What Is an Op-Ed?
An op-ed is an opinion piece written by someone who is not on the publication's staff or editorial board and printed or published on the opinion pages. Merriam-Webster gives two senses: “a page of special features usually opposite the editorial page of a newspaper” and “a feature on such a page” (Merriam-Webster). The second sense is the one communications teams mean. The author argues a position, signs it, and the publication prints it as the author's view, not its own.
Three features separate an op-ed from other content. The argument is the point: an op-ed exists to persuade, so it states a position and defends it. The author is an outsider, usually chosen for expertise or lived experience on the subject. And the publication, not the author, decides whether it runs. That last feature is why a published op-ed counts as earned media in most planning frameworks (see earned media vs paid media), and why an op-ed that was bought is something else.
Where the Term Comes From
The word is a shortening. Merriam-Webster gives the etymology as “short for opposite editorial” and dates the first known use to 1931. Wikipedia's article, a secondary source, expands it as “opposite the editorial page”. It credits The New York Times with popularising the modern format and says the Times formally developed its op-ed page in 1970 under editor John B. Oakes (Wikipedia).
The same article names earlier precursors, including a page created in 1921 at The New York Evening World, and says several papers used the “op-ed” label for a commentary page before the Times did. Wikipedia itself says the true origins are “highly debated”, so treat the 1970 date as the date of one influential design, not the invention of the genre.
| Source | What it says | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Merriam-Webster | Noun; a page opposite the editorial page, and a feature on that page; first known use 1931 | Dictionary |
| Wikipedia, “Op-ed” | Opinion prose by outside contributors; typically 500 to 700 words; distinct from articles by the editorial board | Secondary reference |
| No standards body | No professional body or search engine sets a formal definition or length | Our reading of the sources above |
The 500 to 700 word range is Wikipedia's description of typical practice, not a rule. Each publication publishes its own length, topic and exclusivity requirements on its opinion submission page, and they differ.
Stated length range in words; bar shows the upper end. Read October 10, 2026
Source: Guardian US opinion pitch guidelines; Baltimore Sun, Submit an op-ed; Wikipedia, Op-ed.
Two outlets are examples, not a sample. Other outlets we checked (The Conversation, Harvard Business Review) publish no word range on their pitch pages.
Op-Ed at a Glance
An op-ed has no formal owner, so its facts come from dictionaries, publishers and ethics codes. This table separates what the sources say from what is only common practice.
| Question | Answer | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Who defines it? | No one body. Dictionaries record usage. | Merriam-Webster |
| Who writes it? | A contributor outside the publication's staff or editorial board | Wikipedia |
| Whose view does it express? | The author's, not the publication's | Wikipedia |
| Typical length | 500 to 700 words, as a description of practice | Wikipedia (secondary) |
| Is it earned media? | Yes when the outlet chooses to run it and nothing is paid; no if the placement was bought | Our classification; see the PESO model |
| Does it need disclosure? | Conflicts of interest should be disclosed; paid content must be identifiable as advertising | SPJ Code; FTC guide |
The table shows why the label matters in practice. Two of the six rows, earned status and disclosure, depend on money and on who chose the piece, which no dictionary records. Before you describe a placement as an op-ed in a report, a pitch or a profile, confirm three things in writing with the outlet: that an editor selected it, that no payment or sponsorship is involved, and how the author line and any disclosure will read. If any answer is unclear, call it a contributed article until it is clarified.
What an Op-Ed Is Not
An op-ed is not an editorial, a news article, a press release or a paid post. The distinctions matter because each carries different obligations and different credibility with readers and with search systems.
- Not an editorial. Wikipedia describes op-eds as “distinct from articles written by the publication's editorial board”. An editorial is the publication's own position; an op-ed is an outside author's.
- Not a news article. A reporter gathers facts from several sources and the publication stands behind the reporting. An op-ed's author is the source, so the piece needs the factual checks any signed argument needs.
- Not a press release. A release announces news and is written to be reused. See how to write a press release. An op-ed that merely announces a product is usually rejected.
- Not a sponsored or contributed post. Where an outlet sells space to contributors, the piece is a different product. The FTC says that advertising content, however consumers arrive at it, “must not mislead them about its commercial nature” (FTC Native Advertising guide). Our guides to contributor networks and Forbes Councils versus earned coverage cover the paid versions.
Op-Ed vs Related Formats
Newsrooms use these labels loosely, so check the label on the publication you are approaching. The table states the usual distinction and flags what is our reading.
| Format | Author | Whose view | Who decides it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Op-ed | Outside contributor, often an expert | The author's | The opinion editor |
| Editorial | Editorial board or staff, unsigned | The publication's | The editorial board |
| Column | Regular writer or contributor with a standing slot | The columnist's | The publication, by commissioning the slot |
| Guest post or contributed article | Outside contributor, sometimes paid or sponsored | The author's, with a commercial interest in some cases | Varies; confirm in writing whether money is involved |
| Sponsored content | Advertiser or its agency | The advertiser's | The advertiser pays; labelled as advertising |
The “guest post” row is where op-eds and link building collide. Google's spam policies list as link spam “links with optimized anchor text in articles, guest posts, or press releases distributed on other sites”, alongside paid articles that include links passing ranking credit (Google spam policies). A single opinion piece that an editor chose to run is a different thing, which is the reason to know which one you are being offered.
What Google Documents About Opinion Pieces and Links
Google has no separate rule for op-eds. What it does document is how it treats paid links. Its spam policies say buying or selling links for ranking purposes is link spam, including “Exchanging money for links, or posts that contain links”, and add that links bought for advertising and sponsorship are fine “as long as they are qualified with a rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored" attribute value” (Google spam policies, last updated August 28, 2026 per the page).
For an op-ed, that gives a practical test. If an editor commissioned or accepted the piece on its merits, any link in your byline is editorial, and the outlet chooses its attributes. If you paid, the link should be qualified. Our explainer on nofollow links covers the attributes, and paid placements and SEO covers what vendors tend to leave out. Neither Google nor any source we read says an op-ed will rank, be indexed quickly or be cited by an AI system.
Authorship is a second area where Google's documentation now matters. We covered the October 2026 change to its helpful-content guidance, which calls fabricated creator profiles deception, in will editors now verify who wrote your op-ed. The short version for contributors: use your real name, real credentials and a verifiable author page.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
An op-ed author who has a financial or commercial stake in the argument should say so. The SPJ Code of Ethics tells journalists to “Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived” and to “Disclose, explain and seek to lessen the effect of unavoidable conflicts” (SPJ Code of Ethics). The code binds journalists; outlets set their own rules for contributors. Guardian US, for example, tells people pitching opinion pieces: “You must disclose any conflict of interest, financial or otherwise” (Guardian US pitch guidelines).
For executives, the practical consequence is simple: if the piece argues for a policy or market view that benefits your company, a bio that names your company is the minimum, and a sentence stating the interest is better. If a PR firm or ghostwriter drafted the piece, tell the editor and do not claim sole authorship. That is the expectation behind the editor checks described in our op-ed verification report.
How to Use the Term in Planning
Treat “op-ed” as a request for an editor's decision, not a deliverable you can purchase. Three planning rules follow from the sources.
- Classify it correctly. An accepted op-ed is earned media. A paid placement made to look like one is paid media and must be identifiable as advertising. Use what is earned media and the PESO model to label it in reports.
- Pitch the argument, not the product. In our view, editors choose pieces by whether the position is clear and the author credible. Our how-to guide on writing and placing an op-ed gives the steps, and how editors decide what to cover shows the selection logic.
- Measure what it did. Count placements, referral traffic and later mentions, not guaranteed outcomes. See how to measure whether placement worked.
Common Misconceptions
| Misconception | What the sources show | Source |
|---|---|---|
| An op-ed is an editorial | Editorials express the publication's view; op-eds are by outside contributors and are distinct from board-written articles | Wikipedia |
| The New York Times invented the op-ed | The Times is credited with popularising the modern format in 1970, but earlier pages and the term itself predate it; Merriam-Webster dates the term to 1931 | Wikipedia; Merriam-Webster |
| Op-eds must be 700 words | 500 to 700 words is a description of typical practice, not a rule; each outlet sets its own | Wikipedia |
| You can buy an op-ed | If money changes hands it is sponsored content and must not mislead readers about being advertising; links bought for ranking are link spam unless qualified | FTC; Google |
| An op-ed improves rankings | No source we read says so. Google documents only how it treats paid links and deceptive authorship | Google spam policies; Google helpful-content guidance (see our op-ed verification report) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does op-ed stand for?
Op-ed is short for "opposite editorial", according to Merriam-Webster, which dates the first known use to 1931. Wikipedia describes it as short for "opposite the editorial page", the page of a newspaper where such pieces were printed.
What is the difference between an op-ed and an editorial?
An editorial expresses the publication's own position and is written by its editorial board or staff. An op-ed is signed by an outside contributor and expresses that person's view. Wikipedia describes op-eds as distinct from articles written by the editorial board.
How long is an op-ed?
Wikipedia describes typical op-eds as 500 to 700 words. That is a description of common practice, not a standard. Each publication sets its own length range on its opinion submission page, so check the target outlet before drafting.
Is an op-ed earned media?
Usually yes. When an editor chooses to run a piece and no money changes hands, it fits the common definition of earned media. A placement that was bought is paid media, and the FTC says content that misleads readers about its commercial nature can be deceptive.
Can you pay to publish an op-ed?
Some outlets sell contributor or sponsored space, but that is a different product from an editor-selected op-ed. Paid content should be identifiable as advertising under FTC guidance, and links bought for ranking should be qualified with nofollow or sponsored under Google's spam policies.
Does an op-ed help SEO?
No source we read says it does. Google documents that paid links must be qualified and that fabricated author profiles count as deception, but it does not say op-eds rank or get cited. Treat any SEO or AI benefit as unproven and measure referral traffic and mentions yourself.
Do I have to disclose a conflict of interest in an op-ed?
Editors generally expect it. The SPJ Code of Ethics tells journalists to disclose unavoidable conflicts, and some outlets state it as a rule: Guardian US says contributors must disclose any conflict of interest, financial or otherwise. A bio line naming your company, or a sentence stating the interest, is the minimum.
Can a ghostwriter or PR firm write my op-ed?
Executives may work with a writer, but the byline claims authorship. Tell the editor if a firm drafted it, make sure the named author can discuss and defend every claim, and never use a made-up author. Some outlets have added identity checks for opinion contributors.
Sources and Methodology
This definition draws on Merriam-Webster, Wikipedia, the SPJ Code of Ethics, Google's spam policies and the FTC's native advertising guide, all read on October 9, 2026. Wikipedia is a secondary source and is used only for origin and typical practice; where it differs from a primary source, the primary source governs. Apart from the Guardian US disclosure rule and the two outlet length ranges in the chart, read on October 10, 2026, we cite no outlet's submission page here and make no claim about any outlet's word limits, exclusivity rules or fees; our how-to guide on writing and placing an op-ed covers the outlet pages we read. Classification of op-eds as earned or paid media is our reading of the PESO model and the FTC guidance, not a standard. We did not test any placement route.
Sources
- reference Merriam-Webster, Op-ed. Definition, etymology, first known use 1931. Read October 9, 2026.
- reference Wikipedia, Op-ed. Secondary source used for origin, typical length and the distinction from editorials. Read October 9, 2026.
- official Society of Professional Journalists, SPJ Code of Ethics. Conflicts of interest wording. Read October 9, 2026.
- publisher The Guardian, Guardian US opinion pitch guidelines, published June 24, 2014, last modified January 17, 2018. Disclosure rule; re-read October 10, 2026 for the 600 to 800 word range. Read October 9, 2026.
- official Google Search Central, Spam policies for Google web search. Link spam and sponsored links; page last updated August 28, 2026. Read October 9, 2026.
- official Federal Trade Commission, Native Advertising: A Guide for Businesses. Deception about commercial nature of content. Read October 9, 2026.
- publisher The Baltimore Sun, Submit an op-ed. Op-ed length range of 650 to 750 words. Read October 10, 2026.