However, if you don't immediately recognize the brand name of a venue, it's worthwhile to spend a little time researching that potential client. If you don't already know which company or organization owns the venue you're considering, this is worth a little research. This is especially important when dealing with unfamiliar online venues. Don't be afraid to ask pointed questions about how the venue is financed and what kind of financial shape it's in, as well as how successful it is in the marketplace. If a venue approaches you, but you don't see freelancers' names listed there, ask the person who contacted you for the names and e-mail addresses of other freelance content creators with whom that venue has worked.
Full archives are available online.
Look for the Search feature, and enter the name of the online venue you wish to research. If a venue has mistreated its freelancers, you may be able to find out about it in the archives of a discussion group for writers or other content professionals. Take these comments with a grain of salt, though. People have all kinds of motives for complaining online, so discussion-group postings aren't always trustworthy. Deja News is a service that allows you to search Usenet newsgroups.