connect.

Simply because Google decided that it was affecting Google's algorithm does not make a paid review taboo.

IZEA has responded by providing bloggers with new features and ad units that address the issues that Google has.

Whether one wants to display ads or not is an individual preference however IZEA is a blogger focused company whose goal is to make bloggers money. There is nothing taboo about this.

BlogCatalog is pleased to have IZEA as a member of our community. Ashley, who is the only IZEA employee who participates in BlogCatalog never actively pursues bloggers. He only positively engages with BC users via conversations, questions, and interest in the IZEA product and is always ready to provide valuable blogging tips and advice.

Occasionally he puts out a broadcast message when IZEA launches something new like their IZEARanks. These announcements and IZEA's participation in BlogCatalog is both newsworthy and valuable to us as a blogging community.

[reply]
1. 1/14/08
  
  clioandme
  
  Thank you for this information.
1/14/08

IZEA

BlogCatalog:

Thank you very much for providing your input to this discussion thread. Our main goal in being involved in communities such as this is to provide bloggers with knowledge, a platform to monetize their blogs, and to assist in developing a more robust, valuable community and experience for bloggers.

There are many new features and technologies we're working on in the coming months that can only benefit bloggers and social media participants. If anyone has any questions regarding IZEA and our properties, please don't hesitate to contact me directly at ashley[at]izea[dot]com.

Blog on!

[reply]
1/14/08

vifra

Because the big A-listers are getting paid to keep pushing the crap.

[reply]
1/15/08

jmarzo

Why not?

[reply]