ONLINE AD: Content Writers Needed Today - [Hunting for shills?]

I came across this advertisement today that was mentioned on another alternative news site I often visit and could not help but agree that this certainly seems to be an advertisement aimed at hiring paid shills:

Reputation Changer, the #1 Online Reputation Management Company in the country is also a major online publisher with 1000 content sites covering news, entertainment, lifestyle and business sites. We are currently seeking full and part time contract writers. The right candidates will possess a strong command of the English language and the ability to meet deadlines in a timely fashion. Current students and graduates in English, Journalism or Communications are strongly encouraged to apply.

Writers will be required to generate articles based on current trends and breaking news stories. In addition, writers will also be tasked with creating original, compelling content for client blogs and Websites.

Writers Must Be Proficient In:

• Developing content that is both timely and relevant
• Conveying complex points through relatively simple language
• Proper grammar, punctuation and syntax
• AP Style and usage.

The right candidates will be able to commit to at least 20 hours per week, or an equivalent of 30 articles per week. Writing candidates will also be asked to abide by company guidelines. Furthermore, as Reputation Changer deals with highly sensitive information, all contract writers must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

Please respond to this posting with your resume, a letter of interest and a writing sample


•Location: West Chester, Pa
•Compensation: up to $24/hr
•Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
•Please, no phone calls about this job!
•Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

PostingID:3468892536

philadelphia.craigslist.org...

Personally, "Reputation Changer" does not sound like the name of an "honest" media outlet.

Perhaps an ATS member from the West Chester, Pa region can apply and see what kind of response they receive. You might even land your self a job making 24$ per hour for 20 hours a week if you can stomach writing 30 articles that fall within their "company guidelines" while also signing their "Non-Disclosure Agreement".

Perhaps the conspiracy nut within me is influencing my inerpretation of this ad but I definitely think that this advertisement was posted with the intentions to find an army of skilled writers who are willing to shill for whatever they are told to write about.

I spend a lot of my day at work posting on ATS, so basically I post for free while I am actually getting paid if that makes sense

I would never sacrifice my morals and write about things that I do not believe in, especially if it's what I believe what these people are asking for.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed




Reputation Changer is a commercial company that repair businesses online reputation after negative press reports, or promote "good reports" to google's front page......a bit like SEO.

There's no conspiracy, and they aren't looking for "shills", there are hundreds of companies that offer the same services.

Reputation Changer is an online reputation management company. We provide a plethora of services including online reputation repair, online reputation monitoring, Google suggest management, brand reputation management with online reputation management case studies and more.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


I wonder what they charge for their services?

Maybe you could hire them to help you out here on ATS!



You know I'm playin bro!

Recruitment is essential to turn the people against one another...

My pay-scale is a star every so often to come up with my grand posts.


I'd be all for it; so long as I don't get chopped-off at the knees.

Originally posted by Argyll
reply to post by Corruption Exposed

 

Reputation Changer is a commercial company that repair businesses online reputation after negative press reports, or promote "good reports" to google's front page......a bit like SEO.

There's no conspiracy, and they aren't looking for "shills", there are hundreds of companies that offer the same services.

Reputation Changer is an online reputation management company. We provide a plethora of services including online reputation repair, online reputation monitoring, Google suggest management, brand reputation management with online reputation management case studies and more.

edit on 18/12/2012 by Argyll because: (no reason given)

Hi,

$24. an hour

Originally posted by tvtexan
reply to post by Corruption Exposed

 

I wonder what they charge for their services?

Maybe you could hire them to help you out here on ATS!

You know I'm playin bro!

I don't think any amount of money could change my reputation here on ATS

Maybe ATS will offer to pay me 24 dollars an hour for my services?
( Just joking mods )

Originally posted by Argyll
reply to post by Corruption Exposed

 

Reputation Changer is a commercial company that repair businesses online reputation after negative press reports, or promote "good reports" to google's front page......a bit like SEO.

There's no conspiracy, and they aren't looking for "shills", there are hundreds of companies that offer the same services.

Reputation Changer is an online reputation management company. We provide a plethora of services including online reputation repair, online reputation monitoring, Google suggest management, brand reputation management with online reputation management case studies and more.

edit on 18/12/2012 by Argyll because: (no reason given)

Except that these companies would probably whore out their services for money in a heartbeat. Perhaps they do that, but in another area of the cube farm they are fulfilling a contract from their client with questionable motives. Hell, as long as they pay on time.

reply to post by loveguy

$24. an hour

It appears that Argyll is unware what the words "paid shill" stand for.

He even says "They are not looking for shills".

I highly doubt shills use AP style. Just guessin'.

I don't see any problem at all with this IF...it has nothing to do with misrepresenting who and what the writer is. For example, if it's writing news and analysis stuff for a news site that is NOT intended to be user content driven like ATS is......just where DO we think all that stuff comes from? lol... I figured these jobs had to be out there but I'd never looked all that hard. I probably ought to, actually.

It's funny but I was just thinking about this the other night and considering how valuable some of the work by top contributors here actually is. I mean the research time involved in some of the major mult-page OP threads alone represent major investment of personal effort. The handful of real big one's I've made I did for the love or interest of the subject matter ....but heck, I sure wouldn't argue being paid to do it formally for another site either.

I'd hope for everyone here though, we'd all agree on the misrepresentation part being the line which couldn't be crossed. As much as I know I could adjust everything about my approach to fit..I wouldn't take a paycheck to go screw with Democrat organizations for instance... It's all in whether there are limits and where they are, IMO.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


Imagine rockin up to your first day at work and the boss hands you another expose' on Monsanto and says "right, clean that up will ya"

Then he hands you an Exxon expose'
Then he hands you a McDonalds expose'
Then he hands you a Federal Reserve expose'
Then he hands you an Israeli government expose'
Then he hands you a CIA expose'

LOL - what a joke, especially for 24 bucks an hour. Cleaning toilets pays more - and its the same thing.

Originally posted by smyleegrl
I highly doubt shills use AP style. Just guessin'.

Well, the AP are shills themselves so in my opinion your statement contradicts itself.

No offense intended by the way, I just disagree with your obersvation.

Cheers!

Its for Viral Marketing (as someone mentioned SOE they are right on the money)-

I have done work like this before in gaming (specifically MMORPGs) to build "hype". The thing is, as a viral marketer you already have to "believe" in what you are "pushing" and be very knowledgeable in the area(s) you will be posting.

i.e.- I Viral market for "Random Game A"- I already have to have a really good grasp on random Game A, what its features are, how it works, its downsides, exploits, etc...

The idea is not to "Lie"- But to "Promote" something you already love or agree with-

To take that a step further- Say the Government was hiring "shills" (I wanna Job guv'ment...wif benefits...) they would not randomly place an ad on craigslist. They would find someone who already believes in (whatever) stance they are taking and already has an internet presence- Then they would be contacted for "work"- Not via an ad for anyone and everyone.

The same goes for gaming- When did some "Viral marketing" I was contacted directly via a Forum PM. Had to sign an NDA before anything could/would be discussed and went from there- I am sure the same applies o=here or we would have a plethora of people answering ads to be told to "Shill for 911" (or whatever)- This is probably for something like a soap or health Food company.

Also note: Viral marketing WORKS.
EDIT: Also note- A new account (no matter what stance they take) is probably NEVER a shill or Viral marketer. Nor is someone who only posts on 1 or 2 topics. They have (and use) already developed accounts. There are account "lists" where you will log in and make random comments or whatever each day so that you do not LOOK like a marketer. Accounts are usually old as well.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Another well thought out post Wrabbit

I will admit that I do not agree with all of it but you always express your opinion and view point with civility and neutrality so I commend you for that.

I don't see any problem at all with this IF...it has nothing to do with misrepresenting who and what the writer is.

The "IF" you mentioned is what worries me. The ad speaks about a "Non-Disclosure Agreement" and "company guidelines". I would like to know more about the agreement and company guidelines they speak of.

Also, they included this following tid-bit which concerns me:

Writers will be required to generate articles based on current trends and breaking news stories. In addition, writers will also be tasked with creating original, compelling content for client blogs and Websites.

So they are looking for people to influence public opinion on blogs and websites, that certainly sounds like shilling to me, in my humble opinion of course

reply to post by Corruption Exposed

It appears that Argyll is unware what the words "paid shill" stand for.
He even says "They are not looking for shills".

I am fully aware of what a "paid shill" is

I suppose since I am posting on a conspiracy site I should have seen that coming.

However, by your reckoning any PR company is a paid shill? as I said earlier reputation management companies are ten a penny and their main purpose is for SEO.....I'm just not seeing a conspiracy here

Originally posted by Argyll
reply to post by Corruption Exposed

 

Reputation Changer is a commercial company that repair businesses online reputation after negative press reports, or promote "good reports" to google's front page......a bit like SEO.

There's no conspiracy, and they aren't looking for "shills", there are hundreds of companies that offer the same services.

Reputation Changer is an online reputation management company. We provide a plethora of services including online reputation repair, online reputation monitoring, Google suggest management, brand reputation management with online reputation management case studies and more.

edit on 18/12/2012 by Argyll because: (no reason given)

you're a "shill" if you get paid for trying to deflect negative press, period. and because of the non-disclosure agreement, they can make you write anything that is shady, unethical, or immoral. getting paid to obfiscate, confuse, and lie, is getting paid to be a "shill"

Originally posted by Argyll
reply to post by Corruption Exposed

 

It appears that Argyll is unware what the words "paid shill" stand for.
He even says "They are not looking for shills".

I am fully aware of what a "paid shill" is

I suppose since I am posting on a conspiracy site I should have seen that coming.

However, by your reckoning any PR company is a paid shill? as I said earlier reputation management companies are ten a penny and their main purpose is for SEO.....I'm just not seeing a conspiracy here

I would like to start with an apology, and please believe that it is sincere.

Just because I did not agree with your opinion/observation I responded in a manner that I would consider unpolite and condescending now that I look back, and that was wrong for me to do.

It appears that our interpretations differ on the content I provided within my OP. A lot of the wording certainly leaves me no choice but to at the very least consider possible sinister intentions from this company and their recruitment purposes.

I am aware of the type of companies you mentioned as there are many, and they all serve various purposes in the messages they convey. During my travels on the World Wide Web I have seen these companies in action and it is difficult for me to ignore the possibility that some of these companies are not as innocent as they claim to be.

Please accept my apology. I believe my first post towards you was influenced by previous posts of yours that I have seen on different forums, so once again I admit my error and should not have let previous experiences cause me to act the way I did.

Cheers.

reply to post by Sublimecraft

LOL - what a joke, especially for 24 bucks an hour. Cleaning toilets pays more - and its the same thing.

That was one of the best analogies I have seen in a very long time!

The sad thing is that what you stated is completely true.

At the end of the day we usually all have the choice to pick our poison

reply to post by jimmyx

you're a "shill" if you get paid for trying to deflect negative press, period. and because of the non-disclosure agreement, they can make you write anything that is shady, unethical, or immoral. getting paid to obfiscate, confuse, and lie, is getting paid to be a "shill"

Since when did a non-disclosure agreement mean "they" can make you to write anything?

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


No problem

I can see why you (and others) would see that advert and see what you did.

lets agree to disagree.