It’s been around since 1998, but recently hired some big guns to revamp the site and take it in a new direction. I’m not familiar with all of the names on the management team but Lisa Mansfield, the Managing Editor and Joy Guegeler, Publisher/Editor in Chief were previously with Suite 101. They did a tremendous job in helping to make Suite 101 the successful content site it is today.

With Lisa and Joy behind the scenes, I have no doubt that Orato.com will be a site worth writing for.

That being said, Orato is still undergoing some growing pains. This happens with all reputable sites in the process of change. I spent a little time perusing the site to see what it was all about. Feeling confident that management will do what it takes to make the site grow and gain respect, I wanted to see what writers get out of it.

Orato’s Positive Features

• What I did like about the site is they offer personalized editor feedback and instructional videos. I believe that a large part of Suite 101’s success is due to the fact that they take the time to interact with writers and educate them on how to write compelling online copy. Unlike eHow, who undergoes occasional article sweeps to remove unwanted content, Suite makes sure the content is up to it’s standards at publication or very shortly thereafter.

• Orato has a reward system for writers with 25 articles and 3 Editor’s Choice awards. The reward is an additional 10% in ad revenue share and a buy line of “Special Correspondent.”

• Writers retain the copyright on their articles.

• There are no monthly minimum article count, the revenue is based on pay per click, not page views and writers earn revenue on their content for as long as the content remains on the site.

• Orato currently has a 5 Page Rank and an Alexa score of 158,000 (not too shabby).

• Registration is as simple as providing a name address and password to log in. No request for social security numbers, resumes or sample work. Based in Canada, Orato accepts international writers.

Orato.com Negatives (maybe)

• Writers only receive 20%of ad revenue share.

When I first looked at Orato, I was taken aback by the 20% revenue share, but then I thought about it for a minute. I realized that I don’t have a clue as to how Suite 101 pays its writers. Who knows, I might have started out at 20% there too and later received a boost when I became a Feature Writer.

My intention was to write a review and recommend writers to stay away from Orato.com because of the low earning percentage, but upon further investigation, I think it could be a winner. My opinion is largely based on the fact that Orato appears to be  incorporating some of the successful features of the Suite 101 model.

Any Orato writers care to share their experience?