Freelance Writing Guide: Online Magazine or Blog?

The writer hoping to make passive income may feel torn between writing for a blog and writing for an online magazine. There are pros and cons for both outlined below which might help the writer make an informed decision on which to go for.

Internet Magazine Sites with Good SEO on Page Rankings

Writing for an online magazine has various advantages over writing for a blog or website. Primarily, the size of the site, with thousands of pages, constantly being created by article writers is likely to fare better in Google rankings than a small website consisting of twenty or even a hundred pages. This means the writer will see Adsense earnings coming in quickly. Having said this, if the small website is themed around a niche subject matter with little competition, the website could get plenty of hits per month, but this will take more time.

Where to get Quality Inbound Links

If the online magazine permits you to, you can link your article from the emagazine to your own blog or website if both webpages are contextual. Inbound links from a quality site with big traffic will create a traffic stream to your own blog, helping to make your site discoverable and improve its page rank.

Tips on Making Profit from Freelance Writing

One of the biggest advantages of writing for an online magazine is the writing resources available, namely online tutorials on how to optimize your articles’ earnings and exposure. Writers’ forums also offer a wealth of information that is hard to find on the Net, such as tricks and tips on using the Google Adwords tool as well as the latest innovations for writers. Some online magazines have online editors who will offer support and advice on all matters relating to freelance writing.

Pros and Cons of Writing for an Emagazine

This is not to say that writing one’s own blog is futile, for smart strategies will make a blog successful. The importance of a niche subject, originality and the size of the blog are the key to its success and income yields. See foot of page for tips on making profit from your blog.

Why Blog over Emag?

This brings me to the advantages of writing for a blog over an emagazine. Firstly, the writer keeps all the Adsense revenue from Google ads without a third party taking a cut (this is how emagazines make money). The other disadvantage is commitment. Some online magazines have guidelines the writer must stick to, such as writing style or editorial vetting which the writer might not always agree on. The article will be displayed on the site, credited to your name, whether you agree to the edits or not. The writer in this respect has less control over the writing.

Best Magazine for Freelance Writing

The writer must take care to select the best emagazine to write for, as some are better than others. Reputations change, and an emagazine that was once eminent might go down the chute along with the writers’ repute by association. Quite a few online magazines had recently plummeted in Google rankings because of ‘content farming,’ writers copying and pasting sections of text from other sources. This penalization will ultimately hit earnings, and the big ship will go down, all writers onboard, good as well as bad. This is what happened to me. Writing your own blog means you have complete control over the site, including its appearance and the quality of the writing.

Which to Write for: Blog or Emagazine?

I see advantages and disadvantages of both. The online magazine will reap quicker rewards, but the writer has less control over the writing. The blog or personal website is slower to respond but will do so with some pushing. By all means, the writer with ample time and material could write for both, but the resultant schedule could be punishing. I have learned invaluable information from online writers’ forums, but I have also found a way of optimizing my blogs on Google’s rankings, but it has taken time.

Quick Money from Writing

The writer needing quick cash might opt for writing for an online magazine, but choose carefully. I have written a separate article on the top 10 questions for emagazine. The writer, who has a long term goal, might opt for the blog or personal website. Rewards are slow coming, but with time and patience, the money will start rolling in. The writer also has complete control over the writing and will not get penalized for another writer’s bad writing practices.

Tips on Making Profit from Freelance Writing

Top 10 questions for online magazines
Ten reasons why your blog isn't making money
Niche blogging for profit
The best online magazines to write for
Editing your writing