instinctHub Third-Party Article Publication Policy

1. Content Quality Standards

Original Research and Insights

• All content must be 100% original and unpublished elsewhere.
• Articles must provide meaningful insights, practical knowledge, or valuable perspectives for our tech community.
• Content should demonstrate expertise in relevant technology fields (Python, React, JavaScript, AI, etc.).
• Facts and statistics must be properly sourced from credible references.

Length and Depth

• Standard articles: 1,000-1,500 words minimum.
• In-depth guides or tutorials: 1,500-3,000 words minimum.
• Each article must thoroughly cover its topic rather than skimming the surface.

Language and Formatting

• Content must follow British English spelling and grammar conventions.
• Articles should maintain a clear structure with proper headings (H2, H3, H4).
• Technical terms should be explained clearly for our diverse audience.
• Code snippets must be functional, well-commented, and follow standard conventions.

Relevance and Audience Alignment

• Topics must relate to instinctHub's core areas: programming, web development, data science, AI, or tech career development.
• Content should be accessible to our target audience—individuals seeking to develop technology skills.
• Articles should align with our mission of democratizing access to technology education.

2. Submission Guidelines

Author Information

• Full name, professional title, and organisation (if applicable)
• Brief professional bio (100-150 words)
• High-resolution professional headshot (300x300px minimum, JPG/PNG format)
• Social media handles and personal website (optional)
• Relevant credentials that establish expertise in the article's subject matter

Format and Structure

• Articles must be submitted in Markdown format (.md file).
• Include a compelling headline that clearly communicates the article's value.
• Provide a concise meta description (150-160 characters) for SEO purposes.
• Structure must include: introduction, main content with clear subheadings, and conclusion.
• Include 3-5 relevant tags for article categorisation.

Image Requirements

• Feature image: 1200x630px in JPG/PNG format (16:9 ratio).
• Supporting images: 500px minimum width, properly compressed.
• All images must be royalty-free or licensed with proper attribution.
• Screenshots must be clear, relevant, and properly cropped.
• Diagrams should be high-resolution and legible.

Citations and Links

• External links must direct to reputable, relevant sources.
• Maximum of two links to author's own content/website/portfolio.
• Citations should follow a consistent format (Harvard or APA preferred).
• Do not include affiliate links or promotional URLs without prior approval.

3. Editorial Rights

Review Process

• All submissions undergo an initial screening within 3-5 business days.
• Articles passing initial screening move to thorough editorial review.
• Technical content will be reviewed by subject matter experts.
• Authors may be asked to make revisions before final approval.

Content Modifications

• instinctHub reserves the right to edit content for clarity, accuracy, and style.
• Significant edits will be shared with authors for approval before publication.
• Minor changes (grammar, punctuation, formatting) may be made without author notification.
• instinctHub may add internal links to related content on our platform.

Publication Timeline

• Standard publication timeline: 2-3 weeks from final approval.
• Publication schedule is determined by editorial calendar and content priorities.
• Authors will receive notification of the expected publication date after approval.
• Articles may be held for timely release alongside relevant events or initiatives.

Ownership and Usage

• Authors retain copyright of their original content.
• instinctHub receives an irrevocable, non-exclusive license to publish, distribute, and promote the content.
• Content may be featured in newsletters, social media, and other marketing channels.
• instinctHub may update older content to maintain accuracy and relevance.

4. Promotional Guidelines

Promotional Content Limitations

• Articles must provide educational value and not serve primarily as advertisements.
• Product mentions must be relevant to the topic and provide genuine value to readers.
• "Salesy" language and direct promotional calls-to-action will be removed.
• Articles comparing products/services must provide balanced, objective analysis.

Backlink Practices

• Maximum of two backlinks to the author's own properties (website, GitHub, etc.).
• Links must provide genuine value and contextual relevance.
• No links to sales pages, lead capture forms, or affiliate marketing.
• instinctHub reserves the right to add nofollow attributes to external links.

Disclosure Requirements

• Any relationship between the author and the mentioned companies/products must be clearly disclosed.
• Financial relationships, employment, or client relationships must be explicitly stated.
• Free products or services received for review must be disclosed at the article's beginning.
• Failure to disclose relationships may result in content removal and author blacklisting.

Brand Mentions

• Mentioned brands must be relevant to the article topic.
• Product screenshots and logos may be included with proper attribution.
• Direct comparisons should be fact-based and objective, avoiding unverifiable claims.
• Negative content targeting specific brands will not be accepted.

5. Compensation and Terms

Payment Structure

• instinctHub operates on a merit-based contributor programme.
• First-time contributors receive platform exposure and professional credibility.
• Returning contributors with high-performing content may qualify for our paid contributor programme.
• Rates for paid contributors are determined by expertise level, content quality, and audience engagement.

Revenue Sharing

• No direct revenue sharing is offered for standard contributions.
• Premium tutorial content may qualify for our course revenue sharing programme.
• Revenue sharing terms are negotiated individually with selected contributors.
• Performance metrics (views, engagement, sign-ups) determine revenue percentages.

Content Licensing

• The authors grant instinctHub a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive license.
• instinctHub may repurpose content for various formats (video, infographics, social media).
• The original author will be credited in all repurposed content.
• License terms begin upon content submission.

Republication Rights

• Authors may republish their content on personal platforms after a 30-day exclusivity period.
• Republished content must include a canonical link to the original instinctHub article.
• Republication must include attribution: "Originally published on instinctHub" with a link.
• instinctHub reserves the right to republish content on partner platforms with attribution.

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By submitting content to instinctHub, contributors acknowledge they have read, understood, and agreed to this policy. instinctHub reserves the right to modify these guidelines at any time, with updates applying to new submissions.

For questions regarding this policy, please get in touch with content@instincthub.com.