Freelance Work Online - Alternatives to Demand Studios

By Demand Studios Review Editorial

So you’ve been writing for Demand Studios for awhile and things  are going well. You’re making money, you’ve figured out how to write articles more quickly and your hourly rates are looking respectable. Suddenly freelance writing doesn’t seem like such a bad racket.

But what happens if the Demand Studios gravy train runs dry? While there’s no sign of this happening in the near future, it’s always good to have a backup plan, even if Demand Media sticks around for the long haul.

Bottom line: You need alternatives to Demand Studios. Diversity isn’t just for colleges and the workplace after all. Diversifying your client list is key to long term success as a freelance writer.

One of the best ways to get steady, well paying clients is to send emails or make phone calls to local publications, or publications in a niche you’re knowledgeable in, and ask if they are in need of any freelancers or stringers. Another good way to keep a steady supply of clients is to be aware of Demand Studios alternatives where you can consistently get freelance work online without relying on the temporary needs or whims of editors for bigger magazines, journals and newspapers.

This list will help you find those clients.

Here are some sites like Demand Studios which offer steady work for a decent hourly pay, if you know what you’re doing.

Some of these Demand Studios alternatives come more highly recommended than others.

I don’t have direct experience with all of these sites. However, I have done some research into each one to at least give you the basics.

I will be adding to this list in the coming weeks and months, so keep checking back. If you know of one I’ve missed feel free to give me a heads up in the comments section, or by emailing me at demandstudiosreview@gmail.com.

And don't forget to take a look at the writing and editing job board for even more writing opportunities.

Break Studios - Break Studios is probably the site most similar to Demand Studios. The application process is basically the same you go through at DS: You provide your resume and a couple of writing samples. Once you are approved, it will also be very familiar. They maintain a pool of writing assignments you can choose from, though there are nowhere near as many titles as you’ll find in the Demand Studios queue. The pay is also quite a bit lower at $8 per article.

That said, many writers feel the titles are more fun and the restrictions much more lax. You’re allowed to write in a more free flowing voice and the word count is a bit lower (usually a minimum of 250 words). Like with Demand Studios, you have a week to write the article before it returns to the database.

I was just approved to write for Break Studios and will write a more in depth review after I finish writing my first article for them. Until then, I recommend it as a supplement to Demand Studios, especially if you’re having trouble finding titles you’re interested in over there.

Elance - Elance operates in a much different manner from Demand Studios. It’s one of the more unique Demand Studios alternatives. Basically, clients post jobs they want completed, usually including what they’re willing to pay (or a price range), the word count for each article and the due date. Writers then bid on jobs they’re interested in and the poster decides who they want to hire. Elance then takes a small percentage of the payout (between 4-6%), once the payment goes through, as commission. You can pay a monthly membership fee if you like, which will allow you to bid on more jobs and pay less of a percentage to Elance, or you can maintain a free profile. 

Many people have pointed out that writers willing to work for incredibly low wages (often living in foreign countries where the cost of living is much lower than in the US, Canada or Europe) often win out due to their lowball pitches.

Still, there are plenty of clients who want quality and know they will get what they pay for so you shouldn’t be discouraged from giving it a shot. You may have to take a few low paying gigs to establish a reputation at first (clients rate writers, much like eBay buyers rate sellers), but if you prove you’re worth paying a bit more you may soon find yourself with a steady client base.

You can also set up a profile with your credentials and expected compensation rates. If you match what a client is looking for you may get an email for a really good job without even having to go looking. At the very least, Elance is worth looking into because you never know who might turn up looking for a quality writer.

iFreelance - iFreelance is like Elance, except you have to pay a monthly membership fee in order to participate. On the upside, iFreelance doesn’t take any commission. As of now, membership fees range from $4.69/mo - $9/mo, with higher monthly fees allowing access to more bids and a larger published portfolio where you can provide examples of your work to potential clients.

Since you have to pay to play, so to speak, I recommend first trying out Elance and then adding iFreelance into the mix if you’ve had some success over there first.

HubPages - I recommend HubPages to everyone who writes for Demand Studios. It's the perfect place to put rejected articles or abandoned rewrites, or to create original content on any subject you like. 

There are some editors who come around from time to time and review your content, but they are rather easy to please. Much easier than the Demand Studios editors. There's no database of titles, so you'll have to come up with your own. The positive side of this is that you aren't restricted in what you write about.

There aren't any upfront payments, but you can do pretty well with revenue share on HubPages. I think they're the best revenue share option on the Internet, along perhaps with Squidoo (see below). 

HubPages operates with a 60:40 split. HubPages changes the code on the ads, if you choose to implement them, so that 60 percent of the time they are earning for the writer and 40 percent of the time for HubPages. 

You can use Google AdSense as well as affiliate programs, such as eBay and Amazon. You can also use Kontera hyperlink text. In addition, you can post affiliate links within the body of the article itself. 

Bukisa - Bukisa is a great place to put original content, as well as those rewrites you don't feel like writing or rejected articles that would otherwise go to waste.

Bukisa pays per unique page view. You can also earn money when you refer people. Unlike with most referral programs, you don't get an upfront payment with each person you refer. Instead, you earn money when they do. The earnings don't come out of their end, but instead are payed out from Bukisa. That way it's a win for both parties, with the company paying the bill, not the referred friend.

One thing you need to know is that Bukisa offers their content under a creative commons license, unless you specify otherwise. That means if you don't specifically state that you don't want others to be able to republish your work, you need to say so.

I recommend disabling this if your goal is to earn as much revenue from your Bukisa articles as possible, as shared content may decrease the articles Google ranking. On the other hand, if you're using the articles as part of a backlinking strategy, or to build your brand, allowing others to republish your articles is a nice option.

Bukisa also accepts video, audio and image submissions. It is open to both American and non-American citizens with PayPal accounts.

More Demand Studios Alternatives - Page 2 >

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