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You’ve likely heard me mention making money at revenue share writing sites. What are they, and are they worth it in 2023?
I’ve made money via revenue share writing sites since the start of my writing career. In fact, there is a group of sites that make up a large bulk of my income. So, you can probably tell that I’m a fan.
That being said, I’m a fan of the right sites. I’m also a fan of being upfront and honest about these types of writing sites. I’m one of the exceptions when it comes to making a living from these types of sites, but it is possible to make a good side income from them with some work.
What are revenue share writing sites?
You may also hear of these writing sites being called residual income sites. You make money in the future and not straight off the bat. This isn’t a way to start making $50 to $200 per article on a daily basis.
The clue to the way you make money is in the name. You get a share of the revenue that the site makes. There are different ways that sites will make that money, and there are different models for paying you. Make sure you look into all of the details.
Some sites will allow you to put your own ad networks or affiliate links into posts. The sites’ algorithms are set up that alternate whose content shows up. Sometimes it will be your affiliate links and other times it will be the links for the sites. If someone clicks the links when it’s yours, you’ll end up with the affiliate commission. The same applies to ad networks if you connect them.
Other sites will have all their own ads and affiliate links. You don’t get to put your own in. You’ll get a percentage of the pay, usually based on the number of views your content gets.
Are these writing sites worth it in 2023?
I still think revenue share writing sites are worth it. They offer a space for writers to get started and to share their voice. There’s no need to set up your own website if you don’t want. You can get to work building your portfolio quickly. There are going to be rules to follow, but those rules are usually in place to help you grow your name, your brand, and your income.
On top of that, the sites can help push marketing. Some will promote your content on their own social media channels for you. Others will just give you the brand name that gets you noticed.
Before you sign up to revenue share writing sites, you need to look into the details of them. This isn’t just about how the sites work, but about how long you will get paid. The site is always going to make money from your content while it’s up. You should get paid for that content the whole time. Sadly, I do know a few sites that will only pay for the first 30 days. They don’t remove the content, but you don’t get paid any extra. These sites aren’t worth it.
I say that as someone who makes money residually from content I wrote years ago. There was one post that I made $200 from in the first month and have since made $20 each month without doing anything at all to the content. It just keeps going. Imagine how much I would have lost if I put that on a 30-day-only site.
These types of sites will take effort. It doesn’t matter if it’s a big name or a small one. You can’t just write your content and leave it. You’ll need to research keywords, look at trending topics in the niche, and promote your content well. All of this is something I’ll get into throughout my revenue share series I’m focusing on every Tuesday for the time being.
MORE: 4 tips to make money writing with revenue share sites
In short, I think revenue share writing sites are still worth it in 2023. You just need to choose the right one.
Stay tuned for more about revenue share sites and more ways to make money writing in 2023.