Fun Activity (kinda...)

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   Rachelle Williamsposted 6 months ago

   Hello Everyone! Yes, I know...earnings are terrible, HP staff is ghosting us, niche sites are dropping left and right and no one really knows anything. BUT, amidst all the doom and gloom around here I thought it would be a cool idea for us to share some of the sites for which we have created content and our experiences with each platform.
   
   I'll start us off: Associated Content, Yahoo Voices, eHow, Suite101 and Demand Media. I started waaaay back in 2005/6 ish with Associated Content - I remember they paid me like $6 - $8 per article. 
   
   Oddly enough I never really got into Squidoo - I only mention it because I know it was hugely popular back in the day.
   
   When I discovered eHow and its revenue share model I almost immediately began earning far more than I did with Associated Content. At one point I was consistently earning $700 - $900 per month with eHow UNTIL the Google Panda algorithm shift swept through and my earnings were cut in half.  I remember my highest earning month was $1486...it totally blew my mind at the time.
   
   After Panda, eHow struggled and it eventually axed all of its writers a couple of years later and they paid me a little over $24K for all of my articles...I still don't know why because they re-wrote a small amount of my articles but they got rid of the bulk of them. So...yes, I was a content farm writer - I had no idea, I just knew the more I focused on keywords and SEO, the more money I made.
   
   Suite101, Demand Media and Yahoo Voices never lived up to the glory days of eHow and they all died out over time. The current state of HP has me worried.  I've been with HP for 13 years and I never really took it seriously...that might have been a mistake.
   
   I don't know... I hate to see HP go down like this...
   
   This was meant to be a "fun" activity, but I guess I really just wanted to share.
   
   
   
   

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      WriterJanisposted 6 months agoin reply to this

      I remember making money on Suite101 and I really enjoyed my time on Squidoo as there was so much interaction. Made some money on Bubbles as well.

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         Rachelle Williamsposted 6 months agoin reply to this

         ohhhh... I don't remember "Bubbles," that's a new one on me...

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      Kenna McHughposted 6 months agoin reply to this

      I wrote for the company that supplied articles to eHow. Then, Demand Media bought or expanded with eHow and produced the content, so I was out of work and went into film, television and theater production. I even wrote a book, Breaking Into Film. Then, Demand Media contacted me and asked me to be a Talent Producer, working with influencers creating YouTube videos. I took the contract gig and made up to 2.5k a week. That was living. I was successful with eHow and Demand Media. Demand Media awarded me Top Content Producer. Gradually, Demand Media became less and less transparent. They announced they were revamping their program, and all talent producers had one week left to submit projects for approval. I worked like mad getting those in and made my highest-ever income. The following week, Demand Media continued to finish up the projects I submitted, and gradually, the company was no more. I believe Leaf TV bought them out. During my last week with Demand Media, the talent from "The Chew" wanted to work with us. It couldn't have gotten any better. Occasionally, influencers contact me and ask if Demand Media is still producing YouTube videos.

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         Rachelle Williamsposted 6 months agoin reply to this

         Oh wow! I wrote for DM as well, but I had no idea they were producing YT videos. I've tried my hand on YT a couple of times - nothing serious though. I've consistently made their payout once every other month for more than a decade and some change.  I think it's cool how many degrees close we have been to one another throughout the years...

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            Kenna McHughposted 6 months agoin reply to this

            That is so true, Rachelle. I have the YT channel, and it's doing pretty well.

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      Mike Grindleposted 6 months agoin reply to this

      I've written for a few publications over the years, and I used to do ghostwriting work. Platform-wise, I've written here, Medium and had a short stint on vocal.media. I might give the latter another go at some point.
      
      These day, I tend to focus mostly on my blog. It's not monetized and I don't want it to be. I just do it for its own sake.

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         Rachelle Williamsposted 6 months agoin reply to this

         Hey Mike. I get writing for "its own sake." I think we should all have a personal blog where we can be whatever we truly want to be therein.
         
         I had a friend who recently passed away. I'd known her for 15+ years. Her name is Cecelia and I met her while I was working the overnight shift at Kinkos.
         
         Cecelia was a tall black woman who hailed from Jamaica. Her personality was as big and bright as the sun and she had a heart to match. She boomed into the store in the middle of the quiet night and she asked me to help her publish her book - we became instant friends.
         
         After spending time with her that first night, I felt as though Cecelia should share her thoughts and feelings with the world. I created a Blogger blog for her and she consistently posted there from 2010 to about 3 months before she passed away (Feb 2024).
         
         She eventually learned to self publish her books, but the blog was her pride and joy.
         
         Our blogs will survive our mortal existence. I honestly think we should constantly extend our domain names & hosting to the max (I believe 10 years) and leave instructions for what to do with our blog/site after we board that "permanent bus to the next trip..."
         
         I'm sorry that was so loooong...
         
         

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   Jodahposted 6 months ago

   Hello Rachelle,
   It was interesting to read about those sites you have written for, and quite successfully at that. Unfortunately, many of the best paying ones have since folded.
   
   I have written for a few, some non-paying like All Poetry and The Creative Exiles, but currently most of my writing is on Medium. August 2023 was the high there and I earned around $780US for that month. Since then I have averaged around $300, but last month July was the lowest in a while making only about $150. There is an opportunity however to have articles “boosted” there which means they are given a higher distribution and that can really increase your earnings.
   
   I have never earned anywhere near that on HubPages, especially as I write mainly poetry and short fiction. The difference with Medium is that you have to write regularly, at least two or three articles per week, and interact with others by reading, clapping, commenting etc. That said, my most popular article was written in August 2023 and is still my highest earner each month.

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      ChitrangadaSharanposted 6 months agoin reply to this

      That’s impressive John.
      Good to know that you are doing well at Medium.

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      Rachelle Williamsposted 6 months agoin reply to this

      Nice!  It sounds like you know the recipe for making money on Medium, perhaps I should give it a serious go over there?
      
      Sometimes I could kick myself for not writing regularly here on HP, I really only write when the mood strikes. I wonder what my earnings would be now if I had written an article a week over the last 14 years....
      
      $300 a month could probably help a lot of people pay a few household bills - you would probably do well to create a Udemy course on "how to earn light bill money on medium" or something cheesy but honest like that - I'd buy it for $10 to $12.99 (hint, hint, bro).

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   Venkatachari Mposted 6 months ago

   I wrote articles for Others from @60 paise to 2 Rupees per word between 2014 and 2017. I earned quite enough during that period. Some articles were published in Small and Medium Enterprises magazines. I  discontinued later due to a lack of time.
   
   At HP and my other blogs, my overall income was only 200 dollars till now. I  keep writing only for my enjoyment and satisfaction.

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      Rachelle Williamsposted 6 months agoin reply to this

      I think if you are writing for your enjoyment and satisfaction, you are also leaving bits and pieces of your true self into the "blogosphere" called the Universe; so keep going... 

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   MsDoraposted 6 months ago

   Rachel, thanks for sharing. Congratulations on such notable success. Congratulations to the other writers too, who experienced those good times. I had no idea that the kind of money you made was possible. I have only written for HubPages, and was really happy doing it. Now I'm searching for another platform. Or, are those days completely gone?

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      Rachelle Williamsposted 6 months agoin reply to this

      Hi MsDora. You're Welcome!  Thank you for the congrats and for helping me to realize my notable successes - I just thought I was "doing what I do."  I think perhaps Medium might be that next platform.  Have you tried YouTube as well? I have had so many half hearted ideas for channels. I'll start with a couple of videos but then abandon them. However, a couple of them have consistently earned payout for years. I have ADHD and I tend to hyperfocus on an idea/subject only to get bored with it and quit soon after. However, if you put focused time and energy into really ANY platform, you will do well.  I am familiar with your work here on HP. Although I identify as an agnostic, I appreciate the positive light you spread in the world. I think your energy would be welcomed wherever you go...

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