Calling Some Guest Authors
If you’re a North Texas business owner, a local expert, or a writer with something genuinely useful to share, we’d love to hear your idea.
The Talk Of USA Network is a family of business-oriented local directory sites (TalkOf[City]) built to help people discover trusted local services, events, and community resources. Guest posts help us do that better, as long as they’re written for readers first.
Quick rules
- Free to submit. We do not accept payment for guest posts. (Separately, you can always choose to purchase a business listing like any other business.)
- Minimum length: 700 words
- Local relevance required: Your post must clearly connect to North Texas / DFW. It does not have to be city-specific.
- No affiliate links. Affiliate linking is reserved for our internal authors only.
- Links are nofollow by default. Dofollow links may be approved case-by-case for legitimate local businesses.
- AI-assisted writing is allowed only if disclosed, edited, and fact-checked.
- We reserve the right to decline or remove content that doesn’t align with our values or quality standards.
What we publish
We publish helpful, reader-first content that supports local life and local business in North Texas. Great guest posts usually fall into one of these lanes:
Local business and service expertise
- Home services (plumbing, HVAC, roofing, cleaning, remodeling, etc.)
- Legal and professional services (general education, not legal advice)
- Health and wellness (general education, not medical advice)
- Events, community activities, family-friendly guides
- Restaurants and local experiences
- Faith-based organizations and community service topics (when respectful and relevant)
Business growth, networking, and “how we do things here”
- Business tips and tricks that help local owners operate better
- Networking advice and community engagement
- Hiring, training, customer service, reputation, and local marketing basics (high value, low fluff)
Who can contribute
We welcome submissions from:
- North Texas business owners (especially businesses with paid listings)
- Professionals with real experience in the topic
- Bloggers/writers who can deliver genuinely useful local content (not link drops)
If you have a paid listing in the Talk Of USA network, your contributions are welcome. A paid listing is recommended but not required to submit a guest post.
Content requirements
To keep quality high across the network, your post must:
- Be original (not published elsewhere)
- Be at least 700 words
- Be written clearly with headings, short paragraphs, and practical takeaways
- Include real experience where possible (examples, lessons learned, common mistakes, etc.)
- Avoid exaggerated claims and “best in town” bragging
- Use sources when you’re making factual claims that matter (especially around safety, health, legal, or money topics)
Bonus points (optional, but strong):
- A short “Local Tip” section tied to North Texas realities (weather, seasonal cycles, local expectations, etc.)
- A relevant photo you own rights to and can pass those rights to Talk of USA, or a suggested image idea we can source ourselves
AI-assisted writing policy
AI is fine as a helper. What we don’t publish is content that reads like a generic template.
If AI was used in any meaningful way (drafting, rewriting, outlining), include a disclosure line such as:
AI Disclosure: This article was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by the author.
You are responsible for ensuring the final article is:
- Human-edited
- Fact-checked
- Written in a natural voice
- Free of made-up citations, made-up stats, or vague filler
Link policy
We’re reader-first and we protect the network’s quality, so our linking rules are firm:
- No affiliate links (Amazon, CJ, etc.)
- Links are nofollow by default
- Dofollow may be approved case-by-case for legitimate North Texas businesses when it clearly benefits readers
- You may include:
- 1 link in your author bio (your site or business site)
- 1–2 contextual links if they are genuinely helpful and not salesy
- We may edit anchors and links for clarity, reader benefit, and consistency
- We may add internal links to relevant Talk Of categories, articles, and directory listings
What we do not accept
To keep the network safe and trustworthy, we do not publish:
- Thin content written mainly to place links
- Press releases disguised as articles
- “Best X in [City]” listicles unless specifically commissioned by our editorial team
- Adult content, gambling, drugs, hate/harassment content
- Payday loan or predatory finance promotions
- Medical, legal, or financial “advice” presented as professional guidance without proper framing and credentials
We also reserve the right to decline content that, in our judgment, doesn’t represent the values and standards we want associated with Talk Of USA.
How to submit
Send either a pitch or a full draft by email. (info+write@talkofusa.com)
Option A: Pitch first (preferred)
Email us:
- Your working title
- A 5–8 bullet outline
- Who it’s for (local residents, business owners, or both)
- 2–3 sentences on why you’re qualified to write it
- Any links you’d like included (we’ll review)
Option B: Submit a full draft
Include:
- A Google Doc link or pasted text
- Your full name and a short bio (2–4 sentences)
- Your headshot (optional)
- Your AI disclosure line (if applicable)
Submit to: info+write@talkofusa.com
What happens after you submit
- We review for fit, clarity, originality, and local relevance
- We may request edits or do light editing ourselves (headings, grammar, formatting)
- If accepted, we’ll schedule it on the appropriate Talk Of USA Network site or sites.
- Publication is not guaranteed, and we do not commit to a timeline on unsolicited submissions
FAQ
Do you pay for guest posts?
No. Guest posts are free to submit and free to publish if accepted.
Can I pay to guarantee publication?
No. We don’t accept payment for guest post placement. (You can purchase a business listing like any other business, but that does not guarantee editorial placement.)
Can I include affiliate links?
No. Affiliate links are reserved for internal authors only.
Do you accept non-local topics?
Only if the post clearly ties back to North Texas / DFW and serves local readers.
Can I republish the same post on multiple Talk Of city sites?
No. We do not accept copy-pasted duplicates across the network.