Editorial Guidelines

The Purpose of HighYa’s Editorial Guidelines

Since the beginning of our company back in 2013, our goal has been to equip you to make the best possible decision you can about a product or service.

Whether it’s something you’ve seen on TV, noticed on social media, found while browsing the web or came across in a store, we view ourselves as the site that comes alongside you and helps you see the benefits and drawbacks before you buy.

Our mission is to help you find companies you can trust and determine if their products and services are right for you.

While the concept behind HighYa is simple, the practical aspects of our mission can be complex. We devote countless hours to research, reaching out to experts and studying products and services.

Then, we take all of that information and present it in a way that helps you asses the trust level of the company whose product or service you want to buy. And, as the needs of our readers change, we evolve our editorial policy to meet those needs.

To navigate that process, we have a clear set of editorial guidelines that dictate how and why we write. The following is a summary of some of the more important points of our guidelines:

1. Fairness

We approach each product or service we review with a mindset of fairness that leads us to see both the good and the bad. Our goal isn’t to tear down or glorify a product based on our preconceived notions of what it is or what it does.

Instead, we approach the product or service with an open mind, hoping to see the benefits and drawbacks of what it has to offer the consumer.

2. Editorial Autonomy

Our reviews and articles are independent of the companies about which we write. We do not see our content as serving the goals and needs of the companies we cover. Rather, we see our content as serving the goals and needs of our readers.

When a company reaches out to us and requests a review of their product or service, we give them an overview of our editorial process. From the beginning, they understand we provide unbiased reviews that may or may not present their company in a favorable light.

As such, we do not accept payment for reviews or payment to change editorial or user reviews.

3. Non-Affiliate Revenue Stream

HighYa’s livelihood is not based on the number of people we get to sign up for a particular product or service via special links that earn us a commission from the company or service. Of the thousands of reviews we’ve done, less than 10 include affiliate links.

Therefore, you can be assured that we do not steer you to products that earn us money. Rather, we provide fact-based observations and conclusions that help you make a better buying decision.

4. Solid Information

Our reviews are only as good as the information we source to create our reviews. Therefore, our writers and editors take great care when we research a product or service, reach out to experts for additional insight or, when possible, try the product or service ourselves to understand how trustworthy it is and if it’s a good buying decision.

We avoid sites whose information and reputation is dubious and value sites that are well-respected for their emphasis on accuracy and providing valuable resources for the reader. For example, we avoid featuring commentary from websites who create content solely to denigrate a competitor.

On the positive side, we rely on input from experts in the field or from websites widely trusted for their accuracy and expertise.

When it comes to matters of money and health, we err on the side of the consensus medical and financial opinions of experts. Fringe and conspiracy theories in these two areas of life, in our opinion, are dangers to your financial and physical well-being.

5. The Craft of Writing

Our team of writers and editors love to write and, because of this, we place a high priority not only on presenting information crucial to your buying decision but we also value creative approaches to providing value that enhances your experience on our site.

We’re devoted to developing our writing team in a way that strengthens their belief in their work, promotes their strengths and helps them approach writing in a way that benefits our readers, our writers, and our company.

6. Quality Control

Each review we write goes through a tried-and-true editorial process. When possible, we correspond with the company we’re writing about to ensure the accuracy of the facts presented in the review.

Then, at least two members of the HighYa editorial staff review the article before we publish it.

Also, we are in a perpetual state of reviewing and revising out-of-date material, as well as implementing new methods of writing that meet our readers’ needs.

In the event that a company reaches out to us because the review we wrote about them includes outdated information, our policy is such that we respond to the request immediately and work with the company to provide our readers with updated, accurate information.

Last updated: Mar 28, 2019