Onsite Blog FAQs | Part 1

In November 2016, WritersDomain added a new writing product: Onsite Blogs. These blogs present industry-related content that goes live directly on client websites.

In the months since then, we’ve steadily added writers to this product. They often have questions as they write their first few posts or come across unique assignments. The FAQs below should help new, seasoned, and future Onsite Blog writers to succeed.

Who gets to write Onsite Blogs?

WritersDomain members are invited to work on Onsite Blogs as the need arises. We give priority to active writers who maintain high average scores on articles. We also look at your history with the site, such as how long you’ve been a member and your rejection rate

I already write Standard Onsite Blogs. When can I write Premiums?

The majority of Onsite Blogs ordered are Standard Onsite Blogs. In June 2017, less than 9% of the Onsite Blogs ordered were Premiums.

When the need for new Premium Onsite Blog writers comes up, we add writers who maintain high average ratings on Standard Onsite Blogs and who have been writing Standards for at least three months.

Do I really have to check all of the client’s site to make sure my topic is relevant or that I’m not repeating a previous topic?

We list this request in the Onsite Blog Project Guidelines because we want to create unique content that gives clients a reliable bump in their search engine rankings. If a client’s site has multiple pages that cover the same topic, search engines sometimes flag the pages. This negatively affects the authority of the entire website.

We also ask writers to avoid writing about topics that have been previously covered to ensure clients get a variety of content.

We encourage writers to look through client websites while choosing blog topics so you know your content pairs well with their products and services. For example, some dental offices provide general dentistry services and also make dentures, but other dental offices specialize and only make dentures. If you write for the denture client, you can’t write about general dental problems unless you also relate them to dentures.

What if a client’s site isn’t working?

In those cases, your best bet is to email support@writersdomain.net. We look at our information about the client and see if we can find a working link. We often also give you additional information that helps you proceed without a working website.

If you are told to write an Onsite Blog for a client that doesn’t have a working site, you do not need to include a link in the post. We then recommend including a note to the editor explaining the site was not live.

Some Onsite Blog assignments contain lists of suggested topics. Do I have to write on those, or can I still pick my own topic? Do I have to write those suggested topics in a specific order?

Clients sometimes provide the suggested blog topics, but you are not required to write about them. You can still pick your own topic. But please try to connect your blog to that list in some way. Most of the topic suggestions relate to products, services, or other relevant industry news the client wants to focus on.

If you do write a suggested blog topic, you don’t have to write them in a specific order. However, remember to carefully consult the list of previous topics. If another writer recently wrote about that topic, your task will be sent back for revision so we avoid sending the client more than one blog on the same subject.

How quickly do Onsite Blogs get reviewed?

We aim to edit Onsite Blogs within 10 days of when you submit them in WritersDomain. Usually we complete them faster than that. As of Monday July 17, 2017, we were editing most content 6-7 days after submission.

What can I say or not say about a client? How specific can I be?

We encourage writers to mention the client by name in every blog post, but you should keep client-specific sentences to a minimum—usually no more than 2-3 sentences. Blogs are meant to be informational rather than sales-oriented, which is why we keep those mentions short and sweet.

As you write, also consider how the information you share may differ from a client’s prices and services. For example, if you give prices, try to give ranges or averages to account for differences between companies and regions. The following paragraph is a good example of how to do this:

Angie’s List says the average cost to re-roof an entire home is between $4,100 and $6,000. In your region, the prices may be slightly higher or lower depending on your home’s size, your roofer’s experience, and the materials that compose your roof.

The specifics of clients’ services and products obviously vary a lot from vertical to vertical, so we can’t list all the relevant examples here. If you ever doubt whether a specific detail is allowed, email support@writersdomain.net. Also, check out part 2 of our FAQ series.