For those who might not be familiar with it, SheToldMe is a social bookmarking site that pays 100 percent AdSense revenue. Basically, you sign up for a SheToldMe account, also sign up for an AdSense account, then add your AdSense account number to your SheToldMe account. From that point on you can use SheToldMe to post links with descriptions to favorite websites, your blog, etc. Other viewers can then check out your links and descriptions, and if they should click on any of the advertisements that appear on the page of one of your individual links, then you are paid 100 percent whatever AdSense normally pays for that click (that are too many variables to make an estimate on how much that would be, anywhere from a few cents to several dollars or more).
SheToldMe has been one more tool online content providers and other writers could utilize to promote their articles, books, links, etc.
Until recently, SheToldMe has been a free service, but now there are premium membership charges if you want to use this service.
The prices are either $5 (U.S.) for one month or $12 for one year.
That's not too much, especially considering the site offers 100 percent payout for AdSense advertising.
But this raises some questions and concerns.
The most obvious question is: Is paying the prices for the premium membership worth it?
In my experience, I have to say "no." I like the SheToldMe site because it is easy to use, but during the last year or so I have used the site, it has not brought me that much traffic nor has it earned me much money. In fact, I would be surprised if I've made $5 from SheToldMe during this year.
One could argue that perhaps I am not using the site correctly. Perhaps I need to be working at bringing more traffic to my SheToldMe links. And I can't argue with that. Except, since SheToldMe is a bookmarking site, I feel I should not have to work at bringing traffic to my links there. Why? Because that is what SheToldMe is supposed to be doing! It's a bookmarking site, not a blog or writing site. It's very existence is for drawing viewers to other websites.
I fully understand whomever runs SheToldMe is likely trying to recoup some of the money (and perhaps time?) they have invested into the site. I don't blame them for that. But I do feel charging for their services is a mistake on their part. A better option, in my opinion, would be to lower their AdSense payout, but absolutely no lower than 50 percent. That way, if I make money, then they make money. But as it is, I make a few cents at most while the site's owners are making dollars from me.
That I can't abide. It would be a sorry business model on my end to follow through with such.
In all fairness, there is currently an option for long-time SheToldMe users who have more than 70 scoops (links) to ask the site owner for a free Premium Membership. This is a nice touch, but I believe it is too little too late. I fully expect SheToldMe to lose the majority of its regular users, and is not likely to draw many new users.
All of this brings up a big concern: Will other social bookmarking and similar linking sites now begin to charge for their services?
I truly hope not. I believe this would be the death knell for such sites. I say this not only as an online writer who uses such sites as promotional tools, but also as an online reader who enjoys using the sites to find new, interesting topics.
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