More on the Associated Content experiment...

The other day, I mentioned that I was toying with Associated Content as a means of turning some excess written inventory into cash. I started by submitting a single article on a finance-related theme. The article weighed in at around 650 words.

Last night, I received an offer on the piece, approximately ten days after submitting it for review. They were willing to pay $8 for the article. I took it.

Now, alot of people might be turned off by that (just look at the raging "cheeseball bottom feeder" debate that took place hear a few weeks ago).

I was willing to accept the payment. Here's why:

This was a single straggler article. I completed an order some time ago and accidentally ended up with an additional article that didn't really fit just right.

It is also on a topic that I don't really foresee writing about again. If I had a series of articles on the topic, I would probably bundle them up and pitch them at a client or two who may have a stake in that niche. Or, I could sell them with private label rights dirt cheap to a series of internet marketers. I might have even used them myself for some sort of Adsense site, who knows? As a solo act, however, that article was unlikely to do a lot for me. Thus, I peddled it for about 1/4 the price I received for the other articles I originally supplied to my client.

I don't think I would generally sell articles of that length and complexity at the price Associated Content offered. However, I must note that this was my first submission there and the article deals with a pretty precise subject matter that doesn't have fat mass market appeal. They might pay more for other things.

The process itself was painless and simple. I know some people complain about the wait, but I didn't really feel it was unreasonable. The interface there is simple and the correspondence is clear.

Would I try to make a living with AC? No. Even if the pay was a bit higher, I don't like the idea of writing content on spec. I would prefer to have my buyer, price, etc. set up front. However, as a means of dumping spare parts, it is a neat little resource.

I also noticed that Associated Content tells its members what kinds of things they need. I would guess those articles could probably earn a bit more.

One idea I do like about having Associated Content at my disposal is that it gives me a little outlet for opinions. They are searching for local restaurant reviews, etc. The next time the beef enchiladas turn out to be unseasoned ground beef with a drizzle of Old Ortega sauce and the waiter cannot discern flan from cheesecake (this was last Saturday's dinner out), I can let people know and make a few bucks in the process, perhaps. I can tell the world about my good consumer experiences, too.

After accepting their offer, I dug around the hard drive and found a few other things to send their way. For some reason, despite an initially favorable impression, I am not yet dumping tons of stuff in Associated Content's lap. Maybe down the road. I will keep you all posted.