Interview (pending)

Platform: All platforms Type: Exclusive Interview

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Where this format overrides General Guidelines: The headline formula is locked to [Celebrity Name] on [Topic]: '[Quote]' (EXCLUSIVE)—a specific pattern that includes a direct quote and an exclusivity label in the H1, which go beyond the open principles in §1.2. Placing (EXCLUSIVE) in the H1 extends the General Guidelines §1.2 SEO title practice to the headline itself. The focus keyphrase structure departs from General Guidelines’ [Person/Topic] [Does/Is] [Thing] format. This format introduces requirements with no brand-level equivalent: a word count range (500–1,500 words), a choice of Q&A or narrative article structure, and editorial guidance on what to surface from the conversation. Text in red throughout this page marks anything that overrides or goes beyond the General Guidelines.

Purpose

An Interview article delivers exclusive, first-person access to a celebrity or public figure that cannot be found anywhere else. Its value is in its uniqueness—the content, quotes, and revelations belong to the outlet and enhance its authority and reputation. The primary SEO goal is to rank for [Celebrity Name] interview and related topic keyphrases. These pieces may be written in Q&A format or as a narrative that weaves quotes into context.

Headline (H1)

(REQUIRED)

Required formula: [Celebrity Name] on [Topic]: '[Quote]' (EXCLUSIVE)

Optimize before publishing. Articles are indexed almost immediately after publishing. Get the H1 and SEO title right before hitting publish.

SEO Title

(REQUIRED)

Dek

(REQUIRED)

Meta Description

(REQUIRED)

Focus Keyphrase

(REQUIRED)

Type Format
Primary "[Celebrity Name] interview"
Secondary (if applicable) "[Celebrity Name] [Topic]"

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Tone

(REQUIRED)

Conversational and engaging, reflecting the tone of the interview itself. The reader should feel like they are in the room. Human, direct, and specific—never stiff or institutional. Let the subject’s voice come through clearly.

Word Count

(REQUIRED)

Target: 500–1,500 words. Word count is a target range, not a hard ceiling. A longer, more substantive conversation may warrant more depth—provided every word earns its place and the piece remains well-organized.

Article Structure

(REQUIRED)

The following structure is mandatory for this format. General Guidelines do not prescribe article structure. Choose either Q&A or narrative style—both are permitted.

Option A—Q&A Format:

[AI DISCLAIMER—CUE sites only]
"This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI."

[LEDE / INTRO]
- Set context: who the subject is, what the interview covers, why it matters now
- Tease the most newsworthy or surprising reveal
- No throat-clearing openers

[Q&A BODY]
Q: [Question as asked or paraphrased]
A: [Answer in subject's words—quote directly]

Q: [Question]
A: [Answer]

[...continue for all key exchanges]

[INTERNAL LINKS—embedded in intro and body copy]
- 3–5 contextual internal links
- Not to be confused with Related Links, which break up inline copy

Option B—Narrative Style:

[AI DISCLAIMER—CUE sites only]
"This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI."

[LEDE / INTRO]
- Open with the most interesting or newsworthy moment from the conversation
- Set context: who the subject is, what was discussed, why it matters now
- No throat-clearing openers

[NARRATIVE BODY—H2 sections covering different aspects of the conversation]
- Weave direct quotes into context and prose
- Use H2 subheadings to organize by topic or theme
- Highlight the most surprising, revealing, or newsworthy exchanges
- Do not paraphrase when a direct quote is stronger

[INTERNAL LINKS—embedded throughout body copy]
- 3–5 contextual internal links
- Not to be confused with Related Links, which break up inline copy

Formatting Rules

(REQUIRED)

(REQUIRED)

3–5 contextual internal links per article. See General Guidelines §1.4 for full anchor text rules.

Link to:

UsW: 3 minimum, 5 maximum. Do not confuse with Related Links—Related Links are used to break up inline copy and are counted separately.

Hero Image

(REQUIRED)

General Guidelines do not specify image requirements. The following specs are mandatory for this format.

Spec Requirement
Minimum width 1200px (1600px+ preferred)
Aspect ratio 16:9
Resolution 300K+ pixels
Subject The interview subject—must clearly feature the person being interviewed
Logos NOT permitted
Text overlays NOT permitted
Generic stock NOT permitted

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URL Structure

(REQUIRED)

General Guidelines do not prescribe URL patterns. The following is mandatory for this format.

Tags

(REQUIRED)

General Guidelines do not specify tags. The following are mandatory for this format.

What to Avoid

Prohibited Reason
Omitting (EXCLUSIVE) from the H1 Format requirement—signals original content to readers and search engines
Altering a quote in a way that changes its meaning Editorial integrity—quotes must accurately represent what the subject said
Burying the most newsworthy reveal deep in the article Format guidance—lead with the most interesting or surprising part of the conversation
Celebrity name not front-loaded in the headline Format requirement—the subject’s name must open the headline
NSFW in any metadata field Suppresses article in feeds—see General Guidelines §1.3
Clickbait or misleading headlines Helpful Content algorithm penalty risk—see General Guidelines §1.2
Generic stock images Format image spec—hero must feature the interview subject
Affiliate links (unlabeled) Google penalty risk—see General Guidelines §1.4
“Click here” or “read more” as anchor text Poor UX and SEO signal—see General Guidelines §1.4
Publishing without human review Universal compliance rule—see General Guidelines §1.8

Pre-Publish Checklist