I know that when I finally got a piece accepted by The Huffington Post, I was frantically searching around the internet for answers or experience from other HuffPo bloggers. I found a few things here and there, but hardly.
Well I'm here to hopefully help anyone who was in my position or for anyone in general who is considering being published on HuffPo. Here's a few things that I wish I would've known beforehand!
1. You get your own account.
It didn't occur to me right away, even after I'd made up a username and password, that this was my Huffington Post blogger account. And then I saw something like this in my blogger's guidelines section: "post if and when you want; you are the boss." Say whaaaat?! A voice with a bad New York accent in my head took over and was like "So you're tellin' me, that if I get accepted once, it's done. I'm in foreva?"
Yes, that's what I'm saying.
2. It may take forever to publish.
If you're anything like me, you will screenshot the submission acceptance email from Huffington and post it to all of your social media sites, you will make all the phone calls to everyone you know and have hour long conversations explaining what Huffington is to your mother, and you may or may not ask your husband if he wants your autograph.
You will submit everything with shaky, sweaty hands and then wait. Every morning you will immediately check your email to find nothing from Huffington. You will check your archive and will get an error page that says "OH NOES!!! SOMETHING WENT WRONG!" Your post will sit there, untouched. You will think the universe has played a cruel, cruel joke and you'll try to convince yourself that it doesn't matter if they don't post it (oh but you know it freakin matters!).
You will finally harass the editors and they will write you back and kindly tell you that it's in queue (or that they loved it so much they're holding it for feature, true story).
Relax and stay near a toilet if anxiety tends to get the best of your stomach. They will publish it.
3. Link back to your blog.
Huffington will link back to your Twitter, but beyond that it is up to you to link back to your blog. I know this may sound like common sense, but I thought it would automatically be done for me. Which is kind of idiotic, because why would the super busy Huffington Post editors have time to flit about the interwebs getting links and inserting them into each submission they receive, on top of all the editing and tagging they have to do?
Besides linking back to other posts from your blog in your article (if you have any), at the bottom always put This article was previously published on ___________. Follow ___________'s Facebook for more updates." Or something like that.
I didn't do this on my first post, which actually I'm glad because I got a lot of haters and I've seen haters travel to the blogger's personal site just to spew their vile thoughts, so I thankfully avoided that. But on my second (and super sappy and happy post) I linked my blog and Facebook at the bottom; the traffic was unreal and my Facebook gained several hundred new followers.
4. Your post may take on a life of it's own.
My first post was a featured post, meaning Huffington placed it in plain view and promoted it, and it gained around 3,000 likes over the course of a few days.
My second post, You Won't Remember But I Will, was something I submitted in December kind of as a test post to see if Huffington really would publish it (I was still in disbelief that I had a freakin HuffPo account). They published it a few days later, it gained around 300 likes total after a few days, and I didn't check it again.
Someway...somewhere...somehow...someone shared it and it gained momentum. I started getting all these Facebook likes and I was like "Ha! The Facebook algorithms aren't affecting me, must be my awesome manifesting powers!". And then I started to get a lot of traffic back to my blog and people started leaving comments about that specific post. When I went back to check it on Huffington, I watched it literally go viral. Once it got to around 80,000 likes, Huffington shared it and they moved it to the top article spot in the parenting section. Last count it had half a million likes and over 100,000 shares...moral of the story...anything can happen on HuffPo, even if HuffPo themselves didn't see it coming!
5. Have your blog ready.
Get your top posts together and post them somewhere, either in your sidebar or in your About Me section or at the bottom of the post that the Huffington readers will be coming to. Get social media buttons put specifically below that post if you don't already have them there and make sure you have a box for them to subscribe to your blog in close reach as well.
They will go to your About Me page, so spruce it up. Make sure that it says exactly what you want them to know...remember, they're deciding on if they want to read your blog or not. They want to know if they can relate to the person behind the post. Give it some extra attention so they can get a clear picture of what you are all about!
I hope these tips helped you out! If you have more specific questions, please ask in the comments below and I will try to help you out! Also read my 3 tips for getting onto the Huffington Post, several bloggers have contacted me to let me know they were accepted after following the same thing I did!
tiff
Thanks for this! Getting on Huff Po is my current mission / obsession! I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about it.
Jessica
You're welcome!! Just start submitting things regularly and I'm sure you'll be on there in no time! Good luck!
Carly Findlay
I'm about to be a huffPo blogger / thank you for all these tips. I will ready my blog now 🙂
Toni-Debt Free Divas
Good for you. This was super helpful. I have some work to do.
My recent post The 5 Worst Financial Tips I've Followed (So Far)
Megan Woolsey
That is awesome information Jessica. Quick question: when you say "Get your top posts together and post them somewhere, either in your sidebar or in your About Me section or at the bottom of the post that the Huffington readers will be coming to" do you mean post the article that was published on HuffPost at the top of your blog?
Jessica Dimas
Sorry I took so long to respond! I meant get all of the most popular posts from your blog and post those in places where the HuffPo traffic will be coming so that they can click around and stay on your blog longer and get to know you and hopefully become readers!
Megan Woolsey
BTW - my very first ever HuffPost article was published today. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-woolsey/i-am-not-a-perfect-mother_b_6673392.html?utm_hp_ref=parents-moms
It wasn't featured but it is sure fun to see it on HuffPost!!
Jessica Dimas
Ahhh congrats!!!!! My second post wasn't featured and a few weeks later it went viral. That's what I love about HuffPo, it's in front of so many people and they read these posts long after you've submitted them so you never know when a page or person might share it and get the ball rolling 🙂 gonna go check out your post now!
Megan woolsey
That's encouraging to know Jessica. I am so happy to be on HuffPo but a little disappointed by how difficult it is to find my article. I feel like most of the 100 FB likes I have so far are from the people I shared the article with, as opposed to people who see it on HuffPost.
Jessica Dimas
Yeah, that sounds like my second post. I think it accumulated like 300-400 likes total after a few days (if even, I don't remember...it was a pretty low number) and I forgot about it. A few weeks later...somehow somewhere...someone must've shared it and it went like wildfire. So don't give up hope, like I said people somehow find these posts even when they aren't easy to find. And the BEST thing is you are now a HuffPo blogger and can submit pieces whenever you want.
Beth McIntire
Thanks for this advice. I'm wondering how one goes about becoming a Huff Post contributor?
Jessica Dimas
Hi Beth, I wrote how I became a Huff Post contributor here: https://piganddac.com/how-i-got-on-the-huffington-post/
valerie hansen
This is so fabulous! I wish I had seen it two days ago before I submitted my post! I did not include a link to my website or my facebook 🙁 ..so I will be submitting again soon! They published next day but yeah not much exposure from that post. Also is there a way to post a huffington post badge on your site , that links back to your posts on the site?
Thank you so much!!
Valerie
Jessica Dimas
Hi Valerie, sorry this took me so long to respond to. Congrats on Huffington!! I actually just google their logo and created a little collage of the sites I've been featured on. You could link your main Huffington page to a Huffington logo, I did that on my Press page.
Faye
I'm so glad I found this post! I'm actually stuck in #2 limbo right now and everything you've described is so true and funny. I just went back into my original bio setup email and the link is no longer working and I was like - ohhh NOOOO they've changed their minds!! So I'm glad to hear that's likely not the case!
I'm not sure if the process has changed but for me I got the form to fill out my bio and then it said I should receive my login details "soon". So I'm actually waiting for the login details which is when I can actually post the approved article, as I understand it.
Anyways it's been close to two weeks so I will just hang tight for now and then possibly harass the editors in a week or so. The wait is killing me even though I'm trying to convince myself otherwise.
Thanks for putting my mind at ease!
Jessica Dimas
I hope you've gotten a response from Huffpo!! I do remember hearing that at the beginning of the year they are SUPER busy. That Huffpo limbo is torture though. Oh also, I saw in my account that they are changing the platform where we sign in, so they might actually be holding off on giving you the login until that's done? That could be a possibility if you haven't received it yet.
The wait is killer, I hope you've heard back or will hear back very soon! You aren't alone though, they put most of us through this torture.
Faye
Thanks for getting back to me! Still nothing and I couldn't take it anymore so sent a follow up email the other day. But - nada. So I think I'm just gonna let it rest and hope that one of these days I see an email from the editing team. 🙂
Jessica Dimas
Oh my gosh, really?! Ugh how torturous. I really think that they get so overwhelmed and busy with emails that things slip through the cracks, so I would keep reminding them! Or let it rest if it's too much stress, because I get that too.
Nikki
Ive had the same happen to me! Did you get a response it in the end?
Faye
Nothing yet! It's been like three weeks now. How long for you? I'm sorry you're going through this as well but glad I'm not alone. I followed up twice but heard nothing back so kind of at a loss right now.
Yaya
I just got my acceptance email from Arianna and just like you I went searching online for tips and what to expect, so I am so happy I came across this post. Thanks so much for sharing
Jessica Dimas
Wow, congrats!! I'm glad you found this post too, welcome to the Huffington club!
Nikki
So glad I found this article. Two (maybe three weeks ago) I pitched an article which got accepted. The editor sent me details to set up my account, which I did, but I've not received any login details or a confirmation that it was successfully set up. I did follow up with the editor but have heard nothing. Speaking to other bloggers I know they heard back quite quickly and were set up and posting within days so I'm a little anxious they've had second thoughts or something has gone wrong...bit unsure what my next move should be. I don't want to irritate the editor by chasing again but it seems odd I've got as far as setting up the account and not heard any more? Would love to hear you thoughts on this!
Jessica Dimas
I've been with Huffington for a little over a year now and so I feel like I've seen more firsthand just how busy the editors are rather than them just deciding last minute that they don't like your piece. So for that reason, I would remind them at least once a week that you still haven't gotten your login details yet. I shared a post with them once that they never published, and I know they meant but it fell through the cracks. So much falls through the cracks because they're so busy!
Carolyn
Ok, so my question is different. What is the link to the post that got you haters? I love controversial stuff! Possibly more than I should. Will have to think about what I post. I have had a few blogs but never really did anything with them. But I have been told I write well (not here obviously!), but I am also inclined to open my mouth and let it all out which is not always a good thing. Especially since I I tend linking my blog to my business! Lol
Jessica Dimas
Well letting it all out in the writing world is the best way haha! Honestly what made my article controversial in the first place was that Huffington changed the title and made the article have a completely different feel to it. I think my original title was something like "What If We Didn't Sexually Shame Our Girls?" and they changed it to "I Was Shamed for My Sexuality". So a lot of people didn't even read the actual article, they just read the title and then commented, saying things like I'm just complaining, etc. When really my whole point wasn't really about me, it was about shaming girls in general.
Lauren McElwain
Thanks for the info! I just got a blogger profile with HuffPo! I'm so excited about it! I can totally relate to the anxiety you were talking about. Ha!
Jessica Dimas
Woot, congrats!!!!! Yes, even still anytime when I share an article with Huffington, I get that anxiety feeling all over again haha.
Anonymous
One other thing...how did you know when they were holding a piece for a feature? Do they notify you of that? I'm hoping for that to happen to me!
Jessica Dimas
They didn't tell me at first, but finally I broke down and harassed them asking why it hadn't posted yet and they told me they were holding it for feature. So no, they don't notify you! And when they hold it, it's a good sign!
Dom
I'm a HuffPo blogger but still new my first post was great and picked up and promoted but haven't had much luck since.
Do they post everything a blogger submits do you know? Or is it just selected ones?
Thanks for the insight in advance!
Dom
Thank you! On my backstage home I have a few logs that have been sitting there but under the date says:
[ quant,_1, day] ago
Never seen that before
Rockell
Hi Jessica! SOooooo glad I found this. I received my login and posted my article about 3 weeks ago now. I've sent two follow up emails ( I know that they were opened) but still no response. I hoe they really like it and they're holding onto it for the right time. My article is about preparing teens for success during the summer. So maybe soon right????...I hope!
Petrina
Excellent advice! Just had my first post published. Thanks for writing this!
Chiomah
Thanks for this! Really awesome advice as I just got my first HuffPo post published (after my second mail!). I was shocked I had my own account and found your blog when I was searching for info on if I could send other posts without having to pitch. I can't believe I'm in "foreva" lol! I will go and pretty up my blog some more and hope for the best!
Jessica Dimas
Aw congrats!! That's so exciting!! Yes definitely prepare your blog!
Tricia Carr
Hi Jessica,
Thank you for this post!
Here is my anxiety-causing dilemma: I got the acceptance email from Ms. Huffington with an editor cc'd. Arianna said I should expect the editor to email me my log in credentials... that was TWENTY days ago! I have followed up twice.
Have you heard of this? Should I sit tight, resubmit, bother another editor? AAAAHHH! And again, thank you! I'm very happy to meet you!
Sincerely,
Tricia
Jodi
I just recv'd my email from Arianna Huffington letting me know an editor would be contacting me with login/password info. My question is - how long does that usually take? Should I expect to wait weeks? months? for the login info or does that process go pretty quickly? Thank you for posting this article!
Tricia Carr
Jodi, I still haven't received my log in and it has now been a month. I would love to know if you receive yours, would you keep us posted here? Good luck! Tricia
Jodi
over 2 months and 2 follow-up emails later and still no log in info. =-(
Sarena
Hi Jodi and Tricia,
I was wondering if either of you have received your log-in info? I got an email a month ago, and have sent one follow-up email, but have heard nothing back yet!