A sponsored article only works if an editor agrees to publish it and readers find it worth their time. Most delays we see come from the same few gaps in the brief. This checklist covers what to send and how to write for readers across Africa.
1. Start with the market, not the link
Decide who should read the article before you decide where the link goes. A fintech story for readers in Nigeria reads differently from one aimed at Kenya or South Africa: the payment habits, regulators, brands and even the spelling conventions change.
Write down, in one line each:
- The country or region you want to reach.
- The reader: business owners, students, travellers, music fans.
- What they should do next after reading.
With this, we can suggest sites whose audience actually matches. You can also browse the sites by country and sector yourself.
2. Write for the publication’s readers
Editors protect their readers. An article that sounds like an advert is more likely to come back with edits or be declined.
- Lead with something useful: a how-to, local data, a trend, an expert view.
- Use local examples, places and names where they are accurate.
- Keep your brand mentions short and relevant to the story.
- Aim for a clear, plain style. Short paragraphs read well on mobile, where most African readers are.
3. Get the link right
- Use one link, placed where it naturally helps the reader.
- Make the anchor text descriptive and readable, not a string of keywords.
- Link to a page that works well on mobile and loads quickly on slower connections.
Labels and link attributes follow each site’s own editorial policy. Our content and disclosure policy explains how this works.
4. Send everything in one go
A complete brief avoids back-and-forth. Include:
- The article as a Word or Google Doc, with the link already in place.
- A suggested headline and, if you have them, one or two images you have the rights to use.
- The market and topic, and any sites you prefer.
- Any deadline or publication window.
5. Check the topic rules first
Most sites accept business, technology, fintech, travel, education, lifestyle, music, entertainment and sport. Gambling, crypto and forex content is accepted only from licensed or regulated operators, with proof, and only on sites that accept it. If your topic is in one of these areas, tell us at the start so we can confirm which sites can take it.
What happens next
Once we have your brief, we reply with suitable sites and a quote for each. After you confirm, the article goes to each site’s editors, and you receive a live-link report when it is published. See how it works for the full process.