Advertise With Us
Our readers are Chicagoans. From the corporate office professional in the Loop to the head of the household in the suburbs, the visionary of a new startup to the next generation leader of a great American manufacturer, the small business owner of a corner store to their customers who love a place where they're known by name.
Our readers are educated, engaged, and care about what's happening in their communities. These are the stories of their lives.
In the digital era, advertising has become overcomplicated and unnecessarily complex. The Chicago Journal keeps partnership work simple: selective, clearly labeled, and held to the same standards as our editorial pages.
What we do, carefully, is work with a small number of partners on pieces that fit the voice and character of the Journal. If it doesn't belong here, we won't run it.
Partnership Options
These are the paid ways to work with us. Every option starts as a collaboration. Every piece is reviewed, shaped, and, when necessary, rewritten to meet our editorial standards. All partner content is clearly labeled.
Newsletter Sponsor: $150 per send
One clearly marked sponsor slot in the Chicago Journal email: name or logo, one short line, one link.
Site Spotlight (Partner Feature / Local Spotlight): $300–$500
A short, labeled feature on chicagojournal.com, developed with us and written or edited to match our voice. Profiles of Chicago-area businesses, initiatives, or people doing meaningful work in the region sit here. Optional newsletter inclusion: +$100.
Social Amplify (add-on): $75
One post on X (@chicagojournal) and one on Facebook (facebook.com/chicagojournal) pointing to the Spotlight or sponsor.
Local Partner Package (recommended): $450 / month
Each month: 1 Site Spotlight, 2 Newsletter Sponsors, and Social Amplify on the Spotlight. A three-month commitment helps both sides learn what works.
Quarterly Local Partner: $1,200
The Local Partner Package for three months, paid up front (saves $150).
Larger collaborations or ongoing work beyond this menu can be scoped after we talk.
Standards
To be clear, we do not accept:
- Pre-written SEO or link-building articles
- Requests whose primary purpose is backlink placement
- Content unrelated to Chicago or the broader region
- Low-quality promotional or keyword-driven submissions
We are selective. We do not publish pre-written promotional content as editorial. We are not in the business of trading links.
Working together
If you're interested, start with a conversation.
Tell us:
- Who you are
- What you're building
- Why it matters in Chicago
If there's a fit, we'll take it from there.
Contact
Please email: advertise@chicagojournal.com
Additional Information
Notification of Changes. The Chicago Journal and Challenge Media announce all changes in rates at least 30 days before such changes and attempts to notify all active advertisers and agencies.
Rejection and Editing of Advertisements. The Chicago Journal and Challenge Media may, at its sole discretion, edit, classify, reject, or cancel at any time any advertising submitted by an advertiser.
Positioning of Advertisements. The Chicago Journal and Challenge Media shall have full positioning latitude on all advertisements except those with specified or guaranteed positions.
Payment. All rates provided by the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media are based on payment by check or electronic funds transfer as discussed with advertiser. Payment is due upon receipt of invoice. In the event that the advertiser fails to make timely payment, the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media may immediately cancel all orders for advertising and advertiser shall indemnify the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media for all expenses incurred in connection with the collection of amounts payable, including court cost and attorneys' fees.
Ownership of Advertising Copy. All advertising copy that represents the creative effort of the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media and/or the utilization of creativity, illustrations, labor, composition or material furnished by it is and remains the property of the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media, including all rights of copyright therein. Advertisers cannot authorize photographic or other reproductions, in whole or in part, of any such advertising copy for use in any other medium without the express written consent of the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media.
Advertiser and Agency Liability. The Chicago Journal and Challenge Media reserves the right to hold advertiser and its advertising agency jointly and severally liable for such monies as are due and payable to the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media. Advertiser and its advertising agency shall indemnify the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media from all damages, costs and expenses, of any nature whatsoever, including attorneys' fees, for which the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media may become liable by reason of its publication of advertiser's advertising or provision of production services to advertiser.
Taxes on Advertising. In the event that any international, federal, state, or local taxes are imposed on the printing of advertising materials or on the sale of advertising space, such taxes shall be assumed and paid by the advertiser.
Cancellations. The closing time for cancellations of advertising is two business days prior to scheduled date of publication. Cancellations will not be accepted after closing. Advertiser shall be responsible for any production or creative services rendered by the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media, regardless of cancellation of ad.
Miscellaneous. Forwarding of an order is construed as an acceptance of all rates and conditions under which advertising space is sold at the time by the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media and such order, when accepted by the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media, shall constitute a contract. Failure to make any order correspond in price, or otherwise, with specified and documented rate stated is regarded as a clerical error and publication is made and charged for upon the rates and terms of invoice, without further notification. Special clauses in insertion orders or contracts will not be accepted if relating to legal liability, circulation guarantees or positioning requests other than franchise advertisers or position guaranteed positions. All contracts are conditional on strikes, fires, acts of God or the public enemy, war, or any cause not subject to the control of the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media, excluding advertiser's failure and/or inability to perform. It is the policy of the Chicago Journal and Challenge Media that credits resulting from rate adjustments can be applied to outstanding balances or future advertising (no cash refunds). If the client refuses credits by not applying credits to outstanding balances or future advertising within one year from date issued, then this shall constitute the client's refusal of the credit.
Rates are subject to change at our discretion depending on the size and scope of the work.