Almost any experienced or wanna-be Internet marketer has heard about article marketing. After writing articles on the topic of your choice, you submit these articles to various article directories and content sharing web sites. If done right, this benefits you in two ways.
First, the directories will all have some provision for you to include a link back to your web site. A certain percentage of readers will click on that link and land directly on your site. At this point, your site visitors may purchase your products, sign up for your mailing list or take whatever action you are hoping for.
Second, this strategy benefits you because many of the article directories provide a valuable, do-follow link to your site. The existence of do-follow links makes your site more appealing to the search engines. Your site ranks higher in the search results because you have back links. It’s a little like a high school popularity contest. If Google thinks the cool kids like you (i.e. other web sites) then you must be cool yourself, so you get a better ranking.
There is a third benefit to submitting articles. Several publishing sites allow you to make money directly, either through paying you for the articles you write or by sharing advertising and affiliate revenue with you.
Your First Step to Getting Paid for Writing
To make cash directly from these publishers that are listed below, you must first sign up for free accounts with the following:
Amazon Affiliate Program
Many of the content sharing sites provide a means for you to promote Amazon products on or by your articles.
eBay Partner Network
Some sites allow you to promote eBay products. As of September, 2009, you now get paid for every visitor you send to eBay, in addition to a commission for every item purchased through your link.
Google Adsense
Many content sharing sites share their Google Adsense revenue with you -- but first you have to have an account.
Google pays you by check or by money transfer into your bank account.
Paypal
Some publishers pay you by transferring the money into your Paypal account. Need I say more?
Sites that Make you Money
Once you have your accounts set up with the Amazon, eBay, Google Adsense and Paypal, you are ready to start posting content.
You can make money from all of the the following publishers.
Associated Content
Associated Content pays you cash (via Paypal) for assigned articles you have written as well as for videos and slide shows of images. Once you sign up (free), you can respond to requests for articles. The amount paid per article varies, with $10 or $20 being a typical sum. Additionally, you receive extra payment based on the number of views that your article, video or slide show generates.
You will not get rich writing for this publisher, but if you simply want to bring in a little extra cash, this is one good way to do it.
Squidoo
At Squidoo, you create “lenses” using the system’s lens building technology. A lens can contain any number of cool components – text, videos, images, polls, countdown clocks, RSS feeds, blog and news feeds, weather widgets, sports widgets and many more.
You can also create links to your web sites or for affiliate products if you choose.
You can choose to add modules promoting products from Amazon, eBay, CafePress and various others. When someone makes a purchase through one of these links, Squidoo pays you 50% of the revenue they generate. They donate 5% to charity and keep 45% to cover their own operating expenses.
If your earnings in a given month exceed $10, you are paid via Paypal.
Some people earn a good sum of cash every month from Squidoo.
Fortitude
Fortitude describes itself as an online and daily magazine that publishes content contributed by members. It is NOT an article directory. The articles are written for human readers rather than to attract search engines.
Fortitude pays members a sum of money for articles that are voted to the front page. This sum ranges from $10 to $100.
There is also an affiliate program if you want to help recruit members and writers.
Blogger.com
You create a blog using the site's blogging technology. You can add text, pictures, links and various other components. Affiliate links are permitted, but use moderation. Blogger now allows you to add Amazon links and Google Adsense links.
You are paid directly from Google or Amazon.
Tips and a Warning
This list is by no means inclusive. Undoubtedly there are many more similar services out there, and more will become available as time passes.
Always be sure to read the editorial guidelines and the terms of service at any content sharing site or article directory. All of these publishers listed above have strict guidelines regarding what you can and cannot submit. Their guidelines are reasonable and serve a good purpose. Ignore them at your own risk.
Also, be aware that the information provided above is accurate at the date of this writing. However, the sites may change their policies in the future.
Remember, the TOS is your friend.
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Contributor's Note
Check the TOS of this very web site. They could have been included in the list but the TOS bars me from mentioning the name. :-)
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