Yes, I am a card-carrying member of the Psychic Friends Network, so I know what you are thinking…
You got this email about your reservation, but it also mentioned something about stretching and taking a shower. You are a little perplexed. You have already showered for the day, and you don’t particularly feel like stretching at the moment. You really just want to write your post and submit it to SocialSpark…but you are a bit confused.
Well, let me wipe off my crystal ball and try to make things a little clearer for you all. Once you receive the reservation confirmation email (the one about taking showers and stretching, haha) you have 12 hours to write and submit your post.
Please note, your 12 hour window begins when the email was sent to you, not when you read the email. So be sure to notice the time the email was originally sent out. Once you have read your confirmation email, you should login to SocialSpark and make your way to the Marketplace.
Once you are in the Marketplace be sure to find the opp you have the reservation for, and click on “view this opp”. From the opp information screen, there should be a yellow Tools box at the right of the screen that says “opportunity reserved”.
Click on that and it should take you to the submission page. Here you will be able to review all the requirements of the opp and reread what the advertiser is requesting.
Please be sure to visit the advertiser website to make yourself familiar with the company before you write your post. Also, be sure to include the links that are required by the advertiser, exactly as the opp states. It is easiest to copy and paste the link directly from this page, that way you can prevent any accidental mistakes.
Now, go ahead and write your post. Or take a shower and stretch a few times if you wish. But, after all that be sure to write your post. After you have written your post, make your way back to the SocialSpark Marketplace. And now it is time to fill out all the information and click “verify post”. This will send your post directly to Customer Love for review!
***A suggestion that you may wish to listen to: When you reserve an opp, I suggest that you go ahead and write your post and then save it in “draft” mode. This way when you finally do get the infamous shower email you can just proceed directly to the opp submission page. Just a little hint.***
IZEA is pleased to announce and welcome the newest partner for IZEAFest, the Downtown Orlando Partnership.
The Downtown Orlando Partnership (DOP) is a partnership of volunteers creating special events and community programs designed to enhance the quality of life in downtown Orlando. Since IZEAFest is taking place in the heart of downtown, this partnership is a perfect fit.
Technorati Tags: Downtown Orlando Partnership, IZEAFest, IZEAFest partners
As part of our ongoing initiative to support charities and causes worldwide, we're continuing to partner-up with social blog community BlogCatalog for their Bloggers Unite project. (You may remember December's challenge: "Acts of Kindness." ) Today, May 15th, is another challenge - a challenge for the blogosphere to use its influence to raise awareness of human rights. If you have the time we urge you to participate.
The concept is really quite simple: select an issue you feel is worth supporting, and publish a blog post about it. Your message will spread via your readers, and certainly well beyond. You're also welcome to leave the post url or topic of discussion in the comments area of this post. A few suggestions the Bloggers Unite site offers up are: wrongful imprisonment of journalists covering assemblies, governments that ignore the plight of citizens, and censorship of the Internet. Of course, there are millions of issues that can be covered.
Take the challenge today. Bloggers Unite!
IZEA has, unarguably, the most fantastic customers on the planet. Earlier today the office received a special gift from a Postie. A yummy gift from David's Cookies, and let me tell you food does NOT last long around this office!
The thoughtful Postie who sent us the cookies is MamaBoK. And get this -- she sent us cookies because today is her one-year-anniversary with IZEA! Can you believe that? It's her anniversary and she sent us a gift! We're starting to get spoiled over here. Enclosed with the cookies was this wonderful note:
Thanks, MamaBok! We really appreciate your thoughtfulness, and your continued support.
IZEA has been recognized by the 7th annual Horizon Interactive Awards. The Horizon Interactive Awards is a prestigious international competition spotlighting outstanding achievement among interactive media producers; IZEA was awarded in two distinct categories, for two different products:
- RockStartUp:
"RockStartup" was awarded "Best of Category" in the Video-Documentary/Short Film category, ranking higher than even three properties owned by USA Networks. If you've never watched RockStartUp or need to catch-up on the most recent episodes, simply visit RockStartUp.com.
- IZEA Company Blog(s):
The IZEA blog(s) won a Silver award in the "BLOG" category. We strive to make the blogs valuable resources for advertisers & clients, bloggers, and those simply interested in learning more about IZEA as a company. Current blogs are we maintain are:
- Advertiser blog
- Community blog
- Developer blog
- Postie blog
Thanks to all of the RockStartUp fans and blog readers who allow us to do what we do everyday. And extra special thanks to the IZEA Team for being committed to the IZEA brand, showing up with energy everyday, and giving us rich content to feature throughout our various products.
If you would like to read the full press release about winning these awards click here.
Technorati Tags: award sites, awards, Horizon Interactive Awards, IZEA Blog, RockStartUp
I found an interesting post a couple weeks ago that I just have to circle back on. Last month Steve Hall of AdRants.com, a long time paid posting critic, did a review of a Nikon D60 camera. A review in itself is nothing noteworthy, but this isn't an ordinary review. Steve explains that he was provided a free $750 MSRP Digital SLR camera from Nikon "As part of an outreach program where cameras are given to ... ahem ... those with an audience". Steve further commented, "Without sounding like some lame PayPerPost post, the camera is really great".
Apparently MWW Group, a PR firm representing Nikon coordinated the "loaner" camera as a spiff. Now, I don't have any problem with this exchange in concept, I actually applaud it. I am all for product sampling and blogger outreach, in fact MWW Group probably has a very happy client in Nikon. Not only did they get a post with a do-follow link, but Steve is helping to drive sales for D60 cameras via AdSense above his post.
What I do have a problem with is the supposed distinction Steve makes between a spiff and straight cash payment. The bottom line is VALUE. If Steve wanted to use a D60 for a few days he would either have to purchase it or rent it, both of which would cost money and have an associated economic value. Steve states "To be clear, for you transparency types, no money changed hands." But VALUE did change hands and that makes this a paid post. Paid posts aren't just cash based, you can be paid in goods, services or in this case rentals.
Think I am crazy? If Steve didn't feel this was a paid post why the need for the disclosure?
Value is value. The main difference seems to be that the "A-Listers".... those with... ahem....audience...get cameras, cars and computers as spiffs to "test drive" for free, while those participating in networks like PayPerPost and SocialSpark get paid cash. It's no different. The A-Listers engage in paid posting, they are just compensated in varying ways.
Why is this the case?
PR firms can't possibly afford to send cameras and computers to thousands of smaller bloggers for SpiffPerPost campaigns. It's just not economically viable given the cost to execute such a campaign on a large scale. The shipping costs alone would kill the ROI. That is why cash sponsored posts are such a powerful concept. Advertisers can still provide value and incentive to bloggers, but do so on a scale that is impossible with traditional blog outreach. It also allows those without a physical product or paid service to engage in the same type of marketing being used by the big boys.
What's funny in all of this is that the A-Listers are actually getting the short end of the stick. Sure, Steve Hall got a "loaner", but he could have probably made a $1000 or more for that single sponsored post based on his reach. He could have owned the camera and a new lens to go with it, all while maintaining disclosure, transparency and his real opinion per our code of ethics in SocialSpark. You have a great blog Steve, stop selling yourself short!
Speaking of our code of ethics, we require that all links be no-follow. Being as value did change hands and this is a paid post shouldn't those links in that post be no-follow as well?
Technorati Tags: adrants, blogging, code of ethics, payperpost, payperspiff, socialspark, steve hall
If you follow our monthly IZEA Loco celebrations, you might remember the awesome team spirit Tina displayed at March's IZEA Loco? No? You don't recall? Then you might want to revisit the post "Ted Murphy in training?" Go ahead, I'll wait.
Now you remember? Well, I'm obligated to let you know Tina's at it again, and this time-a-round I'm convinced she's going to not only set a new trend in the fashion industry, but simultaneously bring social media to the forefront of all media formats. I'm not joking! Pretty soon we're going to see women--and perhaps a few men--wearing "Sparky nails all over the globe.
I think it's safe to say Tina loves being a part of the IZEA Team...and she's not afraid to show it! Think you can beat-out Tina with your IZEA spirit? Bring it on! Send us your photos of "Sparky nails" or if you have any other clever ways of showing your spirit. Who knows, maybe we'll add an "IZEA Spirit Wall" to accompany our "Great Wall of Posties" and Postie-cards.
