New on StartUp Beat: ‘Reader Contributed’

By Brian Kovalesky, StartUp Beat editor

You may have noticed a new feature on StartUp Beat called ‘Reader Contributed.’ It’s a section of the site that gives anyone the opportunity to contribute to the conversation about startups. Submissions can include a broad range of content, including opinion pieces, press releases, infographics, and blog posts. However, advertising copy or anything blatantly promotional will not be accepted.

Let’s face it, comments for individual stories and posts do little to spark meaningful dialogue of any kind. And on my side of things, managing comments mainly consists of sifting through spam. This new section is meant to allow readers to contribute in a meaningful way outside of the main News, Features, and Guest Columns sections of the site, and to allow companies that have product news announcements to post them. Contributions will be curated, and will only be posted if they are substantive, involve or are about early-stage startups, and are free from significant spelling/grammar/narrative issues.

I hope you find this new section to be beneficial and interesting, and please do contribute (find out how here: http://startup-beat.local/guidelines-reader-contributed-section/)!

As always, if you have questions or feedback about the new section or anything on StartUp Beat, feel free to drop me a line at brian (at) startupbeat.com.

PS: In answer to a question I’ve been asked numerous times, this new section is not ‘pay-for-play’ (nothing on StartUp Beat is paid content unless clearly marked as a ‘sponsored post’).