how to get paid to blog
Post on 17-Oct-2014
6.048 views
DESCRIPTION
A brief presentation from WordCamp Birmingham 2008.TRANSCRIPT
Merging your work lifewith your blog life
By David GrinerAdFreak.comTheSocialPath.com
Rejected topics
Rejected topics• “Career opportunities for
the sarcastic slacker”
Rejected topics• “Get rich
or die bloggin”
Rejected topics• “Why I use
TypePad”
About Me• Huntsville native• Spent 10 years in journalism• Now work for Luckie & Co. and write
for AdFreak.com
About Luckie• Advertising / digital / PR agency• Clients include:
AT&T Regions Bank Blue Cross
Little Debbie Alabama Tourism Express Oil Change
Asheville Tourism ACIPCO The Virginia Samford
About The Social Path
About AdFreak• Advertising and
pop culture blog• Started by Adweek
in 2004• Technorati Rank 2,877
Becoming a paid blogger• My story• Ben Popken’s story
“Special thanks to Joel Johnson's mom.If she hadn't found my post mocking her son I probably wouldn't have the new job.”
—Ben Popken, Feb. 16, 2006
Pros of freelancingo Schedule your own timeo Stockpile blog posts in advanceo Decent extra payo Very minor level of celebrityo Opportunities for guest
editing/postingo Work in your underwear
Cons of freelancingo Most people suck at time
managemento You’ll starveo No benefits or securityo Can mess with your taxeso Easy to lose steamo Neighbors get tired of seeing you
in your underwear.
Finding the right blogo You’re probably already reading ito Who owns it?o How many writers?o What's the output?
Getting the gigo Get to know the writers or editorso Comment often under the same
nameo Write response posts on your blogo If you like the site, help drive traffic
there
Asking for the jobo No harm in asking about openingso Always write at least three sample
posts that they could run that dayo Make sure your e-mail is
colon-rupturing in its awesomeness
Asking for the jobo Get across your enthusiasm for the
blogo Talk about how it has evolvedo Say why they need you
Asking for the jobo What are they missing?
Is it your background? Your gender? Your location? Your traffic? Your raw sex appeal?
How much will it pay?o Not much
How much will it pay?o Pay per post:
$5-$30 a piece At 5 posts a week, that’s
$1,300-$7,800 a year Pros: Steady, decent pay Cons: No bonuses for traffic hikes
How much will it pay?o Revenue sharing model:
Based on advertising or page views
Pros: Good pay for popular posts Cons: Lots of dry spells
How much will it pay?o The Gawker model:
Salary for a required number of posts per week.
Plus bonus based on pageviews, relative to your site
Other salary sites offer occasional
ad revenue sharing.
Get creativeo Develop your own ideas for bonus
pay: Manage the Twitter feed Update the blog's Facebook
pages Do blogger outreach/PR
Social media as a career
Social media as a careero Pros:
Fun Growing exponentially Few rules You can make a big difference
Social media as a career
What could you be doing?
o Training coworkers on social mediao Maintaining company feedso Doing online outreacho Creating an online voice for your
business
Why you?o You know how to do it right—and
wrongo You have what's still a rare skillo You have initiative
Laying the foundationo Write at least one blog you don't
mind your boss seeingo Offer to do a training luncho Help coworkers set up Google alertso Teach the practical benefits of social
mediao No luck? Find another job.