What does an Citizen Journalist do?

Citizen Journalists provide information, resources and tools related to their area of expertise that can be useful to the people within their communities. For example, a Sports Citizen Journalist in Philadelphia may write about the Philadelphia Phillies, including covering updates on draft, trades, the latest game, where to find statistics and video, etc. Even more important, however, would be to add local perspective, such as: What's the liveliest place in Philadelphia to watch the game? Where can you buy tickets? Which hot dog stand in the stadium serves up the best goods?

With our help, Citizen Journalists create content that will appear within the TEACH IT Network on the appropriate site and category. They keep their content current by regularly updating it with informative, clear and concise articles, often using pictures, videos, and links to make them even more appealing.

Don't worry if publishing online is new to you. The TEACH IT Network provides the training and tools needed to publish and promote articles. Access to these platforms will help you grow your audience and brand, as well as provide a forum where you can connect with other Citizen Journalists.

Our most successful Citizen Journalists also spend time promoting their content to their social and business networks using tools such as Twitter, Digg, Facebook, LinkedIn, StumbleUpon, email lists, message boards and word-of-mouth. If you are unfamiliar with these networking tools, The TEACH IT Network provides the resources you need to learn and master online marketing.

How much of a time commitment will this require?

We simply request that you keep your topic fresh and relevant, so we suggest 3-4 posts per week to help you build an interested audience. On average, an active and successful Citizen Journalist spends 4-6 hours per week writing and publishing content on Citizen Journalist.com, responding to comments from readers, and marketing. Some Citizen Journalists choose to invest more time, even publishing multiple articles per day. The time you spend is truly up to you, but frequent publishing is one major key to success as an Citizen Journalist.

Will I be compensated?

Citizen Journalists are paid a very competitive rate based on standard Internet variables including page views, unique visitors, session length, and advertising performance. This is not a full-time "quit your day job" kind of opportunity, but Citizen Journalists can definitely earn some extra cash while gaining exposure through their writing. The TEACH IT Network uses PayPal to compensate Citizen Journalists.

At The TEACH IT  Network we have a 50/50 revenue sharing model using  third-party ad networks for a minimum of two ad block within a 300 word article.

Will I be asked to purchase anything or pay a fee?

Absolutely not. You may choose to purchase business cards, t-shirts or other official TEACH IT Network items if you desire to do so.

What happens once I fill out the application?

Once you click the submit button on your application, it goes to a member of the content channel team for which you have applied (Business & Finance, Politics, Science, Women Issues, Fashion, Entertainment etc). They will assess writing style, voice and tone, knowledge within the topic, experience, etc., as well as technical factors such as grammar, spelling and punctuation. Every application is reviewed, though sometimes it can take up to two weeks due to the volume of applicants.

If the Channel Team thinks you would be an asset to the team, you will be contacted via email. Should you choose to become an Citizen Journalist, be prepared to submit three critical items within the first few days:

• A photo of yourself for your page
• A brief biographical statement of up to 35 words, written in third person
• Authorization to conduct criminal history background check and identity verification. We do not check credit history or contact former employers.

If you are interested in becoming a Citizen Journalist for the TEACH IT Network please email us at editor@teachitinc.net