Why Am I Not Making Money at Yahoo! Contributor Network? Page Views, Offers, and More

Are you struggling to make money writing for Yahoo! Contributor Network (YCN)? About to give up and decide it just isn't for you. Perhaps all is not lost. Maybe you just need a quick refresher on writing for YCN and the web in general. As an experienced YCN contributor, web writer, and Community Guide, perhaps what I've learned along the way can help turn around your situation.

Why Can't I Get Page Views?

Are your articles performing poorly? Perhaps you need a new strategy. Sorry regular readers. I'm going to repeat myself and mention SEO here. It's the simplest way to get articles noticed by search engines and therefore more people. But SEO is about more than just keyword stuffing. In fact, keyword stuffing is exactly what you do not want to do. Your articles need to be readable and not look like spam to the search engines. Other ways to increase views include quality backlinks, social networking, RSS, and so on. Click here for my comprehensive guide on increasing page views at Associated Content by using SEO, promotion, RSS, and more.

I'm Getting Declined or Not Getting Upfront Offers. Does YCN Hate Me?

No, Yahoo! staff does not hate you. Well, they might if you're a spammer or plagiarist, but that's entirely different. Your Content Manager (CM - the person who reviews your content) is not out to get you. I can assure you they most likely do not have time to nitpick through and laugh hysterically as they decline your work, knowing they've ruined your day. Imagine how many pieces of content they must review on top of whatever other responsibilities they may have. It's just that your topic may be oversaturated on the web or YCN or just may not be the right fit. With a little editing, you may be able to fix it.

Tips and Hints for Maximizing Upfront Offers at YCN:

It's Not all About You - Personalization is great in YCN articles. It can help you get an upfront offer if done right and it's one of the things that makes YCN stand out. However, even with this factor, remember that everything isn't about you. Not every single thing you're interested in will be a money-making topic. Choose your topics wisely. Write what you know, but don't write so personally that no one will search for your topic. For instance, don't expect an upfront offer on an article describing what you ate for breakfast. No one is going to search online for that and unless people are your friends (and maybe not even then), they probably don't want to read an article about it either.

Adaptation- Even though YCN is a venue where we are free to write about whatever we want, remember that they are still the client. When submitting topics for upfront, think about whether they are marketable. If not, chances are YCN does not want to pay for them. Some topics will work for YCN (and the web) and some just will not. As with any other client, to maximize income, it's smart to adapt to what works best. That doesn't mean you can't write what you know. It just means you should write what you know in a way that works for YCN and an online audience.

Searchability - Applying searchability to your articles will also help increase upfront offers. Pay attention to advice on increasing page views. It's not the complete equation, but can be beneficial to receiving upfront offers.

Unique Angles - If you're writing news, don't just rehash what has already been reported. Find a unique local or personal angle and draw on that. If you are writing about a new product, write about a different way that you've used it. Know some unconventional parenting tricks? Write about those. The point is not to write like everyone else, but to find interesting, informative, and unique topics that people will want to read about.

Grammar and Spelling - This may be common sense, but use good spelling and grammar. If you are lacking in this area, try taking some courses or at the very least use spell check and have a friend proofread your work.The Yahoo! Style Guide is an excellent way to brush up on grammar and style.

Ad Alignment - Learn the types of products being advertised and gear your articles toward them. This does not mean that you need to write about the exact product. In fact, brand neutrality is best for ad alignment. For instance, if many ads are geared toward a type of detergent or household cleaner, write articles about laundry, stain removal, or cleaning. These articles will help the advertisers earn money, which earns YCN money. Because CM's at YCN know this, ad alignment can help increase the odds of receiving good upfront offers.

Lyn is a YCN Community Guide and loves helping fellow writers. If you need help, please feel free to ask her questions via the comment section, Welcome Wagon forum, or private messaging.