Crafting a Compelling Aesops Blog

Welcome to our writing policy guide

Thank you for considering contributing to our blog! We appreciate your interest in sharing your knowledge and experiences with our audience. To ensure that your article aligns with our standards and adds value to our readers, please review the following guidelines before submitting your pitch.

Who can submit an article?

We welcome submissions from anyone passionate about data and AI, whether you're a seasoned professional or a newcomer to the field. However, we do not accept articles that are plagiarized or closely resemble existing content. Originality is paramount.

What kind of articles do we publish?

Our audience consists of data students and professionals interested in the Kenyan data environment. We prioritise articles that offer valuable insights, guidance, and tutorials, particularly those with visual aids and code examples from GitHub. We also appreciate well-researched materials with references for further verification.

What do we not publish?

We do not publish content that serves as blatant advertisements or press releases. Additionally, we steer clear of listicles and product reviews. Sponsored posts are available for companies interested in increasing their visibility while supporting quality content. We also don't publish articles that are obviously written by AI such as chatgpt, we need a human touch to our articles so whereas you can use ai as writing assistant, we don't want articles that are machine generated.

Pitching guidelines

We prefer receiving article outlines initially, rather than completed pieces. Your pitch should include:

Target audience and their level of experience
Key takeaways for readers
Your expertise and relevant writing samples
Proposed outline with main headings and section details (200-300 words)

Writing and submission process

Once your outline is approved, you may proceed with writing the article. Please ensure that your piece includes a header, body, and conclusion. Feel free to incorporate code snippets as instructional guides. Upon completion, submit your draft for review. We do not provide editors, but we will offer feedback and suggest format changes as needed.

Writing standards

1. Clarity and Conciseness

Use Simple Language: Avoid jargon or overly technical terms unless absolutely necessary. If you must use them, provide clear explanations.
Be Concise: Get straight to the point. Avoid unnecessary filler words or lengthy sentences.

2. Structured Formatting

Headings and Subheadings: Organize content with descriptive headings and subheadings to make the post easy to scan.
Bullet Points and Numbered Lists: Use lists to break down complex information or steps in a process.
Paragraph Length: Keep paragraphs short, ideally 3-4 sentences, to improve readability.
Article Length: Articles should be at least 300 words (1 Page) in length.

3. Accuracy and Credibility

Cite Sources: Always cite sources when referencing data, studies, or expert opinions. Use a consistent citation style (APA, MLA, or inline links).
Fact-Checking: Verify all information, especially technical details and statistics, before publishing.

4. SEO Best Practices

Keyword Optimisation: Incorporate relevant keywords naturally into the content, headings, and meta descriptions.
Internal and External Linking: Link to related content within your blog and authoritative external sources to enhance credibility.
Meta Descriptions and Titles: Craft compelling and descriptive meta titles and descriptions for better search engine visibility.

5. Visual Aids

Use of Images and Charts: Include images, charts, or infographics to illustrate data points or concepts. Ensure they are high-quality and properly attributed if sourced externally.
Alt Text for Images: Provide descriptive alt text for all images to improve accessibility and SEO.
Colors: If own visuals, use Aesops’ colors, if not own visuals, reference the diagrams and figures.

6. Accessibility

Readable Font and Colour Contrast: Ensure text is legible with appropriate font size, type, and colour contrast.
Use of Headers for Screen Readers: Properly format headings (H1, H2, H3) so that screen readers can easily navigate the content.

7. Consistency in Style

Consistent Tone: Maintain a consistent tone of voice throughout your blog, whether it's formal, conversational, or technical.
Font-family: Open Sans.
Font-size: 12-font size for body, 14-font-size for headings (H1).
Line spacing: Default line spacing is 1.5.
Grammar and Punctuation: Follow standard grammar and punctuation rules. Consider using tools like Grammarly for additional checks.
Consistency in Terminology: Use consistent terminology when referring to technical terms, processes, or tools.

8. Ethical Standards

AI-rate: Ensure all content is original and not AI-generated. AI-rate must be 10% or less.
Plagiarism-rate: Ensure all content is original and properly attributes any quotes, ideas, or data that are not your own. Accepted plagiarism rate is 10% and below.

9. Engagement and Interaction

Call to Action (CTA): Include a clear CTA at the end of your article/blog, encouraging readers to comment, share, or explore related content.
Comments and Feedback: Encourage readers to leave comments and be responsive to their feedback.

Author benefits

While we do not offer monetary compensation for articles, we provide extensive promotion across our channels, including social media. Additionally, we will feature your byline with a photograph and biography, allowing readers to learn more about you and your work. As volunteers in our company, we may also recommend job opportunities to our writers based on their contributions.

Conclusion

We strive to create a collaborative environment where writers can share their expertise and contribute to our community. Your dedication to producing high-quality, original content is invaluable, and we look forward to welcoming you to our team.

Thank you for considering writing for us!