How to Send a Sponsored Post Brief to a Publisher

To send a brief to a publisher, put the topic, target page, target reader, tone, phrases to avoid and delivery format into one short document and share it with the seller through the order. A clear brief cuts revision rounds and speeds up publication. This guide explains each field with examples.

Fields Every Brief Needs

A good brief rarely runs longer than a page, yet it never leaves the writer guessing. The following fields are enough for most orders:

1. The main topic and the one benefit the reader should take away
2. The target reader: who they are and what problem brings them
3. The target page and a suggested anchor wording
4. Tone: formal, friendly, technical or plain
5. Phrases to use and phrases to avoid
6. Any images, tables and sources
7. Delivery format and approval steps

Write the brief in plain language the writer will understand, not in internal company jargon. Abbreviations and product codes that only your team knows leave gaps.

Share the brief with the seller through the platform. Which order fields or message screens are available is shown on your order page. For the full buying journey, see the how to get a sponsored article published guide.

Choosing the Topic and Target Page

The topic should answer a question your reader actually has while linking naturally to your brand. Instead of praising the product directly, begin with a problem the reader faces and position your brand as one part of the answer.

Use three tests when you pick the target page:

• Is the page truly relevant to the topic of the article?
• Will a reader who arrives there find what they expected?
• Does the page load quickly and look right on mobile?

Picture a tyre retailer asking for a winter preparation article. Pointing the link at a winter tyre buying guide, instead of the home page, matches what the reader expects. For sector detail, see our piece on sponsored content for car dealers.

Suggesting anchor wording

Do not force the anchor into one keyword. Suggest a phrase that sits naturally in the sentence and describes the target page, and leave the publisher a little room.

Tone, Phrases to Avoid and Evidence

When you describe tone, give an example instead of piling up adjectives: "plain, as if explaining to a friend" or "short and exact for a technical reader". If you can, attach a link to a text you like or to an earlier article your brand published.

Spell out the phrases to avoid. Unverifiable superiority claims, firm outcome promises and competitor comparisons can all go on the list. It protects the publisher too, because an unprovable claim puts both of you at risk.

If the article will contain numbers, dates or technical details, attach the source. The publisher then relies on your documents instead of inventing data. For labelling and link attributes, add a line to your brief stating that the piece must be marked as sponsored and that paid links must carry the right rel value.

Images, Tables and Delivery Format

If you send images with the brief, make sure you hold the rights to use them. Avoid real customers, recognisable people and photos with unclear licences. If you have no images, say so; the publisher may suggest a visual approach of their own.

When you want a table or list, state where it should sit and what it should show. Delivery format needs clarity as well: if you prepared the text, say which file format you will use; if the publisher writes it, say whether you want to approve a draft. If you would rather have the text produced for you from scratch, consider an article writing service.

A sample brief outline

This is only a template example, so adapt it to your own sector.

Approval and Revision Notes

Close the brief with your approval expectations: do you want to see a draft, how many correction rounds do you expect and which parts need your sign-off? Send change requests in a single message as a list; scattered messages slow the process down.

Do not assume timing. Rely on the terms in the listing and the order page, and read our overview of sponsored article turnaround time for the general picture. Once the piece is live, our post-publication checklist sponsored article guide lists what to check, and before ordering, the article on how to vet a publishing site helps you choose where to send the brief.

Finally, tell the publisher which details you leave to their judgement. Flexibility on the headline, the number of subheadings and image choice often produces a more natural article.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a sponsored post brief template include?

Topic, target reader, target page, tone, phrases to avoid and delivery format. A short form is enough, as long as it is not vague.

What do I send to a publisher?

The brief, any images and source documents, the page to link to and the preferred spelling of your brand. Do not send data you cannot verify.

How do I request an anchor and target URL?

Name the target page and suggest an anchor that fits a natural sentence. Give the publisher some flexibility on the exact wording.

Which delivery format works well?

If you wrote the text, an editable document with images as separate files works well. If the publisher writes it, say whether you want to approve a draft.

Conclusion and Next Steps

A clear brief gathers topic, target page, tone and delivery format in one place and reduces the need for revisions. Adapt the sample table to your sector and reuse the same skeleton for every order. Before you send it, explore the publisher listings to find a fitting site.