$280 for a marketplace article in Helium
By scheng1
@scheng1 (24650)
Singapore
September 6, 2009 2:14am CST
I seldom check out the marketplace article since I'm not really keen to write and give up all rights to an article.
Yesterday I checked out the forum in Helium, and came across a discussion thread about the $280 offer for a marketplace article.
This publisher is very clear about what they want. The title is How the SME can gain competitive advantage through technology. The article length is 2,000 to 2,500 words. There is no submission yet.
Some of the other marketplace articles pay $80.
I think Helium is getting more and more higher-level publishers to use Helium as content source. I hope Helium can make more money and increases the upfront payment for us.
5 people like this
11 responses
@bing28 (3795)
• Philippines
6 Sep 09
A pretty good amount, how I wish to join this site but afraid couldn't come up to their expectation of a good writer, thats why just stay with mylot and other sites with a much simple expectation.
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
6 Sep 09
Don't let that put you off, as Helium is a great training ground for writers. There are so many topics you can write to, and Helium has a mentoring scheme to help members improve their writing. Go ahead and join. Not all the writers on Helium are high standard, and you will certainly learn a lot from other members.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
6 Sep 09
Hi Bing, that is obviously the first and only publisher to pay so high for an article.
Most of the writers in Helium earn upfront payment according to the number of writing stars. The rate starts from 50 cents per article to $2.50 per article. The rating system in Helium is challenging to newbie. It's hard to maintain a writing score high enough to get upfront payment.
You can probably check the requirement in Helium, and understand the system before joining. You can also start writing elsewhere before venturing into Helium.
1 person likes this
@mommaj (23112)
• United States
6 Sep 09
If Helium can increase their upfront payment without the nonsense of other people rating the articles, I will certainly start writing more on there. It looks like the marketplace is good to make money from but if you don't have credentials then there is no point to writing for Helium.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
6 Sep 09
Hi Mommaj, some marketplace publishers specifically want certain professionals to write for them, that's why the credentials or professional badge comes into picture.
But for most marketplace publishers, they are opened to all writers. This particular publisher is more specific in the core concepts they want in an article. I wont be writing for that. I think at this pay rate, there will be many writers writing.
I dont like the idea of writing a 2,000 words article, and then get just $2 upfront payment. It's seem like a waste of time if not selected by the publisher.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
6 Sep 09
haha Mommaj, if you copy the title, write the article with 2,000 words and submit to AC, I think they will give you $10 for the article.
But then you can continue to make performance bonus from the article. The publisher wants some keywords in the article that will attract many viewers. Maybe you can "steal" the keywords and write articles about them.
1 person likes this
@AnythngArt (3302)
• United States
11 Sep 09
I saw this after you first mentioned it, then I forgot about it until yesterday. Well, today is the last day to submit an article, and I just don't have enough time to submit an article. It requires research, although I did find out about some of the terms and some I knew. But I would have to get updated on "cloud computing," which is a new concept.
Still, I love your suggestion to MommaJ to steal the key words and then write some articles for AC. I may just do that! I like writing about business, although I don't do it much (I like books, art, and travel more!).
Now if I only liked shingles. They are so many Marketplace articles on that!
@AnythngArt (3302)
• United States
12 Sep 09
That's smart thinking. Constant Content would be a good place to submit it. I think I should really get over there. I know about the site, but have never used it. Do you use that, Scheng?
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Sep 09
Hi Art, I was kicked out of Constant-Content. The English standard is too high. My grammar does not meet their standard.
Mommaj is even funnier. She was kicked over "commas". It seems that a single mistake in the usage of comma is not acceptable too.
Constant-Content has a three-strikes and you are out rule. Be careful, just submit one of your best articles, then wait for a day or two.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Sep 09
Hi Art, that marketplace article requires more than 2,000 words with a few keywords.
I think each of the keyword is enough for one article of 400 words.
I know some Helium writers use the Marketplace titles, write articles and then sell it in Constant-Content. They reasoned correctly that if one publisher interested in a particular title, other publishers would be equally interested.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
6 Sep 09
I signed up for Helium awhile back but couldn't get anything published--I don't remember what the trouble was but it wouldn't accept my article, something about the amount of characters. I couldn't get any help from the support staff or by posting about it so I gave up.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
7 Sep 09
Hi Dragon54u, Helium has a minimum word count of 400 words, and 2,400 characters.
That means when you are using short words in a sentence, such as "I am going home." That will be a word count of 4, and character count of 12.
If the usage of words are short, you may meet the minimum word count requirement, but does not meet the minimum character count requirement.
The best is to run a word count in MS Word before submission.
By the way, check carefully before writing to any title. Helium doesnt pay for some categories. In eligible categories, only the first five articles will get paid.
1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
6 Sep 09
Hello, Scheng. Wow, that's real writer's money. A few of those payouts, and we could be up in the Rich Lists! I think the changes Helium have made recently have improved their reputation. I've certainly earned more, and if anything, I'm not writing anywhere near so much for Helium, as I host 2 blogs and spend a lot of time on MyLot, as well as editing a community newsletter where I live. I must go and check this out. Like you, I don't write much for Marketplace, as I'm not prepared to give up article rights for $20 or $30. For $280, I'd deliver it in a tutu and read out the article standing on my head!
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
6 Sep 09
Hi Sandra, if the publisher is paying for a topic that I can write without much research, then I will go ahead and write.
I dont have any knowledge about SME and some of the terms that this publisher mention. I doubt I want to spend time doing research and write a long article, just to have it rejected, and made $2 in upfront payment.
At this rate, I think many writers will spend hours writing. I'm not keen to compete with them.
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
10 Nov 09
Wow, $280 is a really big amount for an article.
I wonder how stringent the criteria is when it comes to getting paid for the article.
It is never easy to write if you are under pressure to perform.
To write an article deserving of the $280 reward, a lot of research have to be done to ensure that the article is relating technologies that are relevant to the topic.
It is going to be really tough to get paid for that offer.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
10 Nov 09
Hi ahgong, I never bother to try writing. If the publisher does not choose the article, the kill fee is only $0.50 to $2.50 depending on the writing stars for that month.
It's not worth the effort to write 2,000 words just for $1 or $1.50. Even the passive income of a dollar per month does not make it worthwhile. The coursework for degree course is around 2,500 to 3,000 words, and that was already brain draining.
1 person likes this
@wondericequeen (7876)
• Hong Kong
18 Feb 10
I seldom checked the marketplace too, but sometimes I do find some good paying titles which need to be written. I just got back to all the money making sites and I have to spend some serious time with helium since I have not been there for around 1.5 years or so.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
3 Mar 10
Hi Wondericequeen, Helium evolves. I think you will find that Helium is very different from 1.5 years ago.
I think most writers do not want to write to marketplace too. Many publishers are very specific about their requirements, and narrow down the selection of writers. Some publishers want only practicing doctors or professionals to submit articles. I doubt the professionals are free to submit articles to marketplace.
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
11 Mar 10
Not bad, eh.. Helium is getting better, though I still am not coming back after I have received my first payout. But I do have to say that there are some good writers there, no doubt about it. Whew, whoever gets the $280 is really something. Good luck to those trying. You aren't going to write, Scheng? Just try..who knows..
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
29 Sep 09
I am not going to do any real research for articles on helium or AC or any site that is not offering me some real money. It's just pointless to me based on what I have earned in the past. I am not interested in spending all that time putting something together only to have another competitive article chosen.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
29 Sep 09
Hi Canellita, same here, that's why I dont even bother to look closely at the requirement.
Of all the keywords, the one I am very comfortable in using is "competitive advantages." This set of keywords happen to be the examination questions in many business related topic, and we have to talk about Michael Porter, and give some examples.
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
29 Sep 09
The things we have to go through in life just to earn a little money!
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
29 Sep 09
I saw that high paying article and I truly wished I had the expertise to compose the article! I have yet to find a high enough paying marketplace title that was worth the effort of competing and seeing my writing score drop.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
29 Sep 09
Hi Canellita, I think it's better to get the keywords, and write a few articles based on the keywords.
In this case, you may submit them as new articles.
The risk of not getting select by the publisher is very high. Once the publisher selects one article and rejects the rest, the other writers will only earn the upfront according to the number of writing stars. I think it's not worth the effort to do the research, write 2,000 words just to make $1 or $2.
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
29 Sep 09
Now that is odd. How did my response end up in a new post?
