by Elaine Sihera

Created on: April 16, 2008

Which Is Better: Triond, Helium or Associated Content?

All three sites have their own advantages and disadvantages but, for me, Helium is the best for a variety of reasons. However, let me look at each of them in turn.

Associated Content is a very good site, it seems to attract a lot of people and the actual visual impact is appealing. However, I dislike it at present because it operates an unequal policy with its writers. All articles from American writers are bought for a decent rate each. However, all international writers are exploited by simply getting paid per thousand views because of some spurious and unexplained reason as to why their articles can't be bought. It means this dual, exploitative policy might benefit and reward the efforts of American writers but it does little to truly recognise and respect the efforts of international ones. That is not a good message to be giving your writers. If Helium and Newsvine can pay all writers equally, AC can do the same. So though I have a few articles on there, I have stopped adding any more to them until they change the policy.

Triond is better in that it pays a decent rate per number of viewers and is very professional. But I think it's unrealistic demand for original articles only, when it is not paying exclusive rates, is robbing it of articles it might get from writers. That is a pity because I like it very much but would not be particularly keen to give it my articles first when there are better payments for original articles elsewhere.

Helium is simply the best writing website for me. I joined it last year January when it was just coming into being and struggling to make its name. I remember earning 2 cents in all of February and thought: Right, if I cannot get payment until I reach $25 dollars, 2010 here I come for my first payment! I was rather cynical about progress. But by March it was $1.87 and May saw it reach $10 for the month. My excitement knew no bounds.

The site has improved dramatically over the past year and its star system is certainly a great idea which adds to the motivation. I am not sure about its rating system as that can be open to bias and, with not enough people rating, an article can hang around at the same position for ages. But otherwise, it is the site of the future for writers. It is certainly changing the face of writer recognition on the Web. I predict that all these free article sites will have to change to keep up with Helium as most of the good writers will go there instead.

I am pleased to be associated with Helium because it has certainly improved my writing on all fronts.

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