TL;DR
Founders frequently ask us how they can get more clients, raise capital, or recruit top talent for their teams. One of the highest bang for the buck investments is writing bylines that share a perspective and unique point of view.
We know it works. We eat our own dog food. We've written countless bylines that have been featured in outlets like TechCrunch, Entrepreneur, Forbes, 36kr, and of course Latamlist.com. It’s likely that at least 30% of all of our LP commits into our Fund 3 came directly from the bylines and content we’ve created.
Magma founders have gotten all-expenses-paid trips to Asia, the Middle East, New York, Miami, Amsterdam, and more when conference organizers found founder bylines and invited them to give talks or participate in panels. Multiple founders started conversations with future investors based on their bylines. These articles serve as great conversation starters for recruiting, as people who are already searching for your problem or mission are more likely to find you.
Bylines can live on your blog or can be published on traditional or niche media platforms. They are generally 400-1000 word articles that position you as a thought leader: someone who knows your industry better than anyone else by sharing unique insights, rather than selling.
As a founder, you should have multiple unique insights into your market, the problem, the solution, and data that very few people, if anyone else, have. By creating a byline that teaches, rather than being self-promotional, you establish yourself as an expert or a thought leader, which can raise your credibility with investors, clients, and even potential future employees.
Bylines can help you build credibility, increase your visibility, and shape the conversation around your company. By sharing your thoughts and insights on topics related to your industry, you can demonstrate your knowledge and expertise.
Another benefit is it can help you increase your visibility and reach a wider audience. When you publish a byline you're able to connect with readers who may not have otherwise heard of you or your company. This can be a powerful way to generate buzz.
Most founders know they should be creating more written content, but don’t know where to start and underestimate how powerful investing in bylines can be.
The best bylines take a unique insight or data that you are really well positioned to share. Think about the things that make people say “wow” when they hear about your business. Focus on your knowledge and expertise and avoid self-promotion like the plague. Nothing says you’re not a thought leader more than being self-promotional. People will tune it out. Wow them with your understanding of the market by teaching them something they didn’t know, or making them say “wow.”
Do you want to appeal to clients? Investors? Future employees? Before writing your bylines, consider who your audience is and what they care about so you can tailor your message and make it more relevant to your readers.
What makes your perspective unique? What makes people say “Wow!”? You likely have a wealth of experience and insights related to your industry or company. Your knowledge and expertise can be backed up by data and evidence that you have collected through your work; use it to offer a fresh perspective on the topic and make it more interesting.
Create a list of all of the topics that make people say “wow” about your business, industry, and more. You are telling a story. Pick the biggest wow and start there. Remember, you’re teaching, not self-promoting. What would you talk about if you had to give a TED talk about your business?
The first step is getting started. Do a data dump. That can be bullets in a Google doc, voice notes to someone on your team, or a full-blown stream-of-consciousness download in a notebook or email. If you’re having trouble getting started, try either sending voice notes to someone on your team, writing in a notebook, or asking someone smart to interview you and record it.
Get a first draft done from your brain dump. Edit it a couple of times to get to 400-1000 words, ideally, be written directly, just like you would speak. Use active voice and strong verbs to make your writing more engaging and persuasive. Your first draft will be bad. It always is. Even if you’re the best writer in the world. Get it out and then start revising.
Since we know your first draft will be bad, start improving it by asking for feedback. Ask people to add questions, and highlight places that they don’t understand. It allows you to improve the clarity, organization, and persuasiveness of your argument.
I’ll say it again. Your first draft will be bad. Take the feedback and make it better. Some good guidelines include deleting anything that’s not interesting, getting rid of filler, and making sure there’s at least 1 big wow in your draft.
Check for spelling and grammar errors, and make sure your argument is clear and well-supported. Make sure your byline has a strong opening that grabs the reader's attention, a clear argument that is supported by evidence, and a strong conclusion that leaves the reader with something to think about.
Remember that writing bylines takes practice, so don't be discouraged if your first few attempts aren't successful. Keep honing your skills and refining your arguments, and eventually, you'll find success in getting your ideas out there.
There are many different outlets where you can publish your bylines, ranging from traditional newspapers and magazines to online platforms and industry-specific publications. Here are some options for where to post your bylines.
Major newspapers and magazines, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes, often publish bylines from outside contributors. However, these outlets can be highly competitive, and it is extremely difficult to get your bylines accepted. Most large national Latin American newspapers are very happy to let you publish articles if they teach their readers or contain “wows”. Newspapers and magazines generally help you build credibility with clients.
Many online news sites, such as LatamList, TechCrunch, and Forbes, also accept bylines. These outlets can be a good option if you want to reach an online audience that includes investors and potential employees but maybe isn't as targeted as your industry.
If you want to reach a more targeted audience within your industry, consider submitting your bylines to industry-specific publications. These outlets often have a loyal readership of industry professionals. These industry-specific publications have a very low, but extremely deep reach. Investors read these publications and so do your potential clients. These niche publications are generally the best investment.
If you have your own company blog or newsletter, consider publishing your bylines there. This can help you reach your existing audience and establish your company as a thought leader in your industry.
When choosing where to publish your bylines, consider the audience you want to reach and the goals you hope to achieve. It's also essential to follow each outlet's guidelines for submission and to tailor your bylines to their specific audience and editorial style.
Getting published means thinking strategically about whom to approach, along with persistence. Here are some tips to increase your chances of success.
Your bylines should provide value to the publication's readership, whether it's by sharing unique insights, offering a new perspective, or providing actionable advice. Focus on what you can offer to the publication's readers, rather than what you want to promote about your company. Nobody likes self-promotion.
Before you start pitching your bylines, research and identify publications that are a good fit for your content and audience. Look for publications that have previously published articles similar to yours, and that have a readership that aligns with your target audience.
Once you've identified publications you want to pitch to try to build relationships with the editors. Follow them on social media, engage with their content, and get to know their editorial preferences. This can help you tailor your pitch and increase your chances of acceptance.
Your pitch should be concise and compelling, highlighting the key points of your bylines and why it's relevant to the publication's audience. Personalize your pitch to the specific editor or contributor, and be sure to follow their submission guidelines.
Don't be discouraged if your bylines are rejected. Keep pitching to other publications, refining your pitch and bylines as you go. Persistence is key to get published in outside publications. If you get rejected a few times, consider publishing on your company blog, and picking a new topic for the next one.
Once your byline is published, share it on social media and your own company website. This can help you expand your reach and establish your authority as a thought leader.
Remember, getting your byline published in outside publications takes time and effort, but can be a powerful tool for building credibility and increasing your visibility.
Here’s some examples of great bylines from top Latin American companies. Check them out so you can get a real feel of what a compelling byline looks like.
Writing bylines gives you an opportunity to share your unique insights, amplify your startup’s visibility, and shape public perception. The ability to present compelling arguments, backed by evidence, through concise and impactful writing enhances your credibility and expands your network. Embrace bylines to amplify your voice.
Magma helps portfolio companies create all types of content including bylines. Our team has a track record of producing bylines for a variety of platforms, including blog posts and prominent external publications. Don't hesitate to reach out to our team if you need help from creating your strategy to writing, editing and placing your bylines.
