Contributor Guidelines
AdExchanger regularly publishes curated columns from the marketing industry’s big thinkers, including strategists, technology experts, brands, media executives and agency leaders.
We welcome submissions from those interested in writing.
How can I write a column that will be accepted?
Our best writers feel passionately about industry changes. They want to share their expertise and point of view with our broader readership. They are humble and like to share past mistakes. They are frank, unafraid of ruffling feathers or calling a spade a spade. They are experts overflowing with knowledge to share and specific proposals for how to package that knowledge for the AdExchanger audience.
We like hearing from practitioners who are “in the weeds” and can share information about how our readers can do their jobs better.
We also like hearing from top industry executives about their strategies and what they see from their perches.
Our best writers are clear and avoid relying heavily on industry or marketing jargon. They sound like people, not a marketing bot, and bring their voice to the column (after all, their name is on it!).
However, we still turn down pieces that meet many of these requirements but aren’t a fit for us. The decision to publish is strictly at the discretion of AdExchanger’s editorial team.
Please find our detailed guidelines below.
What do I need to submit?
• Target length is 400-750 words. For new contributors, please send us a two to three- paragraph abstract outlining the column’s main arguments before sending a full-length draft. We will review it and let you know if we’d like to see more.
• Include a headshot. Optional: include your Twitter handle or the company Twitter handle if you’d like us to link to it in the column.
Can I post my column elsewhere?
• We encourage columnists to share their column. We recommend linking to it on Twitter, posting an excerpt on LinkedIn, or calling it out in internal or external company emails.
• When sharing a column, you must only use an excerpt and link to your work on AdExchanger.com. Do not copy/paste the entire column elsewhere.
• Column must be exclusive to AdExchanger. We ask that authors not write columns for other ad publications for one month before and after appearing in AdExchanger.
• Columns may be reprinted on company or personal blogs one week after publication at AdExchanger but may not be reprinted at other publications.
Who can write for AdExchanger?
• We’re looking for very senior contributors (CEO, director, C-Suite level). No double bylines.
What topics should I write about?
• We put a high value on pointed columns that deal with a specific issue or pain point. Bonus points for staking out a controversial argument.
• Columns that share information and best practices are also encouraged. Does the column feel like an industry colleague just did you a huge favor by explaining a difficult, or confusing topic in a relatable, fun or humorous way? We like those columns.
• Referencing op-eds or articles from other publications is fine, but please do not build your column around something that appeared elsewhere.
• We need citations! Link to any stats you include in the piece, industry standards you mention, quotes or news. Please cite the original source whenever possible.
Can I talk about my own business?
• You cannot reference your company’s business model, practices, products, research, events, etc.
• Sharing what you learned, mistakes you made or in-market anecdotes can ground a piece and make it more relatable. Use extra caution to avoid self-promotion when talking about yourself. Generally, “I” is better than “we.”
• Column content should not be too closely aligned with the contributor’s business and marketing interests.
• AdExchanger doesn’t want to publish columns that promote the advantages of an author’s product, even if not mentioned explicitly, or outline problems that are solved by the author’s product. For example, if your company sells strawberry popsicles, don’t write about why marketers need to eat more popsicles or why strawberry is the next hot flavor.
• We’re looking for high-level thought leadership and authenticity. We do not want repurposed company research, such as white papers.
• If the column fits within your company’s marketing materials, message or strategy, we’ll probably pass. If it is tied to an upcoming marketing announcement or product launch, we will pass. If at the end of the column, we feel like we’ve just been (sales) pitched, we will pass.
• Company will be mentioned and linked from the bio, but avoid mentioning the company in the story because it too easily becomes self-promotional.
If you would like to submit your application for contributed content, please email [email protected] and a member of the team will respond.
Native & Sponsored Content Opportunities
Separate from our thought leadership program, AdExchanger offers limited native content opportunities allowing sponsors to reach our audience with relevant content, such as marketing-related messaging, white-papers, and other relevant materials. For more on this program, please contact our Sales team at [email protected]
