SiteLint documentation and guidelines

Guest article guidelines for contributors

Here are some guest article SiteLint guidelines for contributors.

Article and structure important key points

Context and scope

Familiarize yourself with our site’s main topics and themes, and avoid off-topic content that might confuse or alienate our readers. For example, if our site focuses on technology, an article about gardening would be off-topic.

Length

The length of the article is not specified and is subject to individual evaluation. Some topics may be briefly described but provide great value to readers.

Structure

Use bulleted lists, section headings, paragraphs, and other HTML semantics that describe the meaning of the content and make it easy to read. For example, use headings to break up long blocks of text and bulleted lists to present complex information in a clear and concise manner.

Comparison context

If the article contains comparisons, it is advisable to create an additional table where users can easily compare parameters. Always use caption for the table.

AI-only generated content

Avoid copy and paste from AI-generated content. Instead, use AI-generated content as a reference or inspiration, and make sure to properly cite or attribute it.

Provide sources of studies

If you refer to any studies, provide a link to the study or a citation to avoid making general statements without support. Make sure the sources are credible and trustworthy.

Code examples

If the article touches on programming, then code examples are recommended. Ideally with working code where the user can see how it works.

Social media

Contributors are encouraged to promote their published articles on their social media platforms to increase visibility.

Non self-promotional

Articles should not be self-promotional. Mentions of products or services should be relevant and appropriate to the article’s subject matter. We reserve the right to edit tools and services mentioned in the article

External resources

Links to external resources must be relevant and related to the article content. This ensures that users and search engines are not confused, and the article maintains its credibility and authority on the subject matter

While relevant links to support your claims are welcome, we carefully review all external links included in your article. We recommend avoiding excessive or overly promotional links to commercial products or services. The goal is for links to enhance the reader’s experience, not to detract from it. Let’s keep the focus on providing valuable information

Fair use considerations

Copyrighted items can be cited and referred to, but using, duplicating, or modifying them usually requires permission. Fair use permits limited use without permission for particular reasons, and it is best to be cautious

Use of third-party materials

If your article includes materials created by third parties (like images or text), you must obtain permission from the copyright holders before including them in your submission. This applies to any illustrations, graphics, or other materials that are not your own

Be open to feedback and revisions

We may request changes to align your article with our standards, and we appreciate your cooperation and willingness to revise and improve your work

Keywords and SEO

Use relevant keywords and optimize your article for search engines to increase visibility and reach a wider audience. However, make sure not to overdo it, and prioritize readability and quality over SEO

Accessibility

Make sure your article is accessible to readers with disabilities by providing alternative descriptions for images, using clear and simple language, and avoiding any content that may be difficult for readers with disabilities to access

Diversity and inclusion

Ensure that your article is respectful and inclusive of diverse perspectives and experiences. Avoid using language or tone that may be offensive or exclusionary, and make sure to represent a range of voices and viewpoints

Tone and voice

Aim for a tone that is informative, yet engaging and accessible to a wide range of readers. Avoid, when not needed, using jargon or technical terms that may be unfamiliar to non-experts

Don’t use ableist language

Means avoiding language that discriminates against, stigmatizes, or marginalizes people with disabilities. Ableist language can be words, phrases, or expressions that perpetuate negative stereotypes, imply that people with disabilities are inferior, or suggest that being able-bodied is the norm

Review process

We allow a maximum of 3 rounds of revisions per article. After the third round, the article will be either accepted or rejected. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this process, and we are committed to working with you to produce high-quality content

We welcome the addition of external resources to our articles, as they can significantly enhance the reader’s experience. To ensure that suggested links add value to the content, we have established the following guidelines:

  • We always prioritize linking to high-quality, authoritative articles that provide substantial value to users. We avoid linking to low-quality or overly promotional content.
  • Ensure that the linked articles are relevant to the content of the original page. Links should enhance the reader’s understanding and experience, not distract from it. Keep in mind that if the linked article is not relevant or useful to users, it can lead to a high bounce rate, which can negatively impact our original page’s SEO and often are rejected.
  • Use descriptive and relevant anchor text that accurately reflects the content of the linked article. Avoid keyword stuffing or overly optimized phrases that may appear spammy. We may eventually suggest other anchor text.
  • Be mindful that links to pages with excessive commercial product links may not be accepted, as they can detract from the user’s experience.
  • Avoid linking to pages that solely promote a product or service, with little to no additional value for users. While product detail pages can be useful, they should be strongly connected to the context of the original article and provide significant relevance to the user’s interests. Links to such pages should enhance the user’s understanding and experience, rather than appearing as mere advertisements.

Technical requirements

Optimize image size

Optimize all images in file size and dimensions to ensure they load quickly and do not slow down the page. Use tools like image compression software to reduce file size without sacrificing quality.

Image format

Images could be in PNG, JPG (JPEG), or WEBP format. An animated GIF is fine, but it can’t be played in an infinite loop. It needs to be a one-time loop.

Alternative description for images

Alternative descriptions for each image must be provided. Unless it is a decorative type of image.