At the Claudine Arthurs Agency, we offer both Guaranteed (Sponsored/Contributor) Placements and Organic (Earned) Media Placements. Understanding the distinction is key to a successful media strategy.
Understanding Your Options
Guaranteed (Sponsored/Contributor) Placements:
What it is: A direct partnership with a publication to feature your story. This content is labeled as “Sponsored/Contributor” or similar.
Your Control: You have a very high degree of control over the final message and content.
The Rules: Success depends on adhering to the strict content and quality guidelines set by the publication and our agency (detailed below).
Organic (Earned) Placements:
What it is: Traditional PR. We pitch your unique story to journalists and editors who, if interested, will write about it from their own perspective. This content is not labeled as sponsored.
Your Control: You have very little to no control over the final article. The journalist’s editorial independence is paramount.
The “Rules”: Success depends entirely on newsworthiness. The story must be compelling, timely, or offer a truly unique angle to capture a journalist’s interest.
Guidelines for Guaranteed (Sponsored/Contributor) Content
For our guaranteed placements, we and our partners adhere to the following strict guidelines to ensure quality and compliance.
Guiding Principle: It Depends on the Publication.
Every outlet has unique rules. Topics like cryptocurrency or supplements may be accepted by some but are prohibited by others. When in doubt, ask us. We are experts in navigating these requirements.
General Prohibited Content Categories:
Adult Content: Nudity, sexually suggestive themes, etc.
Regulated/Addictive Substances: Alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, vaping, psychedelics.
Gambling: Casinos, online gambling.
Deceptive Practices: Essay writing services, buying social media followers.
Predatory Financial Services: Payday loans, cash advance services.
(And all other categories from the previous list).
Content Quality & Style Requirements:
Content must be professional, non-critical of others, free of hate speech, and must not offer unauthorized legal or medical advice. Copyright must be respected.
Disclosure (Applies ONLY to Guaranteed Placements):
All sponsored or contributor articles will be marked as such. To comply with Google’s best practices.
Guidelines for Organic (Earned) Media Pitches
Securing an organic placement operates under a different set of principles based on journalistic merit.
The Bar is Newsworthiness: Your story must be genuinely new, interesting, or surprising. Ask: “Why would a reader care about this right now?” We specialize in helping you find and frame this angle.
Journalistic Integrity is Final: Journalists and editors have complete control over the story. They may include other sources, critiques, or take the story in a direction we didn’t anticipate. This is the nature of earned media and a sign of its authenticity.
No Guarantees of Publication: While we guarantee our expertise and effort in pitching your story to the right contacts, the decision to publish rests solely with the media outlet.
