What Inman REALLY Wants from Contributors

I’m sure this episode will annoy some people, but it can’t be helped.Whatever your opinion of Inman…(and I genuinely don’t care)The question of how to become a contributor has come up a LOT over the years. I contributed articles for several  years and always had good experiences, especially with Dani Vanderboegh, editor and Head of Contributor Program. So I asked her to step into the spotlight a bit (which she’s not accustomed to) and share what makes a great contributor, article and pitch. Because it amuses me, let’s start with the quickest way to shoot yourself in the foot…Self-serving content.“Just doing it for vanity purposes is maybe not a great idea…or doing it simply to get on stage…that type of content is a turnoff to readers. Nobody wants to read about your business. They want to learn from what you have to say.” - Dani  VanderboeghWith that out of the way, here are the…Non-Obvious Insights from our Conversation:Pitch Something SurprisingAt this point, Inman’s goal is to cover any big conversation going on in the industry, and present all major sides. So Dani is looking for articles with a fresh perspective, a unique point of view, that hasn’t been covered in previous articles.“A perfect pitch for me is two to three paragraphs. It starts with the hook and why it's relevant now. And then offers very short, succinct ideas on what you're bringing to the table in this discussion that we have not already discussed... undiscovered insights are what we're looking for.”Don’t pitch “the definitive” article on a topic. Zero in on ONE part of the conversation that’s overlooked, neglected or glossed over.Then pitch a BIG hook…bold opinionsunusual anglessecondary effectsoverlooked perspectives predictions based on overlooked factorsimpacted groups that haven’t had their voice heard yetIf you recognize this process, it’s what great journalists have been doing for 100s of years. It’s what great YouTubers are doing every day. A little extra care and intention on the hook can be the difference between getting published or not.An example would be something like this…The Mistake: Pitching "6 Ways to Use Video in 2026."The Winning Pitch: "Polished listing videos kill your engagement…consumers want 'messy’' content AND it generates more leads”Why this works: Bold opinion, non-obvious insight…AND a bite-sized tactic agents can try that day.Use AI Sparingly or Not at All.“Our kind of…guideline, if you will…for how to use AI as a writer is [that] it's fine to use it as an idea generation type tool, but we want your anecdotal experiences and your thoughts. So if it's all just very clinical, that's not something we're [looking for].”When you read and edit articles every day, you spot AI instantly. Not by the easy signs like em dashes, but by feel. The generic tone of authority, the lack of personal stories and anecdotes, the words and phrases AI favors for some odd reason. And editors aren’t the only ones who pick up on AI in writingRyan Levesque writes a weekly newsletter, over 70 weeks running at this point. Up til then he’d used AI in the brainstorm process and even for some of the writing. He asked himself, “Is my use of AI affecting reader engagement?” Since email replies are a decent metric for engagement, he analyzed the number of replies to all of his weekly editions. What he found was shocking.The more he used AI in the writing process, the fewer email replies he got.Readers could pick up AI at a subconscious level in his writing, and at least for him, that directly led to lower engagement. Do I think that’s always the case universally? No, but it’s an interesting anecdote. And I’m keeping an eye out for similar stories from other newsletter writers and email marketers.Lean Into Your Expertise, Not Your Name.Inman is actively looking for contributors with specialized expertise who publish on a specific niche or topic. Dani gave the example of Andrea Brambila, who has covered MLS’s for over 15 years. So even if you’re an established big name in the industry, find a niche you can own. A part of the industry where you have passion, deep expertise, and bold opinions.Choose your niche well, pitch consistently good articles, and then deliver on what you pitched. You’ll probably find yourself on the priority list for publication anytime there’s a big event or conversation that affects your niche.There are only a couple specifics here that are unique to Inman.Otherwise this is a pretty good blueprint for contributing to any industry news or trade publication. And the skillset of looking for unique angles, bold opinions and overlooked factors for your articles will improve all your other content.Quick Links & ResourcesInmanDani’s About page (with contact links)Massive thank you to Dani for stepping into the spotlight! Know someone who’d be an amazing contributor because they obsess over a very specific niche of the industry? Encourage them to submit an article, especially if they’re an active agent or broker. Use the contact info on Dani’s About page to connect.-MattAgency Founder & Author of MicroFamousPS Here’s how we can help…Done-for-You Content Service - From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors. We turn conversations into videos, podcasts and email newsletters, all with zero overwhelm. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rethoughtleaders.substack.com