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Article Submissions

Article & Content Submission Guidelines

Welcome to our content submission guidelines for The Cascade Effect, Cascade Communications' expert knowledge hub on integrated digital marketing, public relations and what matters to startups, small businesses and small enterprise today. We're actively seeking high-quality, original content from industry experts who can provide valuable insights to our audience of startup founders, small business CEOs, and mid-market marketing managers.

Our Audience & Content Focus

 

Our Primary Audience

  • Startup founders and CEOs

  • Small business owners 

  • Small enterprise CMOs and executives

  • Mid-market marketing managers

  • Entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses

​​

Industry Focus: We welcome content relevant to the following industries:

  • Food and beverage

  • Consumer packaged goods (CPG)

  • Fashion

  • Home products

  • Pet industry

  • Baby and childcare products

  • Restaurant and hospitality

  • Consumer technology

  • B2B technology and SaaS

  • E-commerce and retail

​​

Accepted Content Categories

 

  • Actionable strategies with measurable outcomes

  • Affiliate marketing trends and strategies

  • Brand building and storytelling

  • Budget-friendly marketing solutions

  • Business Growth & Operations

  • Content marketing and SEO

  • Crisis communication and reputation management

  • Customer acquisition and retention

  • Digital marketing trends and best practices

  • Digital advertising trends and best practices

  • Emerging marketing technologies

  • How-To Guides & practical advice

  • Industry insights & trends

  • Industry-specific marketing challenges and solutions

  • Influencer marketing strategies

  • Lead generation and conversion optimization

  • Market research and consumer behavior insights

  • Marketing and business tools comparisons and recommendations

  • Marketing automation, services and tools

  • Media industry trends

  • Performance measurement and analytics

  • Regulatory changes affecting marketing practices

  • SEO and search best practices

  • Social media marketing strategies and execution

  • Startup scaling strategies

  • Step-by-step marketing implementations

  • Template resources and frameworks

Content Requirements & Standards: Quality Standards

  • Originality: All content must be at least 60% original and not published elsewhere

  • Expertise: Authors must demonstrate genuine knowledge and experience in their topic

  • Actionability: Content should provide practical, implementable advice

  • Research-backed: Include credible sources, data, and real-world examples

  • Professional writing: Well-structured, grammatically correct, and engaging

  • Technical Specifications

  • Word Count: Minimum 600 words, optimal range 1,200-1,500 words

  • Format: Submit in Microsoft Word (.docx) or Google Docs format

  • Structure: Include clear headings, subheadings, and logical flow

  • Images: Provide high-quality, royalty-free images with proper attribution

  • Links: Include relevant internal and external links to credible sources

 

Style Guidelines

  • Write in a conversational yet professional tone

  • Use clear, concise language accessible to busy executives

  • Include specific examples and case studies when possible

  • Avoid excessive jargon or overly technical explanations

  • Maintain objectivity while sharing authentic insights and perspectives

 

AI-Generated Content Policy - Cascade Communications maintains a strict policy regarding AI-generated content:

 

  • No 100% AI-generated content will be accepted for publication

  • All submissions must be mostly human-written with original thinking and analysis

  • Content must reflect authentic personal or professional experience and insights

  • We reserve the right to use AI detection tools to verify content authenticity

  • Authors must certify that their submission is entirely 60% or more human-authored

 

What We're Looking For

  • Original thought leadership and unique perspectives

  • Personal experiences and lessons learned

  • Authentic industry insights and analysis

  • Human creativity and storytelling

  • Genuine expertise and professional knowledge

 

Content We Don't Accept - Prohibited Content Types

  • Previously published content (including on your own blog)

  • Promotional or sales-focused content

  • Generic or templated articles

  • Content not relevant to our audience

  • Content that is more than 40% AI-generated or AI-assisted 

  • Plagiarized or duplicate content

  • Content with excessive self-promotion

Topics We Avoid

  • Highly technical content without practical application

  • Content focused solely on large enterprise businesses

  • Political or controversial topics unrelated to marketing

  • Medical or legal advice

  • Content that doesn't serve our core audience

What We Will Reject

  • Any content that appears to be AI-generated or AI-assisted

  • Generic, templated, or formulaic content

  • Content that lacks original insights or perspectives

  • Submissions that read like automated or machine-generated text

  • Content that is promotional or creates a conflict of interest or competes with our business

 

Editorial Rights & Review Process


Editorial Rights: The Cascade Communications team reserves the right to:

 

  • Make minor edits for clarity, grammar, style, and brand consistency

  • Add or modify headlines and subheadings

  • Insert relevant internal links to other blog content

  • Adjust formatting to match our style guidelines

  • Request revisions if content doesn't meet our standards

  • Important Note: Articles requiring extensive editing or major revisions will not be used. We expect submissions to be publication-ready with minimal editing needs.

 

Review & Approval Process

  • All submissions undergo thorough review by our editorial team

  • Content is evaluated for relevance, quality, originality, and audience fit

  • Only pre-approved content will be published

  • The editorial team's decisions are final

 

Author Guidelines & Requirements


Author Qualifications - Ideal contributors should have:

  • Proven experience in branding, design, brand marketing, digital marketing, content, email marketing, online media, ecommerce, retail, funding, growth and expansion and similar

  • Experience working with or in startups, growth ups, small business and small enterprise

  • Track record of working with startups or small businesses

  • Recognized expertise in their subject area

  • Professional credentials or relevant industry experience

 

Author Bio & Attribution

  • Provide a professional bio (35-75 words)

  • Include relevant credentials and experience

  • One professional headshot (high-resolution)

  • Links to professional profiles (LinkedIn, company website)

  • Brief description of your expertise and background

Promotional Guidelines

  • One relevant, non-promotional link to your company or service included at our discretion

  • No direct sales pitches or overly promotional content

  • Focus on providing value rather than self-promotion - be a helpful expert

  • Product mentions and advice should be educational, not sales-focused

Submission Process & Timeline


How to Submit - Complete submissions should be sent through the form below and include:

  • Proposed article title and 3-5 bullets "what you will learn"

  • Complete article (600-1,000+ words)

  • Include author bio (35-75 words)

 

Review Timeline

Editorial Review for Consideration: 30-90 days for full evaluation and potential posting/publication


Acceptance & Publication

 

Accepted articles will be published without notice to the submitter

What Happens After Acceptance

  • Accepted articles become the property of Cascade Communications

  • Articles may be edited for style and clarity

  • Publication date will be determined by our editorial calendar

  • Social media and email promotion may be included at our discretion including posting on the TrepSess Medium Channel

Rights & Legal Considerations - Content Ownership

  • By submitting content, you grant Cascade Communications exclusive rights to publish content while you retain authorship credit and bio attribution

  • Cascade Communications reserves the right to use content across all marketing channels

  • Content may be repurposed for social media, newsletters, and other promotional materials

Author Responsibilities

  • Ensure all content is original and not published elsewhere

  • Verify accuracy of all facts, figures, and claims

  • Obtain necessary permissions for any third-party content and links

  • Disclose any potential conflicts of interest

  • Confirm compliance with all requirements set above

  • We encourage you to share and promote post on social channels

These guidelines are subject to change. Last updated: July 2025


Submit Your Content
Ready to share your expertise with our audience? Use the form below to submit your content for consideration. Remember, the review process can take 30-90 days, and if your article is selected for publication, it will be posted without additional notice to you.

We recommend that you set up a Google Alert to track article posting.

Article Submission

Please submit your article below for consideration

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Offices: 
Chicago, IL, Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana​​

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Chicagoland-based Cascade Communications is an nationally and internationally acclaimed top U.S. Integrated Digital Marketing & PR Agency for startups, small businesses and small enterprises around the world. Located in Chicago, IL, Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, we serve clients across the U.S., Canada, Europe and around the world.

 

Public relations, brand and graphic design, website design, SEO, digital marketing, paid & advertising, content, video and photography.

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