As I’ve mentioned earlier, I’m a member of SocialSpark, it’s a great way to earn an extra buck - without loosing your good graces with Google

All your opportunities comes with a nofollow tag in the link required, thus Google won’t eat you for selling links.

Then it’s up to your own ethics if you want to sell your words. I personally don’t mind as long as they don’t require a certain tone to the entry, I will never recommend something that I haven’t even tried - paid or not paid.

For me SocialSpark is “just” another way to earn some spending money. The money I raise from my online ventures I buy gadgets and gizmos that doesn’t fit in to the petty cash.

But I can imagine that this would be a great thing for single or stay-at-home moms, even though you’re wiped out after a full day with your kid(s), I find it relaxing to sit a while in front of the computer - and blogging for SocialSpark is a great way for me to relax.

It works like this, you have a “market place” where you can scout for opportunities that fit your mood and blog niche (if you have one), attached to that is a minumum word requirement and a sum that you will get paid one month after the entry is approved.

Why a month? It’s a part of the deal, since they’re out after spreading buzz, they want the post to stay online for atleast one month, and I personally find it to be really bad manners to delete blog entries, paid or unpaid.

But now in this equal society of ours, all you stay-at-home mom and dads, head on over to SocialSpark and make a buck or two…

I’ve joined the masses at SocialSpark!

I’ve heard a lot of fuzz about it, and to tell you the truth I’ve been a member since closed beta. As a member of PayPerPost I got invited at an early stage.

Their code of ethics…

• 100% Audit-able In-Post Disclosure
• 100% Transparency
• 100% Real Opinions
• 100% Search Engine Friendly

…which means:

• Below each opportunity accepted via SocialSpark comes with a disclosure badge. Even though the post that you’re sponsored to write would be something that you’d written about “for free” - it’s still mandatory to insert the badge (not even the “sellers” can tell you to not include it), to not risk a conflict of interest.
• Every member of SocialSpark is visible to the public - you can see me here (and if you decide to join, perhaps prop me even :P)
• SocialSpark doesn’t meddle with what you write - it’s between you and the advertiser. You can choose which opportunity to write, and write it how you want.
• All opportunities carry a “nofollow” tag - no more getting bushwhacked by Google for getting paid to blog.

This is probably going to be the most looked at part of the splash screen. Here you can see the new opportunities for your pickings.

POST - This is just a regular sponsored post, you know the sort that have caused a havoc amongst bloggers lately when Google decided to punish them for selling links. Only SocialSpark has “nofollow” tag, as mentioned earlier, so it’s “google safe”.

SPON - Blog sponsorship, in this you get paid a little every day, for as long as you run that opportunity on your blog.

SPARK - This one doesn’t pay a penny, cent or öre. It’s mostly used by other bloggers to spread an idea or push for an entry they’ve made. Good if you’ve run in to a dry spell.

So, what does it look like? Does it behave? Does it regress? Does it Flash?

IMHO SocialSpark has a rather nice 2.0-ish interface.

It regresses rather nicely if you don’t like to have JavaScript running - interface-wise… you’ll loose some rather critical functions though, like ability to change between sponsored posts, sponsored blogs and sparks.

You can do without Flash, they only use it in one place - at the “home” screen they have this small gallery thing to show you the newest opportunities.

As far as i see it, SocialSpark has hit it. Get paid while not getting spanked by Google - and preserve somewhat of your “blogger honour” by the mandatory sponsored badge.