The following is a guest post by Jelena from Associated Content.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to guest post on the Work From Home Blog and share with my fellow readers an opportunity to make money from home, as well as a contest to sweeten the deal!
I work for Associated Content in a community management and communications role. Since joining the team, I’ve met a variety of incredible writers who work from home through Associated Content and are able to make a living while pursuing other passions, including homeschooling their children, raising their own chickens in the backyard, writing books and more.
Cathy Montville, one of our prolific Contributors, had this to say when I asked her about her experiences with Associated Content: “The impact writing for Associated Content has had on my life is immeasurable. Even though I run a business full-time, writing is my outlet for stress relief, not to mention a fun way to make some good money to supplement my income. Furthermore, the writing community at AC is the best and friendliest on the Internet.”
(Wow—we are incredibly fortunate to have Contributors like Cathy who not only write very well but who also take time to help introduce the rest of the world to Associated Content!)
I know, I know, that’s nice and all, but what about that contest? Okay, here’s the scoop:
When you sign up as an Associated Content Contributor and publish your first piece of content by May 31st, you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two 32GB WiFi-enabled Apple iPads. As a bonus (or if you’re already on Associated Content and can’t enter by signing up for the first time) you can get unlimited entries by referring your friends. They’ll be entered to win when they publish their first piece of content after signing up through your referral link, and you’ll get an extra entry.
There’s also another limited-time bonus for referring friends who become regular Contributors: For each person who signs up through your referral link and reaches Clout Level 5 by August 31, 2010, you’ll get a $10 bonus. Meanwhile, the friends you referred will be earning money through the content they publish!
To help you and your friends get to Clout 5 by the end of August, here are five insider tips:
5. Research and understand basic SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Certain types of content, like timely breaking news or “evergreen” content that will always be relevant to people searching for information, will consistently get plenty of pageviews.
4. Take advantage of your own niche expertise. Don’t get so focused on SEO that you forget the old adage, “Write what you know.” If you are an expert in a particular topic area, make sure your profile reflects your knowledge, education and experience, then take time to write some articles about that subject. Depending on the area or your expertise, this might help to make you eligible for a Featured Contributor gig and/or other high-value assignments.
3. Make sure your profile qualifies you for the best-paying assignments. Many of Associated Content’s most competitive and lucrative assignments can only be given to Contributors who have a pen name that sounds like a real first and last name—even if it isn’t your real name, use a human name. You should also consider using an avatar image (even if it isn’t really an image of you) and filling out your bio and interests accurately.
2. Avoid the overdone. Use a search to find out if the topic you want to write about has already been covered on Associated Content. If it’s already been done, try making your topic narrower. For example, instead of, “How to Throw a Party for a Child,” you could write, “Princess Party Ideas for 6-year-old Girls,” or, “How to Plan a Party for a Homeschooled Boy.”
1. Keep it up! The secret to making money and achieving a high clout level on Associated Content is persistence. Write plenty of articles and monitor their statistics to see what works for you and what doesn’t. If you’re struggling, ask our Writers’ Workshop forum for advice. Once you’ve built up a large library of strong, searchable content, you can earn residual income every month without lifting a finger, just as long as you log into your account at least once every 90 days.
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