As you get started on your first Seeking Alpha article, keep in mind the following question: Does this analysis empower and inform investors so they can make better investment decisions?
Before we list the three most important points to consider and some common pitfalls, we want to share an important note about publication times: Review times for submissions from new authors can take a few days; we appreciate your patience as we take a careful look at your content. We prefer that first-time articles not discuss very timely content, as by the time the article is processed the information will likely no longer be current.
Now, on to the lists...
1. Thesis, thesis, thesis. Strong articles tend to be tightly organized around a specific, forward-looking, reasonably unique, and actionable fundamental investment thesis. When thinking about the investment in question, the most important points are:
- What single fundamental factor do you believe will move the needle the most in the long term?
- Can you persuasively support that view with sourced evidence and forward-looking arguments - i.e., sufficiently bridge the gap between your hypothesis and your conclusion?
- Considering that our readers are seasoned investors who will be looking for analysis that informs their financial decisions, is the factor itself something you haven't seen discussed much elsewhere? Does your supporting analysis shed new light on that factor?
- Is the thesis specific enough that it applies exclusively to the investment in question, rather than leaning heavily on macro-level factors?
In the case of strategy-focused articles, we are looking for a clear explanation of your investment philosophy/strategy/methodology, what underlies it, and - per your comfort level - what your financial goals are and where you're coming from financially. We're not looking for personal finance articles, as those are outside of our editorial focus.
2. Beef
