We were working for a client the other day, and wound up updating our tips for writing op-ed articles and guest blogs. Following these dozen tips will help you wind up with a piece that an editor will actually want to put in her publication, and that people will actually want to read.

Because when you think about it, you’re competing against every other thing your would-be readers can spend their time on — which includes anything else they could be looking at on their phone at that very moment.

So make it good! Here’s how.

As a communications professional, who works with a variety of clients based in the U.S. and focused exclusively on marketing in the U.S., I’ve spent a lot of time trying to determine the impacts of the new regulations surrounding data protection and privacy (known as GDPR) for my clients. While compliance might not be required for my clients immediately, implementing the highest standards when it comes to data protection and consent will always benefit a company’s marketing efforts and its reputation.