What: Verblio, formerly known as Blog Mutt, is a content mill that asks you to write on spec. 

Expected pay: 3 – 6 cents per word

Husl$core: $

Where: Nationwide

Requirements: Writing ability and a computer

Review:

Like some of the other content mills, Verblio promises to connect writers with companies that want to publish content. However, the site apparently gives the companies numerous articles to choose from. So you write your article on spec. You only get paid if someone chooses to purchase your already-written piece. That’s a lot of work for a speculative return.

Worse, if your article is chosen for purchase, the pay is puny.

The site says that starting pay for a 300 – 400-word piece is $10.50 — about 3 cents a word. Longer articles pay more, but not much. When we first reviewed Verblio’s predecessor company, Blog Mutt, a company spokeswoman said writers could earn $9 to $72. Since starting pay is now up a buck, we figured those “high-paying” 3,000-word pieces might bring in as much as $80. Pay for a 1,000-word piece at Verblio’s highest-grade pay level would net you $57, according to one reviewer. 

Recommendations

There are far better sites to find writing jobs, including Skyword, Contently and Cracked. There are also Facebook groups of writers that specialize in different beats, such as travel, parenting, etc. They’re often happy to help out aspiring writers with contacts and advice.

What their writers say: (from Indeed.com and Glassdoor)

“Pay at level 1-3 is $11.50 to 17.50 for 300 to 550 word articles. When you hit level 4, you earn $23 for 600. At level 6, the pay jumps to $57 for 1,000 words. When you hit level 8, you start to get shares with the company. Now how many other sites look out for their writers like that?”

“They offer writing jobs, then the client chooses between your work and a LOT of other work, and it’s unlikely to get the job OR payment. So much wasted research and effort for NOTHING”

“Where do I begin? I’ve been a full-time freelance writer and blogger for the past five years, during which time I’ve worked with about six different companies. Of those companies, BlogMutt is the worst. The pay is absolutely horrible. Writers earn a measly $8 for a 250+ word post, for which BlogMutt earns $17. So, while writers do most of the work, BlogMutt keeps most of the revenue.”

“BlogMutt uses a format that similar to 99Designs, where multiple service providers compete to win clients. This is great for clients, but no so much for writers. Clients often reject blog posts for reasons such as “I’ve chosen a different post” or “I liked another post better.” Like other writers have said, BlogMutt will suspend your account without reason. After working with them for over a year, I was shocked to discover that I could no longer log into my account. They didn’t tell me why my account was closed, nor did they return my unsold articles stored in their system (over $1,000 worth of unsold articles lost). Unless you write strictly as a hobby and not a profession, stay away.”