Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
I’m constantly looking for viable methods that can generate a passive income as a writer. Although I hate that term, having a steady stream of income with little work would be nice. So, I’m going to give Vocal another go in this latest challenge.
The last time I challenged myself with Vocal, I really didn’t see all that much of an improvement in income. It was a 30-day challenge that kind of resulted in disappointment.
Still, I’ve heard how a few people made the platform work for a bit of extra cash each month. Though, I’m still not sold on the idea. But that’s the beauty of challenges. You never know what you can accomplish unless you give it a shot.
Why Write for Vocal?
While I think Vocal is much to be desired in terms of analytics, there are still quite a few people who use the platform. And if I can get my account to generate even a fraction of what others do, it would get me closer to affording my external office.
It’s an Easy-to-Use Platform
Adding content to Vocal is pretty simple. It uses a block-based system, has (limited) editing tools, and access to royalty-free images (sometimes) of your topic.
Usually, I’ll use a WordPress post on one of my defunct blogs so that I can ensure readability. I also monitor SEO by using Yoast, but I have yet to see a Vocal post show up in search results.
In any case, it’s not all that difficult to write something and submit it for approval. The downside is that the last time I did a challenge using Vocal, it took two to three days before my post was live on the site.
Lot’s of Different Niches
One thing I like about Vocal is how many niches are available. This means I can write about topics that are unrelated to the blogs I already own.
I often have a hard time staying motivated to write on Vocal simply because I would rather put that time into one of my other blogs. Perhaps focusing on a separate niche will help me stay motivated.
I’m just not sure if I know enough to really do a different niche justice.
It’s More About the Audience than SEO
As I said, I don’t think Vocal is crawled by Google. Unlike sites owned by Hubpages or Medium, I have yet to see anything in search results.
So, you have to kind of change your mindset when using Vocal. Instead of focusing too much on SEO, you can simply write freely for the audience. You’re not trying to appease an algorithm; you’re trying to engage a human reader.
In many ways, this is actually quite a bit easier to manage. Sure, you’ll still need to write something that people want to read. But the flow is easier when you’re not also trying to answer search questions or use high-value keywords.
It all comes down to creating something that people will read from start to finish.
What’s the Challenge This Time Around for Vocal?
I’m constantly challenging myself. It’s the best way to discover my potential, whether I accomplish something or not. Using what I learn improves my chances for the next challenge.
The best part is how most challenges I put myself through have extremely positive results. Whether it’s increasing income, readership, or boosting confidence, there is always something to learn.
OK, if you’d like to play along, here is what this Vocal challenge entails.
Writing 3 Posts Per Week for 3 Months
I admit, a single month really isn’t a lot of time in the grand scheme of things. The larger your sample data, the more accurate the results. So, this time around, I’m aiming for a three-month stretch.
If it looks like there is some positive movement from readers, then I may push it to a six-month case study.
Now, when I say “3 months,” I’m actually referring to a 12-week stretch of time. And I’m only focusing on writing three posts each week because I still have quite a bit on my plate.
However, since I’m not burdened with SEO in this manner, the articles should be far easier to write. Well, as long as I can write about things people are interested in reading.
Yep, Using Another Spreadsheet
This time around, I’m setting up a spreadsheet to monitor my progress. Not only am I a dork and love recording data in a spreadsheet, but Vocal has crap for analytical tools.
By tracking my own reads, income, and articles, I can see what is working and keep an eye on the potential growth. Currently, Vocal only lets you monitor reads over the last 30 days.
I’m also embedding this next spreadsheet into the results post I’ll write after the challenge. That way, I can share the results and you can see how I did over the three months.
I might just create a live post for the top navigation bar so you can watch the spreadsheet in real-time.
Monitoring Weekly Reads and Earnings
As I said, Vocal doesn’t have the best analytics. So, I am going to keep an eye on the total reads and earnings each week on my own. I’m also going to keep track of how many reads each article gets from one week to another.
This will help me decide what the audience prefers that I write. That way, perhaps I can find a good flow to help increase how often the posts are read on the platform.
Can you believe that I have two posts on Vocal that have yet to have a single read – since March of 2022? Yeah, those topics didn’t do well.
Getting into the Right Headspace
The hardest part is getting into the right frame of mind for this challenge. Remember, I’m often conflicted because I’d rather spend the time working on my own blogs.
Making a certain amount of money from Vocal each month is only part of the reason I’m doing another challenge. I also want to see if it’s something my followers and subscribers may want to do to make money from home.
I can’t really say one way or another unless I try the platform myself. This is something I need to remember as not everyone has their own blog.
Writing Without Interfering with My Day
Perhaps the hardest part of this latest challenge is to make sure it doesn’t interfere with my day. Between rewriting one of my books, editing another, maintaining three blogs, my client work, and the YouTube channels, I don’t have an overabundance of available time in the day.
Well, that’s not entirely accurate. I view my days as an 8-hour work schedule. This is because I nearly burnt myself out some time ago and made a promise I would never throw in 100-hour weeks ever again.
But an extra hour to write on Vocal here and there shouldn’t be something outside of the scope of what I can do during the week.
However, my books will always take priority.
When Do We Start?
I plan to start this next Vocal challenge as soon as I get back from Utah for Thanksgiving. I’ll be spending five days with family, and I doubt I’ll have a lot of time to write while I’m gone.
So, I’ll start this next challenge on the 28th of November. That’s the next day I’ll be home after my 5-day vacation. Then, on February 20th, we’ll take a look at the data and see if it’s something that is viable to make money from home.
Will I Enter Any of the Contests on Vocal?
Since I have been paying for the Vocal Plus membership (because I keep forgetting to cancel), I have access to a lot of the monthly contests. Depending on the contest itself, I may throw my lot in every once in a while.
For instance, if the challenge requires more than 2,000 words, I don’t know if I’ll have the time to enter. Perhaps if I completed the challenge on the weekend.
On the other hand, it would be nice to win one of these challenges just to see if they truly do pay out and if they’re legit. I’m sure they are, otherwise, Vocal would have been shut down as a scam site years ago.
In any event, I’ll try to enter a few during my own challenge. It just means I don’t have to think of a topic for that particular day.
A Glutton for Punishment?
Those who follow me know that I am constantly complaining about never having time in my day. And here I am, setting myself up for yet another challenge before I have other things finished.
The reason why I think I can handle this next Vocal challenge is because of the way Vocal is set up, to begin with. Remember, I don’t have to worry about SEO, search intent, or keyphrase usage. That, alone, takes about 20 to 30 minutes of a blog post for me.
Besides, it’s not like I’m writing a serial book on Kindle Vella while trying to rewrite VII and edit Kingmaker. That would just be too much, I think.
Like everything else I try to tackle, though, it all comes down to time management. If I can maintain a good flow throughout the week, I should have no difficulty managing this next Vocal challenge.
What Do You Think Will Happen in 3 Months?
Based on my past experiences with Vocal, I’m not sure if it’ll be something worthwhile. Well, at least compared to a blog. But I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I’m sure I’ll get a few reads from users, at least.
What do you think will happen by the end of this challenge? Do you use Vocal to write, and if you do, what do you write about?
- How to Write, Edit, and Publish a Decent Book for Free - December 2, 2024
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- How Long Does It Realy Take to Write a Good Book? - November 27, 2024