New Section "Premium Articles"

Celeste Stewart · Post by **Celeste Stewart** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 4:06 pm

Don't get discouraged Cyndy. Pricing is tricky but hopefully you'll show us all!

Celeste Stewart · Post by **Celeste Stewart** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 4:10 pm

PS Grouchy,
That's funny, we were both on the same wavelength about the price being what the market is willing to pay. As they say, great minds think alike

grouchy · Post by **grouchy** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 4:16 pm

Wow. What a compliment. My head is swelling as we speak!

Ed · Post by Ed » Wed Dec 05, 2007 5:46 pm

Just to let you all know - I haven't stepped out of this thread. I'll catch up sometime tomorrow. I'm really glad this has turned into a dynamic discussion.

Ed

grouchy · Post by **grouchy** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:10 pm

I was wondering where you were. I thought maybe you took a look and decided it would be OK to try to get some shopping done or something, since it seems to have taken on a life of its own.

Ed · Post by Ed » Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:31 am

Shopping? No, unfortunately. Christmas is a bust this year after a little dog who started peeing blood had to be taken to the vet. I'm glad it was still dark as I followed her around in the snow this morning with a pee-cup at the ready. X-rays showed stones. She may need surgery. The vet chuckled when I said I would need consider a payment plan.

But back to the discussion at hand.

1) I see a lot of potential customers who need marketing and business-savvy writers. We will try to bring them to Constant Content. You certainly sound knowledgeable in this area, Audrabianca. I couldn't write a business article if I was told to on threat of death.

2) Yeah. Topic. Those padded articles make me want to beat my head against the keyboard. I would never want to be a professor (or would I?). It's true though that the writers participating in this discussion (and other writers at CC) don't need to stoop to that.

3) Thanks for the concern about other sites' standards having made people misunderstand standards elsewhere. I think a gentle shove in the direction of the Premium Articles section (when it becomes visible to us) will shrink any overly fat egos - and hopefully show beginners what's possible with a little time and effort.

4) My intention is never to inject any more sense of competition into the writer community than what exists by default. Everyone here works hard. If you're feeding yourself or someone next to you through writing, you should be proud, whether you're writing quick 400-word articles or more developed pieces. So I don't want writers to feel offended if their articles aren't chosen for the Premium category. There is plenty of room for both types - we just don't have enough of the second type right now.

5) I know a market exists for writers with strong voice and sophisticated command of language. The trick is to bring potential customers to the site long enough so they can see that what they need can be found here. I'd like to be able to personally sit individuals down in front of a computer screen, but that's impossible. So we'll work on it through other means.

6) Pricing. There is web publication pricing and then there is print publication pricing. Website owners generally want content at low prices because they need to be able to make a profit off of that content from the ad revenues generated by user traffic/clicks. If the article performs well - great. If it doesn't, the website owner can be out however much he paid for the article.

Print publications work differently. Does this mean that longer, pricier articles will only attract the customer from the print publication? Not necessarily. They may attract customers with smaller projects that they are confident our writers can handle because of the writing that exists in the Premium section.

dsletten · Post by **dsletten** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:10 am

Hi Ed,
Sorry to hear about your dog. We've been through some animal health problems in our house this year too. Hope he pulls through it all fine.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on writing, pricing and the new Premium section. I already think that CC is the best site out there but am happy to hear you want to up the stakes. While I will continue writing the shorter articles that I think customers can use I will also enjoy submitting some that I feel are stronger in subject and more in-depth. Call me crazy but this will be fun!

Celeste Stewart · Post by **Celeste Stewart** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:11 am

I don't see it as a competition to land in the Premium section at all. It's not like there are only three slots available. Rather, the more premium articles the better!

Ed · Post by Ed » Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:50 am

Well, I'm sure I'm not the only one here who has a pet who gets better medical care than they do personally. But thank goodness no one has to follow me around with a urinalysis cup.

The fact is that search engines (Google) are changing. So CC has to move with it. While there is still need for SEO content and product descriptions, publications (online or print) are making sure to have blog tie-ins and content that competes with other content out there . . . in whatever way Google says it has to be compete that year.

Yeah, I don't see it as a competition either. (Punches you on the shoulder). We're in it together, guys! It's in our collective best interest for all types of content to be promoted.

grouchy · Post by **grouchy** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:59 pm

Ed - how's the pup? Sorry to hear about her problems. I don't think your vet should've found your question comical at all -- good god - they've got us over a barrel. They can just about charge what they want b/c they know some people are more emotionally bound to their pets than they are to their kids. How about an occasional update?

Good to hear all your thoughts about PAs. Thanks.

Post by **constant-content** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 4:40 pm

I personally see this as a show case for the talent we have.... granted some writers listed there may get private requests, but i see nothing wrong with that. Its really just an extra section to draw attention to certain articles and certain writers. It wasn't designed to have writers write for the section but if it happens so be it.

Ed · Post by Ed » Sat Dec 08, 2007 8:41 am

Adding to what Constant just said . . . if you think you are especially well-versed or interested in a topic, it might behoove you to write some articles on that topic with the Premium section in mind.

Celeste Stewart · Post by **Celeste Stewart** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 9:01 am

I click the Premium Articles link every day and every day, nothing. Today - Bingo! Can't wait to check them out! Thanks Ed and Constant!

Ed · Post by Ed » Wed Jan 16, 2008 9:06 am

I'm really pleased with the representation here. I hope everyone else will be, too.

Ed

Celeste Stewart · Post by **Celeste Stewart** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:21 am

Nice selection, Ed. Terrific variety! I enjoyed seeing writers I've never noticed before too! I particularly loved the Single Malt Scotch article.