Frequently Asked Questions

How does this program work?
As a reporter / citizen journalist, you write news articles for publication on NaturalNews. We publish your articles along with a Google Adsense ad from your Adsense account. When readers click the Adsense ads above your article, earnings are generated for your Google Adsense account, which is paid to you according to Google's terms and conditions. (NaturalNews does not control or influence Google's Adsense program, its earnings or payment schedule. We have found, however, that Google is very fair about paying on time.)

Where exactly will my articles appear?
Articles accepted by NaturalNews will appear directly on naturalnews.com as featured articles. They will also be featured in the daily outbound emails sent to NaturalNews subscribers. Since Google News spiders NaturalNews content, your articles may also appear in Google News within minutes after being published. NaturalNews enjoys phenomenal search engine exposure, meaning that your article will be quickly indexed by the various search engines, and within a few days, natural search results will start to bring additional visitors to your article.

How do I submit articles to NaturalNews?
This new program uses a web interface that allows you to submit, edit or delete your articles using any web browser. You can simply log in to the author interface (using a PC or Mac), submit your new article, edit an existing article, or pitch story ideas to the editors. You must apply to be an author first, and your application must be accepted.

What kind of article content is NaturalNews looking for?
We are seeking factual news reporting articles. We are NOT looking for opinion articles or satire pieces. Articles should not contain opinion statements. However, our overall focus is to promote natural health, green living and disease prevention through nutrition. We are also looking for articles that cover the dangers of conventional medicine, pharmaceuticals, the FDA, processed foods and so on.

Are there any other ads in addition to my own Adsense ad that are posted with the article?
Yes, NaturalNews posts its own ad on the right side of the article. This allows us to advertise our books, e-mail newsletter, teleseminars or other items of interest to readers. We may also post an ad below the bottom of your article. However, the primary earnings location is always the ad ABOVE the article, and that will always be your Adsense ad.

Are there any restrictions on the articles I submit to NaturalNews?
Yes, we have several restrictions. You cannot place affiliate links or photos in your articles, nor can you write about products or organizations in which you have a financial stake. Plagiarism is strictly spot-checked and not tolerated (any reporter caught plagiarizing content will be immediately removed from the system, including all their previous articles). We define plagiarism as copying and pasting whole sentences or paragraphs from other content sources. It is fine to copy and paste short quotes or citations as long as they are properly attributed.

How do I get paid?
You are paid directly by Google for the Adsense revenue generated by the ad block appearing above your article. Earnings may vary widely, depending on the article topic, reader response, and so on. Google pays on a 30 - 60 day schedule, meaning you will typically have to wait 30 - 60 days from the day of your earnings to actually receive a deposit into your checking account. NaturalNews has no influence over your Google payments.

How much money will I realistically earn?
Money should not be the primary reason to work with NaturalNews on this project, because earnings alone are not enough of a reward for someone who isn't simultaneously passionate about the NaturalNews mission (educating people about disease prevention, enhanced health, etc.) The authors most likely to enjoy working with NaturalNews will be those who wish to be involved in something significant for global transformation, not merely something that generates a paycheck.

Earnings are impossible to predict, but they will have the structure of generating the most revenue within the first 72 hours of being posted. From there, earnings will slow down and level off at a significantly lower amount of ongoing earnings for that particular article. In the first 72 hours, one article might typically earn anywhere from $5 - $25, depending on its success with readers (and its headline). From there, earnings for that one article would typically drop to $1 a day or less. The best way to maximize earnings is to have a new article each week, generating immediate revenues from new articles while accumulating the ongoing revenues from old articles.

As NaturalNews continues to expand its reach, earnings will naturally rise as the audience size increases. So having content published on NaturalNews positions you to receive earnings from future increases in the NaturalNews audience (which continues to grow rapidly).

Right now, this program on NaturalNews does not generate lucrative earnings on a per-article basis. Writers who are likely to participate are those who have strong personal passion for writing about these topics and who want to see their work published while participating in NaturalNews's success in reaching more people. The Adsense pay is only a small reason for participating in this program, and it at least provides some sort of compensation so that you're not working for free.

How can I make sure my Adsense ad is always appearing above my articles?
From your browser, visit your article page, then view the source code of that page. (In Internet Explorer, you would select View | Source. From there, you will be able to see the code of your Google Adsense ad, and you will see your Adsense account number embedded in the ad code. This is your assurance that all clicks are being paid to you.

Can I participate from Asia, South America, Canada, Australia, Africa or other regions?
We have no restrictions on your geographic location. Google may have restrictions, though, and having a Google Adsense account is required to participate in this program. But as far as we are concerned, you can write for NaturalNews from anywhere in the world. Currently, we only accept articles in English.

What kind of article formats do you accept?
Primarily, we are looking for news reporting articles, such as short reports detailing recent news, significant announcements, and so on. We are also open to publishing interviews, positive product reviews (no negative product reviews), and research reports or investigative stories. Longer stories will receive more prominent placement on NaturalNews, meaning they will receive higher visibility and attract more readers, which usually translates into more revenues.

What can I put in my author byline?
You can put a description of yourself along with your current projects, including URLs to a website, book, company, organization, and so on. The author byline is a place where you can openly link to the things you're involve in (no affiliate links, please). There is a place in your author profile (on the website) where you enter your author byline, so you do not need to add it to each and every article.

How soon after submitting my articles will they be published?
Usually within 1 business day. We will be publishing articles as rapidly as we can assign photos and get them up on the website.

How do I contact you to ask other questions?
You may email us at reporters@naturalnews.com to ask a question not answered here.

How do I get started?
You may apply at http://www.naturalnews.com/webseed/authornew.asp Please allow 3-5 business days to hear back from us concerning your application. There is no fee to participate. There are also no guarantees that you will be accepted into the program, but we intend to accept those who match our philosophy and mission (and who have really strong writing skills).