Our Editorial Standards

    Smart Money Media's editorial standards define how we verify sources, maintain editorial independence from commercial relationships, and publicly correct factual errors across every article and placement we publish.

    Transparent methodology for content creation, editorial review, and quality assurance.

    Last reviewed: May 8, 2026Maintained by The Smart Money Media Editorial Team

    2+

    Independent primary sources required for any quantitative claim

    2 days

    Maximum response time for correction requests

    100%

    Of articles reviewed by a human editor before publication

    Annual

    Public review cycle for these standards

    Sources & Evidence

    We rely on primary documents, verified data, and factual reporting—not marketing materials or press releases.

    • Primary source verification for all claims
    • Academic research and industry reports
    • Regulatory filings and public records
    • Independent audits and third-party validation

    Example: Our Reg A issuer coverage cites SEC EDGAR filings and Form 1-A amendments directly — not the issuer's press release.

    Editorial Independence

    We maintain strict separation between editorial content and commercial relationships.

    • Clear labeling of sponsored content
    • No pay-for-play editorial coverage on this site
    • Independent editorial review process
    • Transparent disclosure of all partnerships

    Example: Clients of our PR services are not granted favorable coverage on smartmoneymedia.org. Editorial mentions are evaluated on merit alone.

    Claims & Results

    We evaluate all performance claims against appropriate benchmarks and ensure accurate representation.

    • Results verified against documented outcomes
    • Clear disclaimers on representative examples
    • No misleading or cherry-picked statistics
    • Context provided for all data points

    Example: When citing AI Overview citation rates, we link the underlying study (e.g., Semrush, Ahrefs, BrightEdge) and note the sample size and date.

    Repeatability

    Our criteria are consistent, documented, and applied uniformly across all coverage.

    • Standardized editorial guidelines
    • Transparent methodology documentation
    • Regular audits of editorial processes
    • Public corrections policy

    Example: Our public corrections log tracks every material editorial fix with a timestamp and explanation.

    Transparency Scorecard

    We evaluate all content and partnerships against this checklist to ensure quality and transparency.

    All claims backed by verifiable sources
    Clear identification of sponsored content
    Accurate representation of results and outcomes
    Plain-language disclosures on every page
    Editorial independence from commercial relationships
    Consistent standards across all content types
    Detailed methodology for all evaluations
    No misleading or incomplete information

    How We Use AI in Content Production

    We believe in honest disclosure about our editorial process. AI tools assist our team in research, drafting, and content optimization — but every piece of published content is reviewed, fact-checked, and approved by human editors before publication.

    • AI-assisted drafting with human editorial review on every article
    • All factual claims verified by editorial staff against primary sources
    • Author attribution reflects the human editor responsible for accuracy
    • AI is never used to fabricate quotes, statistics, or source citations
    • Editorial judgment, voice, and final approval remain entirely human

    What We Will Not Do

    Standards are defined as much by what we refuse as by what we promise. These are non-negotiable across every engagement and every piece of published content.

    • We will not promise specific placements, rankings, or outcomes — strategic editorial positioning is the goal, not a guarantee.
    • We will not fabricate quotes, statistics, source citations, or case-study results — by AI or by human.
    • We will not accept payment in exchange for editorial coverage, ratings, or recommendations on smartmoneymedia.org.
    • We will not publicly offer Reg D / private-placement PR services — securities-law exposure makes this category off-limits.
    • We will not republish a client's press release as editorial coverage on this site.
    • We will not remove published criticism, corrections, or unfavorable coverage in exchange for payment.
    • We will not pursue city-local, job-board, or salary-style content — Smart Money Media is a national B2B brand, not a directory.

    See How Your Brand Measures Up

    We hold ourselves to these standards — and we help our clients build the same level of credibility across AI search, publications, and trusted sources.

    Check Your AI Authority Score™

    Report an Error or Submit a Tip

    Found a factual error in our reporting? Have a tip relevant to AI search, PR, or financial-services media? We respond to every correction request — and we publish material fixes on the corrections log.

    2-business-day response SLA
    Email editorial teamView corrections logUse contact form

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Trust & Accountability

    About & Team

    Who's behind the work

    Corrections Log

    Public record of fixes

    Disclosures

    Affiliations & funding