How to make money off eHow?

March 11, 2009 7:46 PM

Can one make decent money (over $100/month) by writing eHow.com articles? If so, any tips?

I just started with eHow.com, wrote five article but so far no earnings. I got some good tips like using (keyword trackers) to find out what people are searching for, also finding articles similar to what you wrote and clicking "I did this".

what are some other successful strategies in getting the best bang for the buck, or rather buck for the bang? I think with minimal research I can write a good article about any gadget or tech/computer related topic, which should definitely be things people are searching for...

posted by spacefire to Computers & Internet (1 answer total)

Disclosure: I work for Demand Media, the parent company of eHow.

There's no single tip to make more money from eHow, but we definitely have writers who make a lot each month (even four figures). Here are some general tips:

1. Aim to write well. We're constantly working to clean up eHow and improve the overall quality, but you want to stand out from the crowd. Write clearly and cleanly, and make sure your article caters to the readers likely to find it when searching.

2. You mentioned half the goal -- writing on topics that people will be searching for. But if you want to see your income on the site rise, you'll want to choose topics that aren't just popular in search, but whose relevant contextual ads will be higher earners.

I'm not suggesting you write exclusively on mesothelioma. Rather, just make part of your thought process include not just what people are searching for, but also what topics will have click-worthy ads.

3. Write a lot, keep writing, and don't stop because you have a few articles that earn mere cents. Two reasons: First, it's impossible to predict which articles will be your big earners. While some articles will always be pennies, you'll hit upon some (say, randomly, 1 in 10) that earn a lot more. Let's say your "big one" starts at $40/mo. If you keep writing, you'll keep earning that approximate $40/mo, but will also hit upon some more big earners. eHow articles keep earning month after month; unless your writing is extremely topical, they have plenty of time to keep making you money. The more you write, the better you'll get at "eHow writing" (certainly its own beast), and the more residual income you'll be building.
posted by lexfri at 5:49 AM on March 12, 2009 [1 favorite]