Autostraddle has been serving LGBTQ+ women, trans, and non-binary people since 2009. We're a goldmine of researched queer journalism: 16 years of meticulously documented history, culture and lived experiences. From groundbreaking trans representation research to deep dives into lesbian history, from queer TV criticism to coming out guides, we've built the definitive archive of knowledge. Our award-winning journalism has shaped discourse, our community has launched careers, and our voice has defined what authentic queer media looks like. We're not just documenting queer culture. We're creating it, preserving it, and now we're ready to translate it to TikTok.
- Read our queer journalism on Autostraddle
- Feel our personality on Autostraddle TikTok and For Them TikTok
- See our visual identity in action on Autostraddle Instagram and For Them Instagram
- Browse our beautiful magazine on our website
We are looking to work with contributors of this issue of the Autostraddle Insider to support us spreading the word. Who better to tell people about the amazing content than the folks who contributed to it!
The brief
About the campaign
The second issue of the Autostraddle Print Magazine has arrived! The launch of our debut issue was a marketing gold mine: long-time readers were so excited to get Autostraddle in print and in hand, and younger generations and the unindoctrinated were psyched to discover an alternate way to connect with community outside of their smart phones.
A magazine isn’t best sold by promising there’s fun stuff inside. We have to show them! We found that what excited folks most was hearing from the contributors and readers themselves, seeing the magazine in someone’s hands, flipping through the pages, and talking about the importance of queer media.
What we are looking for
Short-form, front-facing user-generated content of this issue’s contributors talking about their published pieces while holding the magazine in-hand.
- Email motti@forthem.com with em@forthem.com on cc, subject line UGC - Magazine Issue 02 - your name
- Outline your concept: your hook, some talking points, any supplemental visuals you have, and your CTA
- Link us your social accounts
- Let us know if you are pitching to just deliver the video asset or to collab post with your account(s)
Video base pay + performance bonus
- Base pay + $50 if over 10K organic views
- Base pay + $100 if over 50K organic views
- Base pay + $150 if over 200K organic views
- Base pay + $200 if over 500K organic views
- Base pay + $250 if over 750K organic views
- Base pay + $300 if over 1M organic views
View count does not combine across platforms, and does not include reach achieved from paid ad spend.
You can also earn commission on sales by signing up via Shopify Collabs and adding your own custom link to your bio (rather than directing folks to ours). More in the CTA section below.
Example hooks
Feel free to pitch for any of these!
How to structure a successful magazine video ad
The video MUST have a problem statement or a catchy hook in the first 3 seconds to engage the viewer and get them to STOP scrolling and listen.
- Hook. The first 3 seconds introduce a problem or say something catchy that makes people curious. This can be explicitly about the Magazine, or could be something random and gay(!)
- Solution. Introduce the Magazine and make the connection to the hook: how it solves the problem, why it's relevant/amazing, what your role was in it. Other features and shout outs.
- Your POV / feelings. How it makes you feel, thoughts on the brand and our mission and values, why supporting queer media is important, why print media is amazing.
- CTA. Summarize (or tie back to the hook) and drive people to check out the Magazine, either via our link in bio or yours. You can set up your own link through Shopify Collabs to earn commission.
- End with a loop. If possible, film and edit so the video can repeat seamlessly.
Example: My doctor told me I’m literally going cross-eyed from staring at my phone all day > I’ve basically been prescribed with “read a book,” but books aren’t really my thing, I need something juicier > so I started reading Autostraddle’s Print Magazine, which I know has what I’m looking for > because advice that I gave someone about making the first move while sober is published in it > but more than that, there’s essays about being a masc top, an interview with a trans athlete banned from her sport, a sex diary about the rose-shaped toy, and other juicy stuff I usually get from my feed > at first this “prescription” felt like a chore but now I feel like reading print media might have to become my new thing > plus it feels great to support independent queer media instead of transphobic mainstream media > so save your eyesight while still getting your fix by reading the Autostraddle Print Magazine, take it from me > and then it loops back to “my doctor told me”
Format checklist
- Catchy hook in the first 3 seconds
- Less than 60 seconds
- Filmed on phone, vertically
- DON'T mention forthem.com (TikTok suppresses videos that take people off-platform)
- NO closed captions on the final export, we will take care of this
- NO music added
- NO community guidelines violations (nudity, cursing, etc.)
- Respects the "safe area"
All overlay, subtitles and important content happens in the "safe zone" of the frame.
- Bonus: do you have any video or photo relevant to your piece that can be used in the video to supplement what you’re saying?
Angles and copy you can borrow
| Angle | Copy |
|---|---|
| Queer media | Now more than ever, we have to support queer, independent media. When the algorithm suppresses, removes, or censors our stories, we print them in ink. It's a scary time for ALL media, but especially queer media. When you buy the Autostraddle Print Magazine, your dollars go right back to queer writers, designers, illustrators, and artists. This helps make sure we can continue to grow and tell our own stories. |
| Get off your phone | End the doom scroll and pick up something that will bring you joy instead. The Autostraddle Print Magazine is free of blue light (whatever that is), mis and disinformation, rage bait, "the wrong side" of the algorithm, and triggering content. Humans were not meant to stare at little blocks of harmful light all day. Give your eyes and brain a refresh by opting for the Autostraddle Print Magazine. |
| Autostraddle nostalgia | Did you ever have to google "Am I Gay?" and then take a quiz to find out you are most definitely gay? If so, then you know Autostraddle. If you've ever seen an incredibly detailed timeline of a random early 2000s lesbian celebrity couple or list of every single movie to ever feature a girl-on-girl kiss, you have Autostraddle to thank. Whatever happened to that one L Word recap blog from the early 2000s? We're so glad you asked. We're a digital publication for queer women and trans folks of all genders now and we just released our second issue of our Queer Print Magazine. |
| More than just a magazine | The Autostraddle Print Magazine isn't just something you read once and never pick up again. It's home decor, a living archive, a piece of a collection, a conversation starter. The Autostraddle Print Magazine is something you can physically hand down to a younger generation to show them what queer people were discussing, thinking about, and celebrating at that time. What a great way to share your perspective and connect across generations. With less and less people reading and instead relying on AI overviews, the Autostraddle Print Magazine is a testament to the need for long-form written content created by real queer humans. |
Examples of contributor videos
Magazine promo videos that performed well
- TikTok
- TikTok, @weareforthem
- TikTok, @weareforthem
- TikTok, @ukecurious
- Instagram reel
- Instagram reel
- TikTok, @weareforthem
Product promo videos that performed well
For inspiration on hooks and structure.