I first got my start making money online by posting content to a site called Squidoo. I joined in 2009 and did very well for myself until they started having issues with Google in the early part of 2013. At that time, Squidoo made significant changes to their strategy, the kinds of content they wanted, and the layout of their site. Their rules and regulations changed and they way they went about making those changes was – at the very least – annoying (and that’s being polite).
As a result, I ended up moving all of my lenses to my own site: StonesFinds. It took awhile and I still have some to publish but it was well worth it.
Now, I make the rules about what goes on the site and what doesn’t. I decide what I want to write about and I don’t have to worry that the format will have changed while I was off working on something else. Talk about feeling free and working for oneself!
I’ve also added other kinds of posts to the site – content about my life, travel, my kids, and hobbies. I can write whatever I want to write about with whatever words I want to use and not worry that I’ve got to get past some secret filter.
I have to thank Squidoo for allowing me a free place to practice but now I’m doing much better on my own and would encourage those of you who are struggling to simply start your own site.