Many freelancers dream of working for a blog network, or a combined list of blogs under one set of management. There are several advantages of working for a network, but there are also some downsides to consider. Here are just a few.
Posting Requirements
Blog networks generally determine the amount and frequency of monthly posts you are obligated to make. This could be a negative if the block of writing required does not fit with your schedule. More than that, certain networks could ask for a minimum word count for your posts, which may make blogging more work than you’re willing to provide.
Subject Matter
Blog networks generally have a set number of blogs within their corporate structure. That means that in order to write for them you may be penning a blog you aren’t passionate about. It can be difficult to write several times a week for a subject you have little interest or knowledge in. More than that, your readers will let you know if your information is incomplete.
Changing Market
Blogging is one industry that continually changes. Networks review and sometimes close down certain blogs, or go in an entirely new direction. Signing on with any blog network means you must be ready for a different schedule, contract, or set of blogs to write at any moment.
Low Pay Structure
While networks are a reliable place to get paid for blogging, the amount per post can often be very low. Blog contracts vary, and some bloggers are paid per post, month, or by how much traffic the blog receives. Each of these increments may be less than if you got a corporate blogging job, or started a one on your own.
Posts Belong to Someone Else
Perhaps the biggest concern for any writer is that generally when writing for a blog network, your words remain the property of the company. That means if you leave the network, all the work you did remains with them. You cannot take it back and reuse it later for your own purposes.
Blogging offers many benefits in terms of flexible schedule and support, but there are also a few negatives to consider before signing a contract. Read the fine print and do some consideration before jumping into a situation you’ll later regret. There still may be plenty of reasons to join a blog network despite some of the negatives, so weigh these carefully before signing on the dotted line.
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