The Way We Work: Big Leap’s Editorial Process
Nearly three decades have passed since Bill Gates famously declared, “Content is king,” effectively predicting the future of the internet as a marketplace ruled by content. But have you ever heard the phrase, “Content may be king, but only integrity can sustain its empire”?
That maxim may not ring a bell because, first, we coined it, and second, it’s not exactly a doctrine that governs every corner of the internet. However, this underlying philosophy is precisely what drives us here at Big Leap.
Big Leap was founded on a commitment to trustworthiness and quality—ethical standards are central to everything we do. We’re dedicated to accurate, reliable, and empowering information. Our editorial process typifies these values.
We work hard to be curators of ethical content. Here’s a look into how we do it.
Our Content Integrity Promise
Through the words, visuals, and data on any page, content forges relationships between company and community. By prioritizing this relationship, we create content experiences we’re proud to stand behind.
Ensuring Quality and Trustworthiness
Our unwavering promise is to deliver accurate, well-researched, and valuable content to our clients and their audiences. Trust-building content is not only the best way to earn results, but it’s also the only true people-first approach.
Adherence to Ethical Standards
We adhere to strict internal guidelines that govern every stage of our content development lifecycle, from ideation to publication. Each piece of content we produce changes hands no fewer than five times to ensure it meets all ethical criteria.
Being a Trusted Partner in Digital Marketing
The Big Leap framework was built by authentic, reliable digital marketing solutions. We understand the importance of trust in a digital marketing partnership, so we work hard to earn it every day.
Our AI Policy and Principles
We’re known for high-quality, human-generated content. After much discussion and testing with AI, we believe human ingenuity is our strong suit. This allows us to leverage AI to enhance our strengths.
We employ AI tools strategically to boost our capabilities but never as a substitute for the human touch. These tools can powerfully crunch data and organize keywords or content outlines. But they remain precisely that: tools, not autonomous replacements. Human oversight is indispensable.
The world of AI is evolving rapidly, but our commitment to transparency and accountability with these tools remains the same.
Originality and Authenticity in Our Content
Big Leap actively encourages creative thinking and ideation to generate concepts that genuinely provide value. We work diligently to craft one-of-a-kind content that performs well and engages audiences effectively.
Plagiarism and Adherence to Copyright Laws
We respect intellectual property inside and outside our organization, which means you’ll never see another person’s ideas or protected property copied, repurposed, or used without reference. Rigorous checks identify and prevent plagiarism in any form—even accidental instances—before we deliver any piece.
Citations and Attribution
Our team is well-versed in best practices with citation and attribution. To ensure we comply with the highest standards, Big Leap employs several individuals whose responsibilities include reviewing, advocating for, and fact-checking all sources in our content.
Independence and Impartiality
Transparency is crucial for trust, and that includes disclosing any potential conflicts of interest that arise in our partnerships. We will openly communicate any circumstances that could influence the objectivity of any action or decision.
This disclosure extends to any relationship we’re involved in—clients, suppliers, competitors, stakeholders, employees, or any other party that may have a vested interest in our operations or outcomes.
Diversity and Inclusion
We’ve seen firsthand what collaboration between people of varied backgrounds and cultures can accomplish. In an environment of mutual respect, sharing unique perspectives enhances our ability to effectively represent and connect with diverse communities.
As such, we aim to promote diversity and inclusion across every aspect of our operations, including content creation.
Considering All Voices
Our goal is to speak through content to the diverse perspectives and backgrounds that exist within our society. We actively ensure our narratives and messaging are culturally minded, inclusive, and resonate with diverse audiences.
Diversity in Staffing
Big Leap focuses on recruiting talent from different cultures and communities. We actively seek to amplify historically underrepresented voices. We also provide ongoing training and education to equip our staff with the tools they need to navigate cultural nuances and create informative content while celebrating cultural differences.
Our Editorial and Writing Teams
A dedicated team of writers, editors, and quality assurance specialists is at the core of our content creation process. Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.
Our Editors
Big Leap’s editorial team is knowledgeable in a wide range of topics and industries. It comprises people with backgrounds in everything from journalism to creative writing. These experts comb through each piece of content to ensure it’s engaging, relevant, and accurate.
Creative Collaboration
Everything at Big Leap is the result of collaboration. We think ideas should be shared and elevated, which is why we encourage candid and caring feedback. Only through coordinated efforts that recognize individual creative strengths can we explore topics from multiple angles.
Expert Advisors and Reviewers
Sometimes trustworthy content requires expertise that goes beyond our internal teams. To keep our content credible, we rely on expert advisors and reviewers to lend their critical eye. We close information gaps through constructive review and present only the most accurate, authoritative content.
Our Expert Advisory Board
Big Leap’s leaders and advisors bring strategic guidance and thought leadership to everything we do. They remain an active, engaged part of our content process as valuable resources who unlock the value of what we deliver.
References, Sources, and Citations
Credible content can only exist on a foundation of authoritative, reputable sources. This drives the way we approach sources and citations:
- Every source is carefully selected from respected entities, like peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, or industry experts.
- We use primary sources wherever possible, such as original research or firsthand accounts.
- Only timely and pertinent references make it through our process, so our citations refer to statistics and information that are predominately dated within two years of publication.
- Every member of our creative team is involved in our thorough research processes to minimize the risk of inaccuracies or misinterpretations.
- We prioritize clear, comprehensive citations to allow readers to easily verify or delve deeper if desired.
Credibility isn’t a bonus—it’s our baseline. That’s why every piece of content we deliver is grounded in well-researched data.
Our Fact Check Process
A commitment to accuracy is the reason for our multitier fact-checking protocol. Our process is meticulous:
- Writers and SEO professionals collaborate and cross-examine sources for each piece of content to ensure information is industry-relevant and factual.
- Editorial staff vet every claim, statistic, and assertion against credible references. Irrelevant or outdated information doesn’t make the cut.
- Quality assurance verifies every resource to further validate each fragment of the content. Both accuracy and ethical principles guide our final review.
If we need more intervention, we rally our team. It’s important to us that our clients and their audiences can trust our content to stand up to tough scrutiny.
Accuracy and Corrections Policy
At Big Leap, we stand by the accuracy of our content, but even the most diligent processes are prone to human error. When we make a mistake, we counter with radical transparency.
In the event an inaccuracy makes it through our thorough checks and balances, we step in with quick, extensive measures. We authentically address errors and commit to a clearly delineated revision process.
Upholding our core values is non-negotiable for us. It’s important that our operations are anchored to truth and trust, so we do everything we can to ensure the integrity of our content. When we don’t get it right, we make it right.
Learn more about the values that Big Leap has always abided by, beginning over 15 years ago and continuing today.
