If you’re getting into freelancing these days, one option is writing for content aggregator sites like Helium, About.com, Associated Content or HubPages. These companies pay writers to create massive amounts of content to help the sites rise up to the top of Web searches and make more money on click throughs.

But for freelancers, there’s a huge debate happening over the merits of writing for a content aggregator to advance your career, a debate that last week spilled onto the pages of this blog. First long-time freelancer Tim Beyers examined the reasons why a writer shouldn’t bother with content aggregators. Then Helium’s new writer outreach manager Barbara Whitlock countered with her own detailed explanation of  why freelancers would want to write for a content aggregator, Helium in particular.

I say if you’re a writer looking for experience, there’s a better way.

Instead of writing for an aggregator, find out what hyperlocal news sites have popped up in your area, introduce yourself and ask if there’s anything you can do to help.

In case you’re not familiar with them, hyperlocal news sites are blogs that focus on what’s happening in a specific area, be it a neighborhood, town or city. You might also know them as community news blogs or citizen journalist sites. Some examples: NewzJunky in Watertown, New York; Hop Town in Hopkinsville, Massachusetts, and NeighborsGo.com in Dallas.

If you work for a hyperlocal news organization you’ll probably start out making about as much as you would at a content aggregator – which is to say not much. But if you really are just starting out, you could use the opportunity to go out and do some man-on-the-street reporting,  and pick up other valuable experience.

If you don’t think there are hyperlocal or citizen journalists operating in your city you’re wrong, you just haven’t looked hard enough. Here in Portland, there are at least four, including Neighborhood Notes and OurPDX, more if you count sites that focus on niches like tech, books or cycling.

If there really aren’t hyperlocal sites where you live, start one. By teaching yourself everything you need to know to run a hyperlocal or community news site, you’re teaching yourself everything you need to know in 2009 and going into the future to get hired as a staff writer or make it as a freelancer, things like using a content management system (a fancy term for blogging or blog-like software), HTML, linking, how to write for a blog, how to write straight news, how to take pictures, video and audio, etc.

When it comes down to it, as long as you’re going to the time and trouble of learning the craft, why give the fruits of your labors to another business when you could maximize the benefit and profit for the enterprise that matters most – you.

Yesterday, long-time freelancers Tim Beyers wrote a guest post here explaining why freelancers shouldn’t write for content aggregators, and he singled out Helium as an example.

His post prompted Barbara Whitlock, Helium’s new member outreach manager, to reply. Instead of burying what Whitlock had to say in the comments under Beyers’ post (where you can still find them), I thought I’d keep the debate going by posting them here.

Freelancers considering user-generated content sites like Helium often begin with a healthy skepticism. Those who have earned well previously, as full-time freelancers or journalists, sometimes come with some added baggage: frustration at watching their livelihood shrink and anxiety about what the future will hold for their craft.

Some approach new opportunities on the Internet like Luddites of old, and want to bash against everything they see. Others are more open to adapt to new technologies, and try to hone their craft to new approaches. Economic necessity and a love of writing drive most to take a peek or try out sites like Helium. Many are thriving in this new world of freelance writing.

What’s to be gained and what is at risk in joining sites like Helium.com?

Gains:

• Unlimited opportunities to write on topics which interest you.
• Added revenue streams for writing income.
• Wider exposure and name recognition on the web. Helium has a Google page rank of 7, which means you can use Helium to get your name out there and link to your blog or other writing venues.
• Recognition for your professional credentials, which lifts you above the anonymity of the web.
• Opportunities to connect to gig opportunities for 100s of magazine, website and – increasingly – newspaper publishers.
• Contests, journalism prizes and other seasonal opportunities.
• A supportive writing community, with structures and a unique online culture that make Helium’s expansive writing community personal too.

Risks:

• Non-exclusive articles remain on Helium. You are free to republish on other non-exclusive sites, but you cannot delete or try to use those as exclusive for another publisher.
• Exclusive articles in Marketplace are often ghost-written, and do not usually provide you with clips, just money.
• Addiction – most Helium members have a lot of fun writing with abandon, editing and supporting other writers.

Tim Beyers made some thoughtful comments, through the lens of the traditional publishing world. He got one major point wrong: Helium has paid out over $1 million to writers thus far. Here’s some added information to address his other points:

1. Tim suggested Helium lacks editor support. In fact, Helium has a fleet of editors who help writers. These editors review every newly posted article (this is relatively new). We also have subject matter experts overseeing content areas who have a high sense of ownership over the content there. Finally, we have an open email system where any writer can provide editorial suggestions to writers. Someone sent me one yesterday letting me know that I had a typo and needed to improve the look of my links. Those looking for one-to-one editorial help can write to mentor@helium.com. Many layers of editorial support are available. Some members who dip in but do not participate more expansively at Helium may not know of all these layers of editorial support.

2. Tim mentions a lack of incentive to improve Helium articles once published. However, incentive to improve is built into the competitive model. Leapfrog revisions are not limited, and what encourages writers to improve varies. Many want to improve their rank placement in title groups, and increase writing stars for higher upfront earnings per article. Many learn more tricks of the trade for web writing, and turn back to improve their leads, add more SEO value to their article, add metacontent subheaders, etc. Others just enjoy improving their work.

3. Tim adds concern about writer clips. All the non-exclusive articles writers publish on Helium become part of their visible portfolio, and can be used as clips. If you are selected by a newspaper partner for print publication, these are regular print clips (full byline credit). Our newspapers often provide pdf version in addition to news clips you can cut out yourself from the Sunday editions. With exclusive Marketplace content, it is not guaranteed that you’ll be able to use clips, but sometimes you can find them through search queries.

From a traditional freelance perspective skepticism about writer’s sites like Helium makes sense. But in a world of shrinking traditional freelance gigs, most writers have found they need to grab all the opportunities they can, and through that aggregate they can keep up with their income needs.

Helium isn’t a substitute for a full-time job, but it can be combined with other freelance gigs to provide additional revenue. Plus, the freedom to also write what you want is appealing for many. Often writers want to demonstrate their expertise in an area, and writing a body of articles helps give weight to that.

Lots of options, but realize Helium has additive value for writers who freelance full-time. It’s one revenue stream that can help — and it’s fun.

I’d welcome further discussion on this if anyone is interested: bwhitlock@helium.com.