We read and evaluate every single PR pitch sent to AskTheMoneyCoach.com for inclusion on our site. We turn these pitches into PR-inspired content that is human edited. We own the content and control of the content, not the PR rep that pitched the article to us.
The Real Story Behind Our Editorial Process
Here’s what actually happens when a PR pitch lands in our inbox: we don’t just copy-paste a press release and slap our logo on it. Our editorial team takes that initial idea and completely rebuilds it from the ground up. We research the topic independently, verify claims, add context that matters to our readers, and write it in our voice using our editorial standards, creating PR-inspired content that resonates with our audience.
Think of PR pitches as story seeds, not finished products. Someone plants the idea, but we grow the entire article ourselves. The final piece reflects our editorial judgment, our expertise in personal finance, and our understanding of what our readers actually need to know.
This isn’t about doing favors for PR reps — it’s about finding genuinely useful financial information and presenting it in a way that serves our audience first. If a pitch doesn’t meet our standards for relevance, accuracy, or reader value, it doesn’t make it to publication, regardless of who sent it or what they’re willing to pay.
Why We Don’t Use “Sponsored Content” Labels
The “sponsored” label implies that an advertiser wrote the content or controlled what we said. That’s simply not what happens here. The FTC itself recognizes that editorial oversight and control by the publisher is key in maintaining integrity and distinguishing sponsored content from editorial content — which is exactly what we do here.
When we charge a fee, it’s solely for guaranteed placement — essentially, you’re paying to ensure your story idea gets our editorial attention and treatment. You’re not buying control over what we write, how we write it, or what conclusions we reach. We maintain complete editorial independence throughout the entire process.
Our editorial team makes every decision about content, structure, tone, and messaging. We fact-check claims, add necessary context, and ensure everything aligns with our publication standards. The result is editorial content that happens to be based on a PR pitch, not advertising disguised as journalism.
Our Commitment to Transparency and Quality
We believe in being upfront about our sources. When appropriate, we include simple acknowledgments like “based on materials provided by…” This isn’t about hiding anything — it’s about accurately representing the relationship between the source material and our finished article.
This approach serves everyone better:
For our readers: You get thoroughly researched, professionally written content that meets our editorial standards, not warmed-over press releases.
For our sources: Companies and experts get fair, accurate coverage that reflects our professional journalism standards, not promotional puff pieces.
For our publication: We maintain editorial credibility while creating sustainable revenue streams that don’t compromise our independence.
Industry Standards and Best Practices
This isn’t some creative workaround we invented — it’s standard practice across legitimate media outlets. As the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism notes, publishers can charge for guaranteed placement without relinquishing editorial judgment, so long as disclosures are transparent and readers aren’t misled about who produced the content.
Major publications from Forbes to Harvard Business Review use similar approaches. The key distinction that regulators, readers, and industry professionals recognize is simple: who controls the editorial process? When publishers maintain that control while charging for placement, it’s journalism. When advertisers control the content, it’s advertising.
What This Means for Your Experience
When you read our content, you can trust that every article — whether it started as a PR pitch or not — has been through our complete editorial process. We’ve researched the claims, verified the information, added relevant context, and written it to serve your interests as someone seeking reliable financial guidance.
We’re not trying to sneak advertising past you or blur the lines between editorial and promotional content. We’re using proven industry practices to create sustainable, quality journalism while maintaining complete transparency about our sources and methods.
Our Standards Won’t Change
AskTheMoneyCoach.com has built its reputation on providing trustworthy, practical financial guidance. These editorial standards protect that reputation while allowing us to continue delivering the quality content our readers expect.
Every piece we publish reflects our editorial judgment and meets our quality standards, regardless of its origins. That’s not just our policy — it’s our promise to the people who depend on us for reliable financial information.
