Comments on: Web Content Sites: Do You Have Job Security?

By: Web Content Sites vs. Private Clients : Freelance Writing Jobs

Web Content Sites vs. Private Clients : Freelance Writing Jobs — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:44:31 +0000

[...] without a steady income. Those writing for web content clients should probably remember these places don’t last forever. In fact, they may one day disappear, taking your writing with them. Recently, the content site [...]

By: Freelance Writing Jobs for July 1, 2009 : Freelance Writing Jobs for Web and Print

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:41:32 +0000

[...] to earn for them indefinitely, aren’t doing so anymore. So when I wondered whether or not web content writers have job security, it seems my concerns were valid. The biggest argument was than an article could earn $1 or $2 a [...]

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:15:06 +0000

Julie,

That’s why I said 99.9%. I had the same problem in Jan 08. They were a month late with my payment. We were having some financial problems and had just moved to a new city. We were going to use that money to move into a new apartment. Well, since they were so late, we ended up having to live in a motel for month.

They’ll pay you, just keep after them. I sent a rather sharp email to one of the managers and did get paid. They’ve been paying like clockwork since they started paying online. The reality is this can happen with any source of income, freelance or employment. Associated Content was often late with payments in December, but people seem to like them. Not long ago, even British Airways asked their staff to work unpaid for a month. There really are no guaranteed pay checks.

By: JulieF

JulieF — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 02:16:10 +0000

Kathy-

90% might be ok, but what about the other 10%? I’ve been waiting for the $90 DS owes me since Jan ‘08. After a month of emails, printing forms, signing forms, scanning them, and mailing a hard copy…then being told my check would arrive in 2 weeks because they’d changed their pay system, blah blah blah…

I still haven’t seen a dime.

At least Examiner found the problem and promised a paydate of July 20-21 through Paypal.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:13:12 +0000

Carol,

While I agree that “always hiring” is certainly a sign of high employee turnover, it doesn’t necessarily mean the employees/contractors are not being paid.

McDonalds, et al are also nearly always hiring, but that doesn’t mean they don’t pay their employees. More likely, they offer uncomfortable working conditions and low pay, so whenever possible, employees leave for cushier, better paying jobs, as well they should.

Having written for Demand Studios, I can say that while the pay is not the highest (not as high as glossy mags or the NYT), it is appropriate for the work involved, which does not require interviews or intensive research and fact checking. Furthermore, they pay on time about 99.9% of the time.

By: Kylie

Kylie — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:52:19 +0000

I write for Associated Content and Textbroker and I check the contest board on Helium regularly, though I haven’t participated in any of them yet. I also recently made a lens on Squidoo, just to test the waters. I new to freelancing, so writing for these sites is a way for me to build experience and make a little money while still actively seeking clients. I by no means intend to write full time for content sites, but they are useful.

By: Freelance Writing Jobs for June 25, 2009 : Freelance Writing Jobs for Web and Print

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:27:49 +0000

[...] having lots of discussions about web content sites, residual based income websites, and accountability at the main blog. I hope you’ll join us [...]

By: Debra Bacon

Debra Bacon — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:03:34 +0000

Thanks so much for post. I just started freelancing and am working for sites, but am reaching out to other employers, often posted in your blog. I have yet to land a job outside of the sites, but I am picking and choosing those which fit my background so my chances of getting hired will be better and we will be a “match made in heaven.”

By: Jeanne

Jeanne — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:58:06 +0000

I’m so glad you mention LovetoKnow. I’m an editor and writer there and absolutely love that site – you get to work with WONDERFUL people (fellow writers and editors) and they pay like clockwork. Super gig if you can get it. Very competitive now to get in, but I recommend it wholeheartedly.

By: Robin

Robin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:57:37 +0000

You forgot to mention Howtodothings! Remember the $25 gift certificates to the Gap, the movies, Bed and Breakfasts? That was my favorite steady pay site (even if the pay was in gift certificates – it was good as cash to me) that turned into a residual based pay site – and then I was done with them.

You’ve got some good advice here, Deb. It’s much more worth your time to query and find your own clients than write an article for a site that “might” bring you in $5 over the next 6 months.