Getting your name into Forbes is one of the most requested goals in digital PR, and one of the most misunderstood. Some people assume it requires a famous founder or a huge budget. Others assume anyone can buy an article. The truth sits in between: there are several legitimate paths, each with different costs, timelines and results. This guide explains how each one works, what Forbes editorial rules mean for you, and what you can realistically expect to get.
The Main Paths Into Forbes
There is no single “Forbes submission form”. Coverage comes through a handful of distinct routes, and it helps to know which one you are actually pursuing.
1. The Forbes contributor network
Much of what you read on forbes.com is written by contributors: independent writers, journalists and subject experts who publish under the Forbes banner on a specific beat, such as leadership, small business, technology or marketing. Contributor articles live at URLs like forbes.com/sites/[contributor-name]/.
Contributors regularly need real examples, expert commentary and case studies to support their stories. That creates an opening: if your expertise fits what a contributor is writing about, you can be included as a source. Two recent examples of contributor articles that draw on outside perspectives are The Best Teams Don’t Just Share Work, They Share Perspective and Why The Most Innovative Companies Rethink Their Growth Playbook.
Becoming a contributor yourself is a separate and much longer process. Forbes selects contributors based on writing ability, subject expertise and an established publishing track record, and the role comes with ongoing deadlines and editorial standards. For most businesses, being featured as a source is far more practical than becoming a writer.
2. Earned media through Forbes staff journalists
Forbes also employs staff reporters and editors who cover news, rankings, investigations and major business stories. Earned coverage here is the hardest to secure and the least predictable. It usually requires genuine news value: a significant funding round, original data, an unusual business story, or a founder with a compelling angle that fits a reporter’s beat.
You can pitch staff journalists directly, but expect a low response rate. Reporters receive large volumes of pitches and only pursue the ones that clearly serve their readers. There is no fee and no guarantee.
3. Sponsored content and BrandVoice
Forbes sells advertising products, including BrandVoice, a paid content program where companies publish content on Forbes under a clearly labeled sponsored section. This gives you control over the message and placement, but it is advertising, and it is labeled as such. Readers and search engines can tell the difference between paid partner content and editorial coverage. Budgets for BrandVoice programs are set directly with Forbes and are typically aimed at larger brands.
4. Forbes Councils
Forbes Councils are invitation-based, paid membership communities for executives in specific fields. Membership can include the opportunity to publish expert articles in a council section of the site. It is a legitimate option, but it is a membership with an annual fee and eligibility criteria, not a news feature.
5. Placement services and digital PR agencies
Placement services connect businesses with contributors who are already writing on relevant topics, then prepare the business to be included as a source. A good service does not “buy an article”. It does the research, matching and preparation work that makes you a useful source for a writer who still makes their own editorial decisions. This is the route most businesses use when they want a predictable timeline and a clear scope.
Forbes Editorial Rules You Should Know
Forbes has editorial standards, and anything that ignores them will either fail or create risk for everyone involved. A few principles matter most when you are trying to get featured:
- Contributors keep editorial control. The writer decides the angle, the wording and whether you appear at all. You can supply information, but you do not approve the final copy.
- Relevance comes first. Your inclusion must make the article better for readers. A brand mention that does not fit the story will not survive editing.
- Links are usually nofollow. Outbound links on Forbes are commonly marked nofollow. You should not expect a link that passes ranking authority in the traditional sense, and any service that promises otherwise is a red flag.
- Accuracy matters. Claims, numbers and titles should be verifiable. Inflated credentials or unsupported statistics are the quickest way to be cut from a story.
- Promotional copy does not belong in editorial. Sales language, discount codes and calls to action belong in advertising, not in a contributor article.
Working within these rules is not a limitation. It is what keeps a Forbes feature credible, and credibility is the reason the feature is worth having.
What Is a Source Piece?
A source piece is a contributor article where your business, product or expertise is included as a supporting example. You are not the author and the article is not about you alone. Instead, you appear as one of the voices or case studies that illustrate the writer’s point.
A typical source inclusion might be a sentence or short paragraph describing what your company does and how it relates to the topic, a quote from you or your founder when the story supports one, and a link to a relevant page on your website.
Source pieces work well because they are a natural part of how contributors write. Writers need specific, real-world examples, and businesses with relevant expertise can supply them.
A Realistic Timeline: 1 to 3 Weeks
For a source piece through a placement service, a realistic timeline is about 1 to 3 weeks from kickoff to publication. A typical process looks like this:
- Brief and positioning (days 1-3). Clarify what you do, who you serve and which topics you can credibly speak to.
- Contributor matching (days 2-7). Identify contributors whose beat and upcoming articles fit your expertise.
- Preparation (days 5-10). Prepare your company description, any quote material and the page you want referenced.
- Writing and editing (days 7-21). The contributor writes and the piece goes through Forbes editing.
- Publication and reporting. You receive the live link once the article is published.
Timing can vary with the contributor’s schedule, the topic and Forbes editing queues. Earned media through staff journalists has no fixed timeline at all, and BrandVoice timelines depend on the campaign you agree with Forbes.
What You Actually Get
It is worth being precise about the outcome, because overpromising is common in this space. A source piece typically gives you:
- A brand mention in an article published on forbes.com.
- A quote attributed to you or your company, where the story supports one. Not every article format includes quotes, and the contributor decides.
- A nofollow backlink to your content, usually your homepage or a relevant page.
What you do with the feature matters as much as the feature itself. Businesses commonly add an “As featured in Forbes” mention to their website, share the article on social channels and in sales conversations, and include it in press pages and pitch decks. The value is mainly credibility and trust, with referral traffic and brand search as a secondary benefit.
What you do not get: guaranteed rankings, a dofollow link, editorial approval of the article, or a dedicated profile written entirely about your company. Be cautious of anyone promising those things.
Pricing Context
Costs vary a lot by route:
- Earned media: no placement fee, but significant time investment and no guarantee of results.
- Forbes Councils: an annual membership fee set by Forbes, plus the time to write your own content.
- BrandVoice and sponsored programs: quoted directly by Forbes and generally designed for larger marketing budgets.
- Placement services: a fixed fee for a defined deliverable.
Our Forbes digital PR package is $2,200. It covers positioning, contributor matching, preparation of your source material and delivery of the published link, with the brand mention, a quote where the story supports it, and a nofollow backlink to your content.
How to Improve Your Chances on Any Path
Whichever route you choose, the same fundamentals help:
- Know your angle. Be able to explain in one or two sentences what makes your business relevant to a specific topic.
- Have a credible web presence. Writers and editors will check your website and public profiles. Make sure they are current and accurate.
- Bring real substance. Specific experience, honest lessons and verifiable results are more useful to writers than general claims.
- Be responsive. Contributors work to deadlines. Fast, clear answers make you easier to include.
- Respect the process. Do not ask to approve copy or push for promotional language. It rarely works and can cost you the opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you pay to be featured in Forbes?
You can pay for clearly labeled advertising such as BrandVoice, or for a membership such as Forbes Councils. Editorial coverage itself is controlled by writers and editors. A placement service charges for research, matching and preparation, while the contributor still makes the editorial decision.
How long does it take to get featured in Forbes?
A source piece through a placement service typically takes 1 to 3 weeks. Earned media through staff journalists has no predictable timeline, and sponsored programs depend on the campaign schedule agreed with Forbes.
Are Forbes backlinks dofollow?
Outbound links on Forbes are commonly nofollow. A Forbes link is valuable mainly for credibility, referral traffic and brand visibility rather than direct ranking authority.
Do I get to approve the article before it is published?
No. Contributors and Forbes editors keep editorial control. You can supply accurate information and quote material, but the final wording is their decision.
Will I get a quote in the article?
Often, but not always. A quote is included where the story supports one, and the contributor decides on the final format.
What is the difference between a contributor article and BrandVoice?
A contributor article is editorial content written by an independent writer under Forbes standards. BrandVoice is paid partner content that is labeled as sponsored. Readers can see the difference, so the two carry different levels of credibility.
Do I need to be a big company to get featured?
No. Contributors look for relevant, useful examples, and smaller businesses with clear expertise are often a good fit. What matters most is how well your experience fits the story.
Ready to Get Featured?
If you want a clear, honest path into Forbes with a defined timeline and deliverable, take a look at our Forbes digital PR service or contact us to talk through whether it is the right fit for your business.