I’ve noticed that many people are finding my blog through searches about Examiner.com, so I thought I would update about my experience with the site. After two weeks, I’m not quite a seasoned veteran yet, but I’m still plugging away as Atlanta’s green business Examiner.

I know what you all want. You want to know how the pay scale works. Isn’t that right? I know that’s the first thing I Googled when I was a prospective Examiner. Well, all I can say to that is that you have to apply to find out. But the good news is that as soon as your application is accepted they give you a general ball park guideline. Let me just warn you now – it’s competitive or better than rates at other per hit article marketing sites (think Suite101), but it definitely won’t make you rich.

The important point to take away here is that Examiner.com has its uses but it is not competitive with the regular rates you should be making as a freelance writer. It’s NOT EVEN CLOSE. (That’s aimed at you, newbie freelance writers.) Examiner.com should be used and thought of as something to get your name out there or establish yourself in niche and not, not, not as any sort of primary source of income. For example, say you’ve sat in every bar stool in Tulsa, Oklahoma, then heck, you should probably be the Tulsa Bar Examiner. But if you are signing up on Examiner.com to make money and plan to devote a large chunk of time to it, then thing long and hard about how you are valuing your time. Yes, building a networking and a reputation for expertise in your field is valuable, but there are other ways you can do that for more than a penny per hit.

Other ways to establish your expertise in your field:

• Start a blog. Update it every day with news and opinions from your field.
• Write for BrightHub or Demand Studios.  These sites are just a couple of many sites that pay you per article, and still allow you to compile a body of work to show off to potential clients while being assured of a little pocket change. (There is a school of thought that says that sites that pay per hit get you more money in the long run. I’m still not convinced, but I’m sure it’s a viable path if you write about a popular topic on a well-traveled website.)
•  Visit forums in your field and post knowledgably and often about your chosen specialty. Make a name for yourself as a talented writer AND an authority, and then sit back and watch the work come to you.

(Thank you, Yolander Prinzel of FreelanceWriterville, for kicking me onto the fast track with almost exactly that advice.)

Examiner.com should be used as a resource to build your network and get your name out to the wide world. It can also be used as an exercise to keep you writing in your niche every day, but it most definitely should not get in the way of your regular income. Got it?

Want more candid opinions about freelance writing issues? Check out:

Why a Reputable Freelance Writer Won’t Do Your Homework (So Stop Asking)

Spy vs. Spy: Freelance Writing Code Words

How I Landed My First Freelance Writing Job

How (Not) to Handle Multiple Deadlines