Companies are doing all kinds of stuff to increase exposure this year. Here is one from Kmart:
Kmart Enlists Bloggers To Get The Good Word Out
A sponsored social networking campaign enlisting the help of six well-known bloggers is yielding big buzz for Kmart and encouraging consumers to give the retailer another look during the critical holiday season.
Kmart gave each of six influential bloggers a $500 gift certificate to go on a shopping spree in the store and then blog about their shopping experiences in any way they saw fit (no censorship). The bloggers clearly disclosed this sponsored arrangement in their respective postings.
Interesting. There is a lot of buzz in the blogosphere, with opponents charging “sellout”. I on the other hand am a business person. I don’t blog for nothing. I believe in authenticity and transparency (and Chris Brogan was both in his post) – but I certainly support the idea. Those who know me also know that I am a recent convert to this idea. I used to think of blogging as a community service type endeavor. No longer. When it comes to blogging I’m more likely to say “show me the money” than anything else!
What do you think? Should bloggers accept money to write posts? Share your thoughts in the comments section.