Today Crunchy Data posted what I was thinking – the eHow forums have turned into a fight between eHow members over the eHow UK issue. This is really sad since none of the writers caused this mess – eHow/Demand Media did. I suppose given the high emotions against ehow over the UK site are just boiling over, but please people, FOCUS! Writers please stop bashing each other and get writing more material to replace your lost income.
Here are my suggested Four Action Steps to Replace Lost Ehow Income:
1. Leave your ehow articles to do whatever they will do for you. Deleting articles at this point only redirects all the good links you built to them to other, usually eHow/Demand Studios, content. Make you eHow content and all your link building efforts keep paying you regardless of how you feel about eHow. Be sure to back up your eHow articles too – here is a guide I wrote on how to do backups easily.
2. Write a bunch of new material for your own website, blog or good sites that treat writers right. I personally likeConstant Content or maybe Xomba as places to write for, but take your pick.
3. If you are short of new topics to write, look at your most successful topics on eHow. Don’t just blindly copy the content – rather do a rewrite and be sure to SEO your work. For example, most sites don’t have the strict step by step every box needs to be filled format of ehow, so use this to your advantage and write a great article anyway you like. Whenever you do something again, it almost always turns out better the second time.
4. Go back into your ehow articles and create links to your new related articles on other sites, your blog (“Click here to read more by Ima Writer”), and/or to relevant resources through an affiliate program. You might as well get all the benefit you can from your articles.
The end result will be better diversified income streams from your writing.
I want to share a post from Crunchy Data with you (I’ve got permission to repost it here):
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“Today, this blog (Crunchy Data,not Innovative Passive Income) received a comment and a suggestion that I consider a personal challenge. I hope you will consider it a challenge, too:
Submitted on 2010/01/13 at 9:19pm to Crunchy Data
Like any community, eHow has it share of good, quality, personalities, as well as, some of the most wretched, money-hungry, souls I have ever witnessed. Just like statistics 101, outliers are truly expected no matter what facet of life we venture into.
In wake of the Haiti catastrophe, I do think it is important that we step back, reevaluate things, and cherish the good in whatever situations we are faced with. This is expected with any horrific catastrophe, and definitely reflects that we are still human.
Hardly a day went by when I was stationed in Afghanistan, where a maimed child didn’t straggle through the main gate, yet another victim of an unexpected mine strike. It’s events like this that soften the heart, and I completely agree, we should all try to help out where we can…..with millions in monthly revenue, it would be great to see Demand Media/eHow take the lead with this, in some way, shape or form…..
We can debate their terms of service to no end, but, the fact is, eHow’s UK website has been earning for nearly 6 months, while also directly competing with writer’s original articles in the search engines. I know my words will probably fall on deaf ears, however, it would be very nice (and welcomed) if they would divert some of those earnings towards Haiti relief.
Perhaps if the eHow community banded together, they could begin a grassroots movement to convince eHow to contribute to the victims of Haiti?
And my response, with a challenge:
A positive suggestion for both the community and the owners. Good call.
Our brothers and sisters in Haiti are in pain beyond what most of us can even imagine. Maybe someone with an extra $5 or $5 million could lend a hand here…
Demand Media/eHow:
Will you match eHow community members’ contributions to Wyclef Jean’s Yele Organization for Haiti relief, if an eHow community campaign is launched on your forums?
How about it?
Come on.
Show us what you’re made of.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Great advice, JadeDragon. Thank you for contributing to the positive spirit.
I’m hoping that they take up another challenge: get rid of all the “user-contributer” hack writer-wannabes and what they consider their “writing” on eHow and leave the writing of articles to professional writers.
Keep complaining, eHow contributers. Keep it up. There are people that would love to see your area of Demand Media wiped out and, along with it, all of your “content.”
Nice article……I agree we all need to pitch in to help those in Haiti, even if it’s just a small amount. As we know from writing, it all adds up.
Snubba
Just an update. Demand Studios made a “big” donation to Haiti. Glad they are doing something useful.