Not to brag, but, I’ve been around the block a couple times
I have made the rounds in online writing circles, and, at one time or another, my work has appeared on almost every content writing site out there.
I spent almost two years writing home improvement how-tos, and earned a pretty good living at it. Although they took down my bylines, a big chunk of main how-to sites were my work. Ha. So, when I say Crowd Content is refreshing, I know whereof I speak.
When I first took a look at Crowd Content, I wasn’t too sure if I really wanted to enroll as a writer. After all, rates are a little lower than I like, and the work seems a little slim, at least at the bottom of the stack, but all in all, my experience has been incredibly positive!
Here are five things I have learned, and I am sure there is so much more to come!
1. Work Goes Quick!
I have found that by the time I even see the email listing the projects that have been added at my quality level, it is probably too late. I did manage to pick one plum $20 blog post the other day, but with a limit of one, it’s pretty tough competition!
2. The Crowd Content Site Is One of the Most User Friendly Writer Interfaces I Have yet to Use
This is the first piece I have actually composed inside the writing interface, but it seems effective and simple. I like the fact that it is one big word processing window, instead of a series of dialog boxes, each with their own failure rate.
The profile, job center, and community sections are well laid out and easy to navigate. Things seem to be in a logical place, and everything is grouped well. A few sites I have worked for were built like an old house, with pages added on creating pools of duplicate and similar content that were hard to navigate when you needed information.
3. Getting Input Direct From the Client is Nice
While I have to admit that I learned more from the editors at my first full time article gig, getting direction straight from the end user is much better.
Many of the editors on other systems are highly inconsistent, and although they say they get articles at random, once one does not like you, it’s hard to win them back.
I really like being treated like a professional, after all, I do have my own clients, as I am sure most of you do as well.
4. Transparency in the Ratings System
Crowd Content has done several things right, and, in my opinion, one of them is their ratings system.
While I am sure there are intricacies that I have yet to appreciate, the idea that producing a certain number of pieces at a certain quality level will gain you a raise in rates is great!
Most other systems I have come across have a fair amount of mystery involved in who gets the “good stuff”. They always claim it is for excellence in writing, but after turning in, and getting paid for, hundreds of assignments in a row with no corrections, one has to wonder.
5. Validation and Community Are Important
I had been out of the saddle for a while. I spent about twenty years as a carpenter, and every now and then when writing work gets slow, I pick up my hammer and go back to work. So, even though I am a seasoned veteran, I was understandably nervous about turning in my first assignment. It turned out great. The client’s request was clear and concise, the research went well, and the assignment was accepted with no problems. It was nice to know that I still got it.
I haven’t spent much time in the community forums yet, but I like what I see so far. All in all, I have enjoyed my first week here, and as a side line, I think I will enjoy adding assignments from Crowd Content to my work flow.
