Guest Writer Guidelines for MOSourceLink

So you want to write for MOSourceLink? That’s fantastic! We love sharing positive, actionable guest posts by fellow Missouri writers who have a passion for entrepreneurship and small business.

Before pitching your idea to us, please review our guest post guidelines to learn more about how you can share your expertise and stories on the MOSourceLink blog.

We write inspirational entrepreneurial stories and educational guides for Missouri entrepreneurs (startups, makers, Main Street businesses, etc.) across the state who want to start and grow businesses.

We are huge supporters of entrepreneurship. Consider us not only the cheerleaders but also the connectors who bridge business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs with the resources they need to start or grow a business.

Our blog covers a wide range of business-related topics including marketing, financial planning, sales, funding, technical assistance, product development, business education, government contracts, operations, etc.

Please read the guidelines below to familiarize yourself with the types of articles we publish.

Tips for successful MOSourceLink blogs

We publish personable and relatable content that is informative while remaining friendly and business-casual. We share blogs that are:

• Local. What’s your connection to Missouri entrepreneurship? How is your topic related to entrepreneurship and Missouri?
• Actionable. Inspire our readers to take action and engage further with MOSourceLink and the Resource Partner network.
• Useful. Start with the “why” and make sure you include a reputable source such as the Kauffman Foundation, Brookings Institute, the Federal Reserve, etc.
• Detailed and helpful. Content should be at 1,000 words, no fluff. How does this solve a problem or need?
• Unique. We don’t accept blog posts that are trite or cliché.
• Human. Talk to (or better yet, with) the reader. He or she should be the character in your story (instead of your product or service).
• Digestible. Focus on one idea, but chunk it up by including subheadings and short paragraphs.
• Original. Please do not reproduce on another site, although one paragraph on your site that includes a link back to us is acceptable.

Examples of excellent MOSourceLink blogs

Our intent at MOSourceLink is to inform and educate Missouri small business owners on all things related to starting and growing a business. Here are a few topic examples that are perfect for publishing on the MOSourceLink blog.

Localize:

• Take a national issue/topic and make it local
• Regional resource providers
• Entrepreneur stories
• How they did it

List it out:

• Ideas and trends
• Unlikely places to find business advice
• Business books, podcasts and films
• Frequently asked questions

Shoulda, coulda:

• Questions you should ask an accountant or lawyer
• Things you should do before starting or closing a business
• Things you should do first
• Things you should avoid

How-to:

• Pitch to an investor
• Maximize a networking opportunity
• Market on a shoestring budget
• Improve customer service
• Market your small business
• Define your target audience

How to submit your content to MOSourceLink

Consider submitting your topic first. We will only publish items that make sense for our editorial calendar and will help our readers. Should your submission be accepted, we will edit for clarity, length, style and search engine optimization. We’ll review your submission for its value to our readers: Missouri entrepreneurs.

If your submission is accepted, we will schedule your content according to our editorial calendar. We always welcome and appreciate social media sharing once your article has been published.

• Submit your article in a Word document (.doc) or a Google Doc.
• Blogs should be 1,000 words minimum.
• Provide a 2-3 sentence bio about yourself so you can be properly credited for your post—your name, title, author blurb, what your organization does and a link to your website and/or social media accounts.
• Submit two to three quality photos at least 900 x 600 pixels, to which you own the copyright or have permission to publish. You must include photo attribution information for photos that are not yours. No watermarks.
• Provide references to outside or internal sources to further educate and benefit our readers.

Submit your article or idea

If you’re cool with all of this and would like to submit your blog, fill out this form and we will get back with you.