Verblio Review – Approved Side Hustle Freelance Writing Site?

Welcome to our review of the content and blog creation site, Verblio.  Freelance writing is one of the most common and lucrative work from home jobs right now. If you are good with words and have some decent writing skills, then Verblio could be a great option for you. 

We review websites from the perspective of how good an opportunity it presents to make a few extra bucks each month by working flexibly from home.  Verblio is in a competitive niche.  Freelance writing has exploded in recent years and the demand is growing year-on-year.  This is great news for writers because not only is there an abundance of jobs, but also a lot of platforms to work on.

In this Verblio review, we will take a look at everything you need to know, so let’s get started!

What is Verblio?

Verblio is an article marketplace where customers order content from writers, and the writers get paid for it. The site sets the prices according to the length of the article. The site offers writing services for different categories, including; 

• web content
• blog posts
• press releases
• eBooks
• product descriptions
• and newsletters.

Verblio was formerly known as Blogmutt, which was launched in 2010. At that time, it was only a team of two writers and the founder. In a year, the company grew to six and then expended until it started hiring additional writers. Today, they boast over 3000 US-based content writers. It was renamed Verblio in 2015 for reasons not well-known and they pride themselves on providing “on-demand” content to clients from the USA and over 15 other countries worldwide.

Remember we said freelance writing is a competitive niche?  Verblio stats are impressive with 6 awards for the fastest-growing company in Colorado and remaining relevant for the past decade.  Verblio’s USP is the quality of their written work and how they vet the writers they take on-board.  Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is central to what they do and so having some knowledge of how to write SEO articles will stand you in good stead.  Need to know a little about SEO?  You can find some basic tips in our related article: SEO for Dummies: 8 Easy Steps You Can Use Today

How does Verblio work?

Verblio has created a content marketplace that brings writers and clients under one roof. Writers can see the projects requested by clients and start working on them. The clients will then review and pick the article or post they like most. Only writers whose jobs are accepted are remunerated. Therefore, a writer needs to ensure they are providing high-quality content all the time to increase the chances of getting approved.

The editors who review the jobs don’t give constructive feedback most of the time, probably because they are exhausted from reading too many articles. Therefore, remember it’s not personal. It does not mean that you are a poor writer because your post got rejected. Always remember when to learn and when it’s just unconstructive criticism.

How to sign up to Verblio as a freelance writer

Signing up to Verblio is similar to most content mills and similar platforms. First, you need to ensure you meet the criterion; you are a US citizen who is 18 years or older. If you hit the criteria, you can then go to their official website and apply to be a writer. You will be required to provide the basic information, including full name, email address, and password. Once you submit your application, you will receive a link in your email address, which you can use to verify your email.

Grammar test

Once you have verified your email, you can now begin the second part of the sign-up process. You need to take two tests and write a sample that will be reviewed by the in-house editors. The first test you need to take is the grammar test and you need to get 4/5 questions correct to pass. 

Plagiarism test

Verblio is very strict about plagiarism. Everything that is not your original creation should be quoted appropriately. You will be given a plagiarism training module that is simply some rules, and then you need to pick out the correct answers. You need to answer all the plagiarism questions correctly to proceed. Plagiarism is a killer for ranking websites and so if a client is paying good money for a unique article, it has to be exactly that – unique!  If it isn’t, not only will your reputation suffer, but so will Verblio’s.  Google will only rank unique and high-quality articles and so you must ensure you do your absolute best each time you write.

If you pass the two tests, you will be required to provide a sample of your work. If the sample is not high-quality, you will automatically be rejected. But, if the sample is good enough, you will be allowed to offer it to clients immediately. You will also be accepted as a member. Good work!

Can you build a writing portfolio using Verblio?

You may be thinking of a career in writing, perhaps as a journalist for a newspaper for example.  If you apply for any writing jobs you are going to need to show some of your previous work, to back up your application and resume.

When signing up to Verblio you agree that your name will not be attached to the content you produce, in essence, you will be a ‘ghostwriter’.  The checkbox appears on the article submission section and you will not be able to continue without checking it.

However, all is not lost.  There are 2 solutions we can think of!  Firstly, email Verblio and state your career aspirations and how writing articles for their clients would be a big part of the portfolio needed to further your career.  They may then allow you evidence some work – some writing agencies are flexible when asked.  Certainly, the vibe we get from Verblio is they want you to succeed.

Secondly, if they say no and there’s no room to negotiate just ensure your LinkedIn profile is updated to show you worked at Verblio for so many months or years.  Given that Verblio has a strict joining policy and to remain active for so long on the platform will be good evidence for a future employer.  A useful hack would be to Google your content and see where it ranks, how many views it’s had, and social media comments, etc., as you can then give an overview of your history without breaching any confidentiality.  

How much can you earn with Verblio?

The amount you will earn is based on the length of the project. The site does not pay according to quality – remember they expect the best each time. The client chooses the article that appeals best, and the writer gets paid. The general pay is around $10.50 for a 300-400-word article but, the good news is the jobs on the platform mostly range between 300-3000 words.

Let’s put into a better perspective. An averagely experienced writer takes 1-2 hours to create a 1000 words article or post. Therefore, what this means is you get paid averagely $15-21 an hour. In a review, one freelancer for Verblio said that he earns around $25-$30 an hour.  That is very good pay and if you can churn out consistent work each week this is beginning to look like a good side gig.

How will Verblio pay you?

Verblio pays through PayPal, which is very convenient. The payments are sent out every Monday of the week. There is no minimum payout threshold as writers are paid whatever they made the previous week.  Just make sure you sign up to Verblio with the same email as your verified PayPal account email.

Does Verblio have any restrictions?

There are a lot of restrictions for writers who want to work for Verblio. The site has very stringent tests that you must pass to examine your writing and grammar skills. Other restrictions include;

You must be 18+ to apply to work for Verblio. They have a section where you are required to provide proof of age.

You must also be a US citizen with a social security number. You can also apply if you are a US citizen working abroad. If you are a foreigner, you must be allowed to work legally in the USA to apply to Verblio.

Verblio reviews

We scoured the internet looking for writers’ opinions and found a good mix of good and bad.  It’s not unusual for a company to have a mix as everyone has an individual opinion and the internet makes it very easy to share that voice!

Pros

• The company pays writers every week via PayPal. There are no complaints of writers who were not paid anywhere.
• The site is quite flexible, allowing writers to work anytime and anywhere they want.
• There are plenty of projects for writers.
• The customer service is very responsive to writers.

Cons

• It is very discouraging to keep having your job rejected. It’s tough fighting for your job to be published, which discourages newbies from trying the site.
• Very stringent rules, especially on plagiarism. A small mistake and you are out.
• The pay is discouraging for professional writers.

Is Verblio legit?

Yes, it is legitimate. There are a lot of of positive reviews of the platform. The site also pays its members every Monday for all the jobs that were accepted by clients. If you don’t mind adhering to stringent writing rules and you can provide high-quality content, this site is for you. When working for the company, its crucial to remember that many writers are fighting for the same job, so don’t be surprised if your job is not accepted even after putting your heart into it. The editors put all the work under scrutiny, so be prepared for a couple of rejects.

Conclusion

Verblio is a good option for someone who has a natural talent for writing as the pay is decent for a newbie.  The main issue is the pay only comes for an accepted job and so the quality of the work has to be top-notch – every time. We do see this as a major plus and not a negative because it encourages every writer to be the best they can be, and it re-inforces Verblios ethos of employing the top-tier of US writers.  This gives the platform continued credibility and it’s no surprise to us that they continue to grow and win awards.

With any side hustle, or job for that matter, it’s recommended to join the best, work hard, grow, and develop your skills and your opportunities and pay will naturally increase.  Verblio is not for people who want to earn a few dollars for doing very little, heck there are plenty of survey sites out there for that!  This is a real business that works with real clients and you can play an integral part in that, but you must be prepared for some knocks and have enough about you to invest in your learning and skillset.

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