How Does Blog Monetization Affect the Blogosphere?

All opportunities always have their potential backlash.  Blogs are no different.  In an ideal world, blogs would be allowed to do what they do best – to bring reliable information across with no strings attached.  In the real world, outright sponsorship or a simple product review CAN be used to achieve certain personal or self-serving motives. 

Emphasis is placed on the word “CAN” because there would always be those willing to stick to the ideals of a cause as there are those willing to corrupt it.  Bloggers should never lose sight of the fact that their popularity is largely due to the perceived reliability of a blog.  Once a blog ceases to be seen as objective and honest, it loses its value to the users in search of the right information, whether it is positive or negative.

A sponsored post or paid placement needs a certain amount of self-policing on the part of the blogger.  Those who completely sell out by continuously singing praises for a product even if such praise is not warranted will eventually lose readership, traffic and sponsors.  Accepting money or product samples while practicing independence and fairness presents more value to everyone.  Earning a decent income for telling something as it is to guide the readers provides  benefits to all sides – real feedback for the sponsors and readers and earning opportunity for the bloggers.

There are bound to be lapses in judgment along the way but experience has always been the best teacher.  When the system is open to the creative and innovative ways and bloggers can earn their keep, content can be free of too much business elements.  A person who is able to gain materially from something which affords him/her personal satisfaction is more able to put in quality work.