Writing for HubPages, Blasting News, and Vocal Media: Reviews
Margaret Minnicks makes a living by writing online about entertainment, celebrities, books, movies, foods, drinks, health, and spirituality.
Read detailed reviews of three online writing sites, based on the author's personal experience.
Online Sites I Have Written for and What I Think of Them
I am an online writer. I write full-time, and my writing helps pay my bills. Over the years, I have found online sites that I love. I used to write for Examiner.com, but it went out of business, to many examiners' regret. I had written thousands of articles there in dozens of categories.
Since then, I have always had at least two sites to write for in case something like that happens again. Each site has advantages and disadvantages. In case you are looking for a site to write for, perhaps the information found here will help you to decide to write or not write for any one of the websites I write for.
Needless to say, these are my personal choices, and my opinions are not meant to convince you or to sway you in any direction.
Writing for each site is like going to the dealer to pick out a car. You will find something you like about all of them. However, there might be one thing you also don't like about each one. Since you cannot purchase all the cars on the lot, you choose the one with the most perks that you like even though it doesn't have all the features that you like. Such is the case with online writing sites.
The HubPages logo.
HubPages
I will start with HubPages since I have been writing on this site the longest, and this article is on its site. However, I will give the same time and space to the other sites.
I began writing for HubPages on March 4, 2011. I wrote evergreen articles then that I am still getting paid for eight years later. The articles do not expire after 30 days like those on Blasting News.
When I began writing for Examiner, I did not write much for HubPages. I am glad I did not deactivate my account because after Examiner folded in 2015, I started writing more for HubPages. The beauty of that is I updated old articles that made the search engine treat them as new ones. Something as simple as changing a word in the title will cause the article to be updated.
HubPages is the one site where I can go back and change something after it has been published. With Blasting News and Vocal, I cannot change something after it has been published.
The Blasting News logo.
Blasting News
Based on the title of this website, you can tell that it covers news and what is trending from day to day. A blaster can write on any subject that is trending. The one thing I don't like about Blasting News is that a writer will get paid for his/her articles for only 30 days.
Even though the articles continue to accumulate views for the site after that time, the writer will not get paid for them. The site continues to earn money but not the writer. I have had articles pick up stream after the 30th day, but I received nothing. It doesn't seem fair, but that's the way Blasting News works.
The Vocal Media logo.
After you write your article, you can choose to feature it in one of these categories.
Vocal Media
Vocal is the new kid on the block. I love it very much mainly because the entire process is quick and extremely easy.
Like Blasting News, I can't change anything once it is published. Also, there is no word counter on the site. I have to copy and paste my article into a separate word counter app to see if I have the minimum requirement of 600 words.
I love that there are at least two dozens communities you can write for. Besides, you can write in the first person. I consider Vocal being similar to a glorified blog. I usually write general information at first, and in order to get my 600 words, I can write personal information without having to document it.
My very first article was personal all the way through: "Reasons I Am a Writer."
Comparisons and Contrasts
I believe the best way to compare and contrast the three sites is to show in a chart how each one of them works. I no longer write for Blasting News.
| Characteristics | HubPages | Blasting News | Vocal Media |
|---|---|---|---|
Year Founded | 2006 | 2013 | 2017 |
URL | Hubpages.com | blastingnews.com | vocal.media |
Date I Begin Writing | 03/04/11 | 01/11/2016 | 01/27/2018 |
Number of Articles Written | 901 | 1,652 | 82 |
Standing on Site among other writers | 88% | 83% | 86% |
Followers on the site | 418 | 298 | No community |
Following on the site | 513 | 298 | No community |
Overall Pageviews | 1,485,867 | no longer write for this site | 39,325 |
Writer Known as | Hubber | Blaster | Writer |
Article Known as | Hub | Article | Article |
Article Format | Trending and Evergreen | Trending and Evergreen | Trending and Evergreen |
Word Requirement | No minimum but 700 words get more views | 2,000 characters (notice this is characters and not words) | 600 words |
Products | Can promote Amazon products | No product promotions | Can promote Amazon products and your own |
How to Write | First person, third person | Third person | First person, third person |
Links | Can link to related articles | Must use two links only on Blasting News; could be yours or other blasters | Can link to own work and other related articles |
Images and Videos | Provide as many as you want; video | Main image at top; Twitter, Video | Main image at top; provide as many as you want |
References | References or sources optional | Must provide source of information | No sources required |
Application Process | Provide writing samples | Provide writing samples | None |
Pay Out | $50 on 28th of each month; sent automatic | $10; make request twice a month | Can withdraw when payment reaches $35; Founding members can withdraw at $20. |
Payment Source | PayPal; no fee taken out | PayPal; fee taken out | Stripe deposit directly into your bank account; no fee withheld |
Payment | CPM Pageviews, AdSense, Amazon Products | Pageviews and ads | CPM Pageviews and online tips from readers |
Likes | Passive Income; article is published automatically by writer without having to wait for reviewer; can update articles; read by HubPage community; has word counter; can include lots of fun stuff such as charts like this one, quizzes, surveys, etc. | word counter so you can see how many words you have typed; pageviews and pay appear on dashboard every half an hour so you can see how much you are making | Writing process is easy; passive income; can use own links; no resources required; can chose your own from among two dozen sites for article to be placed |
Dislikes | $50 payout could be lower | 30-day expiration; cannot revise article after submission; no community; cannot link outside of site | No community; cannot revise article after submission; no word counter |
Check Pageviews | Updated several times a day | Updated twice every hour | Updated in real time; changes every time an article is read |
Uniqueness | Published immediately by writer | Contests, Bonuses, Help from Social Blasters | Readers can give tips to writers if they like their work |
Ads | Articles surrounded by ads | Articles surrounded by ads | No ads on page |
Main Objections | No major objection | Articles expire after 30 days. If article is read after that time, company gets paid; writer gets nothing | Cannot edit article after it has been published |
Conclusion of the Matter
No matter how easy an article is to write, and no matter how good it turns out to be, unless it is promoted well, you will not see any profits.
Promote your articles on social media and among family and friends. The more you promote, the more your articles will get read. The more your articles get read, the more money you will make.
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
Comments
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on November 23, 2019:
MsJessyJonesy, I write for a living and have been doing it for many years. I see you just joined HubPages. Welcome aboard!
Write as often as you can and you will see how rewarding it is to share your thoughts with others.
Let me know if I can help you succeed!
revmjm on November 23, 2019:
MsJessyJonesy, I write for a living and have been doing it for many years. I see you just joined HubPages. Welcome aboard!
Write as often as you can and you will see how rewarding it is to share your thoughts with others.
Let me know if I can help you succeed!
MsJessyJonesy on November 23, 2019:
I enjoyed reading your article. I have been told over and over again that I should write. I never knew something like this could be a real possibility. You and all of the people who have commented on this article have truly encouraged me to move forward and try to write. Thank You!
Sharon Lopez from Philippines on October 19, 2019:
That's sweet! Thank you so much. Yeah, I can see that you really love this site. The number of articles you have here is quite amazing! I hope and pray for your continued success.
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on October 19, 2019:
Sharon, I believe once you begin to devote more time to HubPages, you will find that it is one of the best writing sites around. I love writing on HubPages. Let me know if I can help.
Sharon Lopez from Philippines on October 19, 2019:
I write for Bitlanders during my free time. But the site will stop paying starting November so I need to find another site. I started with HubPages before but I could not devote enough time. I am trying my luck again on this site. Thank you for sharing a wonderful article.
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on September 30, 2018:
Melesa Francis-Turner, I am always looking for new avenues to write. I want to write on my own blogs, but for some reasons, I don't understand how to monetize them. I am going to contact you for advice.
Melesa Francis-Turner on September 30, 2018:
Enlightening article. I prefer writing on my own blogs and hubpages though. I kile to concentrate my stuff in a few places.
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on August 30, 2018:
The filled mind, that's great. I will read it.
The filled mind from East Orange on August 30, 2018:
I am working in an article as we speak hopefully i can have it published tonight
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on August 30, 2018:
The filled mind, I read your article when you first joined four weeks ago. I noticed that you haven't written an article since. One tip for you is to write often. Consistency is the key.
It will also help you get the hang of it. I love writing for HubPages.
The filled mind from East Orange on August 30, 2018:
I really want to write for Hubpages full time, your articles help me to see that is possible.
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on August 30, 2018:
Robert, I found a way not to worry about the $50 payout. I set a goal each month to surpass the payout and I do many times over.
I love HubPages and hope it stays around for a very long time. I checked out some of your articles, and they are really good. I like your style of writing, especially the listicles. Therefore, I am following you so I will be made aware of your new articles when you write them.
Robert P Sullivan on August 30, 2018:
I agree the 50$ payout could be lower, but I think that may be their way of keeping people from just spamming a bunch of junk articles to get reach the minimum payout. Either way, I tend to enjoy Hubpages for it's quality content.
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on April 06, 2018:
Margie, Thanks for reading my article about my writing sites. I write every day and enjoy it very much especially since I get paid for doing so.
Margie's Southern Kitchen from the USA on April 06, 2018:
Margaret thanks for the great information! So easy to read the comparison chart.
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on January 30, 2018:
Eric, thanks for your feedback. I will check you out on HubPages.
Eric Farmer from Rockford Illinois on January 30, 2018:
I have heard of Vocal before but right now I mostly focusing on HubPages because of how easy it is to use. Plus writing for Hubpages is good practice.
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on January 29, 2018:
Windy Grace Mason, thank you so much for reading and commenting on my hub.
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on January 29, 2018:
Thanks, Eastward, for reading and commenting on my article.
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on January 29, 2018:
Thanks, Anne, for reading and responding.
Windy Grace Mason from Belle Haven, VA on January 29, 2018:
Thanks again for your wisdom! Very well-written, useful, and thoughtful hub!
Eastward from Bangkok, Thailand on January 29, 2018:
Nice work comparing and contrasting HubPages, Blasting News, and Vocal. It's interesting to see how they all measure up.
Anne Cox from California on January 29, 2018:
Very thorough, well-written, and helpful, Margaret. Thank you.
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on January 29, 2018:
Thanks, Tim, for reading and commenting. I am always looking for new sites to explore.
Tim Truzy from U.S.A. on January 29, 2018:
Excellent article. I like the details you provided about these sites. I'll be sure to check them out. Diversify and expand. Wonderful.
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on January 29, 2018:
Thanks, Tamarajo, for reading and sharing your opinion. HubPages does have a lot of good things about it.
Tamarajo on January 29, 2018:
I have to say I will stick with Hubpages. I don't think I could deal with not being able to change something once it is published and not having a word counter would be aggravating.
Informative article
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on January 29, 2018:
K S Lane, thanks for reading and for your comment. Yes, check out Vocal. I like it so far.
K S Lane from Melbourne, Australia on January 29, 2018:
I'm not sure if I like the idea of Blasting News, but Vocal sounds promising. I might have to check it out. Thanks for the recommendations!
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on January 29, 2018:
Louise, Blasting News is just what it says. It is a trending news site about breaking news. I write there most of the time, but I am leaning now toward writing more for Vocal. I have an account with Virily but have not checked it out yet, but I will and then add it to my chart.
Louise Powles from Norfolk, England on January 29, 2018:
I write on Hubpages, but I've never heard of Blasting News or Vocal. I also write on Virily though, which is a blogging platform.
