Good start at Postloop

Spain
January 15, 2012 11:19am CST
Until Thursday of last week, I'd never even heard of Postloop. Then I saw a discussion complaining that Postloop had turned a member down because of poor grammar, and that it was a scam site, etc. Being the contrary person I am, I immediately decided that, if the site was so particular about grammar, then I wanted to be involved. I'm a writer, Channel Manager and editor at Helium, and many of us there have seen a drop in our income, due in large part to substandard content which has made Google look unfavourably on the site. Long story short, I posted my 10 posts in the Postloop Portal and was accepted within two hours, although the site said it could take up to 24 hours for acceptance. It's now Sunday, I've been an active Postloop member for 3 days, and I've earned more than $10 - it would have been more, but yesterday was a very busy day, and I couldn't spend much time online. Even more importantly, I've made some useful contacts, joined some great forums and I've been able to introduce a friend to the site who is also doing well. I'm cynical as well as being contrary, and I wasn't about to invest too much effort in Postloop until I could be certain they paid. They do - I cashed out my first $5 (minimum payout) on Friday. So, have you come across Postloop? How is your experience going? And do you agree with their policy of only accepting members who can write good content?
2 people like this
30 responses
• India
15 Jan 12
Hi sandra1952 thank you first and foremost for such great info. I have been hearing about this site for a while now and I have been lazy to check it out.. I will check it out now .. Thank you
3 people like this
• Spain
15 Jan 12
That's what we do here - we help each other out when we see a good opportunity, not just for earning, but for extending our skills and making new friends. Personally, I will never recommend a site unless I've checked it out and assured myself that my MyLot friends can benefit from the experience.
2 people like this
@Nameless_ (1180)
• Australia
22 Jan 12
Yes, postloop is a great site to earn from. I know that there are people that have trouble getting accepted by postloop because of their content. But I am here to help. Feel free to PM me and I will try and get you in.
• India
22 Jan 12
Thank you Sandra.. I just got accepted and have made my first two posts.. 8 cents each!! It seems like a great site.. Cheers
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
15 Jan 12
Hello Sandra and Happy New Year, I believe that you are one of the mylotters who gave me good advice regarding Helium. I have been getting $3 a month for rating. I would not have known of this bonus if it were not for you. I continue to write a little for Helium when I have time which is not very often. But I am now more familiar with the site and liking it. I was not familiar with Postloop until I read your discussion. I will check it out but I am focusing on writing for Yahoo! Voices, Triond and Helium at this time. I believe that any site has the right to set its own policies and rules as long as it is ethical, non-discrimanatory and legal.
• Spain
15 Jan 12
Hello, Phil. Happy New Year to you too. As I said before, if I can help anyone, I will, so I'm glad I put you on to the extra $3 a month at Helium. It's not a fortune, but it all mounts up. As you say, the site is entitled to set its own quality standards - especially now, when substandard sites are taking a big ratings hit.
1 person likes this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
15 Jan 12
I have not seen it mentioned much recently (but I might have missed many posts too due to absence) but I do remember a lot being said about it when it first appeared. Some were complaining that it was 'too strict' but as you suggest, that serves a purpose. Please keep us informed as to how you fare there and put it together with the other site that you are going to explain to me when I eventually get back online again like before
2 people like this
• Spain
15 Jan 12
Hello again today, Diana. Like many of us here, I need to earn money, but first and foremost, I'm a writer, and the most important thing is that I write the best I can, and that I don't compromise my integrity by working on sites whose standards are lower than my own, just for the money. As I've said before, the day I write just for the money, is the day people stop reading my work, because it just won't be worth reading. We have a date, Diana - never mind finding a job in Italy, with your experience of life and your way with words, we can get you earning out there.
1 person likes this
15 Jan 12
You know I'm on there. My experience has been pleasant, to say the least. I joined to see how it worked, really, but found it a very enjoyable way to earn. The pay SUCKS as a writing salary, of course, but it's a lot more fun than articles. I haven't cashed out: I'm using my points for my own forum, to generate some interest and content. That's working out really well, too - everyone who's joined has been top-quality (as you know - you're one of them) and very much worth the points! To be honest, I was surprised at the quality, since I've seen some of the rubbish that gets posted on other forums using Postloop. Pleasantly surprised!
1 person likes this
• Spain
15 Jan 12
Hello, Spike. Actually, it was your comments on Postloop in someone else's discussion that directed me over there. As you say, the pay - although good compared to other similar sites - is poor for the quality that they expect, but it is great fun. Thanks for that ringing endorsement. While we're handing out the bouquets, I must say that the reason your forum is doing so well is because it's so well organised, and you rule it with a firm but fair hand, while making it such a welcoming place for us. We're not allowed to self promote on here, but I'm telling all of you writers who are serious about your craft to contact Spike about his forum. There's a lot of great advice, support and encouragement there.
@boyuancy (1708)
• India
16 Jan 12
Agreed Sandra, the forum is very well organized. More than that, I think the members that have joined Spike's forum are really into writing and are the ones interested. So, it prevents them from going getting distracted and are concentrating on topics worth discussing.
• Spain
16 Jan 12
Hello, Boyuancy. You're right - if the forum members are interested in the topic, it makes for a great forum, and most of us over there are really into our writing. So much so that when someone who obviously wasn't a committed writer posted the other day his post stuck out like a sore thumb from all the others, which are so motivating and encouraging.
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
4 Jul 12
Sandra, how are you? How are things going now with Postloop? Is it a site you would recommend? Things are rather dismal at Helium compared to what they used to be.
1 person likes this
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
20 Aug 12
I don't know why I am just seeing this now... How was your trip? Your Postloop earnings are impressive; I may have to look into the program!
• Spain
21 Aug 12
Well, we spent 4 weeks in the UK and had just 4 dry days - the rest was cold and wet. However, we caught up on family things, so it was a good trip. Got back here, and temperatures were in the 40s - talk about from one extreme to another! I've sent through some info on Postloop - it continues to earn well for me, and I've also picked up some freelance gigs from the contacts I've made. It's fun as well, which is always a bonus.
• Spain
17 Jul 12
Hello, Canellita - sorry I'm so late getting back to you. We've just got back from a trip to the UK, so I haven't been around very much. Yes, I agree with you about Helium - maybe the new update in the fall will make a difference, although I'm not holding my breath. I actually concentrate on Postloop these days, because I can earn around $80 a month just by spending an hour or so each day on there. That's more than I've been earning on Helium, and I don't have to write articles to do it. I can send you a link if you want to give Postloop a try, together with some tips for getting started. Great to catch up with you again.
@runi1024 (126)
• United States
15 Jan 12
there are so many of these sites out there. I know that I have good grammar but my problem has always been that I just can't find what to write about. I shall check them out, I recently looked at iwriter, but was not so impressed their site. At least most of the users posting for articles gave the most vague descriptions as to what they wanted an article to be about that I had to give up before I began. But I'll check this one out because I'm always looking for ways to improve my writing skills.
1 person likes this
• Spain
15 Jan 12
Hello, Runi. If you find problems finding what to write about, this could be just the thing to inspire you. When I first came to MyLot, I found lots of ideas for articles - often just from a single point within a discussion. If you are articulate, you can put together good posts, and some of the feedback could well give you ideas for articles. One site that may help with your particular problem is Helium. There are literally thousands of titles to write to - some of them with incentive payments attached, and all with revenue share. Might be worthwhile for you to take a look. If you're not sure about Helium, take a look at some of the discussions in the Helium interest to find out more.
@runi1024 (126)
• United States
15 Jan 12
Thank you for the pointers and I will be sure to look into it! I have been wondering about Helium for a while but have been getting mixed reviews.
@runi1024 (126)
• United States
16 Jan 12
Yes I understand that they are different sites. I was just stating based on Sandra's comments about helium that we we no longer talking about post loop. I created an account on iwriter but after looking at all their assignments and their payments have not submitted anything and have thus been looking for a better place. Right now I'm trying out helium as per sandras suggestion. I'm not sure that I'm going to look in to textbroker only because I have been trying out a few too many sites in the past week or so. Indeed to find one thing to focus on and stick with it in order to make some extra cash. Thank you again for your suggestions.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
16 Jan 12
I have joined postloop and I am still trying to get the hang of it. I am a little slow when it comes to following some instructions so I am taking my time. I am trying to get additional traffic and earnings on my blog. My blog has a small audience and I don't get anything much and my earnings have been stuck for quite some time now.
• Spain
16 Jan 12
Hello, Anne. Yes, it is a little involved, because you have to remember to do things in the exact order, or you won't get paid. It's not enough to just register with the forums, you have to subscribe as well to link them to your Postloop account. I find it's easiest to work from the 'my subscriptions' page, because that also tells you how many posts you have made, and how many you have left until you reach your daily limit. Remember to add a signature to your posts to drive traffic to your blog.
@rusale (647)
• Philippines
16 Jan 12
Hello Sandra. I don't know how that site goes. Can you tell me how like in the blog and forum. I don't understand it well.
@abhi_bangal (3686)
• India
17 Jan 12
OMG Sandra, this is a big big discussion and very helpful for me. I just saw the number of responses and there are many people commenting on a single response as well. That will take me a while to read and digest as I will do it later in the night. This is very important discussion for me. But in the meantime, I need to know a few things from you. I joined postloop and have made 2 posts only. I will do the rest and wait for the approval. But I want to know how many words should be there in our response to a discussion. I mean, the posts you wrote and submitted for review were of how many words? Please let me know any important points if you feel like contributing.
1 person likes this
• India
17 Jan 12
Hi Sandra, thanks for that valuable input regarding what I write in the post. I have heard and read at various places that just "nice", "good" kind of words are not welcome. I was a member of a forum which asked members to have at least 10 words in the response. Now, these 10 words can also be a filler content. So, that is a valuable info for me on what I should actually say in my posts. And that non-stress is also a good addition to what you said. The thoughts should flow like water in the river rather than being forced to say something. Thanks again.
• Spain
17 Jan 12
Hello, Abhi_bangal. Yes, it does seem to have attracted a lot of responses, doesn't it? And my friends are all notorious for jumping into each other's boxes with multiple responses, but as you say, it does make for interesting and informative discussions. To business, then. The main requirement of Postloop is that your grammar is good, and I can see from this post that you will be fine as far as that's concerned. As to the length of posts, there is no real word count requirement, but the posts must say something other than 'thank you for your response,' or 'I agree with everything you say.' I'm sure you get the picture. If you post around 3 - 4 sentences minimum, with something to say in every sentence that's on topic, you'll be approved, I'm sure. Think the type of posts you make for MyLot, and don't stress out about it too much, because that may come through in your posts. The reason I started this discussion was because I wanted people to realise that Postloop is neither a scam site, nor a site that makes unreasonable demands of its members. All Postloop wants is quality posts, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, in my opinion. Let me know how you get on, and come back to me if I can help with anything else.
@crossbones27 (48434)
• Mojave, California
22 Jan 12
What I don't like about the site is that it takes to long for people to respond. Plus there is very little back and forth. People just state their opinions and move on to the next topic. I do a lot better when people will actually have a discussion.
1 person likes this
• Spain
23 Jan 12
Yes, it does happen that people move on to other discussions. I think some people think that they will only get paid for their first post to a thread, but that's not the case. In fact, if you keep a discussion going, you're likely to get a better rating from the forum owner.
@Triple0 (1904)
• Australia
16 Jan 12
I was pretty amazed when I found this site and the payment was so good so I took my chances. I did my ten posts but I wasn't very careful with my grammar as I underestimated them. I posted how I usually always post of any forum but I was too careless that I didn't edit my posts or read over them. I was so sad when I got rejected, I thought it would be easy but guess not. Lots of money requires effort. My account is closed now, I don't think I can try again, can you? I heard someone did try again and got accepted but I think those 10 posts that I made were my last chance. I'm quite happy with Mylot and other forum sites that I earn from. At least they don't judge you how well your grammar is. You got approved real fast and you have experience as an editor so no wonder you got in so easily. But still, how can good grammar compare to good knowledge? Someone may be a very good writer but doesn't have the knowledge and the same the other way around.
1 person likes this
• Spain
16 Jan 12
Hello, Triple0. I agree with you that good writers may not have the knowledge, and of course, it works the opposite way as well. However, I think this drive for higher standards is a direct consequence of the former practice of allowing anyone to post anything, with no checks for quality or accuracy. The point is that people can learn how to write well, and they can research facts for knowledge-based articles and posts. The problems arise when people don't want to produce quality work, and this is why such standards are necessary. You can try Postloop again - they do allow people who have been rejected to apply again, and as long as you check for typos and grammar, you should get in.
@unique16 (1531)
• United States
9 Feb 12
I do not feel so bad getting rejected at Postloop yesterday. I may try again later. I did check my spelling mistakes but the grammar was what took me down. I got 2.2 as a rating. What was your rating to get accepted? Just curios that is all. It seems like a fun site and I wish I was on there. Oh well maybe next time. My account was closed as well. I was not sure if was able to try again. Thanks for the tip. I do like Mylot and other places I write for too. I also made sure my answers were at least 3 sentences long etc. and used descriptive words too. Sincerely Unique16
@Vrilya (128)
16 Jan 12
Thanks for the heads up, I might give it a try. Do they want you to write in American English or British English? (I may have to brush up on my American usage, if it is the former)
1 person likes this
• Spain
16 Jan 12
Hello, Vrilya. It's okay to write in either - whatever you're comfortable with. The forums are international.As long as your English and grammar is up to scratch, you'll be fine.
@Vrilya (128)
16 Jan 12
Thanks for the information ;-)
@Vrilya (128)
18 Jan 12
I signed up for postloop and put ten posts on their portal as requested, will have to wait and see if I get accepted as a content writer. I noticed that they have rejected people,who although they had good grammar, did not write enough in response to the thread topic. How do you get paid on there? do you have to earn x amount of points and then cash those in?
1 person likes this
• Spain
18 Jan 12
Hello, Vrilya. I'm sure you'll be fine - your grammar is okay, and you know how to post on topic. Payment is by points that you convert to cash. 100 points converts to $5, and that's the minimum payout. You can cash out at any time, but Paypal takes a commission from the payment, so it's best to leave it to mount up. They definitely pay - whenever I join a new site, I always cash out at minimum payout, just to make sure they're legitimate, and Postloop are.
@Vrilya (128)
18 Jan 12
Thanks for the intel. I do a lot of posting on forums, so I may as well get paid for putting my £0.02 in......
@rusale (647)
• Philippines
16 Jan 12
Wow. This discussion is really nice because it makes me read all the responses you've got from this topic. I haven't heard about this website and thanks for sharing about it. I'm gonna take a look at this site later. I think Postloop is really great and I think I won't be accepted there because I really don't have a good background in the field of writing. I still don't know in what field I'm really good. The way you write your discussion and your responses makes me think that I am way too far to be accepted in Postloop. But I'll just give it a try.
1 person likes this
• Spain
16 Jan 12
Hello, Rusale. It's worth a try, because the posts you'll be writing are not as demanding as writing an article, and it's good practice, which will help improve your writing and discover if you have a real feel for it. Thank you for your kind comments about my writing. However, I should point out that I am an experienced writer, with over 1700 articles online, and it's through writing those articles that I've improved my writing to the stage where I get a lot of really positive feedback. If I can make a small suggestion, which I hope you'll understand is not intended as criticism, but to improve your chances of acceptance? If you do apply to Postloop, try not to use expressions like 'wow' or contractions like 'gonna' in your test posts. While this is fine here at MyLot, it's likely to get you rejected at Postloop. Certainly your spelling, sentence construction and grammar is good enough, so give it a try.
@rusale (647)
• Philippines
16 Jan 12
Thanks for inspiring me and for giving me some tips. I will register to it now because I'm not busy anymore.
• Philippines
22 Jan 12
Hi Sandra! I joined postloop awhile ago, and I already made my ten required posts. I mostly concentrated on topics I really liked, so I really hope that I didn't sound too stiff on my posts! One concern that I currently have is that I missed out on creating new threads - I was having so much fun answering existing ones that I reached my required ten posts in no time, and I completely forgot to create a new thread! I got the email stating that my posts were being reviewed around 1 hour ago, and I can't help but be worried. I really hope that I get accepted, because I feel like I have a lot to offer in the forums. Anyway, I tried signing in to postloop portal a few minutes ago, and I was a bit surprised to see that I couldn't log in anymore. According to the site, I wasn't a member. I tried checking my email to see if I've been rejected, but I haven't gotten any email yet. So yes. This is my postloop story so far. I know I sound completely paranoid, so I'm really sorry for that!
1 person likes this
• Spain
22 Jan 12
Hello, Thresholdofreality, and a warm welcome to MyLot. Let me put your mind at rest and tell you that I didn't create any threads either, for the same reasons as you. I found lots to respond to, and really enjoyed doing it. When I got my email confirming membership, it said I should consider creating threads, and they gave me a good rating, as well as a great boost to the ego. It can take up to 24 hours to approve your application, and until then, you won't be able to log in. You need to consider time differences, and the fact that this is a weekend. My approval came through in a couple of hours. I applied on a midweek day from Europe, but a friend who registered last weekend took around 10 hours to get approval, and a friend in Thailand, which has a 7 hour time difference, had to wait almost 18 hours. If you enjoyed responding to the posts, and your grammar was as good as it is in this post, I don't think you have anything to worry about - just be patient. Let me know how you get on.
• Philippines
23 Jan 12
Hi again, Sandra. I did it! I got accepted to postloop, and I've now joined a number of forums. If it's alright, can you please recommend some forums that I would maybe like to join? Thank you so much for your encouragement! And yes, the acceptance and the rating really boosted my ego. ;)
1 person likes this
• Spain
23 Jan 12
That's great news - well done! I don't know what your interests are, so that makes it difficult to recommend forums. I'm interested in fitness and health, so I've joined the Fat Loss Forums, Best Health and Smart Health. The Half Hogger is a good freelance writing forum, and JustMoreTravel is pretty good if you're interested in travel and geography. Remember to subscribe to the forums before you post to ensure you get paid. I always log in from the subscripton page, as that also tells you when you reach your daily post limit. Good luck!
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
15 Jan 12
Hi Sandra, nice going. I am sure being a writer, a seasoned one, Postloop is happy to have you in their list of star writers. I've heard of this site but never attempted to peep into this site for fear that I could not meet their high expectations. Getting paid early is good start for you and proof the critics wrong that Postloop is a scam site. Maybe disgruntled members who had their works rejected started all the rumors about this site being a scam site.
• Philippines
16 Jan 12
I think you are reading my post about my experienced that i was rejected because of my poor grammar. I am the one,sad that i was disapproved and wish i am,so continue on that site earn more.
1 person likes this
• Spain
16 Jan 12
Hello, Befrindwithme. Actually, there are several discussions about this, so I can't remember who actually posted the topic I read. Don't be discouraged - just practice your English grammar, and it will improve. Obviously it's easier for people whose first language is English, but believe me, I know English people whose grasp of grammar is terrible. Keep trying and you will get there.
@phillyguy (3005)
• Philippines
16 Jan 12
hi sandra! Everytime I see postloop being mentioned in the discussions I feel bad because I let a good opportunity passed by because I messed up in the "trial forum". I don't take it seriously and just try to finish the required 10 posts as fast as I can. The first time I visit the site I wrote 8 posts (wasn't able to make it to ten for some reasons) and after that I forgot about it because I've been busy working the following days. I think I visited the site again after a week or two and the worse thing is I posted in the same discussion/topic with almost exactly the same post.
• Spain
16 Jan 12
Hello, Phillyguy. I think that's the trouble - people think that there's no need to take forum posting sites seriously. However, the people who own the forums are looking for quality posts, and they look to sites like Postloop to provide them, so everyone needs to sharpen up their skills if they want to be accepted. Try again - Ryan, the owner of Postloop, is very fair, if exacting. In your position, I'd send him a private email saying what you've just told me - that you didn't prepare well for the trial posts and you'd like another chance. That sounds better than saying you didn't take it seriously.
@boyuancy (1708)
• India
16 Jan 12
My Postloop experience has been amazing, I have cashed out almost $35+ from there. I was also accepted very early, and I want to be more active there. I'm not so active because most of my favorite sites are offline as of now. So, yes, that's pretty much it. I make a few posts there, wish I did more.
1 person likes this
• Spain
16 Jan 12
Hello, Boyuancy. I had a couple of notifications that sites were inactive at the moment. However, reading through Postloop's FAQs, it can happen that sites are inactive for a while, so they may be back online again. It may be worth checking the list of forums, because since I joined on Thursday, several new ones have been added. I've earned around $15 since Thursday, which I am very happy with, because I have other editing and writing commitments, and I was very busy over the weekend. The best thing about it though is that it's fun, and it makes a change from article writing when you feel you need a break. I've also met some really nice people around the forums - including you.
@angelako (280)
• Italy
16 Jan 12
I want to join there but on my grammar,for sure i am not qualified.I am not rich in english grammar,what i only have is so much little that allows people understand what i said.Its a good opportunity but bad for those who are not qualified.Hope someday i cna improve my writing skills,but if not maybe there are some other opportunities out there like mylot.
1 person likes this
• Spain
16 Jan 12
Hello, Angelako. The best way to improve your English grammar is to use it as much as possible. Not all opportunities are suitable for everyone, but keep working at the grammar, and you will be able to take more advantage of the opportunities that come your way.
@Luciano63 (157)
• France
19 Jan 12
Hi you know what? I never heard about postloop but after reading your story I feel I should try. I know that my english could be a problem, but I'll try anyway. thanks!
• Spain
19 Jan 12
Hello, Luciano, and welcome to MyLot. From this post, I think your English is probably good enough, although I would advise you to make slightly longer posts - at least 3 - 4 lines. Also, check for any typos before you post, and avoid using phrases such as 'you know what?' Make sure your sentences are properly structured. Please don't think I'm criticising your post - I'm just advising that if you post like that in your test posts you may not be accepted. Once you are accepted, it's fine to be more informal, in fact some forums prefer it. However, in order to be accepted, you need to meet Postloop's exacting standards. I'm sure you will, and I hope to see you around the forums.