Here at GameSkinny, each piece of content is a highly treasured nugget of information that deserves to have all the eyes on it.
(Well, at least most of it is.)
That being said, we’re giving you a peak inside the minds of GameSkinny editors so you know the basic criteria for having your post promoted from the lobby. While links to articles in the lobby are always accessible, making it easy to share content with your friends and/or mom, it’s definitely not as cool as having your post promoted to the main GameSkinny site. Lobby articles can (and do) attract large audiences, but it’s more likely for a promoted post.
Preparing your post
This is your bonus points tab. Within it lay many of the secrets of promotion.
Header Image
The first requirement to having your post promoted from the lobby is that it must have a header image. This field can be found on the Bonus Points tab. Including a header image makes the article more attractive. Larger resolutions are easier to scale and tend to look better at smaller dimensions.
Posts must be equal to or greater than 150 words
Our writers are required to publish at least 150 words in order to be considered for promotion. Posts must meet this limit regardless of images, videos or slideshows. Search engines also tend to favor content that has more beef to it.
You must have one game title, tag or platform noted
On the Bonus Points tabs, you’ll notice that the right-hand panel is filled with goodies that add helpful information to your article. Articles being considered for the front page must have at least one of the following:
- Game title
- Tag
- Platform
This helps readers find your article if they ever feel the need to search for it, and tags also help with long-term traffic.
You must have a Skinny
The Skinny is probably the easiest part of the entire writing process–and is also the most overlooked. By adding a Skinny to your content, you’re providing your readers with a snippet of the information you’re about to spring on them. Preparation for enlightenment, if you will! A great Skinny is short, to the point, and entertaining.
Your article should have no more than one grammar/spelling mistake per 100 words
This may sound extreme, but given the tools available online (your browser, for example) for spell and grammar check, there’s really no reason for there to be a massive onslaught of grammatical mistakes. Don’t worry–international spellings and industry lingo won’t count against you!
Using these guidelines, you can ensure that your writing meets the requirements in order to sail on to the front page, where it can blossom into an article worthy of your mother’s praise. It also has a much higher chance of being featured, which means that an editor will take your article and help you mold it into the 3rd Best GameSkinny Article.
