Evaluating My Online Writing World
Sometimes I feel as though I'm chasing the wind in this big online world. I know we should not put all our eggs in one basket, but too many baskets can also create problems until you chase from site to site trying to keep on top of all of them, unable to make any of them produce for you. At least that's how it seems to be working for me.
I checked out my HubPages statistics this morning and was shocked to see that between my two accounts, which have 122 featured hubs between them, I have made only $2.31 so far this month. In the same time period I have made $1.98 on Persona Paper with 209 articles that didn't require nearly the time and effort to write as my hubs. In the same time period I have made .28 on tsu , but some of my traffic to the other sites came from there. I love it when people tell me in the comments how they got to my post or article.
Let's look at the work. On HubPages it used to take me hours to create a hub that got recognition and used to make money. With only one account that had 75 featured hubs, I used to make an average of $40 a month and get paid about every two months, and sometimes every month. The account that used to be Squidoo used to make about $15 a month when it was still Squidoo and had about 150 lenses. They now have turned into 47 featured hubs on HubPages and I didn't even try to transfer most of them because I knew they would not stay featured or even published there. I couldn't transfer my biggest earners.
Most of what I make on Hubpages now is residual income, since I haven't written a new hub in ages. I rarely receive or make comments there anymore, so maintenance probably takes about half an hour a month. On Persona Paper and tsu, interactions take more time than the actual writing . I can spend hours a day earning my seven to fifteen cents a day between the two of them, averaging 1.5 posts a day on Persona Paper and three to five original posts on tsu with an average of four to eight shares.
Obviously writing appears to be more than a hobby than a business at this time. To make much more, I would have to move into formal freelancing and face deadlines which I'm not sure my current stage of life would allow me to meet. When you get to be my age and your husband is even older, things happen that one cannot predict, and they can require emergency room visits or other medical appointments that don't give much warning to allow planning for them.
If I were to increase my commenting activity on HubPages, I wonder if it would make a difference in my earnings there. I wonder if writing one new hub a week would make my total go up. Could it increase my earnings by a nickel a day for each new hub? I'm not sure. Even if it did, I'm not sure how long that would last. Currently my featured hubs on my oldest account average .02 in earnings a day. Many of those have been designated Editor's Choice hubs, and some have won contests or gotten Hub of the Day Awards, or both. They aren't earning any more than the rest now. I wonder if I would make more, with less time put in, writing more for Persona Paper and ignoring HubPages as usual, or by trying to increase activity on HubPages. I wonder if more interaction on HubPages is as important in getting new views as it is here and on tsu.
Does anyone have input on this from your own experience? Have you found a better place to invest your writing time that's not freelancing with deadlines?
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Comments
Louemham wrote on January 11, 2015, 5:21 PM
Since New Years day, Persona Paper has been my only writing site. I have made around 2.50 here. I am, however a member of several survey sites which help my savings. I think it's important to make sure that you are getting the most money out of your time spent
Feisty56 wrote on January 11, 2015, 5:26 PM
I hope someone has some answers for you, Barb. I'm afraid I don't have a clue.
VinceSummers wrote on January 11, 2015, 5:32 PM
With over 1000 articles at Bubblews, on a typical day I make (believe it or not) ONE CENT.
Kasman wrote on January 11, 2015, 5:34 PM
I have never written for the income. To me it is a hobby and a pleasure. I will often spend two hours researching and preparing a post before I actually start to write it. I had five (out of 22) Lens of the Day on Squidoo and when that site shut down and moved to HubPages I simply stopped creating any more and eventually closed my account there because I did not enjoy the experience of moving. Having to meet deadlines would kill my pleasure in writing. Any income my writing generates is a bonus - it isn't the reason I write and if writing on any particular site starts to become more like work than fun then I move on (bye-bye Bubble Ooze).
maxeen wrote on January 11, 2015, 5:34 PM
i have been on H.P for years . I will not conform to their ideas,or there practice of elitism ,as I and many others consider it to be, I do not like them having other writers deciding if ones work is good or bad ,whatever that means..
There have been changes on that site ,there has been lots of bullying on the forums, The money is dreadful for the time spent there. I have good friends there who have been treated very unfairly. On the positive side I like that they don't mind if you lodge your work there. There are excellent writers there and there used to be a good vibe....Re. money I generally do Market Research for a company I worked for years ago,also I do a few surveys each night and the money is much,much higher than any writing site. I think it is better to write on one site instead of clambering everywhere.
AngelSharum wrote on January 11, 2015, 5:42 PM
I have no advice. I don't write for a living. I hope you figure things out and it works well for you.
MegL wrote on January 11, 2015, 5:52 PM
You have made some very valid points. My hubs, from making about $4 a month before Christmas have gone down to about 40 cents a month! Traffic really seems to have dropped there. The people, I think, that make most money there are the ones doing a lot of sharing on Hubpages, using the share button for sharing their own and others' work. I have one hub there that gained a lot of interest but that I just notice became unfeatured because no one had visited it! The content was evergreen and had not become out of date or untrue. Hubpages requires a LOT of maintenance for articles there. I have another account there with squidoo lenses transferred across. My lenses were NOT promotional and earned very little but again, the content is evergreen. I was annoyed at Squidoo just before it closed down because it kept unfeaturing my lenses. I know now that they were in trouble and had to reduce the number of lenses but I removed a lot from there without knowing why I needed to. I have the content and could publish elsewhere (I have put some reduced versions on here). My main way forward is going to be to concentrate on my own blogs and web sites. I haven't time at the moment and am just keeping things ticking over but eventually, I will publish what I want, when I want, without anyone else saying yea or nay!
melody23 wrote on January 11, 2015, 5:59 PM
There is only one thing I can suggest, which is sort of freelancing but not the traditional type where you bid for a project and have a certain length of time to complete it. sites like textbroker, hirewriters, greatcontent and probably a few others post up all their available titles and you simply pick the ones you want to do, there is no bidding, no competing with other freelancers. you could do what I do these days which is visit these sites only when I have time and pick one article to write then and there, if I have more spare time once that one is finished I do another one and so on. typically you get a good time period to write one single article. I know this isn't exactly what you are looking for, but there is just no real money in revenue share sites these days. or you could start a blog since you already have adsense but then that means you need to do loads of promotion etc to get people to view it
RuthCox wrote on January 11, 2015, 6:22 PM
I think with all the writing platform shutdowns and changes of the past year, you are not alone! Many are wandering and wondering the same as you, myself included. For me, I just keep keepin' on! I still believe in diversifying, so although I have my own blogs I do still write elsewhere. I think that is important in order to keep myself 'out there' not just with other writers but with a variety of people with a variety of interests.
Soonerdad3 wrote on January 11, 2015, 6:27 PM
I don't see any site currently offering a better opportunity to earn money like Persona Paper.
Gina145 wrote on January 11, 2015, 6:51 PM
I'm not a good one to comment on HubPages because I've got very few articles and rarely add any new ones. I've sometimes wondered if I'd do better if I dedicated more time to that site, but I find it so much easier to write for sites like this one.
I closed my account at Tsu after about two weeks as a member during which time I didn't earn a cent. Now I'm wondering whether I made mistake. Maybe it would have been a good way to promote my writing on other sites. The problem is I struggle to find enough time to interact on the sites I'm already writing at.
ChickJ wrote on January 11, 2015, 7:25 PM
I am really writing for fun. The best site for me is CGP, then this one, and coming up last is Bubblews. To make money I am going to be starting my own blog. This site is more fun to write, I love the interaction here.
inertia4 wrote on January 11, 2015, 8:38 PM
BarbRad Wow. Well from the looks of things I think you would just be better off writing here instead of Subpages and here together. I decided that I am staying with Bubblews and Persona Paper. I like the both sites. I will remain at TSU and a new site I found as well. I gave up on Elite Visitors and I most likely will give up on CGP Gallery. I agree, putting everything in one basket is not good, but like you said, chasing too many sites makes no difference. Oh, I am also staying with Chat About. I need to slim down the sites I use in order to stay on top of them. But TSU and this new social network I found seem to be great tools for promoting and sharing.
bestwriter wrote on January 11, 2015, 11:17 PM
Have you tried iwriter? You will do well there. I have not gone there for a while now but have had about 66% of my articles approved For standard users they pay about 2 plus dollars and as you gain stars you can go up to even 20 dollars an article. You are a far better writer than I am and I am sure 'requesters' will make you their favourite writer.
BNelson wrote on January 11, 2015, 11:22 PM
All the best earning places that I have had have changed or gone away, so they are not as good as they were when they were great.
WordChazer wrote on January 12, 2015, 12:49 AM
I have never used HubPages, so I can't comment on that side of it. Freelancing can be a bit hit and miss; depends on how much time the dayjob leaves me. Those people I do contribute work for regularly know that deadlines can be moveable feasts with Real Life getting in the way and they're happy thus.
arthurchappell wrote on January 12, 2015, 3:45 AM
Not better ones but a few worse - Shvoong and nowadays, Bubbles - I am pursuing off-line publications too
RegieEstioco wrote on January 12, 2015, 6:58 AM
I started writing online in the B site. I also tried PAA and later discovered Persona. I also write in C site.
gulp_burp wrote on January 12, 2015, 9:29 AM
I gave up freelance writing just last month since I couldn't keep up with deadlines. With a 14-month old toddler running around, there's no telling when I could find time to write a decent 500-word content for a client. I'm sticking with writing as a hobby.
HappyLady wrote on January 12, 2015, 2:03 PM
I do not think we are earning much anywhere these days. I do not like having to put modules together on hubpages and so rarely write there.
LilyDay wrote on January 13, 2015, 12:36 AM
My advice would be that you do what you enjoy the most.
FreyaYuki wrote on January 13, 2015, 3:23 AM
Would also like to know the answer to your last question. Am new to HubPages so only have a few posts there at the moment. Hoping to add more soon.
Brenda wrote on January 13, 2015, 1:08 PM
I write for one more site and it takes a lot of time spent too. I have wondered the same things as you. As for hub pages I am not impressed with them at all.
OldRoadsOnceTraveled wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:22 PM
I'm sure I could make much more by freelancing and writing more SEO articles, but I just plain don't want to. Joining Bubblews soon after joining Yahoo Content Network and then Squidoo quickly taught me that I want to be a blogger, not a journalist or a marketer. Looking back, I'm glad now that I didn't get offered the part-time stringer job at the Nashville Tennessean that I interviewed for when I was in college. Being assigned to go places and talk to people? Oh, SOOO not this creative introvert who hates deadlines.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:26 PM
True, but that is hard to predict.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:27 PM
I think I'm going to have to decrease my online writing until I get some real world stuff done.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:27 PM
That's because most of them aren't earning for you anymore.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:30 PM
I do need the earnings, but they aren't enough now to justify the time when I have so much to do offline and so little energy.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:31 PM
I appreciate your feedback. I have lousy luck with surveys. They wait until the last question to disqualify me.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:32 PM
Sometimes I'd just like to forget online life and go back to the real world. But then I'd miss the friends I've made online.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:34 PM
That's my eventual direction, but I still don't know how I will monetize my blogs.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:35 PM
I guess it doesn't matter what kind of writing you do, it still means you have to promote, promote, promote.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:37 PM
Yes. Blogging can seem very lonely. If we get better connected online through revenue sharing sites, we my draw an audience from those who know us.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:38 PM
That seems to be how it's shaping up at the moment.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:40 PM
I'm making more on Tsu with each passing week. It takes time to build the right following and to learn what works. You need a strategy there as you do anywhere else. I have found my rhythm there now and am getting more of the right followers.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:41 PM
I do love the interaction here and on Tsu. But ten to fifteen cents a day isn't doing much for my bottom line.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:43 PM
I'm curious about the new site. Maybe you can message me o tsu and tell me about it.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:44 PM
I've never even heard of this. I may have to try something different soon unless I start selling books again in February.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:45 PM
I'm afraid that's the direction things are going.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:46 PM
Thanks for that. I may have to do some real work one of these days instead of just having fun online.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:47 PM
I'm not interested in finding worse ones. But I may be desperate enough to try freelancing.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:48 PM
I'm not sure I'm familiar with PAA or the C site.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:49 PM
I don't find 500 words too big a deal, as long as I know the subject.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:51 PM
Yes. HubPages requires more of a presentation than an well-illustrated article. I don't like having to add in all the other stuff.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:51 PM
What I enjoy most doesn't pay enough.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:53 PM
I'm wondering if HubPages will go the way of Squidoo. I'm wodnering if people have the patience to continue reading long articles such as those HubPages requires. Supposedly, that's what Google likes. But what if real people don't want to read long articles anymore?
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:54 PM
I used to like that site very much, but I'm tired of all the required bells and whistles.
bestwriter wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:54 PM
You will like it Barb. It is a genuine place. I wrote around 64 articles some of owhich were rejected. Some I did not meet with their requirements and some for no reason. I have got a rating 3.6. When I reach a 4.1 rating I can opt for premium projects and so on.
BarbRad wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:55 PM
I would love being assigned to go places and to talk to people.
peachpurple wrote on January 14, 2015, 1:08 AM
i had been writing at Hubapages for 5 years. I noticed that if you write a hub, you get raise traffic just for a week. If you leave comments you earn more. Example. If i write one hub per month, i earn 19 cents per day, if i write one hub per month and comment everyday, i earn 30-40cents per day. At persona paper, I earn 10 cents per day but I don't write everyday. I interact more, that is how my coins went up to 542 with 10 articles.
Gina145 wrote on January 14, 2015, 4:52 AM
That's good to know, but I'm not sure I can spare the time for another site. I already spend far too much of my time online.
maxeen wrote on January 14, 2015, 6:11 AM
I agree with that,better not to have bosses breathing over your shoulder.
FreyaYuki wrote on January 14, 2015, 6:26 AM
I think this might depend on the person and what they're looking for or if they have time to read long articles. Sometimes, I only want to read short articles especially if I don't have much time, but, at other times, I wouldn't mind reading long articles especially if the post is interesting. If it's boring, then I wouldn't want to read it. Google should take an individual person's needs and wants into consideration because not everyone is alike and one shouldn't presume to know someone else if they don't have all the info.
agvulpes wrote on January 15, 2015, 5:30 AM
My Hubpages experiences are very similar to yours ! Over the holiday season earnings dropped away but 'seem' to be picking up again.!
My 'Passive' income on HP is at the moment more than PP and B combined however I do feel that we will not have to work nearly as hard here on PP to earn a compatible amount when this site bulks up a bit more !
I do have my own sites I am experimenting with but I'm finding them a 'lot of work' in the 'back end' management and feel that I would sooner have someone else worry about the management side of things!
SLGarcia wrote on January 17, 2015, 12:07 PM
I'm glad you wrote this article Barb. Although I have nothing to contribute at least I've been able to get some good ideas for myself. We seem to be going in a similar direction. Bestwriter - I am checking out iWriter and will be trying it out. I had never heard of it - thank you.
bestwriter wrote on January 17, 2015, 7:10 PM
Do try that site SLGarcia and I am sure you will succeed.
BarbRad wrote on January 18, 2015, 12:15 AM
I just don't have the ambition or motivation to write any hubs lately.
BarbRad wrote on January 18, 2015, 12:16 AM
I've pretty much given up on B. I'm trying harder to promote my hubs now, but we'll see if it makes a difference.
SLGarcia wrote on January 19, 2015, 3:33 PM
I have signed up for it but have not written anything yet. The only thing that bothers me so far was an offer from them to sign up for "fast tracking" to get a higher rate per article. Out of curiosity I checked to find out the price and found it way too high for me. It does make me wonder about the site, as it seemed like a rip-off to me.
bestwriter wrote on January 19, 2015, 8:10 PM
Every site tries to earn. You do not have to opt for any such things. Just write there and I hope your first articles will be a success. Submit only if you are sure as a rejected article will go against your rating. Good Luck
RonElFran wrote on February 18, 2015, 10:54 PM
I've been at HubPages three years. I love writing highly researched informational articles, and for me, HubPages is perfect. In December and January I made about $10/month on just over 60 hubs. But here's where HubPages outstrips other sites, in my opinion. In the first half of this month I had two articles that were Hubs of the Day take off on social media. The two of them alone have recorded more than 90,000 views and earned just under $300 in half a month. And I had nothing to do with it! I believe other hubbers shared those articles on their social media sites, and that's why they took off as they did. The potential for that kind of thing is always there on HubPages, unlike most other sites I've written for. Though I've written on Bubblews, Writedge, Daily Two Cents, Yahoo Contributor Network, Redgage, and now here on PP, if I had to confine myself to one site it would be HubPages.
BarbRad wrote on February 19, 2015, 10:44 PM
It's great you're getting those results. But how often does that happen? At this point I'm afraid HubPages will go the way of Squidoo and I don't want to invest more time in it. It admitted it's on life support and they are trying to figure out what they need to do to save it. It seems the best place to put my eggs is into my own sites.
RonElFran wrote on April 24, 2015, 1:21 PM
The bottom line for me: both HP and PP are valuable outlets for different types of articles. I'm glad I don't have to choose between them.
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