Every day, in at least one of the Facebook blogger groups I frequent, I see bloggers gleefully shouting themselves out for getting published on Huffington Post. More often than not, someone asks something like “what benefit is there to getting published on Huffpo?” The only real answer is that it’s a big name on your blogging resumé – otherwise, there really isn’t one.
Sorry. I’m a bubble burster sometimes.
But seriously, the cons of blogging on Huffington Post outweigh the pros. Here’s why.
You’d be writing for free.
So you decide you want to write for Huffington Post. You try to think of something that’s universal enough to be appreciated or controversial enough to be interesting, then you jump through the hoops (minimal though they apparently seem to be) of getting invited to write. YAY you get approved, so now you research, write, and wait for your publication date (if you even know when that’ll be). You’ll put in a few to several hours of work, depending on what kind of a writer you are, and you’re not going to be compensated for that time.
However, Huffington Post makes money on their traffic, so whatever traffic comes from or to your post, they profit from it. The benefit of this is a one-way street. They get blogger articles for free. They get traffic because of the articles they publish. They get paid for that traffic. Your work is free labor to them, and do you profit from it? Probably not.
There’s no substantial traffic boost to your own site.
I know some people out there are like “but it boosted my traffic!” Of all the bloggers I’ve heard from, most didn’t see a substantial change in traffic. It used to be different, of course, and early on when HP started accepting bloggers, there weren’t as many channels, the content was more focused, and the traffic better concentrated. Now, HuffPo publishes over 1200 pieces per day, not including the 400+ blog contributions. Like yours.
And sure, you have your occasional viral posts, but like the tributes from districts 3-13, the odds are NOT in your favor.
Besides, if your post is THAT good, if you really think its virality is off the charts, SELF-PUBLISH THAT ISH. REAP THE BENEFITS YOURSELF. Reap reap reap, high five a million angels, and get yourself a pedicure with the ad revenue you earned from all that crazy traffic. And be prepared with a prominent subscription signup form that offers an interesting and niche-appropriate perk.
Working for exposure devalues your work.
As an 8-year veteran of the web design world and a former professional musician, I’m going to let you in on a secret. Working for exposure doesn’t actually get you the exposure you want. Word tends to get out when you work on the cheap or for exposure. The reality of the matter is the people you’d want exposure from are the people willing to pay your worth.
[bctt tweet=”The people you’d want exposure from are the people willing to pay your worth.”]
I remember in my early days when I was just building my design portfolio, I asked a client to keep our project rate confidential as I’d not ever give that kind of a price break to anyone else. Naturally, he told all of his friends, so when I quoted his referrals, they balked and said “BUT XYZ ONLY PAID $ABC, YOU’RE TRYING TO RIP ME OFF.” The business he sent my way was more emotionally detrimental than it was profitable. When someone offers you exposure, you can bet others will find out and expect you’ll be willing to do the same for them.
As a blogger, when someone asks you to work (because your writing is your work) for exposure, they’re showing that your work, platform, and brand isn’t of value to them. Think of it this way: your blog has an audience. The partners you work with are gaining access to your audience, which (ideally) is a great fit for their product/service/brand. They compensate you not only for the work you do (your writing, photos, research), but for exposure to your audience.
Yeah, but you’re getting exposure to Huffington Post’s audience!
Maybe if your post happens to go viral. But probably not. #realtalk
The resumé boost doesn’t mean much anymore.
Most savvy networkers/marketers/PR people know that Huffington Post isn’t exactly an exclusive publication anymore. If you were a paid contributor, it might be one thing, but at this point, every blogger’s media kit includes a Huffington Post credit. It’s basically just padding, like using your high school leadership experience on your job resume. It’s awesome when you’re just entering the job field with your first barista gig, but it’s not okay when you’re out of college and you have actual jobs to place on your resumé.
If you’re new to blogging, by all means use what you have. However, as you mature in your career as a blogger, you’ll move up and on. And really, there’s no fault in keeping it in your kit or on your sidebar, but don’t rest on it. This isn’t the be-all-end-all.
But there are some reasons blogging for Huffington Post might work for you…
If you have an idea for something that doesn’t fit your niche and you’re looking for an outlet that keeps you from feeling pigeonholed, writing on Huffington Post could be a great way to get those thoughts out there. I know there are things that I’ve wanted to write, but they just don’t fit on my personal blog or here, and I know I can’t be the only blogger to experience this.
When you’re still building your media kit or your confidence as a writer, having a byline in a known publication is great boost for self-esteem and shaking the bonds of imposter syndrome. Writing on such a huge publication can be a big step, so don’t let me be a deterrent – GO FOR IT! Take that step, get out of your comfort zone.
Hell, if you want to republish a piece to create broader awareness or to touch lives, do it! If you’ve already published something and you’re not spending your valuable time (AND YES – YOUR TIME HAS A MONETARY VALUE) writing something original for someone else’s gain with little gain for yourself, then have at it, sister/mister.
Better yet, here are a few paying sites you can write for instead
These boss mamas pay $100 for original articles, but they also accept previously published pieces (just not for pay). This is a stellar outlet if you’re worried that a parenting piece you want to write is a little too controversial for your audience. *Update: as of July 2016, they no longer pay for submissions. Womp.*
While you can submit your article to Thought Catalog for exposure, you can pitch their editorial team by emailing [email protected].
As a long-running and respected publication, Entrepreneur has a reputation for paying their contributors well. Way to keep online journalism alive, Entrepreneur!
xoJane is a by-women-for-women ezine that’s known for its writers’ collective authenticity and touch of edge.
Babble is a Disney Company property, so it’s mom & family centric, but it’s a lot more tame than Scary Mommy. So none of those swear words you’ve told your kids not to repeat in public. Yeah, I see you.
Just as edgy as the name suggests, Bitch is a feminist publication with a mission of “providing and encouraging an engaged, thoughtful, feminist response to mainstream media and popular culture.”
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Gawker
Gawker is the parent company of sites like Jezebel, Lifehacker, Deadspin, and Gizmodo. They’re all about uncompromising honesty and pushing the envelope, so let loose!
Gawker shut down on August 22, 2016. RIP.
Refinery 29 is like lifestyle blogger heaven with it’s aspirational aesthetic and focus on emerging style. While it’s not expressly a millennial publication, it definitely has more of a draw for women in early-ish adulthood.
Salon is like the newspaper without the pretense or stuffiness. It’s notorious for its heavy liberal bias, so if you’re a Fox News kinda person, steer clear.
Upworthy’s mission is to create a better world, so they take original stories that are meant to inspire. They prefer shorter pieces (around 500 words) that are highly visual – basically, the kinds of stories your mom’s friends used to forward in emails and now share all over the Facebooks.
A List Apart is more web design and development focused, and is a niche site for the technical side of the web (even down to content creation). The focus is the content, and their use of images is pretty minimal, which means you’ll be challenged to keep readers engaged by writing a kickass piece.
YSF stands for Young, Fabulous, & Self-Employed – if Babble is Suburbia, YFS is Silicon Beach. If you’re into startup culture and entrepreneurship with proven expertise, this is a great site to share your knowledge.
I’ll be honest – a lot of these sites are harder to get published on than Huffington Post. You’ll possibly/probably get rejected more than once, but that’s par for the course. Many have actual editorial teams and will send you feedback and make you edit your piece, and I’d encourage you to GET UP ON THAT. It’s only going to make you a better writer.
Is it going to feel good on your ego? Maybe not. If you need an ego boost, Huffington Post is like that ex that’s always up for a booty call, but you know is probably not going to do a lot for you in the long run (especially if you repeatedly go fall back on it). You can do better, so get on out there.
Would you still want to be published in Huffington Post? Tell me why or why not in the comments!
I’ll still try to submit an article or two on Huffington Post, not for traffic, but just like you said, for self confidence and resume boost as a beginner. I’ve read an article that recommend to guest post when you just launched or before launching your site as it is the “greatest” traffic booster, “getting-your-name-out-there” technique, i guess Huffington Post is not “it” . Thanks!!
That’s a really smart approach, and I totally don’t think Huffington Post is “it” in the sense that it’ll be your magical key to success. However, I do think that if you include it in your approach, it can’t hurt! It’s the time you’re choosing to spend, and if you’re working on promoting your launch, free is free, baby – make those connection and build build build.
Just make sure to diversify, too- I think far too many bloggers rest on their laurels after being published on HuffPo and expect to rake in the sponsors, traffic, and dollars. #thatsnothowitworks
Great post – I was thinking about this exact topic today. I recently published a post on HuffPo (one which had been previously published on my site, I would have never specifically written something for them) and will admit I mostly did it to satisfy my own curiosity about the points you’ve made. SO many bloggers rave about getting published on HuffPo and I always questioned it’s worth – so I thought I’d try it out myself as a little experiment lol, and to say I was severely disappointed would be an understatement. The post sent ONE referral to my site and their new login area for bloggers does not allow you to see the traffic the post is getting. They without a doubt get the better end of the deal.
I want to do this too, just out of curiosity (my plan was to do this before publishing this post, but it was just too timely!) because your experience seems to be more the rule than the exception.
I think I would still like to be published on HuffPo, even just for the self ego boost. I am deciding to ignore some of your cons on HuffPo and live in my ideal blogger world. I am just starting out so it still sounds great to me. Almost like practicing my pitches. I am going to improve my writing and try to get on the site you mentioned above! This article was very well written and I look forward to checking out your site!
Thanks SO much, Ashley! Seriously, enjoy the idealism now as you’re gaining your footing – there’s really no fault in that, and if your blog is just a hobby, cheers to you! BUT if/when you decide to level up, don’t rest on Huffington Post as a core credential. Expand, write for niche sites, write for pay, and pitch pitch pitch.
WOW!
First off, I love your writing voice. Totally feel like we could BFF’s. But, I think you totally made some very valid points and I’m super thankful for that. I have THOUGHT about what to write for Huffpo, but had made no actions towards it. The other (paid) options you mentioned actually seemed like ‘great fit’, too so I wouldn’t mind trying them out before huffpo, because you’re right. Unless the article is ‘viral’, I couldn’t imagine it making too large of an impact on numbers. I also know that my non-blogging friends always talk sh!t about them because they are mostly known (IMO) for those stupid lists that leave much to be desired.
Cherish
Oh, girl, you just made my day. Thank you! <3 <3 <3
And YES! I think in the blogging world, we totally see things differently than non-bloggers. There tends to be this kind of echo chamber of feedback, so what a lot of bloggers write tends to be FOR bloggers, not for their ACTUAL target audience. Like if you're a mommy blogger, you're writing for moms, not for bloggers. I think a lot of us forget that because we are part of blogging groups and we don't reach out to the outside world for feedback, so when our IRL friends see a site, they're like "ew, I'd avoid that link" but our blogger world friends are like "prestige! Notoriety! Target demographics don't matter if your name is out there!".
A great article! Hats off I thought that one of the biggest advantages (except for ego boost, naturally) of getting published on Huffington post is to get a valuable backlink.
That’s a good point, although I have heard of it backfiring where a blogger’s republished piece will rank higher in search from HuffPo than it does from their own site (where the piece was originally published). So there’s also that to consider.
I’ve been on HuffPost about 4 times now – and only ONCE did a post get some traction (they ended up posting it on their social media pages). In that particular post I had linked to my actual blog, so I did get some traffic, but in the other instances the post went nowhere. It had the fancy HuffPost URL but it wasn’t promoted in any way, nor did it help my blog.
I DO think if you’re starting out it looks good to have work posted there, but you’re right- there are plenty of other sites that actually will compensate you or provide traffic directly to your site. Thanks for listing some of them – there were a few I hadn’t thought of 🙂
That’s really helpful when it does get promoted, and unfortunately, for all the work that goes in, those situations are so few and far between. BUT it is helpful for new writers to get their feet wet, totally.
Thank you for keeping it real. Huffington Post has that holy grail halo around it, but the alternative resources you provided are awesome! Thank you for giving us those sites and your opinion. I had no idea Huffington Post published so many articles a day.
Hellz yeah – there are already lots of blogs that are there to feed egos, but I’d much rather give the tools to build solid foundations.
I didn’t know how much they posted daily either until I started researching for this piece – it’s really mind blowing.
This is the best post I’ve read in a long time. Really put things into perspective. I can now officially stop worrying about needing to be published by HuffPo – lol! Thanks also for all of the links to paying outlets. So great!
YAY! I’m so happy to lend another view, especially when it allays worries and motivates hustle. Now go out and get paid like a BOSS.
I’ve published on Huffington, one for the ego boost and two I wanted my blog post to reach a new audience, but I’ve never published any new content with them and don’t plan on doing so either.
That’s smart – I really don’t touch on that much, but I think that’s the most reasonable approach to writing for HuffPo. I can’t see why anyone would write original content for them without pay when there are so many other sites that are better niche fits that do.
I’m mainly a food blogger and I enjoy submitting recipes to huffpo that I’ve already written (no new work for me!). The benefit I see is increased social media awareness – I’ve gotten more FB and Twitter followers from their posts of my recipes. That potentially leads to more eyes on my own blog content down the road! But I’m with you on new content and not working for free! I absolutely LOVE this list of sites that pay. Thank you!
I love your strategic outlook here! I know I didn’t include any cooking niche sites on this list, but there MUST be sites out there that do offer compensation for recipe submissions, too.
I can’t say I feel a particular draw toward being published on Huff Post, but sure – if I had a piece and wanted to expand my ability to gain additional readers (to benefit from the info in the post itself, not for blog traffic) then maybe so.
For publishing pieces that aren’t in my blog’s niche, Medium is great for that as well.
I gave a LOT of work away when I was new to the scene. In all honesty, it was great for the experience and to help build my portfolio (and confidence), but it never led to anything else. Eventually, it devalued my own view of my work – and that’s never a good thing.
And to be honest, even when I read someone’s article on a mainstream site, I don’t even think to look at the author or their blog. But if I make it to someone’s blog in and of itself (through a FB group or something a blogger friend shared or if they came to my blog and I’m returning the visit), I sure do pay attention to them and may even browse around and read more of their stuff and share it.
In fact, that’s why I’M here. You shared this in a FB group I belong to. Better traffic source as far as I’m concerned. More genuine. And since I like your post, I’m going to browse around and see what else you’ve written here.
Thanks for the list. I’ll check those out 🙂
Thank you for sharing your experience and consequent insight – it’s really so hard to break out of the tendency to devalue our own work. Like I struggle hard with imposter syndrome, and I know that a lot of other bloggers (really, a lot of other women in general) share that struggle. I can see why the validation of being published with a site that has as big a name as Huffington Post would be appealing – validation is validation – BUT you’re so right on the nose about the long-term effects of giving giving giving.
I recently was accepted to Huffington Post, and I don’t think it’s a negative experience at all. It was kind of a rite of passage for me personally, and I happily checked it off my list. I won’t post anything original there, because I’m using them for my benefit, and not the other way around, and I learned some valuable lessons. First, only writers know or care about the exposure element vs. not getting paid – if you’re giving them all of your best stuff, it’s time to readjust. Secondly, getting published in HuffPo *did* get me a lot of exposure and increased my credibility with my own audience. Third, I did the same thing with blogher – after publishing three (non-original) articles there, they contracted me to write for them for payment. Fourth, writing for different outlets can increase confidence, improve pitching and writing skills, and show range, as well as provide readers with social proof.
As long as you feel good about it, then it’s good for you. Really. And you’re so right – for many, it is like a rite of passage and for a new blogger, it’s a great way to learn how to pitch and increase your confidence. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I have been weighing the pros and cons of Huff Post for the past few weeks and like you, I’ve seen so many people shout from the mountaintop that they got on HP. I’ve wondered if it’s worth it and your post really answered some questions. Thank you!
http://Www.myplotofsunshine.com
You’re so welcome! And like others have said, it can’t hurt to send republished content, but the effort of publishing original content for what payout exactly? Doesn’t seem worth it.
I’ve avoided jumping on the HuffPo train because I really don’t want to be known for giving my writing away for free. I’ve been ghostwriting for years, which means I don’t have many clips now that I want to start working in different areas, but it still seems silly to give my work away and then try to come back from that. Not really the sort of exposure I want.
Yesss, I totally agree. And it’s so hard not being able to add your credits! I’ve done agency work that I just can’t include in my portfolio, even though it’s incredible, beautiful work. SO hard, but I’m not about to go build sites for free just for the bragging rights.
Thanks for some sound advice. Huffington Post is the next thing on my list. While I think I will still go for it, the paid sites you’ve listed are going to be on that list now as well. I suppose I want to see if I can get published on it. I like the idea of the NO being a challenge.
I’ve book marked this post, it will be used as a reference point within the next month. Thanks
Rachel.
Awesome! Keep on keeping on, girl.
I admit that I am clueless about most of this stuff, so thank you for enlightening me. After recently reading about how to submit to Huffington, I tried with an article already published on my blog. They got back to me quite quickly; and I was published within 24 hours. Of course, now that I understand it really means nothing, it has kind of taken the fun out of it. LOL! I did enjoy the idea that my writing had been “accepted” and the excitement and support from my friends and family. So, I guess it was worth it because I needed a boost yesterday, and my friends all reposted the article. I will probably submit previously published stuff in the future, but I will not create content specifically for them. My ultimate goal was to drive my own book sales. Thanks again for sharing.
Now THAT I didn’t account for – if you’re doing PR for a product or a book that you’re selling, free publication is PRIMO. DOOOOO it do it do it. Take as much advantage as you can.
Sorry, I disagree. I think there’s loads of benefits when publishing on HuffPo. I do agree to NEVER write original content for them.
Other than that here’s my take on this:
– people still have respect for the HuffPo name; being published there AND on other sites gives great credibility
– cross-publish your best work onto HuffPo
– make sure the posts you cross-publish have various links back to other related posts on your site (this gets traffic back to your site, clicking around on your ads and your products)
– at the bottom of your posts, leave a blurb about you that also links to your blog and your top 2-3 social media accounts (I’ve gotten Facebook followers by doing this)
– when you cross-publish, change the title slightly and a bit of the content so that you’re not “fighting” for search results on Google with them
– if you have an ebook you’ve written and have listed on Amazon, HuffPo will let you link it to your author’s account – this means free advertising on a huge platform – you can link up to two eBooks
You may have posts that get huge success on the Huffington Post platform and the thing that I love about HuffPo is they will share and reshare your content on social media if it has done well for them in the past… which means ripples of ongoing traffic.
I would encourage writers to cross-publish to The Huffington Post and I firmly believe the benefits are worth it!
I do think you’re right on the ebook point – if you have something to market, by all means, capitalize on the free publicity. And I do think cross-publishing is fine, too, but I take serious issue on their ability to capitalize on free work and traffic while the contributors may or may not get the same benefit.
If you find it worth the extra time and effort, no one is stopping you, but I certainly think there’s more in it for them than there is for bloggers.
I have to disagree with this completely, it’s making the rounds in the blogging groups. A piece I wrote went mega-viral on HUFF, was their MOST SHARED post of 2015, and landed me a sponsored web show, spokesperson jobs, among other leads.
While it might not work for everyone, when promoted HUFF POST is a wonderful tool. Plus you cna put your own back links, affiliate links, etc. You just have to do what’s right for you!
That is SO exciting for you! And it’s 100% the exception, not the rule. Like your outcome is SO incredibly rare. But again, so exciting for you!
And again, as a cross-promotional tool, it’s all fine and good. I just can’t imagine any reasons (aside from free publicity) to write and submit anything original for Huffington Post.
Hey Resa,
Excellent post! I agree – huffing and puffing in writing for Huff Post ain’t worth a dime!
Thanks! Also, I love your site name!
Thank you so much for posting this! Not many bloggers will reveal the truth once they announce they have been published by it. I think I might try and get one or two bits of work published on it, just to get myself intot he flow of writing for something other than my blog but I’ve made a definite note of the ones that pay. I’ve been blogging for 2 years and aim to be a journalist so I want to be paid for my words, naturally.
All the best x
littlekaatie.com
Right? There’s a bit of an emotional investment for a lot of the bloggers who have been published, so I know this whole post seems like a blow to their egos. Soz? But really, it can be a great idea to get republished as you’re getting your feet wet. Just don’t invest extra time writing something original if you’re not getting them $$$.
This makes me feel better about not hearing back from Huff Po! lol Thanks for that!
Hah! If it’s really important to you, keep submitting and also try submitting to some of these paying sites (ESPECIALLY the ones with editors on staff that will review your work). If you’re truly concerned about being a better writer and getting published, you’ll want to reach out to places that will push you to reach higher and strengthen your skills.
YESSSSSS! THANK YOU! You took the words right out of my mouth! I tweeted something similar the other day – about how I used to want to get published on there, but now that *every* blogger is doing it, it lost its appeal to me. If everyone get published there, then it’s not that special anymore. I’m also at the point in my blogging career where I will not write for free at all. If I’m being completely honest, I’d rather a post of mine go viral or even just big in anyway be linked straight to my blog so I get the traffic and credit.
I hope you don’t get any haters from this post – when I tweeted my thought out, I had a blogger call me pouty and passive-aggressive. Haha
Thank you again! Great post!
BTW: Love your layout!
That was my EXACT thought for months – like I truly hesitated to post this for a while, until I figured out the most constructive way to frame it. Even still, you can scan the comments to see a little disagreement, but fortunately nothing like what you’ve experienced – oy vey! What weaksauce criticism – like my 5 year old gives better feedback.
And THANK YOU! I just redid it
Loved this post. I decided to stop doing free. I only really submit “free” stuff that is already on my blog that another site can repost. That way I can get some interaction but without having to do double the work.
Totally – I think my position has evolved just a bit as comments have rolled in, and I definitely agree that it’s pretty okay to repost to garner greater interest and to revive past subjects, but original content? Never for free.
Thanks for the post. I guess your target is bloggers, and I can see your point completely. I’m looking at blogging to create quality backlinks, which it is apparently great for. Just a note on not creating original material. Google penalises you for posting identical text in different places so it could have a negative effect on your SEO if you are concious of SEO performance. So, by all means re-purpose your blog posts, but change it up a bit to make sure the posts aren’t identical – this applies to all situations where you re-purpose your blog, not just Huff Post 😉 My first blog on Huff Post should go out tomorrow or the next day, just waiting on image permissions 🙂
Standard practice with known republication (as opposed to just plagiarizing someone’s work, which is where duplicate content becomes problematic) is to tag the republished post as canonical. This doesn’t harm your site or your republisher’s site – as far as crawlers are concerned, it’s seen as an equivalent to a 301 redirect. Just a heads up 😉
Great to know, thank you!
When did Thought Catalog start paying? As of a few months ago when I was writing for them, they weren’t!
Like I said in the piece, you have to actually pitch them rather than submitting via their normal submissions page. I included a link to their pitches email as well!
And also, I respectfully disagree. I’ve been published and because of that, I’ve scored free stays in hotels and I’ve scored other writing opportunities. However, I liked that you stated your opinion and that your opinion is against the norm! I’ve always appreciative of differing views.
That’s really awesome for you, and I’m very happy to hear you’ve had successes for them. The point of this piece, though, is to emphasize that your experience isn’t the norm – it’s the exception – and that getting paid is an important form of validation, especially as the blogging community’s legitimacy faces increased criticism from within and without.
Resa – I agree with you. Last year, my publisher landed me a gig with HP. I wouldn’t say it was a total waste of time (my mom was impressed), but the amount of time to craft the blog was not worth the measly traffic to my site. I told my publisher that I was redirecting my efforts towards podcasting and writing a second book. Both of which I did, and don’t think I’ll be writing for HP again.
I totally get a publisher encouraging writing there to take advantage of the free publicity and backlink, but as a regular thing? Unless you’re actually a paid contributor, I feel you. Thanks for reading 🙂
100% Agreed.
On a crazy whim, I sent an essay submission to Arianna Huffington, and she actually wrote me back. I was stunned. She said she’d love to publish my voice and set me up with the blog editor. Shortly after, I received my login from the editor, and just like that I became a contributor for the Huffington Post. Yay!!!! But not. I published my essay, which thank god was published elsewhere before or else I’d be (more?) bitter, but it didn’t appear on the site, anywhere. It was ONLY accessible by permalink, if I happened to give it to you. I inquired with the editor, but she never wrote me back. What a farce.
This is a super common experience, too, I’m sorry to say. At least you learned, though AND you’d published elsewhere.
I am surprised nobody talked about the SEO benefits of the Huffpost here. If an article with a Do-Follow backlink of your blog gets published on the Huffpost, wouldn’t it help in increasing the trust flow of your blog and help it outrank your competitors?
Therein lies the rub – I believe HuffPo links are nofollow. Even still, they’ll outrank you if it’s a republished piece (which is essentially the only free writing I recommend for sites that don’t pay).
Thank you for this post! Huffington Post Contributor, Best Selling Author, Internationally Known Speaker – While these used to have merit and credibility, they have become glorified vanity medals pinned to the chest of those whom most people have never heard of. I vote for bringing back metrics and titles that are hard-won and sweat-stained. Down with time-sucking quests for vanity metics and up with Eye Heart Creative. 🙂
Just for the record, I landed on this blog because I was in a Facebook group where Resa was giving some of the most generous and informative advice I’ve seen to someone’s creative problem. Any brand and business owner that’s that selfless gets my vote. Even if I didn’t discover them on Huffington Post.
Awww, thanks so much, love!
I completely agree, and (here comes my inner-crotchety-old-man) I miss the days when blogs succeeded because they told good stories, were well-written, and gained traction by merit. Now it seems like it’s a numbers game and a vanity titles rat race of new bloggers telling others they’re good because they were published in Huffington Post, so everyone should read them and sponsors should pay them.
As someone who was (and still is) a freelance writer before becoming a blogger as well, I have never understood the excitement that some bloggers seem to feel when they are published on Huffington Post. It’s not exactly an elite group any more – everybody and their dog is doing it these days – where’s the prestige in that? As someone who makes up to $600 to write a single blog post or article for some of my clients, the idea of writing for nothing just makes no sense. I would actually go so far as to say that being published on HuffPo would damage my professional reputation rather than enhance it. And why are bloggers so desperate to make money for HuffPo rather than make money for themselves? HuffPo is laughing all the way to the bank, selling ‘exposure’.
YES! I totally agree. I think the reason a lot of bloggers are excited about exposure is because 1. they’re not yet professionals, 2. they’re so new to writing that they think this is an “in” for them, and 3. all the other bloggers around them are excited about it so they think it’s important.
Well I am in midstream of posting an article as a contributor on the HP, and after reading this I am considering not bothering posting, but to place the article onto my own blog instead.
Publish it on your site, republish on HuffPo after your traffic on it has tapered off if you’re still interested in having that on your resumé.
Nice comments , I am thankful for the analysis , Does someone know if my business can access a template a form form to complete ?
Not that I’m aware of?
Sooo…I rarely, if ever, add an article to my favorites list directly on my browser. But this one made it. The points that you gave are so valid and literally helped me make up my mind NOT to submit to HuffPo. All of the reasons that you listed (gain followers, looks great on resume, gives experience) were reasons that I was even considering it. I HATE how they don’t pay for their blog posts. It’s almost like they feel like they don’t need to pay because they’re such a large production and that people should feel privileged just to write for them. Blech! Thank you so much for this awesome and insightful article! I will be coming back to it to check out the other sites and avoid wasting my time 😀 You rock!
Yes! They really do act like it’s such a privilege to not get paid for work. Ugh. I’m so happy this helped you!
Scary Mommy doesn’t pay anymore! It’s too bad because I had something in mind I thought would be perfect for their audience and maybe a little…edgy for my intended audience.
NOOOOOOOOO! How sad. Thanks for the heads up, though – updated in the post. And maybe in this case find another blogger with whom you can do a guest post crossover?
This is pretty interesting, considering so many bloggers turn to HuffPo for exposure. Personally, I think the allure in being published on the site isn’t necessarily for money, it’s the social proof that comes with contributing to a big publication. But then again, I love those guys at the Huffington Post so I might be biased. <3
I get it. I also think it’s just short-sighted and a lot of bloggers never get past the shiny-factor that happens with a big name, sacrificing their value for “exposure” that doesn’t actually go anywhere.
Terrific article, and oooooh so relevant – and not just for HuffPo.
There’s a terrible trend these days for PR companies to think bloggers, influencers are happy to work for free, yet balk when you ask them if they are working for their client pro bono.
It’s insulting, unprofessional and deserves all the scorn they receive.
If we want exposure, we’d all go skinnydipping in the North Sea.
Thanks again for such a great article 🙂
YES! “Please write about us and share us with your audience – you’re a great fit for our brand and your audience will love it! You’ll also get to work with us and we’ll give you 15% off of product.” “Cool, make that free product and/or pay me.” “lol no.”
Like you want me to PAY you to write about your product, basically, because I don’t write about anything I haven’t tested myself. Eff. That. Noise. Thanks for reading!
This is probably the only post that I actually printed out and will be using. A while back I was “accepted” by the HuffPost to write some pieces in their divorce section but I never submitted anything. I’ve since learned (through your article) that things have changed. I recently started a new blog centered around my life coaching business and I’m looking to get some traction on my older posts. So here’s my question: would you suggest submitting my previously published work to all of the sites you mentioned in your article at the same time and just kind of see what happens or should I choose just one that seems to be on point?
Oh dang, I feel so special! I recommend sticking to your niche- finding publications that are a good fit for you AND your audience. But a lot of publications have niched-down subsections as well, so consider those as you go. Like this kind of a piece wouldn’t be great for a health & fitness focused site, but it would be a pretty good fit for a site that covers blogging or writing.
I saw in fiver that others charging for high pay just to post your article in huffington and actually I was tempted to pay the gig, I was lucky I found your post that I was save from buying the gig, thank you so much for your post.
Yikes! Anything for a buck, right? I’m so glad to have helped. 🙂
I was thinking of submitting to Huffington Post too but reluctant since I’ve learned about the noindex issue. This post was really helpful. Btw, gawker.com has already ceased operations although the website can still be accessed.
Oooh, good to know. I’ll make sure to update!
I have written for the Huff Post for years and was already a multi published author anyway( not self published-published, in print, in shops, on amazon, etc. Yet they are still very ignorant in regard to communication with their writers. You ask for fast tracking for your blogs which may be time sensitive, such as predictions on upcoming sports events but there is no urgency and as for replying to your e mails to their ‘Blog team’-forget it! They appear very ignorant probably due to their size etc.
Thanks for writing this – I needed to read it. 🙂
I was asked to become a contributor a few months ago. When it happened I was ecstatic: it was my goal when I started blogging. But I was feeling really guilty about the fact that I wasn’t happy with the platform early on. For one, they would change the titles of my posts in an attempt to make them catchy – which in my opinion, minimized the value and integrity of the content, which in turn invited all sorts of passive aggressive comments. There are a lot of people scrolling through huff post content looking for ways to shame contributors: it’s a breeding ground for negativity. I have never been met with these kinds of comments on any other platform, like my blog or medium – not even on Facebook, Instagram or twitter. I’m a health and wellness writer who is all about being kind to yourself, and this morning I realized that to continue to subject myself to these toxic people and comments, and work for free is to do the opposite of that. What’s more, I have no way of gauging if anyone is even sharing what I write, especially since they changed their platform and you can’t see share counts. The only thing I have to go off is the jerk-ish comments. So I guess what I’m saying is you’re right: it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. A huge thank you for writing this post as it made me realize I don’t need to try to fit the huff post mould to be successful. It is not the end all be all, and isn’t a requirement to becoming a successful writer. I have the clients to prove it. 🙂