eHow Vs Associated Content - Which is Better and Which Pays More Per Page View for Freelance Articles?

I began my freelance writing career with Associated Content in 2006 and have racked up over 400,000 page views. And I like Associated Content - I've earned over $1,000 from them and have gained great writing experience from the site. Associated Content helped me springboard into magazines too. My article Ancient Inventions You Probably Used Today earned me big bucks when it ran Spirit Airlines' Skylights Magazine.

But recently I discovered eHow and decided to test, which freelance site pays more and which is better?

eHow vs Associated Content - Which Pays More?

Unfortunately, Associated Content doesn't pay much. You might earn around $4 to $10 upfront for your article (usually closer to $4), but Associated Content has a 400 word minimum, which makes it tough to write a good article in an hour or less. Most articles then earn well under a penny per view, which frankly isn't very good (more on that below). All in all this is pretty poor compensation for you time and value.

Some eHow articles pay you the same as Associated Content per page view, but often eHow articles pay you much more.

For instance, my article on Associated Content Pulled Hamstring Muscle Rehab - Your Recovery from Injury to Full Strength has had 1,250 page views so far this month, which will pay $2.19. That's about one-fifth of a penny per view. My how to version of this article on eHow, How to Rehab a Pulled Hamstring Muscle - Your Recovery from Injury to Full Strength has had a total of 8,330 page views, which has paid $12.59, a little less than one-fifth of a penny per view. So these two pay about the same. Keep in mind that I'm a level 9 on Associated Content, so my articles on that site pay more than many of the other levels. (Note: Both sites have non-exclusive rights on these articles)

One-fifth of a penny per page view is pretty standard for Associated Content. They even publicize a precise amount per page view. eHow, on the hand, pays different amounts per view based on a mysterious unpublicized formula, based on a "combination of elements" including page views and category.

It turns out most of my eHow articles have the right "combination of elements" to earn more than they do at Associated Content. For instance, my eHow article How to Buy a Used Car and Get Good Value with Help from Your Mechanic has earned 57 cents already after only 37 page views, almost 1.5 cents per view! How to Create, Convert, or Print a PDF File for Free has earned 78 cents after only 76 page views., just under a penny per view. How to use Tivo or DVR to Never Watch a TV Commercial Again, 64 cents after 56 page views, again over a penny per page view.

But again, it's hit or miss. How to Roll Craps and Bet to Win has only paid 22 cents for 128 page views, just under one-fifth of a penny and more in line with Associated Content's pay.

Granted, I haven't been on eHow very long and the mysterious formula could pay more for your first few thousand page views and then reduce that amount. But so far ehow is looking like the better site for pay. If you're only looking to make more money, you should use eHow over Associated Content.

Another plus for eHow - you can edit your article after it's been published, which lets you experiment with different keywords so you can get more page views out of low-performing articles.

eHow vs Associated Content - Which is Better?

If you look at my article titles above, you'll see that they're simpler, blander topics.

Some other titles of my eHow articles:
How to Sue Your Landlord in Small Claims Court to Get Your Security Deposit
How to Find Coupons to Buy Cheaper Restaurant Gift Certificates
How to Get Rid of the Language Bar in Windows XP
How to Buy a Personalized E-Mail Address (yourname@yourname.com)
How to Convert How Much Money Was Worth in a Previous Year (Historical Inflation Price Calculator)
How to Get Rid of a Virus or Spyware Problem

Admittedly there aren't the most exciting article topics. Not nearly as interesting as my lower paying Associated Content articles like History of the United States in 2500 Words or Less, The Blind Spot: Does Our Brain See Things That Aren't Really There, and The Fourth Dimension. Those could never fit eHow formula.

That's the key knock on eHow. You can only write "how to" articles there, which limits your article possibilities and mostly destroys creativity. On the flip side, these articles are short and you can write them very quickly (again, great for pay!). Associated Content is much better for developing your writing skills. eHow is barely writing; it's more like jotting down steps.

So if you want to start a career in freelance writing, you might want to balance both sites - use eHow for pay and Associated Content to write creatively and develop your style. Here's another article I wrote about how to make more money by writing for both eHow and Associated Content.

Other freelance writers, have you had similar experiences between Associated Content and eHow? Which do you prefer and why?