I have also just signed up for Smorty - which is another site that encourages advertisers to pay bloggers for writing posts about their products or services. Smorty is different from other "blog for money" sites in that they appear to emphasize the blogger's opinion of the product or service being offered. They also have a very well designed site which is easy to navigate and follow.
I also have a marketing blog (see Suite 101 Marketing and PR) and I feel, as a marketer, that advertising on blogs makes a great deal of sense. If the blogger makes it know that this is a paid blog post and refrains from accepting "insincere" assignments, I don't see how this is a breach of blog integrity in any way. And this is a great way for advertisers to reach an audience that tradtional print and media spots would pass by!
I for one am very happy to get paid to blog! This helps to sponsor what I find an enjoyable pastime, while educating me about new products and services that I wouldn't otherwise have discovered.
Paid blogging, in my opinion, is here to stay - no matter what the purists say. A blogger who really takes the time to investigate a product or service is just more credible than an ad - and is a "real person" speaking.
And yes, this is a paid blog for Smorty!
