Corporate blogging and content marketing are really taking off in the age of social media, but ethical questions about blogging are tainting the practice.
One questionable platform that is gaining popularity in the blogosphere is PayforPost, a website that allows advertisers to pay a blogger to be featured in the articles. Of course, there are ethical guidelines to protect readers and the freedom of expression of the blogger, but the need to make money might be too irresistible for a freelancer trying to make a living off their writing. According to the PayforPost website, bloggers are expected to fully disclose their endorsements, in accordance with FTC guidelines that state, "When there exists a connection between the endorser and the seller of the advertised product which might materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement (i.e., the connection is not reasonably expected by the audience) such connection must be fully disclosed."
Another example is a tech startup that won the Disruptathon awards in 2011. LocalVox has created a powerful marketing platform that helps local businesses create strong online presences at affordable prices ($199-$999 per month). The automated portal allows business owners to publish with the click-of-a-button news, events and deal announcements across the entire web - to social media, website, local directory and e-mail newsletter mediums -while simultaneously optimizing organic search and Google Places listings.
The company's Canadian version, Admot with its sister website Gadmouche, is based in Montréal and is also helping small businesses with their web and social media marketing needs.
This leaves us with the question: Is the Internet a valid source of information? Although validity is certainly being put in question with these practices, readers have always been encouraged to exercise critical thinking whenever they are exposed to any type of media. At the very least, one could say that old media is just as vulnerable to advertiser capture as bloggers are. Furthermore, one advantage to the online platform that other one-way media cannot adopt is the possibility for user commentary, which can mitigate any bias within the article.
In conclusion, if we are going to continue to view the web as an information tool, we all have the obligation to continue to consider many sources and to take everything we read with a grain of salt. We also have the responsibility to participate in online discussions if we read something blatantly untrue. If we all perform these duties, the Internet can continue to prosper as an invaluable educational tool.
Learn more about content marketing at Gadmouche and Admot.
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