Contributions guidelines

 

  • If mentioning a product, ensure its done completely objectively and only endorse it if YOU or someone you trust can provide a third party recommendation of it. Include a quote if so.
  • Guest bloggers should always have a biography sentence at the bottom of their blog.
  • Blogs should where possible include at least one engaging image, accurately credited
  • Wherever possible refer to ourselves as ‘we’ or ‘this blog’ and avoid first person ‘I’, except for guest bloggers and opinion pieces.
  • If being critical, try and maintain fairness for both ourselves and our subjects
  • We use written numbers up to the number ten, and then numerical numbers after then.
  • For percentage points we use %.
  • Blogs should always have been style and proofread by at least one native English speaker before going live.
  • If we think a reader might not be entirely sure what we are referring to, mention it again. Clarity is more important than wordcount.
  • All sentences, names and job titles begin with capital letters
  • Keep sentences short wherever possible and use commas to break them up if they get too long
  • Always consider the angle of the blog and ask yourself – what ‘untold’ green story is it I’m shining a light on with this blog, what’s the hidden news angle / shocking statistic that the world needs to know and why…
  • Always provide accurately referenced sources for statistics and quotes, either in brackets or at the foot of the blog
  • Aim to have a catchy lead sentence with the most important point, don’t waste time with lengthy introductions
  • End the blog with a thought-provoking closing sentence
  • Use engaging headings where possible and appropriate. The blog post title should be interesting and motivate people to click on the title link and read the full post.
  • Before writing, take time to consider and plan the blog topic, tone, target audience and your goals with the article. Ensure the ‘what, where, when, how and why’ of the story is properly covered.
  • It’s every bloggers responsibility to promote their live blog via social media and their own contacts, eg. Facebook, Twitter, Google+ etc…