Blogging statistics in the past 2 years have shown that 77% of internet users read blogs – like this one produced by us at Formplus. To keep your audience engaged and pique their curiosity so much that they keep scrolling you would need to have a checklist like the one we created here to help your blog be the go-to site for the niche you cover.

In the consistently changing landscape of content marketing, bloggers are the key players in influencing perspectives, education, and information, and sharing valuable content with diverse audience groups.

Whether you are a freelancer looking to build your audience reach or you write professionally for organizations article submission forms are key to setting up a streamlined and efficient process for you.

Significance of Article Submission Forms for Bloggers

Article submission forms are a streamlined and structured means for you to manage your submissions effectively. It helps you keep track of all your submissions and also acts as a bridge to present your content to your target audience.

Importance of a Systematic Approach

• Efficiency and Organization:

A systematic approach ensures that the process of submission follows an agreed template and acts as a guide and standard for subsequent submissions. 

• User Experience:

Having a user-friendly submission process that does require a 2-hour online loom video to get a hang of is appreciated by bloggers, as it makes the submission process easier and faster.

• Content Quality:

Having a systematic approach to submission ensures that you can set clear standards or guidelines for submissions. This reduces the amount of time reviewing each piece of article submitted. This way you can minimize your workload and create a process that ensures that the contents submitted adhere to laid down guidelines. 

• Time Management

A structured submission is a time saver for bloggers and editors or administrators alike. There is no need for any back and forth and publish timelines are met with this systematic approach.

Understanding the Role of Article Submission Forms

• Definition of Article Submission Forms:

Article submission forms are online documents used to facilitate the submission of completed work from blogger content writers on a specific CMS or platform. It provides a streamlined way for a blogger to submit their finished articles or posts and ensures uniformity in the submission process. Section for the author’s information and any other details required are included in an article submission form.

• Primary Purpose in the Blogging and Content Creation Ecosystem:

The primary purpose of article submission forms is to create an organized process for bloggers and writers to submit their content for approval, consideration, and publication. These forms serve as a bridge that streams information from the content manager to the content writer(bloggers) and helps everyone to stick to guidelines usually specified in an article submission form.

Key Aspects of their Purpose

• Content Collection: Article submission is the primary means of collecting content/stories/articles from bloggers, authors, and contributors alike.
• Information Gathering: It serves as a way of collecting information about the author, their profiles, experience, and any other details that will enrich or give further depth to the work submitted.
• Standardization and Guidelines: It provides a template or guide for submission to help bloggers ensure they follow agreed guidelines like word limit, page SEO, font guidelines, and other requirements.
• Efficient Review Process: A centralized way of submission ensures that the review process is quick as hal your job is already done when you have an article submission form. So you know what to look out for and just tick as you go. 
• Communication Channel: Article submission forms create a clear line of smooth communication. The goal post is clear if you miss it, you can easily tell or point when you submit your article using an article submission form. So this way there is no antagonism between the content managers and writers. If your content meets the laid down guidelines in the article submission form it is posted, If it doesn’t you get an e-mail that tells you to cut out the fluff and adhere to the standard specified.

Benefits for Bloggers

Advantages of Using Article Submission Forms:

• Time Efficiency

  Rather than having long back and forths and endless Zoom meetings to understand what to do as per your client or employer. Having an article submission form spells out what is expected. This saves you time and prevents time wasted on work and styles or brand voices that would not be accepted.

• Streamlined Submission Process:

  Article submission forms give you a clear process for submitting your content and ensure your payments are not delayed.  The standards have been set in the article submission form, Once you adhere to them, there will be no need for delayed paychecks as you have a clear process that shows your job is complete.

• Quick Review and Publication:

  A clear submission process ensures quick publication,  IN instances where you have an article submission form you can post your article directly to the CMS portal and the content manager just has to approve since all the partners have been met.This way your work is out there for the target audience in real time or as required.

• Organization and Structure:

  Article submission forms include details like the name of the article, author, no words relevant details, and so on. The goal is to ensure that there is a structured approach for the uniformity of the information collected or submitted.

• Consistent Formatting:

  Blogging platforms use this article submission form to ensure consistency in platform styles and guidelines for a more polished and professional appearance of any content published on the CMS platform.

• Improved Communication:

  In an article submission form, some guidelines help bloggers understand the requirements of the platforms. This enhances communication and reduces the likelihood of misunderstanding and revisions.

• Enhanced User Experience:

   A well-designed submission form provides a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for bloggers to navigate and complete the submission process.

• Eliminates Friction in the Submission Process:

  By providing straightforward means of submitting content. The friction in the submission process is reduced significantly. 

• Access to Submission History:

  With submission forms, you can see the history of various submissions which allows you to reference past submissions where the need arises.

The 7 Checklists for Bloggers

1. Key Elements Bloggers Should Consider:

• Clarity and Coherence: Make sure your content is easy to read and understand void of complex language, the goal is to inform or educate your audiences, not lead them to a dictionary.
• Uniqueness and Originality: Avoid copying other people’s work. Do your research articulate your unique insight and perspective and give credit.
• Relevance to Audience: Make sure the content fits or speaks or is relevant to the target audience.Answers their questions and addresses their pain points.
• Engaging Writing Style: Use a conversation writing style and encourage interactions by asking for feedback.
• Thorough Research: Conduct detailed research as this gives your work authority and enhances the credibility of your content.

2. Formatting and Structure Checklist:

Importance of a Well-Organized Structure:

• Reader-Friendly Layout: Make sure your layout is visually appealing and easy to read. Use bullet points, paragraphs, and subheadings to break up text.

• Effective Headings and Subheadings: Use compelling subheadings as they act as guides showing readers what to look out for when they scan and read your content.

• Multimedia Integration: Use a mix of pictures, infographics, and videos to enrich the visual appeal of your article.

• Consistent Formatting: Be consistent in your formatting, use the same font size and color all through. Remember we are not describing a rainbow or trying to create one with your text.

  3. SEO Optimization Checklist:

Essential SEO Elements Bloggers Should Incorporate:

• Keyword Usage: Use relevant keywords. Long tail keywords that are suitable to the topic help.
• Meta Tags Optimization: Use meta tags, title tags, and meta descriptions that accurately represent or describe your content.
• Image Optimization: Optimize images by, compressing them to enhance faster loading and also include descriptive file names and alt text. 
• Internal and External Links: Add external links as this adds authority and credibility to your work.

4. Author Profile Checklist:

Significance of a Comprehensive Author Profile:

• Author Bio: here you put in a summary of your expertise qualifications and relevant experience. This helps build credibility with readers.
• Professional Photo: A headshot would suffice here, as a picture would help foster some sort of connection with the readers.

• Social Media Links: Here you add links to your social media profiles so readers can connect with you.

• Contact Information: Provide information on how you can be reached this opens you up to other business opportunities feedback and engagement with your audience.

5. Submission Guidelines Checklist:

Insights into the Following Submission Guidelines:

• Thorough Reading of Guidelines: read guidelines and pay attention to specific requirements or parameters like content length writing style formatting etc.

• Adherence to Word Count: Stick to word count limits so that your content can fit into targeted platforms.
• Formatting Specifications: adhere to formatting specifications, line spacing, font style, size, and the like.
• Submission Deadlines: Meet submission deadlines as timely submissions ensure that there is always fresh content available on your publisher’s platforms.
• Target Audience Alignment: Match your content style. Topic to your target audience as this ensures the expectations of your readers are met.

Common Guidelines Set by Platforms and Publishers:

• Preferred Topics or Themes: Some platforms have specific topics they prefer. Tailor your content with these preferences.
• Exclusivity Requirements: Some publishers may want exclusive rights to the content for a defined period.
• Citation and Attribution: Follow guidelines related to staging sources and give proper attribution for quotes or references.
• Tone and Style Preferences: Some platforms have a preferred tone or writing style. Customize your writing to match these preferences.

6. Editing and Proofreading Checklist:

Emphasis on Meticulous Editing and Proofreading:

• Multiple Review Rounds: Check and check again before submitting least 3 rounds of checks should be made on your work before submitting. Check for flow, clarity, grammar, etc,
• Grammar and Punctuation Check: Use software grammar checkers like Grammarly to catch errors as they occur.
• Consistent Tone and Style: Maintain tone and style so as not to disrupt the flow of words which can affect the reading experience.
• Clarity and Conciseness: Seek clarity and conciseness and avoid word fillers.
• Peer Review or Beta Reading: Share your work with your peers to help you check with a second eye before submission. This helps you catch typos that might have been missed during editing.

Tools and Techniques to Enhance Editing:

• Grammarly: Grammarly highlights grammatical errors and improves overall content quality.
• Read Aloud: Fixies awkward phrasing, repetition, and any areas that need reworking.

7. Legal and Copyright Checklist:

Educating Bloggers on Legal Aspects of Article Submission:

• Understanding Copyright Issues: Ensure that the content you submit is yours and not something created by an article spinner. Secondly, understand how to include content you do not own by understanding what is allowed by the owner and what isn’t.
• Permissions for Multimedia: Use images you have either purchased or images in the public domain and ensure you get permission from the copyright holders before using their images. Give proper credit when you allude to work that is not yours.
• Plagiarism Checks: Use plagiarism tools to confirm the originality of your work before you submit it.
• Understanding Platform Terms of Use: Check platform terms of use before submitting your articles to publishers.
• Contractual Agreements: read your contracts, don’t make assumptions. If something is not clear ask questions. While this may be one of the hardest things to do, The effort it takes to read them sure beats any issues that may arise because you signed a contract you had not read,
• Protection of Personal Data: Where personal data is involved make sure you have permission to use such information.
• Disclaimers and Terms of Use: Use disclaimers to specify your role and absolve you of any legal implications where necessary.

Additional Tips:

• Keep abreast of any updates on copyright laws and regulations in your jurisdiction.
• Check with legal professionals on unclear/ complex copyright issues.
• Store or keep a record of permissions and licenses obtained for third-party content.

Understanding the legal aspects of article submission is crucial as it helps you protect your work, maintain ethical standards, prevent legal disputes, and contribute to a trustworthy and legally sound online presence.

Tools and Platforms for Streamlined Submissions

Popular Tools and Platforms for Seamless Article Submissions:

• WordPress: This is a user-friendly platform for creating and submitting articles. With it, you can create custom submission forms and it supports various media like images & videos.
• Medium: This is a simple and friendly platform that allows you to reach a broad audience while enforcing a friendly layout, that helps your content a;ign with the formatting and structure checklist. It also features clear submission guidelines to help authors understand the platform requirements.
• Google Forms: is a free and versatile from-creation tool that can be tailored to include a submission guideline checklist.
• Formplus: Is a friendly form-building software that features a user-friendly kanban style drag and drop form builder, with robust customization options that allow for an s+ubmi+soon checklist while ensuring secure submissions and data protection, due to its SSL security feature while aligning with standard legal and copyright requirements.

How These Tools Align with the Checklist Requirements:

• Each platform or tool mentioned is implemented and communicates clear submission guidelines. While adhering to Legal and Copyright laws. These tools often have built-in features or integrations to check for plagiarism, helping bloggers adhere to copyright guidelines.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Before submitting, carefully read the guidelines. Highlight key points, and ensure that your content aligns with the platform’s requirements.

• Create a checklist based on the formatting requirements provided and review your content before submission.

• Conduct multiple rounds of proofreading. Use tools like Grammarly and ask a colleague to review your work for a fresh perspective.

• Use appropriate keywords, meta tags, and image optimization.  SEO tools ensure your content is discoverable.

• Check with plagiarism detection tools before submission and make sure your content provides distinct perspectives and insights.

• Get appropriate licenses or permissions before using images give credit to image sources and respect copyright guidelines.

• Complete your author profile with a professional bio, social media links, and a high-quality photo. This builds credibility and connects you with readers.

• Educate yourself on copyright regulations and platform policies. Seek legal advice if necessary, especially when dealing with complex issues.

• Obtain written consent before using any personal information in your content. Make sure you are aware of privacy laws and regulations.

• Use calendar reminders, and submission tracking features to stay organized and meet deadlines.

• Conduct regular checks on your published content to ensure it appears as intended and fix any issues promptly.

Conclusion

Adhering to checklists for effective article submissions is paramount for bloggers seeking success in the competitive digital landscape. It helps you to adhere to quality assurance, standards set in a blog  Submission checklist. With this checklist, you can be sure that you are churning out SEO-optimized articles to enhance the discoverability of your content because what’s the point of winking in the dark? On a final having one ensure you meet Legal and Ethical Compliance guidelines and don’t get penalized for issues like plagiarism or content with unverified information.

Integrating these checklists into the content creation routine is not just a best practice; it’s a strategic move toward achieving success in the digital realm.

Sign up to Formplus today to create an article submission form checklist with free templates from the Fomplus template library. With the intuitive Kanban style drag and drop builder you get to customize the form to include fields and tailor the form to meet your unique needs or requirements.