Associated Content

Associated Content is an online publisher similar in some ways to HubPages. Anyone is able to register and submit original content on any topic.

The content is monetized by contextual advertising, but instead of using your own Adsense Publisher ID for a share of the revenue or the ad impressions, they pay per 1000 views.

Associated Content started in January 2005 so they're not an overnight sensation that will fade away quicker than it ignited and is a company headed by a CEO who was the former head of CBS Interactive and has worked at Google (Patrick Keane). And has had $21.5 million of capital venture funding injected to date.

Everytime someone views your content, you earn cash via Performance Payments.

Don't try and inflate your views by hitting refresh or paying for sub-standard traffic, as there are ways to measure and calculate that the visitors are legitimate and quality.

You get $1.50 per thousand page views. So here's an example of the money you'd get:

• You must be 18 years old to receive payment.
• Submit original (created by you) quality (spell check!) content.
• If you've published it elsewhere already, you can still submit it. But honestly, why bother? No use competing with your own content. And cross linking duplicate content is of no benefit to the reader.
• 400 word minimum.
• Double check for spelling, punctuation, grammar, sentence structure and flow.
• Headlines should attention grabbing but honest. While incorporating keywords or a keyword phrase that relates to the topic.
• Don't self-promote or publish an exerpt from your author bio. Readers can see that by clicking on your name quite easily.
• No adult content. You know what I mean. Don't make me say it. Okay 'no porn'. There, I said it, happy now?
• Don't go overboard on the use of bold, underlined or italicized words.
• Don't use UPPER CASE FOR YOUR HEADLINE.
• Image files must be JPEG or GIF, no larger than 2MB in size, and relevant to the topic.
• Thumbnails of the image files are displayed by 75 pixels wide by 56 pixels high so try and stick to the same aspect ratio for your original image (otherwise it may squish or stretch your image and it'll look a little out of sorts) so 400 pixels wide by 300 pixels high would be a good size to upload.
  

Can you make money from Associated Content? Yes. Some people do make a substantial amount. Like any site that involves generating income from publishing content, it's a matter of how much effort you put in, how good your writing skills are and whether you are hitting topics which people are searching for.

Have I made money from Associated Content? Yes. Not a great deal, but I do get a small amount of passive income being generated from my articles. I won't be retiring any time soon (or any time later for that fact), but for the little amount of effort I've put into the site, I'm actually impressed with the site. To me it indicates that if a person were to invest more time they would get monetary rewards.

Why haven't I? Because there's only so many hours in the day. I use it to offload extra, yet still worthwhile, submissions on subjects that I have dealt with at HubPages and a few other of my favored sites. I hyperlink a keyword phrase leading off to a related article I've published elsewhere. So I'm using it for getting traffic. But I still believe in quality because a submission can be rejected if it's not up to scratch. And avoid affiliate links, because that will get you rejected too.

I'm a firm believer of not having all your eggs in one basket, so if you enjoy writing and you write a lot, don't hesitate to join Associated Content.