Below is a list of frequently asked questions (or more likely, questions we thought people might ask). If you have a question that isn’t answered here, or are interested in joining the network, please contact us.
If I start a new blog, how long will it take to make money, and how much will I make?
That depends on a number of factors:
- The topics you blog about
- How often you post new entries
- The size of your readership
We cannot guarantee that your blog will earn money in a given amount of time, and some topics are not well-suited to monetization. More concrete topics (e.g. product reviews) tend to generate better ad revenue. However, it’s possible to make money blogging about virtually any topic if you are a good writer, post regularly, and build an audience. We generally wait one month before putting ads on a new site, as it’s hard to get relevant ads before the site has a reasonable amount of content. You should not expect to make money for the first few months, generally speaking, though the more inbound links and steady readers you attract, the better.
The financial advantages of joining the WebbleYou Blog Network include:
- No out-of-pocket expenses at any time - we cover all hosting and domain registration expenses
- You keep 70% of your site’s ad revenue (most networks only pay 50% or less)
- We can import your existing site so you don’t have to pay for hosting
- No need to earn a certain amount before getting paid (AdSense requires $100 before the first payout, for reference)
WebbleYou can issue payment in virtually any medium (PayPal, Amazon, check, etc.) that you find convenient.
Who owns my writing?
Since you are the author, you own your writing. We get the non-exclusive, perpetual rights to publish on any of our sites anything you write on a WebbleYou Blog Network site, but you can also publish it on your own site. In fact, WebbleYou is the only blog network that doesn’t mind if you post your writing to your personal site as well as your WebbleYou Blog Network site. If you choose to leave the network, you can export all of your posts for your new blog, and we’ll keep a copy as well.
What kinds of sites can be part of the network?
Generally, we are looking for blogs that are topical and of interest to a general population seeking information on that topic - for example, gadgets, cosmetics, coffee, travel, news, knitting, hobbies, etc.
We are not including blogs in the following categories:
- Religion
- Politics
- Adult entertainment
How soon can I quit my day job?
The WebbleYou Blog Network is designed for people who enjoy writing in their spare time. If you are looking for a salaried or pay-per-post writing gig, you’ll have to look elsewhere. We are of the opinion that such arrangements are usually unsustainable for publishers, and thus tend to leave the writers shortchanged when the publisher backs out of the deal.
Our network is structured in such a way that we make money only when you make money - and you keep more than we do with our writer-friendly 70/30 ad revenue split. This allows us to cover our hosting and promotional costs, while giving you most of the rewards for your hard (but hopefully enjoyable) work. Since hosting costs are roughly proportional to traffic, which is roughly proportional (in theory) to ad revenue, we believe our model is more sustainable in the long run, if less lucrative in the short term.
I’m a good writer, but don’t know much about WordPress or blogging
Don’t worry. We’ll hold your hand. The WebbleYou Blog Network is run by the people behind the world-class WebbleYou WordPress consulting and support service, and our expertise is at your disposal.
What kind of ads will be on my site?
We currently use two main advertisers - Google Adsense and Text Link Ads. Adsense tends to pay less, but will accept new sites, so we start with that. After a month or so of steady posting, we’ll attempt to add Text Link Ads. TLA uses a site’s Alexa ranking to determine whether to accept the site, so it takes a while (and a certain level of traffic) to get recognized by Alexa. We also sell advertising directly.
Can I put up my own ads or use PayPerPost?
No. Because WebbleYou’s compensation payment model is based on a 70/30 split of the site’s revenue, we manage all of the advertising, which we see as a significant benefit to authors. Advertising that isn’t managed by WebbleYou makes it impossible to split the revenue accurately. By comparing data across sites, we are able to optimize the type of advertising we use in our network in order to help you make the most money possible.
If you have other blogs or websites that you maintain, you are welcome to create links to them from your WYBN site (subject to review by WYBN).
We do not allow PayPerPost entries on WYBN blogs due to their disruption of revenue sharing, their typically low quality, and their questionable ethics. In addition, we have found that readers are not interested in reading PayPerPost blogs. We believe that authentic, compelling content is the best way to build a readership and make money through blogging.
Can I post religious or political material?
WebbleYou strives to appeal to a broad audience, so blogs that are overtly sectarian or political in nature are not admitted to the network. However, it is only natural that one’s personal views may become apparent over time through one’s blog. Therefore, while we expect the bulk of material on a blog to be of general interest within its niche, it is understandable and acceptable for personal viewpoints to become evident. WebbleYou neither endorses nor condemns the personal viewpoints of our authors. If we have concerns about material that may alienate or offend readers, we will contact the author. Please contact us if you find material on a WYBN blog to be offensive.
How often am I expected to post?
At least once a week, though three posts or more per week would be better. If you’re going on vacation or will otherwise be unable to post for a while, you can either write a post stating when you’ll be back, or write posts with a future timestamp, which will be published at that time.
Will I have an editor?
As your site’s author, you are the primary editor, but we may make edits in order to keep posts in alignment with our guidelines.
Do I have to use my real name on my blog?
No, though you certainly can if you want. Many of our authors use pseudonyms, which is fine with us. We may need to know your real name to handle payments, but will not publish your name if you don’t want us to.
Can I include Flickr pictures and YouTube videos on my blog?
Yes, you can include images and videos from external sites as long as you follow the policies of those sites and do not post copyrighted material without permission. For example, Flickr requires that you link to the photo page when hotlinking an image from their site.
OK. I’m Interested.
Ready to join our network? Please contact us.