Here’s everything you need to know about getting started with the Tinybeans Voices Contributor Network and writing regularly for Tinybeans.
Jump to: Getting Started | Submissions | Publication | Promotion
How to Use the Submission Platform
Getting Started
How do I sign up as a Tinybeans Voices Contributor?
Easy! Just go to this page, read through the guidelines and click “Sign Up.” Once your profile is submitted, we’ll review it and you’ll receive an email when it has been approved.
Where do I log into my account?
Here’s the “Sign In’ page. Make sure to bookmark it!
Can I change the email address associated with my account?
Absolutely! Send us an email at voices@tinybeans.com with your old email and new email and we’ll take care of it on our end.
What types of stories do you publish on Voices?
We’re looking for stories that fit into these three Storytelling Categories: Parenting Real Talk, Parenting Humor and Rockstar Parenting.
The stories that perform the best on our platform are those that offer compelling, engaging and raw honesty about what it’s like to be a parent today—and tell those stories in a way that doesn’t feel exclusionary, judgmental or pushy.
Are there posts you won’t publish?
We do have a few guidelines for publishing on our network. Specifically, we won’t publish:
- Rants, insults, scare tactics or general bad parenting mojo. We’re all in this together—so let’s keep the vibe inclusive, empowering and validating.
- Profanity above a PG-13 rating. If you wouldn’t say it in front of your ten-year-old, please don’t say it here.
- Politics. There are plenty of places to read and sound off about the political landscape. We’re not one of them.
- Affiliate and/or referral links. Any post promoting a specific brand, website or product with affiliate or referral links will not be published.
- Spam and/or shady promotional content. Just don’t—we won’t publish it. We reserve the right to remove any and all URLs or links that are spam, affiliate/referral, or promotional in nature within the body of any post you submit.
- Product reviews.
- Anything you are being paid to write.
- Self-promotional content promoting your business or website. Each Voices Contributor is given three hyperlinks at the end of each article that can be used to link three posts to your own blog or website.
Do you publish essays about controversial topics?
We don’t avoid controversy, but your essay must be judgment-free and productive. Our readers appreciate a good conversation, so we’re not looking for you to stand on a soapbox and preach. Invite conversation, use empathy and show compassion. We don’t publish essays that add to the noise of a controversial topic, and we’re definitely not a part of the mommy wars.
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Submitting Your Post for Review
How do I submit an article for Tinybeans Voices?
It’s super easy: Once you are signed in, click “Manage Your Articles” and then click “New Article.” From there, you can add your title, your article and a photo and hit “Submit for Review.”
How many posts can I submit to Tinybeans Voices?
There’s no limit to the number of pieces you can submit. We may not publish them all, but we love getting your submissions and we promise to review all of them.
Can I publish a piece I already posted on my blog or another website?
Yes, you are welcome to re-purpose or republish existing blog content that you own. If you have a piece that you published on your personal blog that you want to reach a wider audience, Voices is perfect for that! The same goes for pieces you may have published on other sites or publications and have the right to republish elsewhere.
Can I include a photo with my post?
Absolutely! Right now, the system will only accept one photo per story. Keep reading to view our photo guidelines.
What photos work best?
Please use actual photos, no graphics or clip art. Horizontal photos, at least 1,000 pixels wide, are ideal. We do not accept photos with text on them.
Where can I find free photos online?
Only use photos that are free to use and/or you have permission or rights to use. There are some stellar free photo resources online: Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay, Burst (by Shopify), Raw Pixel, Kaboom Pics, Picography, FreeStocks and StockSnap and are all good places to start.
Do I have to include a credit for my photo?
Yes. Any photo submitted must include a credit to its photographer, its source (e.g., Jane Smith via Unsplash) and the link to the photo source (the actual image, not just the source site).
If you’re submitting a personal photo, please use your own name as the photographer and include a link back to your blog or website, if applicable. Our submission platform automatically formats your photo credits for you.
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After Your Post Is Published
Where can I see my published posts?
You can read your awesome articles—and all the other great Voices content—on the Tinybeans Voices Contributor Network page.
Why did you change my photo, title or something else in my post?
Our editors will do their best to touch your copy and photos as little as possible. We’ll tweak a headline, swap out a photo or make incremental changes to your story to really make it shine. We want to set you and your content up for success, and sometimes this means editing (after all, that’s what we love AND are trained to do).
How can I make a change to my post once it’s been published?
Send us an email at voices@tinybeans.com and we’ll make the change(s) for you. If you have a bunch of edits, a document with track changes is the easiest for us to manage. Please remember that we’re a small team (there is literally one of us managing this network), so please triple check your work before submitting.
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Promotion & Getting the Most Out of Voices
What are the perks of writing for Tinybeans Voices?
Tinybeans reaches 25 million parents every month—that’s a ton of moms and dads reading your content through our website, email newsletters and on social media. That many parents means traffic back to your blog or website.
Do you pay for contributor posts?
Tinybeans Voices contributors are eligible for $50 paid compensation when a post reaches 25,000 unique page views. Page views can be tracked via your profile. Click on “Manage Your Articles.” Page views are listed in the column labeled “UPVs.” (If your post has crossed the 25K threshold, please contact voices@tinybeans.com we’ll get you setup with payment.)
How can I promote my Tinybeans Voices posts?
Here are some ways to increase the number of page views and get you closer to your goal.
- Shout it from the rooftops on social media. Don’t just share it on your blog’s Facebook page; ask your friends and family to share, too.
- Pin your post on Pinterest, share it on Instagram, tweet about it: wherever you are, share!
- Are you following us on Twitter? If not, make sure you do! We’ll be tweeting about your article and you don’t want to miss the chance to retweet.
- Feel free to tag us at @Tinybeans on Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook when promoting your post.
- Don’t underestimate email! Everyone gets their news in different ways.
- If you’re active in blogging groups on Facebook, share your post there, too!
- Feel free to share an excerpt of your post on your blog. Give your readers a taste, then include an invitation to “read more” and link to your post on Tinybeans.
- Do you send out newsletters? Don’t forget to include your post there as well!
How can I connect with other Tinybeans Voices writers?
Please join our Voices Facebook Group! There you’ll find relevant news, examples of awesome stories and tips on what makes an article do well on social media. It’s also a space for you to talk to each other, share ideas and tell us what you’re writing about.
How does Tinybeans promote Voices posts?
We love to share posts that are funny, unique and resonate with other parents. Keep an eye out for Voices articles posted on the Tinybeans homepage, in our national email newsletter, on our Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter account. We do our best to promote almost every Voices post across all of our platforms.
Can I promote my blog in my post?
We want Voices to be a great place for you to gain followers and meet other awesome writers and parents. All published Voices contributors have a bio and photo that includes links to their blog/website and social media accounts. You also get three hyperlinks at the end of each of your posts where you can include links back on your own blog posts or website.
Have a question we didn’t answer? Send us an email at voices@tinybeans.com!
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