Need help with brand profile review

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Yi Yun Lin
Yi Yun Lin MSA Posts: 5 ✭
First Comment Photogenic
in Announcements #1

Hi all,

I need some help with the brand profile review.

I couldn't get my brand approved, despite it being the brand that was initially accepted into the program. I've carefully studied the guidelines and struggled to find any violation or misalignment.

I've tried getting help from the support; I was trying to get at least a direction on what can be further improved, but so far, I am only getting canned answers that weren't especially helpful.

What would be my next best course of action?

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Answers

  • CommunityAdmin@Microsoft
    CommunityAdmin@Microsoft Posts: 85 admin
    5 Up Votes First Answer First Comment Name Dropper
    #2
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    Hello @Yi Yun Lin

    We understand that you're facing issues with Brand onboarding, to remind you that all brands are vetted through the existing Brand Grading System. Your submissions are carefully evaluated to determine whether the brand is in alignment with the Microsoft Start Standards and Guidelines. Brands that fail to comply with our guidelines and standards are rejected and can’t be onboarded. Upon checking with the PHS team it is confirmed that the brand doesn't meet our publishing guidelines. You can resubmit brand applications after three months.

    Please refer to the Publishing Guidelines for Microsoft Start Partners - Partner Help Center to learn about our standards and expectations.  

    Hope this helps!

  • Peter De Smedt
    Peter De Smedt B2C Posts: 3 ✭
    First Comment First Anniversary Photogenic
    #3
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    How difficult is it to pinpoint exactly what the problem is? There was a time when MSN pushed partners to activate additional brands and provide more content. Over the past few years, I've had multiple subpartners submit content through my account, handling their payouts myself.

    During a webinar yesterday, it became clear that several partners are experiencing issues with onboarding brands, finding that Partner Hub support only sends standard emails and doesn't offer real assistance, and noticing a significant drop in their numbers since the fall of 2023. And what does MSN do? Anything but provide answers to the many questions.

    For months, I've been wondering why in many countries the verticals of news and entertainment were discontinued. I know that in my own Belgium, entertainment news was the most popular, as people who worked for the portal sites here until the end of 2021 confided in me at the time. Almost two years after their dismissal, those verticals suddenly vanish. And there you are, no meaningful response through Partner Hub support. And consequently, no revenue share. Several of our brands were discontinued without a single word of explanation. You would think that a partner would at least receive some explanation or warning so that action could be taken. But apparently not.

    Honestly? I fear that all partners will disappear within a few years and that Microsoft will fill their portal site with AI-generated content. Then all advertising revenue will remain within their own company. I can't blame them, but there are likely partners here who, like me, have been providing content for 16 years (or longer) and weren't even paid for it back then. As a partner, I initially had to settle for three links to my website under each post. That was already a fantastic advantage (it brought in a lot of visitors), then I received a fixed amount per month, and then the revenue share came. I was thrilled with that. And I'm still quite happy with it, I want to emphasize that. Hopefully, clear answers to every partner's questions will come soon, as they all deserve them.

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