If you’re a writer, the relentless hope of one day working from home probably haunts you. A lot of writers are turning to freelance work and the web offers many options… BlogMutt being one of them. But you can trust them?
Some BlogMutt reviews suggest they’re a scam while others claim they’re one of the best opportunities out there. In this review I’ll share my personal opinion, as well as discuss the following topics…
- What Is BlogMutt?
- Is BlogMutt a Scam?
- BlogMutt is Not Obligated to Pay You If…
- Account Terminations
- How Does BlogMutt Work?
- Topics and Clients
- Submit Your Content
- The Pay
- BlogMutt Reviews and Complaints
- What I Like
- What I Don’t Like
- Final Thoughts
Disclaimer:
Please note, I am not a member or an affiliate for BlogMutt. This review has been researched with information and/or testimonials that are available online in the public domain. Any recommendations and/or conclusions are strictly opinions and may not to apply to, or agree with, all persons or situations. See full disclaimer for more info
What Is BlogMutt?
BlogMutt is a content provider who hires writers for clients ranging from independent bloggers to large businesses and everything in between.
They differ from most “content mills” because their writers are exclusively from the US and carefully vetted.
Only 5% of the writers who apply get hired according to BlogMutt. Great for experienced writers looking for a small marketplace with fewer competitors, but not so great for newer writers finding it tough to get hired.
Aside from being a good writer, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old and have a valid US Social Security Number.
BlogMutt also manages their roster to match demand, so you may find yourself on a waiting list when you register.
Located in Boulder CO, BlogMutt was founded in 2011 by CEO Scott Yates.
Is BlogMutt a Scam?
BlogMutt is not a scam, but there are some unhappy writers who have suggested they’re a con.
You can find multiple complaints about cancelled accounts and while I’m certain many of those complaints are legit… it wouldn’t be fair to put all the blame on BlogMutt.
Many of those cancelations were probably for a good reason.
The real problem though (as shown in the comment above) is that they don’t give you a reason.
On one hand, I can see why.
Most writers would probably disagree with the alleged policy violation or take any criticism personally. Then you’d have a back and forth dispute with no resolution and an even worse outcome.
On the other hand, it make BlogMutt seem lazy… as though they don't care about helping their writers or explaining the problem.
This leads to another problem as described by this writer…
The accusation is that $1000 worth of unsold articles were kept by BlogMutt when the account was closed for no reason.
Of course, there’s no way to know if that's true, but it doesn’t inspire confidence either. It’s easy to see why someone might read a complaint like that and consider BlogMutt a scam.
But it's in their terms of service…
BlogMutt is Not Obligated to Pay You If…
“Upon termination all of your rights to use the Site and Service shall immediately cease. In the event that your Account is terminated by BlogMutt as a result of your violation of these Provider Terms, BlogMutt’s payment obligations to you will immediately cease, including, any payment obligations for Submissions selected as Content Posts after the date of such termination.”
What they’re saying here is that they don’t have to pay you for your submitted content if it gets sold after your account is terminated.
Account Terminations
The obvious question is why your account was terminated… but they don’t need to give you a reason.
Their terms of service also say they “reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to and use of the Site and Services, at any time, without notice, for any reason…”
So, any way you slice it… you’re taking a risk.
It would be nice if these policies where made obvious rather than burying them in a wall of legal text, but the point remains… BlogMutt has every right to protect themselves and set their own rules.
Whether you choose to play by those rules is up to you.
All things considered though, BlogMutt employs thousands of writers who I’m sure are happy and in no way consider them to be a scam.
How Does BlogMutt Work?
As mentioned earlier, BlogMutt only hires US writers and their acceptance rate is roughly 5%. Currently there is a waiting list when you apply.
It should also be mentioned that this is a ghostwriting opportunity. You’ll be paid for your work, but you won’t be credited for it.
Topics and Clients
One reason writers like BlogMutt is that you can choose your own topics and clients.
Rather than specific assignments with targets and deadlines, you can search through a list of projects you’d like to work on and submit them for review.
Submit Your Content
While it’s nice to choose when and what to work on, the problem is that your article gets placed in a queue and the client might not buy it.
If they do buy it, be prepared to make revisions. If they don't buy it, you can modify your article and recycle it for another submission later on.
Like all content mills though, there’s always a possibility you won’t get paid for everything you write.
A simple way to avoid this (or at least limit it) is to pay close attention to your client’s instructions.
As someone who has hired writers before I’m amazed at how often simple requests are ignored. Your project will reference things like,
- Tone (Friendly, conversational, professional, etc.).
- Specific Information to include.
- Style and Format (for example… short paragraphs and frequent headings).
- Keywords that get used by search engines.
Also, try not to take rejections personally. Writing is subjective and sometimes the client will give you bad instructions, because they don't even know what they want.
Or, your style might be perfect for one client, but wrong for another.
The Pay
Starting pay is $10.50 for a 300 – 400 word post, which isn’t terrible. As you progress and prove yourself, you’ll be given higher paying projects. Some writers report earning as much as $25 – $30 hour.
Of course you'll have to average that rate with the articles you don't get paid for.
You’ll have to invoice BlogMutt for each piece of content you sell and payments are made weekly on Mondays via PayPal.
Who Is BlogMutt For?
BlogMutt is for the writer who wants (or needs) to get paid immediately for their work. Unlike writing on your own niche website, for example, or writing app reviews that pay based on traffic and conversions… this is a freelance gig that pays per article.
BlogMutt Reviews and Complaints
We’ve already discussed the cancelled accounts with no explanation, which seems to be the most common complaint.
Some of the other issues are…
- BlogMutt does not allow communication between clients and writers, so establishing a long-term working relationship is difficult.
- Complaints about customer support (although some reviewers say their support is extremely good).
- You’re only a ghostwriter so you’re not ever given credit for your work and therefore can’t use it for your portfolio.
It should be mentioned that many of these complaints are subjective. As mentioned, some people report having a good experience with customer service.
Other people like not having to communicate with the client… they just want to write articles.
As far as the positive reviews go, people like…
- Choosing their own topics to write about.
- The potential to earn higher pay than what most content mills offer.
- Plenty of work available and no deadlines.
What I Like
- Good writers can potentially earn a full-time income.
- Work when and wherever you want.
- Weekly pay
What I Don’t Like
- Starting pay is not great.
- Difficult to get hired.
- Account terminations with no explanation.
- No passive income potential. When you write for someone else you only get paid once.
Final Thoughts
The internet is probably the best thing to ever happen for writers, but that doesn’t mean it’s a cakewalk out there.
There’s a mountain of competition, and attention spans are getting shorter by the day.
I wouldn’t put all my eggs in BlogMutt’s basket… there are hundreds of work at home opportunities to diversify your freelance career. But… they are definitely worth considering. It may be tough to get hired, but a good writer can eventually earn a decent income there.
If you can do it, I always recommend writing for yourself. Not only do you maintain the rights to your work… but whether it’s a blog, book, script, or something else… you’re working towards a passive income that’ll last for years…
Blogging courses like Blog Growth Engine, The Blog Millionaire, and Wealthy Affiliate are great places to start.
I hope my BlogMutt review was helpful and if you have any comments, questions, or experience with BlogMutt… please share in the comments section below.
