Interested in becoming a guest contributor on the Puptrait Studio dog blog?
Submitting a guest post to the Puptrait dog blog can be a great way to generate web traffic and link authority for your pet or photography related website. But there are few things to consider before submitting your dog related guest post.
Please be sure to read this post in detail as it contains both editorial guidance and submission instructions.
WRITE CONTENT WORTH POSTING
Post worthy content is always…
- Original – We do not accept duplicate or repurposed content. We will know if you copy and paste or respin content from your own website or elsewhere. More importantly, the search engines will know. If you are caught sending us duplicate content we will delete all of your previous submissions and black list you from the guest contributor program without warning.
- Significant – We only post guest content that we believe adds to the collective conversation on a topic. If your content does not provide new information or expand on what has already been discussed on other sites in a material way, odds are we will pass on your submission — even if it is an “original” article.
- Substantial – We find engaging and informative posts are typically rather dense and of medium length. We do not have a specific word count minimum and evaluate content solely on the quality, breadth and depth of the content submitted. But as a general rule of thumb, your article should be 2,500 – 4,500 words long — though some topics may require more substantive research and discussion.
- Error Free – Please ensure that your post is free of typos, grammatical errors or other syntax issues. Do not write in all caps. Do not write in short hand, use colloquialisms or lean on cliches to make your point. It’s lazy, degrades the perceived value of your content and makes it difficult for individuals outside of your local area or immediate subculture to understand.
- Unbiased – Your content should present an issue, provide a solution and then a conclusion or summary. If you can manage to promote your product, service or organization as a relevant solution, feel free to include it in your post. Otherwise we will promote your organization or business in your author block. Even if your company is a 100% relevant solution to the problem you’ve identified you should still not use more than 30% of your post to promote your service, product or business. Remember we’re looking for engaging content here not press releases.
- Well Documented – If your article mentions data or statistics, please cite your sources and be specific when defining and detailing your dataset. For example, if you are discussing “the average salary of a dog walker”, be sure to cite how you came to find your information, where the dog walker is working, and how many hours they are working or if they are working full time.
- From a Credible Source – What makes you an expert on the topic you are writing about? Please do not discuss or give advice about topics unless you are a credentialed expert or peer recognized authority on a topic. We only accept pet medical advice from board certified veterinarians. That said, if you do something specific for a living and your professional information is verifiable, odds are we will consider you qualified to discuss or advise on topics directly related to your profession.
- Visually Appealing – If you are discussing a specific product, place or service please include visual aids such as photos, graphs and charts. Please only submit content that you personally created and own the rights to use.
- Spam Free – Linking to relevant sources to establish authority and validate claims is encouraged. But please do not submit content that exists singularly to promote or “Skyscraper” off-page or third party content. Overly spammy and thin content will be rejected outright and those offending authors will be black listed from future submissions.
WRITE CONTENT WORTH READING
This is a simple concept and this notion is the very heart of content marketing, but all too often contributors miss the point of why we’re writing in the first place.
If you want your content to go viral (and who doesn’t?) it needs to be shared. Which means it has to be interesting enough for someone to not only want to read it, but also interesting to the point that they feel other should be reading it.
WHAT MAKES CONTENT INTERESTING
If you want people to enjoy your content there are a few factors you should consider.
Namely, is the post…
- Relevant – Our studio only photographs dogs within the Mid Atlantic region. If your post is unrelated to dogs or photography, or is specific to a city outside of Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., Delaware, or Pennsylvania, it’s likely not relevant to our readership and not something we will post.
- Intuitive – Your post should present a general idea, be backed up by succinct supporting points and end on a relevant conclusion.
- Helpful – Would someone who doesn’t know you, your company or product find this news applicable to their own situation? If you only service a particular area, mention that. If you’re talking about a product, focus less on what the product is and more on what problem the product helps solve.
- Entertaining – Is your post funny, uplifting, aspirational, dramatic or suspenseful? Avoid depressing topics or negative words that a reader may construe as a personal attack.
- Educational– Does your post teach a new idea, skill or somehow help people do something better? Most people love to consume time saving hacks or easy to consume factual tidbits (particularly those that reinforce an existing mindset).
- Surprising – Is the reality of your topic counter intuitive or contrary to what most people believe? Shocking resolutions tend to encourage sharing, but avoid link baiting tactics that are needlessly shocking, trite or cliche.
- Pro Adoption – We will not promote any content that disparages older dogs, mixed breeds, or mutts, or any content that we believe will discourage potential dog owner’s from adopting from a shelter, rescue or foster program. To clarify, we do not that we have a problem with pure bred dogs or puppies. We just want to make sure that we are doing our part to help empty shelters and prevent more unwanted dogs from being needlessly euthanized.
- Cruelty Free – We have zero tolerance for content that encourages the abuse of any animal. We will not post any dominance or “Alpha Theory” related training content.
- Accessible – Is your post simple for your target audience to understand and your point easy to follow? If you’re writing for the benefit of the general public, try to use simpler wording and shorter phrases to present ideas. This is especially true for medical related posts and editorials. Always ask yourself, could a person who would benefit from this info understand this information as it is written.
- Positive – Hate has no place here. We love all dogs and want them to be healthy and happy regardless of their breed, job or family role, their location or who their owners are. We vehemently oppose breed specific legislation, racism, classism, nationalism, sexism, ableism, transphobia and all other forms of discrimination, bigotry and hate mongering.
PHOTO & VIDEO TECHNICAL GUIDELINES
Please do not steal photos from the web — or anywhere else.
Only submit photos, graphs, charts, images, video and other media that you personally created.
Please do not submit watermarked media. Photographers will be credited in the photo caption.
Featured Images (masthead images / banners) should measure 1200px x 675px at 72 DPI.
Embedded Photos can be of any height but measure 750px wide at 72 DPI.
Embedded Graphs, Charts, Maps & Diagrams should be presented in a legible resolution, but measure no smaller than 750px wide at 72 DPI.
Embedded Videos should be uploaded to YouTube.
Headshot Photos should clearly show the author’s face and measure 150px x 150px at 72 DPI.
DON’T FORGET TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR SELF
Every post submitted by a guest contributor includes an author block.
Along with your article, please be sure to include the following:
- Head shot – Like the author section on the back of a book jacket, we will include an image of you along with your author block at the end of your post. These photos should be 150px x 150px at 72 DPI.
- Self description – A quick 3-4 sentence blurb about who you are, where you are located, what you do and why you are an expert on the topic you are writing about (be sure to include any credentials, experience, and other relevant information that will establish you as an authority).
- Promotional info – What are you trying to promote? In 1 to 2 sentences tell us about the product, event or organization you are here to promote. Be sure to include a link to your website or any other relevant info like service area or location dates.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
Please note that we do not pre-approve or reserve topics.
Remember you are a guest contributor on our blog. As site owners we reserve final editorial rights and may modify, edit or add to your post at our own discretion at any time, and we are under no obligation to post your content at all — whole or in part.
We do our best to work with guest authors that submit content that falls shy of our editorial standards. In these instances, guest authors may be asked to make edits, enhancements or other changes to your article in an effort to make the article post worthy. Guest authors have 48 hours to respond to each round of edit requests. Failure to meet these deadline may result in change requests executed in-house by our staff and / or editors, and the resulting content posted without attribution or mention of the initial source.
By submitting content, including text, photos, video, and other media, you agree that you own the rights to the submitted content, and are granting us a nontransferable license to use your content or likeness in association with the post in perpetuity, and you agree to follow all of the guidelines listed above.
PRODUCT PROMOTION IS RESERVED FOR COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY CLIENTS
We do not allow guest contributors to link to specific products or post other advertisements unless they are a commercial pet product photography client of our studio.
We do not accept paid link placements. We do not work with any link buying agencies or marketplace directories. We do not accept every post submitted to our editors for consideration. Anyone that says they can guarantee link placement on our website is lying.
WANT TO FEATURE YOUR PRODUCT ON OUR BLOG?
If you would like to have your pet product featured on the Puptrait dog blog, we strongly encourage you to commission a Pet Product People session package.
These mini product photography session packages include a 2 hour long product shoot captured in studio on a white background and a chat based interview with a client brand representative posted to our studio’s dog blog. Pet Product People clients receive full resolution images following their session and all posted interviews include a minimum of two do-follow links. Sessions start at $500 per product.
Restrictions do apply, please contact the Puptrait Studio for details and to see if your product qualifies. Please email commercial@puptrait.com or call 443.604.0711 during normal business hours.
HOW TO SUBMIT A GUEST POST
Please note that we do not pre-approve or reserve topics.
Ready to submit your pet friendly article?
Email your completed article, contact info, pet friendly website link, and along with a subject headline starting with the codeword “SNARF” to write4@puptrait.com
WHY DO WE REQUIRE A CODEWORD?
We realize that codeword might come off as a bit funny, possibly even a smidge unprofessional. But you have to admit — you never would have guessed it!
In all seriousness though, we are a tiny organization that is regularly inundated with lower quality submissions from offshore content farms and half-assed posts submitted by content marketers that can’t be bothered to review our editorial guidelines. But by using a codeword, we’re able to funnel their requests straight into the trash. What a time to be alive! Isn’t technology grand?
Note: Please only submit articles embedded in a plain text email. We do not open or review content submitted as an attachment or blind link.
