How to get paid to blog

Merging your work life with your blog life By David Griner AdFreak.com TheSocialPath.com

Rejected topics

Rejected topics • “ Career opportunities for the sarcastic slacker”

Rejected topics • “ Get rich or die bloggin”

Rejected topics • “ Why I use TypePad”

About Me • Huntsville native • Spent 10 years in journalism • Now work for Luckie & Co. and write for AdFreak.com

About Luckie • Advertising / digital / PR agency • Clients include: AT&T Regions Bank Blue Cross Little Debbie Alabama Tourism Express Oil Change Asheville Tourism ACIPCO The Virginia Samford

About The Social Path

About AdFreak • Advertising and pop culture blog • Started by Adweek in 2004 • Technorati Rank 2,877

Becoming a paid blogger • My story • Ben Popken’s story

“ Special thanks to Joel Johnson's mom. If she hadn't found my post mocking her son I probably wouldn't have the new job.” — Ben Popken, Feb. 16, 2006

Pros of freelancing
Schedule your own time
Stockpile blog posts in advance
Decent extra pay
Very minor level of celebrity
Opportunities for guest editing/posting
Work in your underwear

Cons of freelancing
Most people suck at time management
You’ll starve
No benefits or security
Can mess with your taxes
Easy to lose steam
Neighbors get tired of seeing you in your underwear.

Finding the right blog
You’re probably already reading it
Who owns it?
How many writers?
What's the output?

Getting the gig
Get to know the writers or editors
Comment often under the same name
Write response posts on your blog
If you like the site, help drive traffic there

Asking for the job
No harm in asking about openings
Always write at least three sample posts that they could run that day
Make sure your e-mail is colon-rupturing in its awesomeness

Asking for the job
Get across your enthusiasm for the blog
Talk about how it has evolved
Say why they need you

Asking for the job
What are they missing?
Is it your background?
Your gender?
Your location?
Your traffic?
Your raw sex appeal?

How much will it pay?
Not much

Pay per post:
$5-$30 a piece
At 5 posts a week, that’s $1,300-$7,800 a year
Pros: Steady, decent pay
Cons: No bonuses for traffic hikes

Revenue sharing model:
Based on advertising or page views
Pros: Good pay for popular posts
Cons: Lots of dry spells

The Gawker model:
Salary for a required number of posts per week.
Plus bonus based on pageviews, relative to your site
Other salary sites offer occasional ad revenue sharing.

Get creative
Develop your own ideas for bonus pay:
Manage the Twitter feed
Update the blog's Facebook pages
Do blogger outreach/PR

Social media as a career

Pros:
Fun
Growing exponentially
Few rules
You can make a big difference

What could you be doing?
Training coworkers on social media
Maintaining company feeds
Doing online outreach
Creating an online voice for your business

Why you?
You know how to do it right—and wrong
You have what's still a rare skill
You have initiative

Laying the foundation
Write at least one blog you don't mind your boss seeing
Offer to do a training lunch
Help coworkers set up Google alerts
Teach the practical benefits of social media
No luck? Find another job.

Thanks for your time.
[email_address]
Twitter.com/griner

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How to get paid to blog

by David Griner

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