Ezine Article's New Submission Policy Could Wreck Havoc

29 replies
In case you're not aware, EZA's new submission policy states that the
content of your article MUST deliver on the promise of the title.

To prove that this is going to be impossible to enforce objectively and
without more problems than you can possibly imagine, I'm going to write an
article here on the spot. I am purposely going to write it so that there is no
way that everybody here is going to see it one way or the other. In other
words, some will see it as delivering on the promise and some won't. And
that is my point.

I don't envy Ezine Articles in their attempt to get this one right.

Title - How To Make Quick And Easy Cash Online

Not everybody wants to run a home business. Some people just want to
make a little extra cash for emergencies or maybe even just for having a
good time. So how do you do it? Are there some easy methods online to
make some quick cash online? In this article, I'm going to share some of my
favorite ways to make some quick and easy cash.

One of the quickest and easiest ways is simply to head to Ebay. Ebay
is without a doubt the hottest auction site on the Internet. All you need
is something to sell. And trust me, there are people looking for all kinds of
things online. See that old MP3 player that you're itching to trade in for a
new one? There are plenty of people out there who will pay good money
for it. And if you don't have anything laying around the house, don't sweat
it...just hit your local garage sales and you're bound to pick up something
that you can turn over for some quick and easy cash.

Another great way to make some quick and easy cash online is by
freelancing. Everybody has got some skill. Even if it's just doing data
entry. Not a problem. If you head over to places like Elance, there are
people looking for all kinds of jobs to get done. You'll find everything there
from copywriting to ghost writing to software development. If you've got
a skill, somebody is out there with the bucks to pay for it. And you don't
even need a website or any prior experience.

Finally, there are surveys. You'd be surprised how many companies out
there will pay you for your opinion. Some of them pay very well. And if
you're lucky enough to get into a focus group, that's where you can make
some really good money. Whatever you do, don't pay to find these survey
sites. You can easily find them for free just by going to Google and looking
up "online surveys."

So, if you're looking to make some quick and easy cash, selling on Ebay,
freelancing and taking surveys are some great ways to do it.

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim

Okay, can anybody, or EVERYBODY see the obvious gray area here.

Is selling on Ebay REALLY quick and easy? For some people it is. For others
it's an exercise in futility. Same thing with surveys and freelancing.

So, how is EZA going to determine the "validity" of each article when
claims are being made like these?

Should be very interesting to see how this plays out.
#article #ezine #havoc #policy #submission #wreck
  • Profile picture of the author Scott Ames
    Seems to me they needed a rule that they could point to to deny articles they don't like.


    The End of The Universe

    The sun will burn out in 4 Billion years... yada yada


    If they want to wait around to see if that promise is delivered... go for it.
    Signature

    Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. -Winston Churchill

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  • Profile picture of the author stevecl
    steve, i think your reading to much into this. As long as what you are writing about is reflected in the title then their will be no issue.

    If your titles about making quick cash, you don't want to be writing about long term investments.

    Just my two cents worth.

    I presume its like a form of quality score,
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by stevecl View Post

      steve, i think your reading to much into this. As long as what you are writing about is reflected in the title then their will be no issue.

      If your titles about making quick cash, you don't want to be writing about long term investments.

      Just my two cents worth.

      I presume its like a form of quality score,
      Maybe, but who's to say what quick cash is? Plus, I used the word "easy"

      Is any of this stuff easy?

      There is a lot of room for interpretation here. That's all I'm saying and since
      we don't know how strict or lax EZA is going to be with this policy, there
      is no way to tell what's going to get through and what won't.
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      • Profile picture of the author Shannon Herod
        Great post, and thanks for pointing this out Steve.

        I do think it will be almost impossible to enforce this in new rule.

        Like you said, different people will interpret what you write different ways.

        I guess we will need to wait and see what happens.

        Shannon
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        • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
          Hi Steven,

          I thought this was a long-standing policy. The idea being that the title should not be misleading just to get people to read it.

          For example, an article titled "5 Ways To Cook Spaghetti" needs to show 5 ways to cook spaghetti, not 4.

          I don't think it's a big deal. After all, isn't it smart to deliver on what the title promises anyway?

          Or, am I missing the point (very possible).

          ~Michael
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          • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
            Originally Posted by Michael Oksa View Post

            Hi Steven,

            I thought this was a long-standing policy. The idea being that the title should not be misleading just to get people to read it.

            For example, an article titled "5 Ways To Cook Spaghetti" needs to show 5 ways to cook spaghetti, not 4.

            I don't think it's a big deal. After all, isn't it smart to deliver on what the title promises anyway?

            Or, am I missing the point (very possible).

            ~Michael
            Michael, from what I understand, this is a new policy or a stricter
            enforcement of a long standing policy. Let me go over there and see if
            I can find the exact wording and the date it was instituted.
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            • Profile picture of the author Allen Graves
              Steven, make note of the page title where that info is located and make sure it's on target. Otherwise, I won't listen. LOL

              AL
              Signature
              Every day I check the obituaries. If I don't see my name there, then I know it's going to be a good day!
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Zalesky
    Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

    In case you're not aware, EZA's new submission policy states that the
    content of your article MUST deliver on the promise of the title.

    To prove that this is going to be impossible to enforce objectively and
    without more problems than you can possibly imagine, I'm going to write an
    article here on the spot. I am purposely going to write it so that there is no
    way that everybody here is going to see it one way or the other. In other
    words, some will see it as delivering on the promise and some won't. And
    that is my point.

    I don't envy Ezine Articles in their attempt to get this one right.

    Title - How To Make Quick And Easy Cash Online

    Not everybody wants to run a home business. Some people just want to
    make a little extra cash for emergencies or maybe even just for having a
    good time. So how do you do it? Are there some easy methods online to
    make some quick cash online? In this article, I'm going to share some of my
    favorite ways to make some quick and easy cash.

    One of the quickest and easiest ways is simply to head to Ebay. Ebay
    is without a doubt the hottest auction site on the Internet. All you need
    is something to sell. And trust me, there are people looking for all kinds of
    things online. See that old MP3 player that you're itching to trade in for a
    new one? There are plenty of people out there who will pay good money
    for it. And if you don't have anything laying around the house, don't sweat
    it...just hit your local garage sales and you're bound to pick up something
    that you can turn over for some quick and easy cash.

    Another great way to make some quick and easy cash online is by
    freelancing. Everybody has got some skill. Even if it's just doing data
    entry. Not a problem. If you head over to places like Elance, there are
    people looking for all kinds of jobs to get done. You'll find everything there
    from copywriting to ghost writing to software development. If you've got
    a skill, somebody is out there with the bucks to pay for it. And you don't
    even need a website or any prior experience.

    Finally, there are surveys. You'd be surprised how many companies out
    there will pay you for your opinion. Some of them pay very well. And if
    you're lucky enough to get into a focus group, that's where you can make
    some really good money. Whatever you do, don't pay to find these survey
    sites. You can easily find them for free just by going to Google and looking
    up "online surveys."

    So, if you're looking to make some quick and easy cash, selling on Ebay,
    freelancing and taking surveys are some great ways to do it.

    To YOUR Success,

    Steven Wagenheim

    Okay, can anybody, or EVERYBODY see the obvious gray area here.

    Is selling on Ebay REALLY quick and easy? For some people it is. For others
    it's an exercise in futility. Same thing with surveys and freelancing.

    So, how is EZA going to determine the "validity" of each article when
    claims are being made like these?

    Should be very interesting to see how this plays out.


    You know it sounds like that we meaning all of us in the Warrior Forum need to start our own article directory. With EZA being the way it has been the last month or so and now this I am getting to the point I dont want to use them anymore even it they rank well. I still can rank well on other directories. Why not create one for the warrior forum and in a few months having it ranking well. Could be done I know it would take some work but why not?

    Jason
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    • Profile picture of the author Allen Graves
      Originally Posted by Jason Zalesky View Post

      You know it sounds like that we meaning all of us in the Warrior Forum need to start our own article directory. With EZA being the way it has been the last month or so and now this I am getting to the point I dont want to use them anymore even it they rank well. I still can rank well on other directories. Why not create one for the warrior forum and in a few months having it ranking well. Could be done I know it would take some work but why not?

      Jason
      I would help or take on that task. I have some great experience, LOL.

      AL
      Signature
      Every day I check the obituaries. If I don't see my name there, then I know it's going to be a good day!
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      • Profile picture of the author TheRichJerksNet
        Originally Posted by Allen Graves View Post

        I would help or take on that task. I have some great experience, LOL.

        AL
        Oh darn Allen.. Jason exposed our secret article site we was working on together..lol

        James
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        • Profile picture of the author Seattle Mike
          They are definitely pickier. Last week I had one rejected because the title was 5 ways to """

          I didn't number them or anything but they counted them and apparently they really wanted to see a #5. Which was basically in the resource box

          Changed the title to Hot Tips for """ -Accepted.
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  • Profile picture of the author jasonl70
    Steven's right - this is totaly subjective. Better hope you get an EA employee who has at least half a brain to be the one approving you..
    Signature

    -Jason

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  • Profile picture of the author MikeRogers
    Hi Steven,

    Just a guess here, but it seems like EZA has gotten a bit weary of people going for long-tail keywords like "Make Easy Cash Online" to get a spot on Google and then writing about ExLax for their content.

    You used your title quite well and referenced it at least twice in your content so, I'd say you would be pretty safe with that article.

    I don't think EZA would be stupid enough to cut their own throats by making some off the wall rule that nobody could follow.

    Mike
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  • Profile picture of the author roley
    Sorry but i find the ezine articles a tad over protective.. they reject it seems most articles. Ive keen up with them move on to others
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    • Profile picture of the author EndGame
      Generally speaking I don't have much problem getting my articles approved on EZA, but I think they are making things more difficult for us writers and marketers.

      I think the price they charge for premium membership is extortionate. Truly incredible for what you get in return. I have just stuck with the free option. I am happy to wait a couple of days to get approved if it is free. I just pace my marketing campaigns inline with the turnaround time (which isn't as unreasonable as I expected it to be).

      I see the point Steven is making, and I can understand the motivations for EZA to do this, but I really think I'll be using a combination of a few directories in place of EZA.
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Steven, you have a point. My reading of the new policy, and the reasoning behind it, differs slightly...

        I believe EZA is trying to get rid of the 'teaser' articles.

        Suppose, rather than the article you posted, you clicked on the title and saw and article that attempted to define 'quick', 'easy' and so on. Followed by a resource box that read "for a list of ways to make quick, easy cash, click here."

        Yes, the article you posted might be subject to interpretation, but it could be argued that you did fulfill the promise of your title.
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      • Profile picture of the author Ricter
        Steven, you're right, it is a gray area, and quite arbitrary. But so it is with any publisher who has to evaluate the numerous submissions they receive, no? I see this new rule as an inevitable step in the same process that offline publishing has undergone, a process driven by economics: supply and demand. More hurdles will be coming, and quite possibly, if EZA gets big enough, and wants to stay that way, and the rate of submissions continues to rise, an unknown writer will need an agent to get published there, just as it is with offline publishers. Unless EZA chooses to keep submission evaluation in-house, but that only means their "agents" are in-house.

        There is, or will be," too many" submissions, thanks in part to all the prolific authors out there writing, for example, 200 articles in a month, gaming the system, really. If I go looking in EZA today for the very best way to do X, I'm faced with, say, 1000 articles. In two months it could be 2000 articles. How am I supposed to know which one is best? If I don't know Steven Wagenheim, a known expert on X, I'm lost. Unless, the publisher themselves limits the list by some form of quality control.

        EZA has to winnow somehow or lose their credibility, and I see the bar being raised higher and higher, if they want to retain that credibility, in a sea of easy submitting.

        Jennifer's point about posting good quality to your own site is valid, excellent actually, as it is the best we can do, but I think even that eventually is subject to these forces, and the same old offline proviso on writing: "everyone has a novel locked inside them, let's hope most of them keep it there," will apply. Only the very best writing, in our Age Of Noise, can hope to be heard. This is as it should be, don't you think?

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    • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
      Originally Posted by roley View Post

      Sorry but i find the ezine articles a tad over protective.. they reject it seems most articles. Ive keen up with them move on to others
      I have the total and complete opposite experience, in fact, I just got 3 approved today......

      RoD
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    • Profile picture of the author ripsnorta2
      Originally Posted by roley View Post

      Sorry but i find the ezine articles a tad over protective.. they reject it seems most articles. Ive keen up with them move on to others
      I've also had the opposite experience. Every one of my first ten articles was approved, and I went straight to platinum, not basic plus. It's just a matter of making sure you meet the guidelines. Quality writing also helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mad Dawg
    I think they are doing this more to crack down on people who use the title simply for SEO and are not really giving the ezine users quality content.

    With excellent content like selling on ebay and taking surveys, I think they'd give that article the thumbs up! =P

    Mad Dawg
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  • Profile picture of the author Jonathan Ferraro
    I think it all depends on who's reviewing the article. Sometimes an article of mine will be pulled for some moronic reason, then I'll just resubmit it without any changes and it'll get accepted. Sometimes I wonder if there is any rhyme or reason for any of it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mac Wheeler
      Personally I think it will be awesome if EZA start actually kicking out junk content. I would also be pleased if they tightened up their quality standards. Both of these things would mean people have to hire good writers and pay decent rates.
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      • Profile picture of the author Ephrils
        I think they're fixing the problem in the wrong area. People do crazy stuff like a misleading title and different content sure, but if they're being accepted WHERE really is the problem?

        The need to hire new editors. Not get a premium service and tighten the noose on what's acceptable content and what's not.

        How's that submission coming Steven?
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    • Profile picture of the author melanied
      Yeah, I probably shouldn't admit this, but when I get an article rejected, I decide if I agree with their error code or not. If I do, I tweak it. If not, resubmit without changes. Never failed to have it accepted after that.

      I think they are getting more arbitrary with their rejections, but I also think this just makes it require more patience to get around. Which is great, actually, for those of us that decide to stick it out. Less competition.

      Originally Posted by Jonathan Ferraro View Post

      I think it all depends on who's reviewing the article. Sometimes an article of mine will be pulled for some moronic reason, then I'll just resubmit it without any changes and it'll get accepted. Sometimes I wonder if there is any rhyme or reason for any of it.
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  • Profile picture of the author SusanUSA
    Thanks for the thread, Steven.

    I think this is similar to what the food industry did with marketing words like "natural" and "organic." It's all to protect the consumer . . .

    It seems that those of us that write for EZA could do a bit of self-governing to help the process by making valid claims. In some ways it's a call to better quality writing . . . more specificity.

    It will be interesting to see how it goes . . .
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  • Profile picture of the author tommygadget
    Hey Rod, same here. It has been quite a while since any of my articles were rejected. I wish that they would crack down on those people who submit 30 articles on the same subject all day long to fill up the entire page of the topic's main header page. What a pain. When I see that, I rate their articles with one star, spammer be gone.

    TomG.
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    • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
      I think they're just trying to police articles where the author is clearly using a dodgy title that has nothing whatsoever to do with the article to get more people to click through and read it (which is pointless for everyone).

      I can't imagine they're going to be declining articles that have good content related to the title of the article.

      Kindest regards,
      Andrew Cavanagh
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    • Profile picture of the author melanied
      With the new approval practices, maybe they just all got approved at the same time.

      Originally Posted by tommygadget View Post

      Hey Rod, same here. It has been quite a while since any of my articles were rejected. I wish that they would crack down on those people who submit 30 articles on the same subject all day long to fill up the entire page of the topic's main header page. What a pain. When I see that, I rate their articles with one star, spammer be gone.

      TomG.
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