| |
Mission
To
bring useful insights to residents of India with an
Indian-American perspective.
|
|
Background
- India has as many as 52 million
Internet users (Source: NASSCOM, March 2005) and
it has been growing very rapidly. For
instance, in March 2001, there were just 6.7
million users. Most forecasts call for
double-digit growth rates. (Note: Like
anything else, this number varies by source.
Internet World Stats reports 39 million users).
- According to PricewaterhouseCoopers' Global Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2005-2009, global entertainment and media (E&M) industry is in its strongest position since 2000, and will increase at a 7.3 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to $1.8 trillion in 2009. Asia/Pacific will remain the fastest-growing region during the next five years. Internet advertising is the fastest-growing advertising medium with a projected 15.8 percent compound annual increase to $32 billion globally in 2009. Broadband will be the principal driver of access spending during the next five years and will surpass the dial-up market. There is still huge potential for subscriber growth in Asia/Pacific, where access spending is expected to more than triple.
|
- Almost all users have a working
knowledge of English.
- Indians have always been
fascinated by the US and continue to do so as
American companies do business in India.
- While the American media is
accessible to Indians, almost everything is
written for an American audience - not even a
global audience. We customize it for an
audience in India. The range of topics can
be all the way from fashion, cooking, and beauty
to wireless, hardware, and nano-technology.
- Hence, people of Indian origin in
the United States can share their unique perspectives and create
value for the readers by providing them with information
that they can use in the personal and
professional lives.
How does the system work?
- The network consists of bloggers
who write commentary on topics that are of
interest to resident Indians.
- The revenue model is based on
various forms of advertising.
- The bloggers work fairly
independently. Thus, their income is
dependent on effort and success.
- eCreativa provides all technical
support, manages marketing/advertising, and helps
bloggers succeed.
- 70% income from the blog belongs
to the bloggers. The balance is kept by
eCreativa for sales, marketing, and administrative
purposes.
- eCreativa pays either by check (US funds
only) or through Paypal after 60 days (e.g. the earnings for
the month ending Jan 31st are paid by March 31st)
if your earnings exceed US$50. A monthly
report on your income is provided at the end of
the month.
|
|
What are the requirements to
join?
- A passion for reading, writing,
and having fun doing it.
- Good command over written English
language.
- Ability to work independently
with minimal guidance.
- Access to a personal computer
connected to the Internet. If you know how
to send an email and surf the web, that is all you
need to know. However, if you do not know
basic HTML, we provide training.
- At least one hour of available
time every single day of the year.
- Authorization to work in the
United States (a social security number is
needed).
|
| I am so excited; I am
ready to join. I also have a few
questions. What do I do?
Please read the frequently asked questions
below first. Many of your questions may
have already been answered below. If you
have no questions, it is still good to read
these to get a better idea about the
program. At the bottom, you will find a
form to contact us to discuss next steps. |
Frequently asked questions What
is a blog?
A blog is a simple website that can be created by
almost anyone. Why
should I join you? I can do it myself and keep
all the money I make.
Please do. However, we utilize the power of a
network. Belonging to a network will allow you
to get more traffic faster - that means higher income
for you. Why
should I join you?
eCreativa has been in business since 2000 and is a
successful company in online publishing. We have
expertise in online publishing and already have a
network.
|
|
How much money
will I make?
No one knows. Success of your publication will
depend on what you write about, how much traffic you
get, etc. Blog incomes are all over the
place. If you want to write to only make money,
this is not for you. There are other options
that you may want to explore. Belonging to this
network allows you to brand yourself, have a lot of
fun, and hopefully, make some money too.Has
this business model been tried before? Are you
sure that this works?
Yes, this is a proven business model. While
there are several companies using this model, the one
that we like is Weblogs
Inc. However,
we are not aware if a program like this for India at
this scale has been tried yet. I
already have a website/blog. Can I join you?
If so, we will be glad to review if you meet our
criteria. |
What is your
selection criteria?
We look for people who have a passion for
writing. Apart from speaking to you and looking
at your writing samples, we may also ask for
references. We may also insist that you join the
network temporarily first to prove your credentials. I
am not sure if I will like it, but I am willing to
try. What are the options for me?
You can independently start your own blog or
website. If you like it and want to join us
later, you are welcome to contact us. What
if I join now and then realize that I don't like
it. Can I leave?
We are looking for very serious people; so if you have
even the slightest doubt, you might want to
wait. We want people who have the patience to
work hard for at least six months before they decide
to give up (that is the minimum time it will take
before you see any meaningful traffic). Is
this a job? Can you sponsor me for a visa?
No. You will be a contractor for eCreativa.
You will receive a Form 1099 from us at the end of the
year (if required by the IRS) and your income
will be reported to the IRS. We can not sponsor
you for a visa. It is your
responsibility to make sure that you can work for
eCreativa. I love to
read and write and this sounds exciting, but I am not
sure what I can write for this network. What
should I do?
Please contact us and we will be happy to help you
figure out what you can write about. Do
I have to publish every day? Do I get some time
off? What if I am on vacation or can not reach a
computer?
What we expect is that you publish a minimum of a 300
word article everyday. However, for vacation,
illnesses, holidays, etc., we expect that you will
have prepared content in advance. We work with
each blogger on a case-by-case basis to make sure that
they can have a normal life but also be able to meet
the requirements of this program. We also have a
backup system for unforeseen circumstances. Do
I have to attend meetings or do a lot of paperwork?
Attendance at some meetings (very rare) may be
required, though we hold almost all our meetings
online or via a teleconference. We do not expect
any regular paperwork either. Will
you pay for any expenses associated with this program?
No. If you take a trip or upgrade your computer
or buy a book/magazine, all expenses should be covered
by you. Can I write
anything I want?
No. Once we agree on an area of focus, you must
limit yourself to it. If you have great insights
into another topic, you may share that with us and we
will get it published on a blog where it makes the
most sense (with proper credit to you).
Are there any other restrictions on
what I write?
Yes. Your blog may not include:
- Excessive profanity
- Violence, racial intolerance, or advocate against any individual, group, or organization
- Hacking/cracking content
- Illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia
- Pornography, adult, or mature content
(note: all blogs should be suitable for a PG-13
audience)
- Gambling or casino-related content
- Any other advertising than that
provided by eCreativa (you can not add your
Amazon.com ads, for example)
- Any other content that promotes illegal activity or infringes on the legal rights of others
- Excessive, repetitive, or irrelevant keywords in the content or code of web pages
- Deceptive or manipulative content or construction to improve your site's search engine
ranking
- Incentives (monetary or point-based) to users to click on links or ads while visiting
the site
- Sales or promotion of certain weapons, such as firearms, ammunition, balisongs, butterfly knives, and brass knuckles
- Sales or promotion of beer or hard alcohol
- Sales or promotion of tobacco or tobacco-related products
- Sales or promotion of prescription drugs
- Sales or promotion of products that are replicas or imitations of designer goods
Can
I write anonymously? My employer does not want
me to write... I do not want my real name to be
disclosed.
Yes, of course. You can use a pen name to write
and we will maintain complete confidentiality.
However, we will make your real name and other
relevant information available to the
IRS, and to other authorities, as required by law.
Can I add links to other
websites?
Yes, but only in the body of the article. Any
changes to the template for your blog can only be made
by eCreativa. If you would like to make such
changes, please contact us. Can
I add pictures to my blog?
Yes, only if these pictures have been taken by you or
you have legally purchased them. You must not
include links to images on other websites. What
if I have any technical problems?
eCreativa provides technical support to all of its
members. Can I receive
fan mail? Should I write to my fans?
Yes, if you have the time. You may also write to your fans but we
expect you to maintain highest professional standards at all
times. You must be extremely careful in
communicating with fans below 18. You may also
not maintain a mailing list or SPAM people who write
to you. When
I decide to leave the network, what will happen to all
the content that I write?
Everything that you write will become the property of
eCreativa and it can be used for any commercial
purpose by us. However, you are welcome to have
a copy for your own record. Since your domain
name is owned by eCreativa, it can not be transferred
to you. Do I have to
sign some paperwork?
Yes. We want to make sure that you will adhere
to policies and guidelines so that the expectations
and guidelines of our advertisers are not violated in
any way. What happens if
I violate any terms of the agreement?
We reserve the right to cancel your membership and all
unpaid balances will be confiscated. We may also
take appropriate legal action to recover damages due
to your misconduct.
|
