925.386.6003In reviewing my recent blog analytics, I’ve been dismayed to find that so many of you are still searching for “Examiner.com earnings and income.”
Yes, my articles about how to increase Examiner.com earnings, income, page views, etc. are still online, but only to support those who might still be actual “Examiners” and need help with their Examiner pages.
I apologize.
It's not you, it's them.
It took awhile for me to realize that Examiner.com was just another content aggregator-slash-content farm scam, and I had assumed that all content writers had LONG since realized this. But apparently not.
Examiner.com has continually misled and exploited writers, and even if they had been an ethical site, any earnings potential that may once have existed is gone–especially for new writers.
The overall traffic trend on Examiner is down, down, down (Compete.com). Yet Examiners continue to publish more articles. In fact, Google shows about 16 MILLION more pages on Examiner.com in just the past three months. Yikes.
Crunch this as a word problem:
If there is 13 percent less traffic on a website than there was three months ago, and there are 30 percent more articles indexed in Google for that same website than there were three months ago, then it follows that significantly fewer site visitors, plus millions of more pages to read, equals fewer page views per “Examiner” and a correlating drop in already meager earnings.
So Examiners now average 43 percent fewer readers than they need just to maintain their page views and crappy rate of pay.
The good news, if there is any, is that you can follow Examiner’s lead and exploit your Examiner position:
- Write shorter articles for Examiner, and link to more detailed, related posts on your own site.
- Use Examiner as a resume filler, if you’re sure that whoever you send your resume to won’t count it against you.
- Promote your own local business on Examiner. This is what many business-savvy Examiners use their positions for, anyway. Write a few good articles to show your Examiner.com “editor” how sincere you are, then start touting your own biz like crazy. It’s pretty obvious that Examiner articles are not actually edited, so go for it. It’s highly unlikely that many locals will see your Examiner page, but you never know.
You should confirm what I’m saying for yourself. So do this: Visit Examiner.com and look at the titles on the front page. Search for that phrase on Google. See Examiner.com anywhere? Probably not.
For example, I see Lohan’s Best Mug Shot as a front page title today. I searched Google for that phrase, and Examiner.com is not even in the first 200 search results.
That’s pathetic, and it should tell you something. What kind of traffic can you ever get on Examiner.com if their front-page articles can’t even rank in the first 200 (or more) search results on Google? Pretty much no traffic.
If you’re an Examiner who also has a blog, or who has a friend with a blog, try this to see for yourself:
- Post an Examiner article and keyword it for a phrase on your blog (or your friend’s blog).
- Post a similar article on your blog. Or any blog that is indexed in Google.
- Wait 1 day, then search for that keyword on Google. Which version of your article is listed first?
- Re-think whether writing for Examiner is doing you any good whatsoever.
- Let me know what happened. What were your results? What did you decide?
But that’s not the only reason that you are wasting your time if you’re writing for Examiner.com, or even thinking about it.
The real truth is about income earnings potential on Examiner.com is that if you’re very lucky, you may earn up to $2.50 an article as an “Examiner.” That’s about the highest I’ve seen or experienced for myself, and that was BEFORE the Panda update. And my page views were often higher than anyone else’s in my category, even when I was very new.
And here is something else to consider VERY CAREFULLY: If you are under the impression, as I was, that you own and control your original content on Examiner.com, you have been misled.
Examiner.com exploits your copyright by claiming an “irrevocable” and “perpetual” right to continue to use your content, and they will not allow you to delete it after you quit. You agreed to this in a pop-up box when you joined Examiner, so you don’t have a copy of it. But their lawyer does, and will cheerfully send it to you should you request they delete your content.
If you are not one of the very few who began writing for Examiner more than two years ago, and have already built a large and loyal following, you will not make any significant income writing for them, nor will you boost your brand. I defy anyone to prove otherwise, but if you can, send me your proof to the contrary, and I’ll publish it. In fact, if any Examiner who started writing within the last year is making more than $5 an hour by writing for Examiner, including the time to promote your Examiner page, I’ll publish that if you can prove it.
But there is a better way. Here is what I suggest:
If your gig on Examiner.com does earn you enough income to pay your Metro PCS bill, then continue to post there while you build your own blog. There is no excuse not to have your own blog or website. If you learned to navigate Examiner’s convoluted system, then surely you can buy a domain name and monthly hosting and install WordPress with a free theme. It’s not that hard.
You can even rewrite your Examiner content, improve it and include more details and optimized images, and re-post it to your new site. Stick with one subject per blog, and you’re good to go.
If you decide to build your own blog, write to me or comment here, and I’ll be glad to help you. Because I believe in the power of collaboration. It’s the only thing that’s going to keep us little guys afloat in the months and years ahead. Now go for it!
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My boyfriend actually used to write for the local fitness section, and was very unfulfilled by the experience. I later attempted to apply, but was put off by all of the disclaimers. I agree that it should strictly be used as a resume filler, and not an income earner.
What, you didn’t want to expose yourself to a background check by a company that doesn’t even check its articles for accuracy or plagiarism, not to mention shoddy grammar and spelling? Ironic, isn’t it? Sounds like you made a wise choice, Jen.