Paid articles and linking

[TammyJo]

Hello, I was hoping someone could help me.

I have paid some people to write original content for our article driven website.

What is the etiquette on publishing these articles. I know I need to state who wrote the articles, but is it necessary for me to include their bio and hyperlink to their site...you know, free advertising for them.

I do realize they are providing an article yet I am also paying for this content and feel I just want to print the article and the authors name.

Any thoughts...am I wrong...can I do this?

[aleatrix]

I'm not sure what publishing etiquette in the internet world is; I've been a professional journalist and PR person most of my life, and when I sell an article to a magazine or newspaper, all they run is my byline (name) unless they and I have agreed previously to run more. I also have several articles featured on a friend's website. I told him my name and copyright information would be sufficient, but he also put up a link to my web site since I wasn't paid.

Do you have any kind of formal contract with these writers? My feeling is that unless it states in the contract that they are to have bios or links on your site, you owe them only the money agreed upon.

Note: If owning the copyrights on these articles is important to you for your site and you don't want to see them on 20 other websites, make sure that your agreement or contract with the writers states that you own the copyright for the material (this is common practice is the paper publishing world). If you don't care, then I wouldn't make an issue of copyright.

[Syzygy]

I just want to print the article and the authors name.

This is perfectly acceptable. You are the webmaster and editor. You are paying for the content - the decision is yours.

Syzygy