Applying for a Blogging Job: When to Blow Off Directions
In the previous post, Applying for Blogging Jobs - Do You Need A Resume? I noted that there are two times I’ll blow off directions when applying for a blogging job… One time is when I’m asked to submit newly written original clips. The second time is when I’m asked to quote a rate, but the ad is too vague regarding required tasks and hours.
This is my own personal preference. If you want to follow all the rules a client sets fourth in an ad, you surely can. In these two cases I just don’t think following the rules is a great idea.
Rule to break - sending new original clips:
If a client, in a job ad, asks for new original blog post samples, in order to see how I write, I send links to some of my previous work instead. Why? Well, one, I don’t work for free. I’m not going to sit around writing pretend blog posts when I’ve got hundreds of already published blog posts to my name. That’s an insane waste of my time. Two, in most cases, I apply for blog gigs that I know I’m a good fit for. That said, there’s a good chance I’ve written a previous clip that matches what the client is looking for.
If I wanted to break into say, fashion blogging, and saw a killer ad for a fashion blog job that asked for three new clips, I might take the time to write one new post, because I don’t have any fashion blogs to my name. I still wouldn’t write three original posts though. I’d send one nice new one, and two other well written clips.
Can you break this rule and still get a job: I have, plenty of times. Don’t work for free to get a basic blogging job. It’s unnecessary.
Rule to break - quoting rates:
I will quote a rate, if a potential client lists all the job requirements in the ad. If they write, “Looking for three blog posts per week, 250 words each, images included, and no networking required” I can give them a quote easily. However, in my experience, it’s rare for a client to explain the job perfectly in an ad. Most of the time, it’s something like this, “I need a blogger for a green blog. 10 posts a week minimum. Please send a rate quote.”
Um, ok. What I do in this case is I apply as I normally would, but instead of giving a set rate quote, I’ll say something like, “My typical rate for one blog post of 250 words with an image included is ______, if you require longer posts, networking or blog maintenance, let me know so I can offer you a more accurate quote.”
Can you break this rule and still get a job: I have twice, but I’m not the best example. Frankly, I don’t tend to apply for blogging gigs that fail to name a wage. In my experience, a client who doesn’t know what they want to pay, right up front, can be more trouble than they’re worth; not ALWAYS, but often. If the ad notes that pay is negotiable that’s fine with me, so long as negotiations don’t go on forever.
I know what I’ll accept as decent pay per post or per hour, and I honestly feel that a potential client should have some idea about what they’re willing to pay as well. Our ideas about pay may not be in sync, but I’d rather a potential client say straight up, “I’m not paying that much” then mess around and waste my time.
Again, you don’t have to break these rules at all. You can follow a blog job ad to the letter if you so choose. This is simply my own personal take.
Are there any rules you break when applying for blogging jobs?
What Do the Top Bloggers Earn? It’s a Lot More Than $5 per Post!
Read/Write Web posted some interesting statistics about some top tier bloggers and their earnings. The results were surprising to many. No, they’re not earning $5 a post or $100 a month plus traffic bonuses, many bloggers are bringing in pay ranging from $25 a post to $75, 000 a year plus bennies.
Surprising? It shouldn’t be. Even though most network bloggers start out low, the job boards tell us there is life beyond the networks. Blog posts paying upwards of $20 a post are becoming more common place and many of us have stopped freelancing to earn a much higher salary doing what we love.
While the Read/Write web article states gigs like these are difficult to find, I’m not so sure I agree. We look at several different job boards a day and there are always a couple of choice, high paying gigs on at least one of the boards on a given day. Moreover, by browsing certain sites one can also find full time opportunities for bloggers, Community Managers, Social Networkers and more. Like all good things, you have to to be patient to find these jobs but they’re there, I promise. Granted, the competition for these is no doubt fierce, but that’s just more incentive to be the best blogger possible.
I wonder, if earnings like this DO become commonplace, will bloggers leave networks for greener pastures or will networks begin raising their rates? It’ll be interesting to watch for sure.
$20 Per Post Blogging Opportunity
I’m often asked where to find higher paying writing and blogging gigs. In fact, I’ve even been questioned over whether or not they exist. So, in putting my money where my mouth is, I’d like to present a very good opportunity. A DevLounge blogging gig at $20 per post.
You see? Let’s hope gigs like this become the norm. In the mean time, I’ll continue to link to the higher paying gigs here.
The New b5media Pay Structure
As you may have heard, b5media has a new pay structure in the works, soon to be implemented. Since we aim to cover network news, following are some links if you’d like to learn more…
Tech Crunch posted all the new pay structure stats from a personal email sent out to b5 staff. Is it right to post emails like this - maybe not; in fact, I’d be kind of pissy if someone snagged my emails and posted them on the web. However, on the flip side, if you’ve thought about joining (applying for work) at b5, it’s best to have all the facts. Also, it’s a business, and business news breaking out into the world is hardly unheard of. If you’re interested read: Big Blogger Pay Cuts At b5Media
Here’s the Blog Herald coverage of the issue: B5media Revamps Pay Model, Bloggers Lose Money
Jeremy Wright responded at his own blog: Initial (3am) Response to TechCrunch
I work at b5, and honestly have no concrete comment yet. I’m still considering my own options; trying to work out the math and pay per time spent part of this new structure. That said, I’m sure I’ll be back with some thoughts soon. What I do know is that one of my favorite blogs won’t be worth writing for anymore. Meaning, I’d have to put in too much time for too little pay, which blows, seeing as how I adore this blog. On the upside, that’s not how it’ll be across the board.
Do you work at b5? Do you have an initial take on the the pay structure?
Will I Be Quitting Blogging Anytime Soon?
Miss mind reader Deb just posted an excellent read, Should You Work for Blog Networks? Blogging for others (OR NOT) is what’s been on my mind for weeks now. Ok, longer then weeks. It’s also been on the mind of pretty much every pro-blogger pal I have, and that’s not a huge surprise. In the last year I’ve worked for networks that have closed up shop, networks who are implementing pay reconfigurations that may or may not make it worth my time to even blog anymore, clients who have no clue about blogs, and a couple of pesky clients who forget to pay me each month (until I yet again remind them).
Blogging, which by the way I love, has become sort of cumbersome. At least blogging for others has. At least for now. But quit altogether? I’m not so sure I could do that.
When blogging for others is good, it can be REALLY good. It’s enjoyable to blog for pay, actually see a paycheck on time, and not have to worry about all that back end blog work. When a client or network runs a blog, I don’t have as many worries. No worries about design, or ads, or what to do when the servers flop; it’s a snap to deal, when you don’t have to truly deal with these issues.
My take on the seemingly unsettled and not so reliable blogosphere right now is in line with what Gayla noted in the comments of Deb’s post - “Blogging is a game of chance - some hit big, some don’t.” She also points out that blogging for a network allows you to, “Rub elbows with influential people more often than what independent blogging would allow.” Both those statements are true, and likely why I stick with blogging for others. I’ve landed some pretty major blog/writing gigs based on my past work with other blog networks and clients, plus made plenty of great friends, so in some ways, I feel that even when I’ve been fed up at work, it’s somehow paid off.
In Deb’s post she says, “I’ve been receiving a lot of email lately at my Freelance Writing Jobs blog regarding blog networks. Most want to know if they’re still worth it. Should we continue to blog for someone else, or is it more realistic to create our own blogs and keep all the revenue?”
My answer would be much like Deb’s - no one can make that call for you. For myself, I am at a point in my career where money does matter. I won’t put in long hours or be motivated at the thought of $100 / month for any blog client, because I know I can make more. If I can make more at my own blogs fine. If I can make more by going back to magazine work, well, ok. It’s still writing, and still something I’ll enjoy. I’ll enjoy it at a different level, but all jobs have ups and downs and we all know that writing is especially testy at times.
Knowing the current state of blog networks and client-owed blogs, as a single mama supporting a son, I think that putting all my eggs in the blogging for others basket would be a bad call. I’ve managed to pay all my bills with only blog income for a good long while now, but if I can’t, if blogging for others starts to make my life slide downward, I’ll switch things up.
In the end I think part of being a good freelance writer is the ability to be very flexible. You have to make the market work for you. If one sort of work won’t cut it, then diversifying is the only option. At the very least, diversifying will liven things up.
What do you think? Are all your eggs in one sort of writing basket right now, or are you branching out?
Blogging Wages: How Low Will You Go?
We’re having an interesting discussion at the Performancing Hive forum today about wages. At Freelance Writing Jobs, it’s our policy not to post any gig paying below $10. As one employer pointed out though, a job paying $5 for a post might add up to $10 - $15 per hour if one can write a post in ten to fifteen minutes. I can agree with that.
When deciding whether or not to accept a blogging wage, consider the following:
- How much work is in involved in writing the post.
- Will you be expected to research or interview?
- Are you expected to bring in traffic and promote each post?
If you’re writing a post for fifteen minutes off the top of your head, $5 a pop might not be so terrible. If you’re expected to write a well researched piece and do a lot of heavy promotion to bring in traffic, $5 is a low wage.
Remember, for most blogging gigs more than the actual writing is expected. Many bloggers are also required to build and interact with a community and bring in traffic. Perhaps an hour’s worth or more work for each post. If that’s the case, $5 doesn’t come close.
What do you think? How low will you go?
Blogging (For Others) For Free
Blogging has evolved from being a cool little hobby that might make you a little bit of money to a mega business. Some bloggers report to making six figures or more a year from their own blogs. Other bloggers earn the equivalent of a regular, family-supporting salary as a blogger for hire. Which, of course, is where we fit in.
I came across this post at Gawker called “Volunteer Bloggers, Stop Subsidizing the Entire Internet“, and saved it to talk about here because it speaks to me. It reminds me of when I first started writing online in 2000. When I began looking for places to find freelance writing work I was appalled at how many websites expected writers to work for the glory and exposure. Indeed, writing is the only profession I know of where a potential client or employer expects to get something for nothing. Now I see the same thing happening for bloggers.
Should You Blog for Free?
I’m not talking about guest posts or blogging contests, exchanging guest posts is part of the job and in most cases it’s a fair trade. I’m talking about stocking someone else blog or website with content on a regular basis and receiving nothing in return except for a byline. Meanwhile, as in the case with the AOL bloggers and the Huffington Post, the owners are earning money from advertising.
Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think many employers or webmasters are asking their web hosts to donate free server space. Nor do I believe their webmasters and sales teams are working in exchange for a byline. So why then, is the writer or blogger always the one to get the shaft?
Online is forever
Unlike a magazine or newspaper that is put out to be recycled, your words are online forever. That means there’s a chance folks will be reading your content every single day. In other words, it’s you and your labor who ensured the success of a particular website or blog. If you didn’t take the time to write a post that keeps them coming, if you didn’t take the time to research keywords or subject matter, mingle with the community and form just the right combination of words, there wouldn’t be any reason for anyone to visit said blog. Why then is the blogger not the one to get paid?
What’s in it for you?
Before giving away your work, find out what’s in it for you. Will you really, truly be getting good exposure or is your stint volunteer blogging for Joes Crappy Blog No One Will Read really going to bring you the glory its owner promised?
You deserve to be paid for your hard work. If you’re going to be building up someone else’s blog for free, you may as well create your own blog and collect your own advertising. Isn’t that better than letting someone else get rich from your labor?
Payment is Late: When Should You Worry?
For the first time in years, the first few days of the month have gone by without payment from any of my clients. Normally at least one client can be counted on to pay on the first day of the month, the rest will come within the first week. It’s been a long time since a client tried to rip me off, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t worry. Still, I’m not in the habit of contacting my clients on the second day of the month if payment isn’t received. Before you start panicking and sending around "hey I’m being ripped off" emails, consider the following:
If You work for a Big Network You’re Safe
If you work for a large, high profile network, do you really think they’re going to rip you off? Consider this: If the most prestigious blogging network in the world hasn’t paid you yet, do you think they want the world knowing or do you feel it’s in their best interests to keep you happy? The last thing they want is for the press or other bloggers to think they’re deadbeats. Of course they’re going to pay you. Every now and then there’s a rare occasion when payment is late.I can only count one such occasion in the year I’ve been working for networks and it wasn’t late by much. Networks have money. They’re not in the business of ripping off their bloggers. Before you start emailing everyone in the network, talk to your editor. There’s probably already a note of explanation on the way.
What Does Your Contract Say?
Though you might be paid on the first of the month, your contract might state you’re to be paid within the first two weeks or fifteen days of the month. Your client or network doesn’t have to pay you on a specific date, though it’s a nice courtesy. Read your contract, if it says you’ll be paid within the first week of the month, wait until that week is up before you start sending out the emails or making the phone calls.
When to Bug Your Individual Clients
Individual clients are different, especially ones you just started working with. First check the terms of your contract and wait until the promised payment time has passed. If your agreement says you’ll be paid within the first of the month, wait a day or two after and send a nice note of inquiry. If it’s a trusted client, I usually give it a week or two past due before I start to get a bit nudgy.
Instant Gratification
When I freelanced for print, I received payments months after my piece was published. The web has made us spoiled because of the instant gratification of immediate publication and payment. Still, it’s best to be reasonable. Your client has no intention of stiffing you and probably has a good reason for paying later than normal. Be patient, wait a few a days and send a nice note asking if there’s a problem. Keep it on good terms, as you don’t want your client to be put off by a nasty tone. I know there are ripoffs out there, but I haven’t encountered any in the blogging world.
I hope you don’t either.
Should You Take Advantage of A Media Circus?
I hate when bloggers jump on every single media circus that comes along. It may be smart SEO but to me it looks spammy and needy.
What’s ironic is I posted the words “Hannah Montana” in a post yesterday. However, I had written the post on the weekend and had no clue about the whole Vanity Fair vs. Miley circus that was about to break, honestly, she was the only teen star I could think of when I wrote the post on Saturday. But the whole day I felt like a sell-out.
I work for some clients who urge me to jump on each and every media circus that breaks but I usually don’t. It’s one thing I just don’t do as a blogger. This is partly due to my total non-interest in celebrity events, and most of these media circuses seem to involve celebrities, but more importantly, it has to do with the fact that the topics I blog simply don’t relate. I could make them relate - I’ve done it before, it’s not hard; but again, I think it looks kind of lame.
I expect that if you cover certain kid topics, celebrity topics, or scandal topics that I’d see the whole Miley issue on your blog yesterday. Perhaps several times yesterday, but come on, if you blog about cars or house building, how weird is it going to look to write about this topic? Even if you find a killer slant, it’s going to look completely obvious.
To me, clients pushing hot topics daily is a reasonable request, I get the whole page view issue. If it really relates, sure I’ll post about it, but overall, to me, this is one of the major downsides of problogging. It’s also likely what makes me a less decent employee than some other bloggers, but I guess I’d rather post about the topic I was hired to blog about.
What do you think? Or rather what do you do? Do you jump on each and every media circus that comes to town, or skip it if it doesn’t relate?
Oh, btw, if you’re interested in jumping on events and would like to attempt to make it somewhat less obvious read this post at Performacing - it’s a decent take on this issue.
Using Affiliate Advertising in Your Network Blogs
A few weeks ago, we talked about the different ways blog networks pay. Did you know there are other ways to earn money with network blogs than with base pay and traffic bonuses? Many networks allow you to use affiliate advertising in your blogs. Now, I’m not saying you should go ahead and slap on some ads, but if this idea interests you, do talk to your editors about the possibility of using affiliates.
Here’s a sampling of the affiliates and advertising methods allowed by some networks:
Amazon - Amazon if the most popular affiliate program in use by network bloggers. This can be quite lucrative, especially if you put an ad or link for a book or item pertaining to your day’s topic at the bottom of each post.
All Posters - This was a new one for me, celebrity bloggers might especially enjoy this one. Use one of the poster images from All Posters to illustrate your post. The images are legal to use as long as your affiliate link is there, and you have an image for your blog. It’s win-win.
Video ads - If you use video for your blog, you can sell advertising to appear at the beginning and end of your video. Video sponsors pay handsomely and love the exposure.
Other affiliates - If you sell a particular product and use an affiliate link to sign on others, you might be able to use these in your blog posts providing your not spamming your readers. For instance, I know a food blogger who is allowed to sell cooking items on her blog as long as she’s not pushy or spammy.
Keep in mind…
While affiliates are a good way to earn money with your network blog, you don’t want to do it in a manner where you’ll turn off your readers. If every post is a sales pitch, you’ll find yourself with no traffic. There are subtle ways to advertise. For instance, use your affiliate to illustrate your post. Don’t tell your readers to click or buy. Their eyes will already be drawn to the ad and they can make up their own minds whether or not to buy.
Talk to your editor
If you think your network blog can benefit from affiliate advertising, do check with your editor. Many networks are happy to allow affiliate ads as it motivates their bloggers to action. As long as you don’t turn into a spam blogger, your readers will understand too.
Image: stock.xchnge
