In my recent blog post about writing for Examiner.com, a reader left a comment about Suite101. I’d like to discuss what a writer can expect working with Suite101.com and the potential for pay there.
Suite101 is an e-media magazine that has been around for several years, though only in the present form for a couple years. As a beginning writer I appreciated the editorial oversight, and now, as a more experienced web writer, I appreciate the strong standing in the search engines.
There are two levels of writers at Suite101 – Feature Writers are over a particular topic and must publish one article per week in that topic area. I am the Plants and Bulbs Feature Writer. Contributing Writers have to publish only ten articles every three months in any topic of their choosing (the ten articles do not need to be in the same topic area – contribute to as many topics as you desire!).
What Does Suite101.com Pay?
Suite101.com pays purely off ad-click revenue share. In an older revenue model Suite101 paid a certain amount of money per page view, however they no longer pay according to a page view system. Obviously page views are good since the more people visit your articles, the greater your chances for garnering ad clicks. You could theoretically have ten thousand visitors and not a single ad click, however this has not been my personal experience. I make a tidy little sum each month off those seemingly innocuous ads.
It will take awhile to build up a decent paycheck, but the long-term revenue potential is very high. It might take me a couple hours a week to write my Suite101 articles (I try to post 5-8 articles per month). The first month I probably made $.26 or something ridiculously horrible like that. However, those first few articles continue to earn me money. They have continued to earn me a few dollars every month for the past two years! I now earn enough every month to cover my mortgage payment and even when I took the month off to have a baby I still made enough to pay my mortgage. Brilliant!
What Rights Does Suite101.com Keep?
Suite101.com requires that articles published on the site are fresh, new pieces not currently available elsewhere on the web. And they require exclusive web rights to that content for one year. So you never actually loose your content at all – you just sort of loan it out to Suite101 for a year. *grin*
To me, the only way I would participate in a site that takes all my rights completely is if they pay quite a bit upfront. Otherwise, I’m loosing the ability to make money off that content in other ways, for no guaranteed return! With Suite101 I can put my articles into ebooks, sell one to a print magazine (as I did with this Intake Procedures for Massage Therapists article) or use them as a hubpage about lavender essential oil when my year is up.
How Do I Join Suite101?
All writers must apply to Suite101.com and submit some sample articles. Suite101 is known to be rather picky, as only 20-25% of all writers who apply are accepted! Find me on the forums when you join and say hello.
How to make sure that the sample articles you submit to suite101.com does get accepted and you become a member.
Can you give some tips.
Thank you.
sandeep nk..
This article has been so informative (for me). I’m now unemployed – like so many others – and, have considered writing online to supplement the income (I had) – now, I’m much more serious about it. I’ve begun blogging (just a few days ago); mostly posting articles that I had published in the local newspaper I recently worked for. I’m going to take a leap of faith, and step out there and write something! Thanks so much!
Stacey,
I’m sorry you are finding yourself in a tough financial situation. I will post a couple more posts soon about other sites I have written for to generate immediate income, as well as steps I took to get published in print magazines as quickly as possible. Hopefully these tips will help you generate some additional income for you and your family.
Angela <
Very well written…cleared up Suite101 doubts. I recently got accepted to join Suite101 but was still confused as to how they pay. Had my doubts about bothering but now I see it’s a worthwhile pursuit (nothing ventured nothing gained). A very nice site you have here by the way…
I started at Suite 101 a few weeks ago. I thought it would be a good way to get some extra income since I’ve recently quit my second job as a server. I’m actually still a student and work for the University so I’m limited on hours.
Your article was very helpful! I may think about the feature writer position after I’ve been there awhile. I’m still getting used to the suite and the keyword system.
Thanks for clearing up the pay system. I’ve only published three articles and since I’m very new I don’t expect to be paid write away. But I am curious about how long it usually takes for your articles to start generating revenue?
Thanks a lot!
I have been with Suite 101 for a little over a month and have published fifteen articles. I’m getting an average of about 100 views a day. Today I was very discouraged because I don’t even have $4.00 in revenue yet.
This article helped my mind out somewhat. I’ve been wondering if my hard work will ever pay off. When I started I wasn’t too concerned about making money until I had five articles out there and hardly anything to show for it – having a lot of view (more views than I ever expected) did make me feel a little good.
So, thanks again for this article and I’ll just keep working hard, writing and waiting.
I have found that the “magic number” for most people is about 50-100 articles. After the first handful you begin to get a better sense for SEO and web writing techniques (see my latest post about search engine optimization basics for essential tips) and you begin to build a presence with the search engines.
It is easier to get a decent number of articles up if you think of your articles as a series instead of single, stand alone pieces. And once you reach this sort-of “critical mass” you will find that you will always have a decent income each month. As I shared before – I took a month off when my baby was born and still made enough to cover our car payment, or mortgage bill. It can happen. It just isn’t going to happen in a month. Residual vs upfront payment. Hmmm….that sounds like another blog post. 🙂
it is hard to pass suite101 for me moreover to get money . why do not we build our self blog?
I have a few niche websites making money – I was thinking about applying for suite 101, to write complimentary articles to promote my sites. Is linking from your articles to your own sites allowed?
No – interlinking from Suite101 article to outside, private articles you’ve written is not allowed. However, you can link to your other projects from your profile page
Angela <><
Hey Angela,
I just got accepted to write for Suite101. Thank you for your encouraging story, that inspires me to do very well on this site. 🙂
Regards,
Baker
Angela, thanks for your informative articles. Back in February I read your examiner article. I joined them and have been doing pretty ok. Like you say, with patience, the income will grow exponentially. I wrote 57 articles and just like you say, around 50 I started to a bigger change.
I’ve decided to spread my eggs in different baskets and looked at Suite101. I applied a couple of hours ago, and just got accepted 🙂 That was quick!
I wonder if you are familiar with this issue… I’ve been writing about tennis fitness for examiner. I want to focus on racquetball fitness with Suite101… different subject, yet the articles will be similar. I am thinking what I wrote on examiner, write similar advice on Suite101. Is it against the “originality” rule?
And another thing, I plan to have the published articles in a book. Paper book. That should be ok, right? It’s only the internet publishing exclusivity for one year?
Thanks for your great writings, always. I’ve been your fan since I found you 3 months ago 🙂
Suzanna
Hi Angela,
Great article. I was wondering how many articles you had published before you were able to start using the money for mortgage payments and bigger bills. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Please write me back.
Excellent Angela, thanks. I’m a bilingual writer and have just become self employed. Altough I’m earning a decent figure from my copywriting, an extra income would definitely help every 30th of the month (at least to get days off during the year since the self employed are well known for not having holidays!)
I’m thinking of Suite101 in Spanish (which is my first language) and also considering Squidoo and HP. I only have a few hours free every night to write those articles. I know it’s good to spread your eggs into different baskets but, which baskets do you think are best?
Super many thanks!
How do you get copy writing jobs?
Thank you Angela for that informative description of Suite101. I had often pondered looking into the site, but have not, as of yet. I have currently started writing for Associated Content. I was wondering what insight (if any) you could give me about them.
thank you much, DW
Thank you for explaining the contract agreement regarding “rights.” I recently signed up with Suite 101, and have written one article. It’s nice to know that after one year, the right to publish your work will revert back to the writer.
Hi I am wondering how pay from Suite 101 compares with say, Demand Studios? Thanks.
The residual per-page-view payout at Suite101 has been much higher than Demand Studios and over the course of multiple years I’ve been paid much more than $15 per article on average. I tend to work when I can, so being able to invest that time upfront, and continue to earn long-term is a real boon to me at Suite101 compared to Demand Studios.
Thanks for the informative article. I joined Suite101 and got my confirmation yesterday. The above had really good insights and thanks again..
Hi Angela,
You said you earned about twenty-six dollars on your first month with suite101? How many articles did you write that month and how many words per aritcle?
Thanks,
JR
I made $.26 – as in twenty-six cents. 🙂 By the time I had between 2-300 articles I was able to earn what would be a car payment for most people.
How old do you have to be to write for Suite101?
Since they require a paypal account for payment, I think it has to be 18 years.
Hi Angela,
I see the article was published back in 2009. (I found it on Google, of course). Well, are you still writing for them? I’d love to know. I’ve also heard that after Panda update of Google, earnings have significantly dropped. Do you think it’s worth writing for them at this stage?
Thanks.
Anish.
Hello Angela:
I’ve been writing mainly for hubpages for the past several months. I recently applied to suite 101 as a contributing writer . And guess I was one of the fortunate 25% of applicants who were accepted. Your article about suite 101 is certainly very interesting as well as informative. Will look you up in the forums. Thanks again for sharing this useful info.
Jlbowden