Comments on: Is Helium.com (Helium) a scam?

By: David Arthur Walters

David Arthur Walters — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:30:07 +0000

Mark my words, Helium won’t even be worth talking about before long.

By: Gabby

Gabby — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:23:50 +0000

@Smac:
Thanks for the lowdown, Smac. I ended up on this site because I read a Helium job posting for writers that sounded fishy to me. The posting actually says: Professional journalists must provide copies of 3 print clips plus an editor’s name and email for quick verification. A journalism degree is not sufficient, but some work in the field is required.” A four year journalism degree is “not sufficient” to write recipe articles and 500 word blurbs about arts and crafts projects? After examining the content of the site and learning about their meager and weaselly pay, I am glad that I didn’t waste my time with them. Their job posting is deceptive and implies that they have very high standards which is obviously not the case. I guess I will have to take my “insufficient” journalism degree somewhere else.

By: Smac

Smac — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:46:56 +0000

Where do I start…? Helium.com is a scam and certainly not the place for writers or readers for that matter. It has a preschool star rating and writing system and no editors, earning money is based on content and the cash reward is cent and nickel. But despite that they have a very good reputation at reeling you in, softening you up and getting you to feel important – so basically it is vanity press, with one big problem, they have first rights to anything you write on there! Be careful, be wary, do not get sucked in – one good article is all they need to boulster their bank account and leave you slopping up the lees. And when you eventually come to your senses what do they do? They ban you… they take your pittance and turn it out for themselves. Yes there are a meagre few who seem to earn on this site, but methinks they actually run it, so they are a little, teeny bit partisan. They are the ladies and gents that become appalled if you question anything about Helium on their community forum, these are the same people who seem to win all the competitions, the same people who seem to own the ‘companies’ in the ‘marketplace’ the same people who delete your ill advised (to them) questions at their forum and eventually ban you from their site for no adequete reason at all, suffice as to say they don’t need one, they change their TOS more abruptly than the Irish weather and they keep your content all to themselves, greasing their oily palms with any sort of content that they can steal and sell on. These people don’t care about how good that content is by the way, so don’t be fooled that just because you like Helium.com you are a brilliant journalist, with a golden future, no they will take any sort of rubbish, no editors see… it is easy. Yes I too am partisan, I have had many articles stolen by Helium.com and recieved no payments, so I feel I have reason to be. But regardless of that little act of plagiarism on the part of Helium.com, I have now been given my golden opportunity to tell all who are interested and even those that aren’t not to darken the door of Helium.com ~ Where knowledge rules and where knowing counts, so if anyone here is in two minds let me make it clear, write for fun, write for the warm feeling, write for diary, write for helium – write for you, your readers, write good, and deserve decent monetary reccompense? Please go elsewhere. Helium is as light as the gas it is named after, and would you really trust your words when they are pitched upwards at such an annoying frequency…

By: RayBuck

RayBuck — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:40:49 +0000

@bugsey:
Ms. Or Mr. bugsey: To answer your first question: It may be “possible” to make some money, but I never have. To answer your second query: Before I could accept you offer, I’d have lots of questions and so would my lovely wife. Do you have lots of money? Would we live at your place or ours? Do you have a boat and motor? Does the motor start easily? Well, I won’t go further now, our friend EDDY ain’t runnin’ no dating game here. ‘o) Keep in touch. I should warn you, that’s a very old sketch I used for my “avatar”.

By: Laurie Tam

Laurie Tam — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:07:04 +0000

I never like Helium’s pay scale in the first place. If you get a star, they give you lesser amount of money compare to Associated Content. Eddy here knows that I favor AC compare to Helium.
I recently got a email about another residual income writing site that sure beats AC, Bukisa, and most of them out there.
The pay is that when you reach $10 each month, you get paid by paypal. How this works is that if you get the first 500 unique page visitors, you get $5. But you get paid up to $20 for each time you get 1080 views. And that will give me more than what Ehow have gave me so far.
At ehow, I already have over 26k visitors and yesterday checked that I have over $11 something.
Even though Ehow pays me somewhat more than AC does for residual, I like the fact that they give you upfront payment plus performance payment but it sucks they give you $1.50 for every thousand page views.
If anyone is interested in this invitation to write for a better paying writing site, let me know. Would love to spread the word about it.

By: bugsey

bugsey — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:15:26 +0000

@Barbara Whitlock: The only reason why I came back to this post is to THANK Helium for locking out 300 of my articles. I have found that the best revenge is living well indeed! I get Odesk articles NOW for 5 bucks each )teh start is not bad with one dollar per 500 words). I also have an ebook project at Odesk that paid me 1780.00 in two weeks... See? Move forward, Helium isn't worth it! @RayBuck: @Ray -- with your humor, you can make money yah know? .. will you marry me?

By: RayBuck

RayBuck — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:18:26 +0000

Wendy: I don’t have any good advice for you, I’m merely an internet “Jester”. I also worship “part-time” at the alter of Eddy Salomon.
It really makes my face red when see all the enthusiasm in your writing. With your energy and Eddy’s help, you should go a long way in the “work at home” world.
I’m a lazy, retired, blue collar worker that likes to talk about “work at home” but has never gotten started.
I’m also a disenchanted Helium scribbler.
I’ve also heard good things about Laurie’s recommended site – Associated Content.
Good Luck Wendy, with what ever you end up doing.
oldbuck

By: Laurie Tam

Laurie Tam — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:24:08 +0000

Eddy, coming from you means a lot to me and yes. I do believe that Helium is a waste of time. I do not know anyone that actually succeed with the marketplace for writers that they claim where you have to have at least a star or more to qualify.
I prefer writing somewhere else such as at Associated Content where I would be get paid more than what Helium thinks. I know that everyone have their opinion about things but Helium but never my cup of tea.

By: Eddy Salomon

Eddy Salomon — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:47:13 +0000

Hey Laurie,

Thanks for sharing your opinion. As someone that knows you, I totally trust your judgment call on this.

By: Laurie Tam

Laurie Tam — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:24:53 +0000

Hey everyone. I just thought to put in my two cents in. In my personal opinion, it is a waste of time to write for them because if you looking at how much they would pay you for per stars which ranges from fifty cents for one to $2.50 just about for four or five stars. I only have one article there and haven’t written anything for them ever since. One source I talk to on mylot told me that it took him about a whole year to get that $25. I was able to make more than that in one month at Associated Content. If you want upfront payment, write for associated content. YOu also get performance payments too. I got two so far for August and September of 2009.