How do I set up an account?
Go here to get your invite code and then follow the instructions in the Getting Started Guide. You will need to gather some information before you start, such as the logo for each brand you want to set up and the bank details for the account you want to send your ad revenue to.
How do I get paid?
Your share of the ad revenue will be automatically deposited into the account you linked during setup at the end of each sixty-day activity period. For example, any income you earn in June will be paid out at the end of July.
Reader support, the revenue individuals contribute to you directly, is processed via Stripe on a rolling basis and will disburse to your connected bank account within a few days, depending on your bank’s processing time. Click here to learn more about payments.
How do I connect my content?
If your site is built with WordPress you can use the Microsoft Start Partner Hub Plugin to automatically publish your content to Microsoft Start. If your site is built with Wix, SquareSpace, or hosted on any platform like Substack, Patreon, or Medium that supports RSS or ATOM feeds, you can set up automatic ingestion of those feeds by following the guide here.
What is “Evergreen” content?
Microsoft Start Partner Hub favors content that is timely and relevant. While in most cases that means new content is preferred, some brands have a few articles or other content that is “evergreen,” remaining relevant and accurate months or even years after it was initially published. This could be something like a how-to article about a process that hasn’t changed since it was written, or an explainer video giving background on something that still pops up in the news. Read about how to republish evergreen content here, and check out our Community if you need advice on how to tell if a particular piece of your content is evergreen.
Can I link my socials?
Yes! You can use the description in your profile to link to your LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or anything else that fits into Microsoft Start’s Publishing Guidelines. If you would like to embed content from social media into an article on your feed, read the guide to Inline Content.
Can readers follow me?
Yes! While Microsoft Start is designed to serve each reader content in a customized news feed that is relevant to their unique interests, meaning that it isn’t necessary to follow someone in order to see their content, readers may choose to follow creators and brands that they like via the profile page, which will push content from that source to the top of the follower's feed.
Can readers share my content on Microsoft Start?
While anyone can share an external link to content on Microsoft Start, users of the platform follow content creators and brands, not other users, so internal sharing isn’t a feature of the platform the way it is on some social media sites. Readers discover content based on its timeliness and relevance to their unique interests. Check out our Community to learn more about discoverability.
What kind of content can I share on Microsoft Start?
Microsoft Start supports non-fiction articles, pictures, slideshows, videos, and audio clips that fit the Technical Specifications and Publishing Guidelines. If you have questions about whether your content is supported, you can get advice on our Community or reach out to PartnerHubSupport@Microsoft.com.
What happens if my content isn’t approved?
Content that is flagged for technical issues will be identified on your Dashboard with information about what went wrong. You can learn more about feed specification here and auto-publishing here.
Content that is flagged for moderation issues are automatically surfaced to a moderator for personal review and will have their status updated on your Dashboard within 24 hours. If you see a flagged item that has remained under review for over 24 hours, please reach out to PartnerHubSupport@Microsoft.com.
For advice on how to better understand what causes content to be flagged, check out our Community.
Do I retain the copyright to my content?
Yes! Microsoft Start does not own any content you post. As a creator you have the responsibility of following copyright laws such as fair use and complying with the usage rights for any content you license, but any content you create is copyrighted to you. To learn more about copyright read the Publishing Guidelines, and see a list of suggested stock photo licensors here.
What kind of analytics does Microsoft Start track?
You have access to a complete analytics dashboard, which reports on data such as pageviews, unique users, shares, and more. Learn more about the analytics dashboard and its reporting functions here, or ask questions on the Community.
How do I get more help?
Microsoft Start has a full suite of articles about how to use every aspect of the platform in the Knowledge Base, and an active Community full of expert users ready to answer your questions. If you’re having a technical issue or don’t see the answer to your question anywhere, you can submit a support ticket via the Dashboard or email PartnerHubSupport@Microsoft.com.