Thanks Michael. I'm a certified commenter but slipped below the 50 so that's part of it for sure.

Hope things are going great for you!

Judy

Thanks, it's making sense here now. Hope you're having a great day!

Thanks, that makes perfect sense!

Very much so, thanks so much. Appreciate your help!

Hello, Diane...

I guess I need to check-in more on the Live Chat - this is something I have experienced - I am certified, have been making comments for years now, and lately I catch it when after 4-5, no cash credits were provided for every second comment.

Now I know why...

It really is not that much money anyway, so I will keep the certification level (the 50 comments that keep you qualified does go down as the credits you made from a month prior fall away and no longer count) but not do much more...

I actually like making comments, I pick up a lot of information and learn new things in a lot of cases...It has even provided new opportunities to earn some extra gig money, i.e. TEFL which I am starting and will do for about 15 hours a week at $22 an hour...

I waste more time in the garden than that per week! ;)

But...

The focus of members here needs to be on building websites and their online business I feel. If the only reason for being here is to make a lot of money from comments, that website and business will never get off the ground.

Plus they will be disappointed as there is just not that much to earn from the comment feature...

It is a nice gesture, and I appreciate that the feature is there and for the work you do get compensated for something you add...It does keep you motivated somewhat.

But (again)...

If the idea is to make money from writing (whether comments or otherwise) there is much more money to be made writing copy for a paying client (i.e. articles, social posts, script-writing, or reviews).

Making a full-time living from writing copy is possible, depending on the skill level of the writer...Actually, they can earn a lot of cash freelancing if they are decent.

In any case...

There are many ways to earn online, but the idea should be (I think) to learn and do the things that are going to earn you money, again and again, i.e. you are trading a lot less time for money as you grow the business...

That is the whole focus of the training, tools, and features available here...The comments are just icing on the "cake."

Making comments for cash, filling out surveys, or even writing reviews for Capterra, where I have made as much as $25 for writing a review of a software tool that we use for the business, is just not going to get someone to the point where they are earning when not working (as can happen with affiliate marketing and other business models)...

Bottom Line:

Good to know what the deal is on the comment tool we have here, I will miss spending the time making them that is now going to be spent teaching kids how to speak English (plus quite a few hours more than the time I was spending on making comments)!

That teaching activity is not going to take away from the rest of my working time for building the business though... No way...I have a very clear picture of the end game for all my work...

Rather, I am leveraging the time teaching kids to become a more effective teacher of adults, I am getting some new tools and gadgets (always fun!), and will incorporate them into the other business interests that are set up to eventually reach that goal.

The goal is: Trading the same amount of time or, more likely, a lot less time for a lot more money while improving the lives of the people that are willing to learn and take action (and earn)!

That is something we all can agree on I am sure?

Having said that, I do hope that my referrals and other WA members will see this post/comments and do some thinking about their strategy for building a business that can replace or provide a living wage - comments will not do that! The feature is also not intended for that purpose...

Good convo...

Cheers!
Dave : )

Hi Dave - you make some excellent points here. I let my certified commenter status drop a long time ago, I found it was taking up too much of my time, better spent elsewhere.

It wouldn't surprise me if paid commenting was abandoned in the future. There are too many members chasing increasingly fewer paid comments.

I have seen many occasions when somebody has been banned for low quality comments, and when you look at their profile, they have been here several months but not built a website.

TEFL does sound interesting, I have looked at it in the past but not really pursued it.

I do make a full time living from freelance writing. It is a difficult industry to break into but once established the money is very good. I tend to write for international businesses such as private airlines or TV companies. That is where the money is, rather than writing blog posts for small websites.

Nice to talk to you, Diane

Thanks Diane, this makes perfect sense.

I am a certified commenter but I let my status above 50 comments slip... was annoyed when I left a very high quality comment and it was refused by the writer.

I really appreciate the comment aspect of WA as an all around valuable part of the community so will try to participate more as time allows.

I've never actually purchased comments so I can understand Kyle's confirmation about the economics of comments from WA's point of view.

Really appreciate your insights here, thanks again!

Judy

Dave you're so right that the comments will never create any sort of income... like you, I've enjoyed doing them and it's given me some great insights.

Wishing you the best with the new TEFL project!

Thanks,
Judy :)

I did not know that, thank you so much for sharing! I guess that makes sense as the money has to come from somewhere. I had always wondered about that.

Thanks so much!

Spot on as always Loes! Mine renews tomorrow.

Terry

Mine just renewed, I received an email message with bonuses from Kyle:)

Hope I do too. I’ll let you know tomorrow