PPP Press Release

As you all know, I get paid to blog by a great company called PayPerPost. Companies pay bloggers to advertise on blogs on a pay per post basis (hence, the company's name). They just started their business in June 2006, and already it has grown by leaps and bounds. The following news was just released:

The PayPerPost Revolution Accelerates, Sponsored
Blogging Marketplace Secures $7 Million Series B

Draper Fisher Jurvetson leads round and joins Board of Directors

ORLANDO, FL – (June 12, 2007) – PayPerPost, the leading marketplace for advertisers to reach bloggers and other consumer content creators, today announced it has completed a $7 million second round investment led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, an investor in the company's Series A and one of the world’s leading high-technology venture capital firms. The financing brings the total amount of capital raised by PayPerPost to over $10 million, giving the company considerable resources for further development as the industry’s leading Consumer Generated Advertising marketplace. Additional participants in the round include existing investors Inflexion Partners and Village Ventures as well as new investor DFJ Gotham. With this investment, DFJ Managing Director Josh Stein also joins PayPerPost’s Board of Directors.

“PayPerPost created this exciting new advertising space and has established itself as the industry leader,” said Ted Murphy, chief executive officer of PayPerPost. “Although we’ve only used a portion of our first round capital, this added support from investors unlocks significant growth potential. Our content creator and advertiser ROI metrics clearly demonstrate the upside for PayPerPost’s model. We intend to use this capital to build the infrastructure, visibility and professional expertise necessary to reach and retain a greater network of advertisers and content creators than ever before.”

Since its founding in June of 2006, PayPerPost has signed more than 6,500 advertisers to its groundbreaking service, which has enabled Consumer Content Creators to be compensated for their efforts discussing specific companies, products or services via blogs, videos or other media. The content creators are required to disclose relationships with advertisers on their blog, providing transparency for the end reader. Over 125,000 Internet postings, most in the form of blogs, have already earned money for their creators through PayPerPost’s innovative marketplace. PayPerPost recently released PayPerPost Direct, a disruptive new service that allows advertisers to contract and negotiate directly with individual bloggers they identify through a safe, managed system.

“PayPerPost has laid a strong foundation for the future,” noted Tim Draper, founder and managing director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson. “It continues to attract a critical mass of participants from both the advertising and blogging communities. Analogous to Overture’s sponsored search model, we believe PayPerPost’s business model holds disruptive potential and will enable the company to thrive in the evolving paid-content arena.”

To mark the $7 million dollar funding, PayPerPost has launched a new website detailing the company’s service offering at http://www.payperpost.com. Bloggers and advertisers can easily sign up at the site and begin leveraging the self service marketplace.

This new 7 million dollar investment is great news for PayPerPost and will allow them to keep growing and to deal easier with quick growth. We had a few bumps in the road, which seemed to be due to quicker growth than expected. The additional operating capital would be well used on more targeting to advertisers. There is no shortage of bloggers willing to post content, but sometimes the amount of opportunities available is a bit low and I've gone a few days with nothing available to take. If more advertisers used the service, us "Posties" would have more steady blogging income.

PayPerPost is asking bloggers (aka Posties) our opinion on what they should spend the 7 million on. So far, they have decided to share a bunch of it with the Posties by offering their own advertising opportunities with big payouts of $70 and $700. Of course, I think this is great and it keeps the bloggers engaged, but it would be a good idea to keep most of the new investment money in the bank for the future of the company. Based on how much it has grown in just one year, PayPerPost shows great potential and they would be wise to be prepared for anything. Extra cash retains the stability of a company and keeps stress levels down for the board members.

More love to The Police

I wrote a post a couple of weeks ago about The Police and their new double disc and worldwide tour. PayPerPost selected me to win one of their "Postie Packs" which included the new police cd plus a bunch of cool PPP gear!! Woohoo! I never win anything! I was so excited when the mail carrier dropped off the box and I saw it was from PayPerPost.

Of course, the CD is awesome. I already had most of the songs on the discs, but it's nice to have them all one album. Plus, there is a vintage 1979 poster inside (bonus!!). The Police were so ahead of the times during the 80's. They influenced bands in so many different genres, including pop, rock, and ska. Their sound was always original and no other group sounded like The Police.

I was happy to see my favorite track, "Wrapped Around Your Finger", on the new 28-track police cd. Do you remember the video for that song? It was simple, but very effective. There were hundreds of white candles lined up closely in 6-foot tall, thin, black candlestick holders. Sting runs around and jumps, somehow managing not to disturb the candles - until the very end when he knocks them all down just like you wanted him to do the whole time. Very nice, classic video.

Win a New York fly-away to see The Police live.

Bridge the "summer gap"

Now that school is out for the summer, I have to worry about my daughter losing about one month's worth of learning over the break. This is the average, according to research. There are programs out there, like the Summer Program by Score. They've been helping children catch up, keep up, and get ahead for nearly fifteen years.

Unfortunately, the closest Score center to me is in Texas. Hopefully they will expand and open a center nearby, because the schools in Northwest Arkansas are very competitive and proud of their high test scores and education levels. If the kids had a program to bridge them through the summer break, their test scores would improve accordingly and I know many parents who would sign their children up in a heartbeat.

Local wildlife

We have been seeing a family of deer in our yard regularly at dawn and at dusk. I love living in the woods and all the wildlife that surrounds us. The children get such a kick out of all the different birds, squirrels, and deer right outside our windows. Even though this is a daily occurrence, you would think it was the first time since they get so excited every time.

We never see them in the middle of the day or night, though, and I always wonder where they go. Sometimes I wish I had a pair of night vision goggles to see all the wildlife around at night. Of course, I would probably scare myself since so many animals come out at night. It would be neat though, and the kids would absolutely love it. Those would especially come in handy on camping trips to make sure the area is safe for the family.

Do Do Do de da da Da...

... is all I want to say to you. These lyrics are part of the fabric of my being, bringing up many memories from childhood. That is why I am very excited about the new police cd with 28 classic tracks of great music.

Check out this track listing:

Disc: 1
1. Fallout
2. Can't Stand Losing You
3. Next to You
4. Roxanne
5. Truth Hits Everybody
6. Hole in My Life
7. So Lonely
8. Message in a Bottle
9. Reggatta de Blanc
10. Bring on the Night
11. Walking on the Moon
12. Don't Stand So Close to Me
13. Driven to Tears
14. Canary in a Coalmine

Disc: 2
1. Do Do Do de da da Da
2. Voices Inside My Head
3. Invisible Sun
4. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
5. Spirits in the Material World
6. Demolition Man
7. Every Breath You Take
8. Synchronicity I
9. Wrapped Around Your Finger
10. Walking in Your Footsteps
11. Synchronicity II
12. King of Pain
13. Murder by Numbers
14. Tea in the Sahara

Even though I already have all of these songs on previous releases, it would be nice to have all the best ones together on only two discs. In addition to the new police cd, they are also currently on a world tour. I heard part of a recent live concert on the radio, and I must say the band still rocks after all these years. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend their live show because the tickets are out of my price range. Plus, we would have to travel to a larger town which would cost even more with these outrageous gasoline prices.

I'm sure the live shows are fantastic. The Police have a timeless sound, guaranteed to hold their popularity for years to come.

Rev it up Florida!

The purpose of this video on YouTube is to help spread the word about Florida agriculture and increase awareness about Fresh From Florida markets. Farming is one of the top industries for the state, generating 87 billion dollars for Florida annually. I think this is a great way to get people's attention and highlight farmers' impact.

I'm excited about PPP again

As you know, one of the companies that I make money blogging for is PayPerPost. Today they made several exciting announcements that will help us bloggers. The biggest news is their PPP Direct program. Instead of the opportunities being listed on the PPP website for all bloggers to choose from, you put a widget on your blog that lets advertisers click if they want to advertise specifically on your blog. You state on the widget the minimum you want to be paid for a Direct opportunity, then an advertiser clicks on your widget to make you an offer to write a special blog post.

This is a similar program to ReviewMe.com, but from what I've heard, ReveiwMe is much more complicated and I know the fees they charge are ridiculous - from 50% to 100% markup! PPP Direct only charges a 10% service fee, of which about 5% of that is PayPal and credit card fees. PayPerPost feels that since the blogger is generating the leads from the advertisers, they deserve to keep most of the money. I agree with this statement and don't see how some of the competing companies can justify such a high markup fee.

Another new announcement by PPP is that when we click on an opportunity, the system reserves it for six hours while we research and type the post. This is great news, since previously we only had one hour which is kind of stressful when you have distractions at home that sometimes catch you in the middle of a post.

Movies on the go

I'm quite behind the times when it comes to technological gadgets like cell phones and iPods. As such, I was surprised to learn that iPods can be used to view videos because I thought they were just for listening to music. You can convert DVDs, TV shows, and even home movies into iPod form for viewing on the go.

The DVD iPod Converter can be purchased for the one time low price of $39.95, which allows you to convert an unlimited number of videos to iPod format. Now I see why so many parents purchase iPods for their children. It's like a walkman and a portable TV all in one tiny package.

I can still get deals without TV

Since my family has lived happily without watching television for over a year now, I don't get tempted by commercials or infomercials. Sometimes I do like to check out new products on my own time and I found out that there are websites devoted to the top "As Seen On TV" products. They even have internet specials for ordering through their website.

For instance, if I wanted to try the new Nutrisystem Nourish Diet, I could get a week's worth of free food for signing up through TVTopTen.com. The food is conveniently delivered directly to your door. Nutrisystem even created special eating plans for diabetics, vegetarians, and senior citizens.

Where to turn for help

I know I've blogged about drug rehab recently, but I feel it is important to promote all the non-profit drug rehabilitation referral services available out there. When people need help for themselves or a loved one, they deserve to have many options to choose from for treatment.

These referral programs have an informative website, or a toll-free phone number to call to get matched up with the program that is most suitable. Even if someone just wants more information about drug addiction, the counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer any questions. The site also has useful links and testimonials of success stories.

Swept away

It seems that the latest new breed of sites on the internet are sweepstakes where you can win cash and prizes, all for just being a member. Take whogets.com, for example. I'm waiting to see if there is a catch, but they claim that it is totally free to join and there is absolutely no spam to worry about. The prizes they offer at WhoGets are more realistic, and things that people like me can really use, like Target gift cards, DVDs, and airtime on phone cards.

Some sites offering prizes have outrageous claims like winning one million dollars or a plasma TV or a car, but WhoGets looks like the real deal with more down-to-earth prizes. This is one sweepstakes site that is worth checking out.

Here's to Mom!

Upon doing some online shopping for Mother's Day, I went to my favorite online coupon codes site, Coupon Chief. They have added some new deals just in time for Mother's Day. For example, Lerner is offering a 40% off one item special. I don't have too much money to spend this year, since we are still establishing our online home businesses. So finding a good deal on quality items is important to me.

Of course, I can dream can't I? Let's see... if I could give my mom anything and money was not an issue, I would send her on a Caribbean vacation. Coupon chief even has a Travelocity coupon with $75 off Caribbean packages. My mom could really use a relaxing getaway in the tropics, and she deserves it for all the hard work she's done throughout the years.

Overcoming obstacles of a small business

One of the scary things about starting a small business is the idea of keeping track of all the money. Managing the accounting and payroll for small business can be a daunting task. Hiring a professional accountant is very expensive, and there could still be mistakes.

If you decide to modernize and go with an online bookkeeper, Accounting Paradise charges amazingly low rates for accounting and payroll for small businesses. Bookkeeping services include reconciliations, entering transactions, credit card accounts, bank accounts, merchant, PayPal, and more. The fee is only $10 per month! Payroll services include federal taxes, W-2 filings, direct deposit, year-end filings, email reminders, export to QuickBooks and complete tax forms. All this for only $6 per employee per month.

Another option is to purchase QuickBooks at a discount and manage the accounting and payroll yourself. Accounting Paradise is a great site to visit for general accounting advise, news, and articles to better manage your small business.

Don't pass up this deal

What's better than opening a totally free and paperless checking account with free online bill paying and direct deposit? I'll tell you - being entered in a drawing to win an iPod when you apply. Every day, Addison Avenue Federal Credit Union is having a 30 gig ipod give away! No Joke! The iPod giveaways end on May 17th, so hurry!

Recovery is possible in 28 days

There have been a lot of opportunities recently for drug rehab programs, but this one is a brand new 28-day program in Michigan that treats addicts from across the country. Many other programs are very long term and I believe this may scare people off who may otherwise seek help. The thought of leaving your life behind for months at a time may be too much, and a program that can be completed in about one month sounds more attainable.

Track your sales leads with ease

I can't think of one business that likes to lose money, especially on advertising. There is software available that can track leads so companies know where their sales are coming from and which advertisements are working the best. AIMPromote has improved customer relationship management, or CRM and now offers a 14 day free trial of their software in your business. When you decide that AIMPromote is right for your business, there are no set-up fees and integration into your website is even free.

Once the software is integrated, you can always reach someone if you require support. They offer support staff via email, toll-free telephone, or the new support forum where you can get answers from other users as well as the knowledgeable personnel at AIMPromote.

The news puts Eureka in a bad light sometimes

There has been national coverage on our town of Eureka Springs lately because of the recent bill passed to lessen charges on people found possessing marijuana. Basically, the drugs are still against the law, but the police are putting it at a much lower priority than other crimes. Even though it is still illegal to possess the drugs, everyone thinks Eureka is "pot friendly" because of all the news coverage. I am shocked that there are so many adults who smoke pot. I just assumed people would figure out at a young age how dangerous drugs are and how irresponsible it is to continue them as a parent or grandparent.

I understand, however, that many people are addicted to drugs and have a very hard time giving it up even when they have the best intentions of quitting. I found a drug rehab referral service that matches people with their best option for treatment. Their website has lots of helpful information for anyone who wants more information about the dangers of drug and alcohol addiction and is ready to seek help for themselves or for a loved one. They offer plenty of support options and helpful links as well.

Auction prizes for the lowest bid

At first, bid4prizes sounded like a lot of fun. I thought it was the opposite of Ebay, meaning that instead of the highest bid on an item wins, at Bid4Prizes, the lowest unique bid wins the prize. These aren't items put up on auction by individuals, but rather they are prizes you can win by playing the game. It sounds simple enough, but upon watching the instructional video I became confused. You must have a cell phone in order to play, which seems fishy to me. You text message your bid and they will text back to let you know if you are the low bid, or give you hints as to what the low bid may be.

If you are the lowest unique bidder at the end and win the prize, you don't pay the amount you bid. You don't even pay shipping - they will send you the item absolutely free. So now I am wondering if the other people who bid have to pay? I looked at the Frequently Asked Questions and couldn't find an answer. They do offer online customer support, as well as a toll-free telephone number to answer more questions. I think there should be more information on the website to explain the process and possibly a way to bid without requiring a cell phone number.

Of course, if I were to play I would go for the prize of one million dollars, which I could find many uses for. I would bid $3.13 because that is my daughter's birthday and because of her, I no longer think 13 is an unlucky number.

Paintball

As a parent, it is startling how much violence is a part of our everyday life. Almost all movies, video games, or TV programs have some elements of violence in them. And we all know boys are drawn to "action-packed" themes, even if you don't promote it. At least there are non-violent outlets for these feelings. One such option is paintball guns. There are paintball arenas where players can get together for a game.

From the novice to the serious players, Ultimate Paintball is an online paintball store which carries all the paintball gear you need. They have the best prices and they offer free UPS shipping on orders over $200. Ultimate Paintball is a member of the Better Business Bureau's Online Reliability Program, so you can shop with confidence.

Socializing online - with a twist

Move over MySpace, Person.com - webcams, chat, personals and more has arrived!! I am so tired of people putting up "glam" pictures or photos that aren't even themselves on personal sites to pretend they are someone different. At Person.com, the users are encouraged to put up live Web Cams, so you can see exactly what the person looks like and what they are doing right at that moment. You don't have to have a Web Cam to join, but it is a lot more fun if you do.

Joining and using the site is totally free and in addition to the personals, they have chat rooms and forums, as well as "hot or not" polls and the "play & flirt game" for even more fun. Their slogan is "Person.com, get addicted" and I think many people will once they find this site! It combines MySpace and online dating, then takes it a step further.