Contribute

Contributor Guidelines

Written content, infographics and videos must adhere to the following contributor guidelines. By submitting content that aligns with this criteria, the content style guidelines, and our SEO guide for contributors, you’ll essentially fast-track your content for publication.

For additional information, you may reference: 

Questions about contributing content? Review the FOURCASTERS FAQ or reach out to the FOURCASTERS‘  editorial team.

1. What Kind of Content Can I Post on FOURCASTERS? 

  • FOURCASTERS publishes thoughtful insights from expert analysts, targeted to the B2B space. Analysts are welcome to express their opinions, but this must be done in a tactful manner. Content can take several forms, such as:

– Blogs and articles;

– Whitepapers and ebooks;

– Research reports;

– Short form briefs;
– Infographics and carousels; and
– Videos.

  • Content must be “future focused.” Your content must have a forward-facing angle, in alignment with the one-sentence “fourcast” that we ask contributors to provide with each content submission. (See section 2: The Content Submission Process.)
  • We only accept human-generated, non-AI-authored content. This is to ensure a positive reading experience and to avoid penalties from search engines and AI platforms that may recommend FOURCASTERS content.
  • FOURCASTERS does not publish marketing materials, press releases, promotional content and other content that’s promotional in nature. This site is also not the place for extreme views or material that could be considered offensive by the general readership. 
  • Refer to “Ethical Content Creation” (section 5) to learn more about the types of content that are considered acceptable.
  • Review FOURCASTERS’ content style guidelines. They provide an overview of how to structure your content for optimal engagement and a positive reader experience. 

2. The Content Submission Process

  • Prepare for Publication: All submitted content must be fact-checked and data must be deemed accurate, with appropriate sourcing. 
  • Review Contributor Guidelines: Read through the guidelines (below) to ensure your content aligns with the guidelines. Edit as needed. This will reduce the amount of time it takes for your content to appear live on FOURCASTERS.
  • Submit Content for Review: Click the “Contribute“ button in the upper right corner of the site. Complete the form and upload your content. Submit the form to send your contribution to the editorial team for review. 
  • Include a “Fourcast” or Prediction: Remember to include a brief “fourcast” that’s associated with your content. It should be just one sentence in length —maximum 16 words/91 characters. It will be displayed over the image tile on the homepage and on the Focus, Function, Region and Analyst / Firm pages. Click here to view examples. 
  • Perform Edits: If your submitted content fails to meet the publication criteria, the editorial team may send your content back for modifications. Once the recommended edits are addressed, it can be resubmitted to the editorial team for review. 
  • Publication Timeframe: Once the editorial team has a publish-ready piece of content — with no modifications required — it will be published on FOURCASTERS in a timely manner.

3. Accuracy and Integrity

  • Fact-Checking: All submitted content must be thoroughly vetted for accuracy by its contributor. Sources must be credible, and data must be supported by evidence. 
  • AI Accuracy: Do not assume that generative AI is providing accurate information. AI may draw from outdated information and sources, which may also include broken links. AI hallucinations are also a very real problem, so it’s important to ensure that all of your sources are reputable and facts are accurate. 
  • Transparency: Contributors must clearly disclose affiliations or partnerships related to their content.
  • Correction Policy: Contributors must promptly correct errors and publicly acknowledge them. Contact the editorial team to update your content. 

4. Respect for Intellectual Property

  • Copyright Adherence: Contributors must obtain permission or use properly-licensed materials, including images, videos, and text.
  • Originality: Contributors must strive to create original content, crediting any third-party contributions.
  •  Plagiarism-Free: Contributors must avoid copying others’ work. Any references or citations must have the proper permissions, if applicable, and proper attribution.
  • AI Infringement: AI may generate content that infringes upon a copyright holder’s materials. This is yet another reason why AI-generated content is not accepted by FOURCASTERS.

5. Audience Trust and Privacy

  • Privacy Protection: Contributors must respect audience privacy by adhering to data protection regulations and avoiding the collection of unnecessary personal data.
  • Honest Representation: Contributors must avoid misleading or sensationalized headlines and descriptions.
  • Content Relevance: Contributors must ensure all content serves the interests and needs of the target audience.
  • Audience Engagement: Contributors should foster meaningful interactions and feedback while moderating harmful or inappropriate comments.

6. Ethical Content Creation

  • Diversity and Inclusion: Contributors must represent diverse perspectives and avoid discriminatory or offensive language.
  • Avoiding Harm: Contributors must refrain from promoting harmful practices or behaviors.
  • Conflict of Interest: Contributors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest in content production or curation.

7. Continuous Improvement

  • Regular Audits: FOURCASTERS will periodically review these content practices to ensure compliance with this code.
  • Training and Education: FOURCASTERS will provide team members with ongoing training in ethical content creation and distribution.
  • Feedback Integration: Actively seek and integrate feedback from the audience to improve content quality and ethical standards.

8. Content Exclusivity 

  • No Exclusivity Requirement: FOURCASTERS does not request exclusive rights to your content, therefore, contributors are free to re-publish their content elsewhere. 
  • “Publish First” Preference: While FOURCASTERS does not require exclusive rights to your content, we do ask contributors to publish here first before publishing on other platforms. 

Questions concerning content submission on FOURCASTERS? Reach out and contact the editorial team today.