The bounty is the single biggest lever on whether your article gets placed — and how fast. Price it well and eligible publishers compete for it. Price it poorly and it sits.
Start with the floor
Niched enforces minimums so publishers' time is respected: at least 5 points for an article carrying a link, and 2 points for a link-free piece. Those are floors, not targets.
Adjust for what you're asking
- Do-follow link? Publishers value these highly — pay above the floor.
- Competitive niche? Sites with strong traffic in hot niches command more.
- Speed? A higher bounty surfaces your listing at the top of the marketplace and fills slots faster.
Think in slots, not just per-placement
Your total escrow is bounty × slots. Want the same article on ten sites? That's ten times the bounty reserved up front — and refunded automatically for any slots that go unfilled if you cancel.
A simple rule of thumb
Price the bounty at what an hour of a good publisher's editorial judgment is worth to you — then add a little for the link.
You can always pause, re-price, and resume a listing if it isn't moving.