Writing for Content Sites and Networks
March 4, 2008 by Deb Ng
Filed under Freelance Writing
I received an email yesterday asking me to discuss content sites and blog networks. I was going to save it for the regular reader mail feature, but felt it was worthy of its own post. Since there are a lot of people who write for content sites and networks, I thought we could get a good discussion going.
As many of you know I got my online start with content sites and now write for a major blog network. So I do know a little something about them… Here’s an overview of some of the sites I know about – either I worked for them or have heard about them from other writers. Feel free to offer your own input and to tell us about the sites you write for.
Associated Content
A lot of writers get their start through sites such as Associated Content. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with starting out with AC, but I do know of a couple of issues – maybe A.C. writers can help fill in the blanks here as I’ve never actually written for them.
The first is that AC accepts everyone who applies. While this is good news for amateur writers, it also has a reputation for publishing typo-laden articles, many of which are factually incorrect. I remember a a few months back there was an issue on a Work at Home Mom forum because an AC writer came to the forum and asked "How much time do you spend working each day?" After a multitude of moms posted their responses the same writer wrote an article at AC about how work at home moms neglect their kids because they spend so many hours working. This writer never asked us when we work, what are kids are doing or anything else that may have indicated neglect, she only asked us how many hours we work. This type of bogus reporting wouldn’t fly with most reputable content sites. Because AC isn’t very selective, I know of several editors who won’t accept AC articles as clips, either, but that’s not the norm.
My other issue with AC is the low pay. While I’ve heard of a couple of writers getting $15 or $20 per article, the majority of writers I spoke with earn an average of $3 for accepted posts. Kind of low. I understand they do offer traffic bonuses now, however.
About.com
About.com is a great and prestigious gig if you can get in. It’s owned by the New York Times company and they have a very strict acceptance policy. I enjoyed my tenure with About.com and wish I didn’t have to leave. Keep in mind that if you’re accepted to try out for an About.com gig, you’ll have to spend a couple of weeks writing content and building up the site, and may not even be accepted. You won’t be paid for prep. The pay is good, $750 a month plus traffic bonuses.
Suite 101
Suite 101 was my first online gig ten years ago. They paid a monthly fee at the time. I think I earned $25 a month for two posts? I left when they stopped paying their writers. Now I understand they pay according to traffic, but I’m not sure. Recently I’ve seen them listed as non-paying and very low paying.
Love To Know
I worked for LTK for a couple of years and was a Group Editor for a year. It’s a great place to work – the people are top-notch. Pay isn’t bad, $25 per article, if I’m not mistaken. I left a year ago so things might have changed. They have a strict acceptance policy and you will be paid for training. My biggest issue with LTK is that you have to write posts and titles centered around keywords, some of which are kind of silly. It’s one of the better content gigs out there and if you’re good with keywords you’ll love this gig.
Blog Networks
There are plenty of blog networks looking for writers. Some like 451Press, hardly pay their writers while others, like b5Media offer a base pay plus traffic I just had a huge month with b5 – and truly you get what you put into it. While the base may be low to start for some, the traffic bonuses can make the gigs well worth your while.
Things you should know
When you work for most content sites and networks, you have to agree to posting or writing a minimum. Sometimes these quotas are hard to keep up with. Also, some places only offer a revenue share as pay. Before accepting one of these gigs it’s best to know what kind of traffic the blog or site receives, and how much revenue you’re likely to earn in the beginning and after several months. Don’t fall for the "some of our writers make…" lingo, find out what most of the writers earn. It stands to reason a site with very little traffic receives very little revenue. I know someone who worked at 451press for several months and finally left because after blogging every day for all those months she earned less than a dollar the whole time she worked there!
Good Place to Get Started
Content sites and blog networks can be great gigs for writers or all levels. Just be sure to read all the fine print and ask the right questions. If traffic and revenue are issues, get all the details beforehand. If you’re expected to write 5 300 words posts her day or 50 articles a month, make sure this is something you can handle before signing a contract.
There are pros and cons for all these sites, just as there are pros and cons to freelancing in general. What content sites do you write for? Any recommendations or sites we should steer clear of?
@Erricka- I went right through the customer care link/form.
http://www.about.com/gi/pages/pform.htm
And no problem, you’re welcome.
@Matt – I have to agree. I never misrepresented a thing. I started with 451 when they first launched in October 2006. My contract stated a few posts per week. Then that was changed to 10 times a week in a message on the discussion forums. Then you had to link your blog to other blogs around the Internet to boost 451s exposure online. Then you had to take screen shots to add photos to your blog. I knew this went against copyrights and refused. I left in December and never saw a dime for October or November’s writing. 451 had collected all of my SS information so that they could pay and then never did. I was never comfy with that!
A few months later, there was a lawsuit that came out about bloggers using photos without permission. http://www.redherring.com/Home/21434 In this case the blogger was a big name, but you never know…
I talked to a number of others who left 451 Press and never received any payment.
While things may have changed since the site launched, I still had a lousy experience with them and resent hearing that I’ve “misrepresented” anything.
Julie,
Your message is directed to me but you have a link for about.com
??
I didn’t post anything about about.com
@ Matt and Ann
I think you misunderstood what I said. The misinformation I was referring to was that CURRENT expectations for the network are not what was being posted above. I have no doubt you had a lousy experience, several people do at all kinds of networks out there. My post was to clarify what is CURRENTLY happening at the network. It has been quite some time since I’ve seen anything negative on the message boards over there and the new expectations are not unreasonable any more for the pay and we’ve been paid on time and in full for the past few months. Just because you started out when the network was new and going through changes doesn’t mean that it will always be that way. There are currently over 100 bloggers there who have no problems (at least not publicly). You have every right to express your displeasure with the company during the early stages, but you also have to let others express current opinions and counter examples. The current expectations are very reasonable: 250 words per post (or 2 125 word posts a day), one picture per post (which is a good blogging practice anyway), and a minimum of 15 posts a month of any size, even if they don’t meet the paid post requirements. You get paid per post and a flat CPM.
I’m not saying 451Press didn’t have growing pains, but currently everything seems to be on track.
@ Ann again (sorry)
I have no idea where you got the idea about “screen shots” on blog posts because that was but that was never a requirement. One photo was, yes, but we have an account with WireImage to use those photos that are paid for and there are several places where you can get copyright free photos.
This is not an attack on you or your experience, but I only think it’s fair for others to hear a different side of the story.
I write for 451 press as well and while there have been some bad times, (i.e. growing pains) things are pretty good with the current requirements.
One of the reasons why most people got paid practically nothing in the beginning (including myself) was that the pay was all traffic share based and when the network started up there wasn’t a lot of traffic. It took a lot of time before it was even worth it because I had to draw traffic to my blog. When the new pay model hit, it became even better.
And Ann, it isn’t against copyright to take a screen shot of a show you are discussing. If that was true there wouldn’t be any television blogs out there with pictures of the shows they are discussing. That’s covered under fair use. If you are taking a screen shot of a television show and are talking about the show it’s totally fine to have a picture of said show. If you take a screen shot of a show and use it to sell a product, then that’s illegal.
I too work for 451 Press, have been there a little less than a year and I get paid great. Maybe it is the fact that the ones talking poorly of 451 Press didn’t have good content on their blogs. I have 4 blogs with 451 Press and make well over the amount of any other blog network out there. I don’t know why it is a constant that 451 Press keeps getting slander’ish statements made about them, but I agree with Heather in backing up the fact that 451 Press is a great place to blog at. I am sorry it did not work out for you there. But, maybe it is better you, and the others that are bad-mouthing 451 Press, are no longer acquaintances with the blog network of 451.
Deb hit the nail on the head earlier in this discussion. For anyone that starts writing for either a network or content site, TEMPER YOUR EXPECTATIONS and know that you will not become a blogging rock star overnight!
I started writing for 451Press in December of ‘06. I think my total earnings for the first three months was enough to by myself a bag of chips and a Coke.
But I kept writing, networked with other blogs (both within 451Press and with other sports related blogs), and eventually the traffic and money came with it. It’s been a GREAT experience.
Oh, and I’ve never had a problem with payments either (they are a few days late from time to time, but nothing to flip out over).
I wasn’t impressed with Helium at all. It just didn’t/doesn’t seem worth the time and effort.
I’ve been with 451 since the beginning, and the hiccups were a bit rough at the start, but things are great now. I’m paying bills, I enjoy what I do, and the post requirements have become quite reasonable. Plus, the community is great.
I am also a writer for 451press, and have been there almost a year. I have always been treated fairly, and paid for my work. I think the people there, as well as the requirements, have taught me to be a better writer. I am glad to be part of such a wonderful blogging network.
Thanks everybody. Best info on this topic that I’ve read!
For Canadians: E-how only has a compensation program for those who live in the U.S. – in other words if you’re a Canadian you can’t make money at all at E-how. Too bad. It looks like a great site to write for.
I run my own blog, omigod.net, which is in the Blogads network. But I just started writing for 451press also. I received my notice that I was accepted the next day, and things seemed like they were going fine. I have set up my blog and such (simple), but I have sent them about 3-4 emails which seem to have been ignored (?). I don’t know what else to call it. Since I just started I’m not being paid just yet, so I can’t make a comment on that. If you write for 451press feel free to contact me at kyle@kyledylanconner.com and enlighten me.