Friends with Benefits

Don't Bribe the Border Guard

Bloggers are akin to journalists, not advertisers. You wouldn't give a reporter money to review your product, so don't make that same embarrassing mistake with a blogger. Offering money is a tempting, quick-fix approach, but few legitimate, well-connected social media creators will accept under-the-table compensation. Many will be offended if you approach them this way, and you may suffer some very public criticism. The same goes for other social media services. Don't try to buy off top Digg, StumbleUpon, or Twitter users. PR on the Web is all about relationships. And relationships built on mutual respect and trust are stronger and more reliable than those built on the promise of a quick buck.

This is a hard-and-fast ...