Contribution Guidelines
+ I want to submit an article for publication
We encourage and welcome article contributions from the regional, national and international digital/tech community. To propose an article for publication on Staffordshire Digital:
Use the ‘Propose an article for publication’ link below to see the associated submission form. This form is to submit the proposal for your article, not the full article.
Complete all mandatory fields/sections.
Try to keep your proposal to less than 400 words.
Once you submit your proposal, we will review this and aim to respond within 7-14 days. If your proposal is accepted, you’ll be asked to write and submit your draft article by email. Full articles are expected to be between 800 and 1000 words. We want to avoid an iteration of refinements/drafts so please ensure that your article is fully refined before submitting it. If necessary, you will work with one of our editors for critical changes and refinements. We retain editorial control and will make minor changes, corrections or alter the flow of text without your approval. We will aim to use the article title that you provide but may alter/refine this. Once the final copy has been agreed, we will publish the article on the Staffordshire Digital site and send you a link to this.
Bear in mind the following points when writing an article:
It must be related to the digital/tech sector.
It can be an article that describes or discusses a specific technology, or its application. Where possible, try and demonstrate linkage with other sectors, or other wider impact.
It can be an article that charts your career development in the digital/tech industry, the challenges that you encountered and how you overcame them, or your experience of working with new and emerging technologies. Try and include advice for those working in the digital/tech sector in this type of article.
It can be a horizon scanning/thought-leadership article that is thought-provoking and demonstrates the powerful impact of digital transformation/technology.
It must have the potential to be engaging, aimed at an intelligent and specialist reader in the digital/tech community but also have meaningful wider appeal to those beyond the sector.
It should be focused – try to avoid excessively abstract or generalised content.
Where possible, support and substantiate your article with evidence, facts and case study examples.
If you are using external sources, then cite (reference) these appropriately.
Try and provide an image/graphic for the final article – if you do, you must have the appropriate licence to use this. If you are unable to provide an image, then we may source and use one that fits with the theme and essence of your article.
The responsibility for ensuring authenticity, authorship and compliance with copyright of the article is yours. Staffordshire Digital will not take responsibility for these or for any consequential issues.
+ I want to be added to the Staffordshire Digital Directory
Digital/tech businesses based in Staffordshire are eligible to have a free entry in the business directory. The directory provides an opportunity to list your business and the digital/tech expertise, products, and services that you offer - and thus enhances business visibility. It also demonstrates that your business is part of the digital/tech cluster of businesses in Staffordshire and part of the defining collective digital strength in the region.
To submit a Staffordshire Digital directory request:
Use the ‘Request to be added to the Staffordshire Digital Directory’ link to see the associated submission form.
Ensure that you complete all fields on this form.
In the ‘Business Description’ field ensure that you include relevant information that outlines the digital/tech expertise, products, and services, that your business offers to clients/customers.
You must include a valid business email address from the registered domain associated with the business
Once you have submitted your form, we will contact you at the registered business email address for verification and to acquire your business logo. Once verified, we will create an entry in the directory for your business.
+ I want to promote an event
If your business is holding an event or you are aware of other events that might be of relevance, interest, and value to the digital/tech business community in the region then we can list these on Staffordshire Digital. On-site events do not have to be in Staffordshire. Events might include conferences, workshops, trade fairs, technical/expert talks that focus on specific technologies or trends in technology, digital product/service launch events, or business growth/development and funding events.
To have an event listed on Staffordshire Digital:
Use the ‘Promote an event’ button (below) to see the associated submission form. Please use one form per event.
Complete all mandatory fields/sections.
If you are a Staffordshire-based digital/tech business and the event that you want listing is being held by you, then please check the “This is an event that my business is holding” checkbox. If this is left unchecked, then we will assume the event is one that is being held by a business not based in Staffordshire or by a third-party. We request this information to enable us to sort, categorise and gauge the extent of events held by Staffordshire-based digital/tech businesses.
Once you submit the form, we will review the event. If we deem it to be relevant and of interest and value to the digital/tech business community in the region we will include it in the events section of Staffordshire Digital.