Popsugar creates content you can feel good about. From health and fitness to beauty, lifestyle, and shopping, we're a cross-platform rest stop where people can indulge, have fun, and gather the information they need to live well — whatever that looks like to you.
We are actively seeking written and social video pitches from journalists, writers, subject-matter experts, creators, and other contributors of all backgrounds within our core verticals: Health, Fitness, Beauty, Balance, Identity, and Shopping.
All accepted pitches go through a collaborative editorial process, and all contributors are paid at competitive rates.
Popsugar is a bright spot on the internet, and we're looking for writers and creators who share our mission to uplift readers through cross-platform coverage that makes you feel good as it intersects with health, fitness, beauty, relationships, lifestyle, and culture.
We are seeking content that is fun, insatiable, and conversation-sparking, offering a peek behind the curtain of people's inner lives and routines. That said, PS stories should also be relatable and personable, tapping into a diverse range of first-person experiences that make people feel seen. And our content should be useful, ensuring our audience is able to walk away with confidence, helpful advice, or something new to try.
Before pitching to PS, please read more about us, our ethical guidelines, our health reporting, and our commerce guidelines and disclosures. You can find Vox Media's Editorial Ethics & Guidelines here.
Please keep these best practices in mind to make your pitches stand out:
Optimize the subject line of your email. For example:
- PS Beauty Feature Pitch: Where Are All the Size Inclusive Spa Robes?
- PS Health Personal Essay Pitch: Having Alpha-Gal Syndrome
For articles:
In the email, send a suggested headline, a short summary of your story pitch, your anticipated story structure and length, a timeline (when you think you can deliver a first draft, when you hope the piece will be published), and, if applicable, a list of your sources.
For social videos:
In the email, send a suggested title, a short summary of your concept (including any visuals or scripts), a timeline (when you think you can deliver clips, when you hope the video will be published), and, if applicable, a list of your sources.
All pitches should also include a very short explanation of who you are and why you're the right person to cover this story. Include links to previously published pieces or your online portfolio, if available — but don't let not having previously published content stop you from pitching to PS.
Be specific with your pitches and ideas, instead of broad, and make sure we don't already have the story on the site.
Avoid sending your pitch to more than one editor or team, to prevent overlap and miscommunication.
Please send your pitches to the following email addresses and aim to only pitch your story once:
- For beauty: [email protected]
- For parenting and family: [email protected]
- For fitness, health, and nutrition: [email protected]
- For identity: [email protected]
- For relationships, sex, financial health, home, travel, and food: [email protected]
- For shopping: [email protected]
- For social video: [email protected]
We appreciate all pitches, but unfortunately, due to the volume we receive, we're not able to respond to all of them. If you don't hear back about a pitch within 14 days, you can assume we're passing.
If we're interested in your pitch, we'll respond to your email to discuss compensation (and a kill fee, if applicable), deadlines, word count or video length, and other expectations. Your assigning editor or producer will aim to be as detailed as possible on what they are looking for from the piece to avoid surprises.
You'll receive an agreement and term sheet from Vox Media, our parent company, and typically be onboarded to Worksuite, the platform Vox Media uses to engage freelancers. That platform will also generate an invoice for you and show your payment status for all of your assignments with PS and any other Vox Media networks. All contributors are paid at competitive rates for accepted pitches, based on the scope and type of work.
The editing process varies from story to story and editor to editor, but you should be prepared for a collaborative process and at least one round of revisions. Multiple editors might look at your post as well during the editing process.
All submissions must be original content that you own the rights to and that hasn't been previously published. We expect our writers to carefully fact-check their stories and provide sources for all information.
*These recurring franchises also have social video extensions.
Here are some topics our editors are looking to receive pitches on right now, as well as some of our favorite formats. Note that this list is meant to be used as guidance; if your idea doesn't squarely fall under one of the categories below, it does not mean we don't want to hear about it or from you.
What we're looking for
Timely reactions or commentary on trending topics, especially as it pertains to body image, mental health, or chronic illnesses (e.g., "'Pilates Arms' Aren't Real, No Matter What the Internet Tries to Tell You"). Reported features and deep dives on new trends in wellness, like the latest mental health terms (hello, "brain flossing").
Recurring franchises
We are always looking for first-person stories across health categories, especially if they fit under one of these two formats:
- Hype Check*: First-person editor experiments on health or wellness trends, in-office treatments, or food or drink trends, with a nutrition slant.
- Condition Center: Our hub for in-depth health explainers. We are especially looking for personal essays on chronic health conditions and illnesses (e.g., alpha-gal syndrome and endometriosis).
What we don't currently need
Recaps of new studies or research with little commentary or POV. Expert-backed health explainers on common, trending, or underreported conditions. Straightforward aggregated news.
What we're looking for
Reported features and opinion pieces on trending moments with a fitness slant, including key sports events like March Madness, the Olympics, the US Open, and more (e.g., "There Was Never Any Beef Between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark"). Commentary on the world of women's sports, including interviews with athletes or reported pieces on the changing industry. An experiential video trying out a trending, celebrity-backed workout.
Recurring franchises
Please pitch any personal essays or reported stories that fall under either of these franchise formats:
- Hype Check*: First-person editor experiments on viral workouts or celebrity-favorite fitness routines (e.g., "I Tried Taylor Swift's Go-To Gym — and It Really Is That Good").
- For the W: Reported features, personal essays, and deep dives on the intersection of sports and other important issues, like pay disparity, racial discrimination, gender equality, mental health, and more.
What we don't currently need
Live event coverage. Straightforward aggregated news. Workout plans or exercise-move explainers.
What we're looking for
Opinion pieces, hot takes, or observations on beauty moments in pop culture, including viral trends, celebrity news, and controversial topics. Interviews with experts or commentary about behind-the-scenes hair, makeup, tattoo, or nail details in upcoming TV shows and movies (e.g., Carolyn Bessette's Lipstick and Other Behind-the-Scenes Details From "Love Story"). Deep dives, personal essays, and reported features on the intersection of beauty and identity (e.g., "A Moment of Appreciation For the Braids on the Grammys Red Carpet"). Interviews with A-list celebrities, athletes, and tastemakers that center on beauty and have a strong, differentiated hook (e.g., "Kylie Jenner Shares Her Beauty Secrets, From Splurges to Botox").
Recurring franchises
We are always looking for pitches in the following franchises:
- Original celebrity social videos: Behind-the-scenes videos with A-List celebrities gabbing while getting ready (e.g. Bethenny Frankel’s Glam Session Confessions).
- Additionally, celebrity interview series where A-List talent plays nostalgic-based games like "Pop or Flop," "Secret Teller," "Ins and Outs" and "Full-Body Flashback" for a fun, engaging, and surprisingly informative video.
What we don't currently need
Seasonal trend reports. Celebrity news. In-depth ingredient or product explainers. Expert interviews. Product roundups. Live event coverage.
What we're looking for
Opinion pieces, deep dives, and hot takes (serious or lighthearted) on trending topics in culture, especially those related to sex, relationships, home, parenting, and other lifestyle topics (e.g., "How Did Jeremy Allen White Become the Ultimate Sex Symbol?"). Personal essays about gender identity and sexuality, as well as relationships and sexual experiences that exist outside of what some may consider the norm. Reported features on lifestyle trends taking over social media and your group chats, like dating spreadsheets or "bookshelf wealth." An aspirational DIY video, like, for example, detailing how you turned your one-bedroom apartment into a Nancy Meyers dream home.
Recurring franchises
We are always looking for first-person experiences across lifestyle categories, especially if they fit under the following format:
- Hype Check*: "I tried it" experiments on the latest dating trends, productivity hacks, travel tips, viral recipes, and more.
What we don't currently need
Straightforward listicles and roundups with little added commentary or expert input. Aggregated news without our own take, angle, or added expertise.
What we're looking for
Features, personal essays, and profiles that focus on how someone's identity has shaped their life experiences in an empowering way; someone's identity (or identities) should be a focus of this content. These pieces should be uplifting in tone and intersect with one or more of our other key verticals/categories. A tie-in to pop culture or trending news is a huge plus. Here are some examples:
- In "Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Announcement Is Proof That Latin Music Is American Music," one writer details the cultural significance of Benito making it to one of the world’s biggest stages.
- In "Getting Fired Cured My Autistic Burnout," a freelancer explores how they figured out they were autistic and how the self-diagnosis helped them better understand their relation to mental health and work.
- We also commission personal essays and opinion pieces that add an important identity lens to trending news. A good example is "Actually, That 'Love Is Blind' Conversation About Race Was Completely Necessary."
- We also post these trending news responses in a social-first way. See: "Olandria Carthen’s Response to Hate Speech Is a Master Class in Protecting Our Mental Health."
Recurring franchises
We are always looking for content that fits into our four main identity hubs, all listed below, and beyond. But we think of identity as expansive and inclusive. It could relate to your cultural background, but it could also point to your identity as a parent, a member of a fandom, or anything else.
- Juntos spotlights Latine perspectives
- Crowned spotlights Black perspectives
- Where I'm From spotlights APIA perspectives
- Out Loud spotlights LGBTQ+ perspectives
What we don't currently need
Straightforward news pieces without any added reporting or perspective. Features or personal essays without an emotionally resonant or uplifting angle.
What we're looking for
We are regularly accepting pitches that sit within the below franchises. Centering around celebrity or expert interviews, these franchises deliver trustworthy product recommendations to our readers in fun and engaging ways. When coordinating with reps for celebrities and other talent, you may disclose that you're pitching the idea to PS, but you should never promise coverage.
- My Must Haves: My Must Haves offers a chance for discovery via our favorite celebrities. We ask prominent people to each share five must-have shopping recommendations — from affordable products and investment pieces to the best items to help you wind down for the day.
- What's In My Bag: A video series where celebrity A-list talent takes items out of their handbag and explains the significance of each find, from drugstore beauty products to useful tech gadgets to relatable over-the-counter medicine and more. The clip aims to present a funny, revelatory glimpse into a celebrity's everyday life through the on-the-go products they use and love most.
- Expert Edit: The Expert Edit features interviews with celebrity stylists, makeup artists, manicurists, etc about the products they swear by in their chosen field, particularly as it pertains to a moment in pop culture. (For example: Donni Davy Gives a BTS Sneak Peek At Her “Euphoria” Makeup Kit.)
What we don't currently need
Product reviews. Product roundups. News articles about celebrity placements or product launches that haven't been personally tested.
