Sunday, January 24, 2010

The Perks of Associated Content

Associated Content was one of those residual writing sites where I signed up, wrote a couple of articles and then forgot about it. I had been focusing so much of my time on eHow and Suite101, that I neglected Associated Content for a good four months. Recently though, I had some time to explore the site and learn about the perks of writing for AC.

One of the first things I noticed when I started with AC, was the fact that the PPM was relatively low, starting at only $1.50 with a possible maximum of $2.00 over time. This fact initially put me off of AC, but then I started to think about it as a plus and this is why: As opposed to many sites that focus on page views and cost per click, AC writers need only to worry about page views. This means that writers can make more money writing about high page view but low CPC topics than they could on other sites. This allows more freedom of writing topics.

The other great thing about the static PPM amount is that it won't go down. It is a clear and predictable number that writers can count on. This allows writers to have a good idea of how much money they will make each month and it is a transparent payment system that helps prevent fraud.

Another perk offered by Associated Content is the fact that they offer a number of ways to present information. People can submit content in written form or as an audio or video clip. Even though I'm not too interested in making videos, others may find videos more appealing.

Associated Content also offers assignments that provide upfront pay as well as residuals. Though these assignments seem to be few and far between, they do exist. This allows writers to make even more money from the site.

Finally, I also enjoy the fact that Associated Content does not require members to publish a quota of articles per month. This provides me with the flexibility to leave the site for a while and come back to write when I have more time. I will still be earning residuals on my writing during that entire time.

Overall, I'm convinced that AC is a great writing site and will be a great asset in my attempt to pay my mortgage via residual income. Though their initial pay is lower than most, I think their perks make them well worth the writing effort.

What are your feelings about AC? I'd love to hear about others' experiences.

11 comments:

  1. This is Darnell from AC. Glad to hear you're giving us another try, and I hope it works out for you! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, ideas, etc. By the way, we should be a launching a Fashion category in our Featured Contributors program soon. You should consider applying when that happens!

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  2. Hey Darnell,
    Thanks for reading my blog! I'll keep an eye out for the fashion FC postion. I'm looking forward to spending a bit more time on AC and I think it will be a nice addition to my other residual earnings. Keep up the great work over at AC!

    Cheers, -Elizabeth

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  3. Hi Elizabeth,

    I like all the positives you came up with about AC. I agree with you on all of it. Even though the PPM isn't high, it still adds up each month. Great post. :)

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  4. Thanks DeAnna! I'm trying to look at the positives of each site and plan my writing strategies off of that. Hopefully it will add up in monthly earnings. Thanks for reading!

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  5. Elizabeth,
    I think one of the greatest perks that you mentioned was the fact that you can write low CPC but high interest articles. I am trying to use Life123 as a venue for my low CPC topics that interest me. Unfortunately, they don't seem to interest many others, but at least I'm enjoying the experience.

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  6. Hey Kidgas,

    I really like that aspect as well. Sometimes you just need a break from high CPC. Glad you enjoyed the post!

    Cheers,
    Elizabeth

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  7. Thanks for visiting my blog and following me. Some good points made about A.C. Not living in the USA or Canada is quite restricting in terms of where I can write - although Suite101 is enough for me presently, combined with the other work I do and my goal of being a published, royalty-earning romance novelist. My daughter is very keen on jewellery design - we'll look for your 'Stitched Jewels'. Thanks Elizabeth. - keep in touch!

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  8. Hey Lyn. Thanks for following me as well. It is unfortunate that non-U.S. writers can't take advantage of some of the other residual writing sites. Luckily for you though, I think Suite101 is the best writing site out there. Luckily folks from across the globe can take advantage of the site.
    Good luck on your goal of becoming a romance novelist! How exciting that would be. I'll be checking in on your blog to hear about your experiences in moving toward that goal.
    Anyway, always great to meet another writer! Good luck and take care!
    Cheers, Elizabeth

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  9. Hi,

    I'm a Suite101 writer and recently checked out AC. What interests me is their publishing of "previously published content." I'm trying to figure out if it's legal or beneficial to republish articles I've written for Suite101 at AC. Thoughts?

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  10. Hey Ben,

    You can't republish Suite articles until they have been published on Suite for one year. It's also not a great idea to repost a lot of your articles at different sites as Google might penalize you if it looks like you are spamming. That said, you can rewrite or reshape articles on similar topics. That way you can use the same keyword research. Hope that helped!

    Thanks,
    Elizabeth

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