There's a dizzying number of different ways to earn money from home through the Internet. One of the most popular options for work-from-home moms is freelance writing. On the Internet, content really is king. In order to attract steady streams of visitors, a site needs to have fresh, well-written and relevant content. Many business and website owners don't have the time or skill to create their own content, which is where freelance writers come in. There's more than one way to make money by producing content online. Learn about a handful of the most popular methods below.
Content Mills
Any company that hires writers to mass-produce content for its websites may be classified as a "content mill." Unlike some online content sites, these sites don't sell articles to different clients. They use complex algorithms to determine what people are looking for online and then post assignments based on those search strings. Their content writers then grab those assignments, produce content and get paid for it. One exceptionally popular example of a major content mill is Demand Media Studios, which was formerly known as Demand Studios. The sites' thousands of freelance writers produce content for brands like eHow and LiveStrong.
One benefit of working for a major content mill is that they usually pay frequently. Furthermore, you can rest assured that you're not going to get stiffed. While some people enjoy the rigid guidelines that such sites demand, others find them to be too constricting. Furthermore, it's sometimes difficult to find easy-to-write topics. Although these sites tend to pay fairly well, it can be difficult to produce content for tricky or technical subjects. As a result, your hourly rate may leave something to be desired. Content mills work well for some people, while others could take them or leave them.
Revenue Share Sites
In most cases, "passive income" opportunities turn out to be scams. One exception to this rule is writing for a revenue sharing website. In this case, you produce content for a website. Instead of receiving upfront pay, though, you get paid into perpetuity based on the number of views or visits that your content receives. You don't receive all of the ad revenues, though, which is where the "share" part comes into play. Most of the time, you can expect to be paid a few cents for every thousand views that your content gets.
Many people are drawn to revenue share sites because they like the idea of receiving a steady stream of passive income. Once the content is written and posted, all that's left to do is to collect the revenues. However, this is largely a hit-or-miss proposition. All too often, even well-written content fails to earn you more than a pittance. Revenue share can also fluctuate wildly. One month, you can rake in major money; the next, you may make next to nothing. The best way to ensure a steady stream of money is by producing as much content as possible. It can be disheartening to do that, though, when no upfront pay is involved.
Posting Articles for Sale
There are a handful of sites out there that will post the articles that you produce in a marketplace of sorts; Constant Content is one good example. Website owners who need content may peruse such sites to find good content for their own online endeavors. If you've posted something that they like, they may pay you for the rights to use it. This scenario is largely hit or miss. An article that you post could sell for a lot of money within a day or two, or it could sit there for weeks on end without a single bite.
To be successful at posting articles for sale, you need to have a financial cushion to fall back on from the start. After all, it's going to take some time to get the ball rolling on sales. In the meantime, you won't have any real income. You have to go into this sort of situation with the understanding that your articles may not make you any money. There's no way to predict when or if an article will sell, so you definitely don't want to put all of your eggs into this particular basket.
Writing on Demand
Finally, you may want to try your hand at writing for clients in an "on demand" way. You could always look around for your own private clients, but that requires a lot of marketing and searching. Furthermore, it's easy to get stiffed when you work with a random stranger from the Internet. A better way to go is to create content for clients through a reliable website. Textbroker is one prime example; Writer Access is another. On such sites, clients post what they need on order board; if you see one that looks promising, you just grab it up, write it and send it on its way. The site itself handles and manages the payments on your behalf.
On-demand writing sites eliminate the risk of not getting paid for your efforts. Unlike revenue share sites, though, they won't generate you constant streams of passive income. Like regular jobs, you have to work on such sites every day to earn a regular paycheck. However, it's possible to develop relationships with clients through these types of sites. Over time, you could raise your rates and start making some great money. Either way, these sites are worthwhile options to explore.
The Bottom Line on Writing Online
As you can see, there's a wide range of possibilities when it comes to making money by writing online. Some people swear by revenue sites, while others insist that content mills are the way to go. There is no one "correct" answer; what works for one person may not work for you. The trick here is to try out many different sites. Put in your best efforts on each one that you attempt. After a while, you should fall into a groove and find a site that meets all of your income needs. At that point, you'll be a true-blue work-from-home mom!