MC-Guide
Content Writing
Website 118: Signoz.io
How Can You Earn Money Writing For “signoz.io” Website
This guide shows you, step by step, how a beginner can learn to pitch and sell stories to signoz.io.
You will learn what signoz.io wants, how to test your idea, how to write a pitch, and how payment roughly works. You can use this like a small SOP.
Guide: How to Write About SigNoz — From first demo to paid articles
This guide shows you, step-by-step and in plain language, how to research, build demos, craft publishable articles about SigNoz, and use the official SigNoz Technical Writer Program to publish and earn. It’s written for beginner technical writers and developer-authors.
You’ll get: the right resources, a practical writing workflow, sample outlines and pitch templates, ethics and AI rules, a monetization plan, and a long list of links so you can follow every step. Start small — finish strong.
Section 1 · What SigNoz is
What is SigNoz — short, clear, and linkable
SigNoz is an open-source observability platform (APM, traces, metrics, logs, alerts) built to be an alternative to hosted tools like Datadog and New Relic. It is OpenTelemetry-native and designed for engineers who want full control over telemetry and costs. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Why this matters for writers: SigNoz is a practical product with a real developer audience — engineers need tutorials on instrumentation, dashboards, scaling, and integrations. That gives you many concrete article topics: quickstarts, instrumentation examples (Node / Python / Java), logs → traces correlation, alerting workflows, how to self-host vs. cloud, and real-world debugging case studies.
Quick facts you should know and can quote in your articles:
- SigNoz supports metrics, traces, and logs in one place (OpenTelemetry-based). :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Official docs and “Get Started” guides are available on the SigNoz docs site. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- SigNoz is an active open-source project with a public GitHub repo and related repositories. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- SigNoz home. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
- SigNoz docs / getting started. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
- SigNoz GitHub repo. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
- SigNoz Technical Writer Program. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
- Instrumentation docs (APM & tracing). :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
- Community / Slack invite. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
- Community chat & forum. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
- SigNoz on Dev.to (announcements & posts). :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
Section 2 · SigNoz writing programs
How to become a SigNoz contributor or technical writer
SigNoz runs a Technical Writer Program and maintains writing guidelines to help community authors produce documentation and blog posts. The program is a friendly way to start publishing SigNoz-focused content and (depending on the program’s current terms) sometimes includes editorial support, visibility, and occasional compensation or community recognition. Read their program page and writing guidelines before you start. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
What to expect from the Technical Writer Program:
- Guidelines for writing SigNoz docs and tutorials.
- Submission process and contact points (program page links to application or contribution instructions). :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
- Community review and editorial feedback.
Action: bookmark the program page and the specific “technical writing guidelines” so you can cite or follow them when you draft. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
You can also get visibility by contributing to official SigNoz channels: blog posts on signoz.io, posts on Dev.to, answers on community chat, and PRs to the GitHub docs repository. Editors often notice active contributors in these places. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}
Section 3 · Build a demo environment
How to set up SigNoz quickly — options for writers
Before writing a how-to, you should be able to run SigNoz locally (or on the cloud) and send telemetry to it. SigNoz supports: SigNoz Cloud (hosted), self-host via Docker / Kubernetes, and quick local runs. The docs provide exact commands and example apps to instrument. Pick the path that fits your article: quickstart for beginners (SigNoz Cloud or Docker), or advanced setup for production (K8s + OpenTelemetry Collector). :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
Option A — SigNoz Cloud (fastest)
Sign up for SigNoz Cloud (if available) and follow the cloud Quickstart in docs. This removes infra overhead and is perfect if your article focuses on instrumentation or dashboards rather than setup. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
Option B — Local Docker (recommended for tutorials)
Run SigNoz locally via Docker compose (docs show the exact repo and compose file). This is ideal for reproducible tutorials — include the compose snippet and explain how to start/stop the stack, then instrument a sample app. :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}
Option C — Kubernetes & OpenTelemetry Collector
If writing about scaling, high-availability, or Collector customizations, show K8s manifests and Collector config. Link to SigNoz collector distro repos and example configurations. :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}
- A repository (GitHub) with the demo code and README. :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}
- Sample app that sends traces/metrics/logs (Node/Python/Java). :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}
- Exact commands for readers to reproduce results (docker-compose up, curl commands, etc.).
- Clear screenshots of relevant dashboard panels and traces.
Section 4 · Article ideas & angles
Topic ideas that work for SigNoz — specific and practical
Good articles are specific: they solve a problem, show commands and code, and include a demo. Below are starter ideas you can write quickly (pick one and make it concrete).
- Quickstart: instrument a Node.js Express app and view traces in SigNoz (include repo + steps).
- How to collect logs and correlate them with traces (sample using OpenTelemetry + a logging agent).
- Setting up alerts for error rate regression — detect and notify via webhook/Slack.
- Use SigNoz Cloud vs Self-Host: cost, time, and trade-offs (practical comparison).
- Customizing the OpenTelemetry Collector with SigNoz — a deep config walkthrough.
- How to troubleshoot high p99 latency across microservices using SigNoz traces.
- Scaling SigNoz for production: storage, retention, and costs.
- Integrating SigNoz with Prometheus exporters and Grafana dashboards.
Tip: when you choose an idea, write the single-sentence value statement: “This article shows X how to Y so they can Z.” Example: “This article shows Node developers how to instrument Express with OpenTelemetry and SigNoz so they can pinpoint slow endpoints in under 10 minutes.”
Section 5 · Workflow: draft → demo → publish
A repeatable writing workflow (practical SOP)
Research & read the SigNoz docs for your angle
Open the specific SigNoz docs pages for instrumentation or the feature you cover. Link them in your draft. Editors like authors who reference official docs and include exact version numbers or commands. :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}
Create a reproducible demo repository
Create a minimal repository on GitHub with a README, a license (MIT/CC0), and clear steps. Include a Docker compose or a script for readers to run the demo locally. Keep secret keys out of the repo — use env vars. :contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23}
Draft the article with headings & runnable code
Write short paragraphs, use code blocks, and add screenshots. For observability articles show a trace before/after, explain the span names, and show the dashboard panels you used. Include a TL;DR at the top and a small “what you’ll need” section listing versions and commands.
Run everything twice — verify results & timings
Re-run your demo on a clean VM or Docker host to ensure no steps are missing. Editors and readers will test snippets; broken commands reduce your credibility.
Polish, screenshot, and prepare assets
Crop screenshots to show only relevant panels, include alt text for images, and store screenshots in the repo or a CDN so links don’t break. Provide diagram images (SVG/PNG) if you explain architecture.
Submit via the Technical Writer Program or blog channels
Follow the submission instructions on the SigNoz technical writer program page. If the program asks for an outline, provide a 1–2 paragraph pitch + an outline + a link to your demo repo or sample article. :contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24}
Section 6 · Pitch templates & outlines
Ready-to-copy pitch templates, outlines, and a short sample
Subject / Title: Quickstart: Instrument Node.js Express with OpenTelemetry & SigNoz (with repo)
Pitch (2–3 lines): Hi — I’m [Your Name], a backend/observability engineer who builds Node apps. I’d like to write a 1,500–2,000 word tutorial showing how to instrument an Express app using OpenTelemetry and SigNoz, send traces/metrics/logs, and use SigNoz to find slow endpoints. I’ll include a GitHub repo (link) and step-by-step screenshots.
Outline (bulleted):
- TL;DR — what reader will achieve
- Prereqs & quick SigNoz setup (cloud or docker)
- Instrument Express (code + exports)
- Generate load & inspect traces
- Common debugging scenarios
- Wrap up: next steps & links
Title: How to pinpoint slow endpoints in an Express app using OpenTelemetry and SigNoz
Word target: 1,800–2,200 words
Sections:
- Intro — problem, what we’ll build, why SigNoz
- What you need: list of software & versions
- Quick SigNoz setup (cloud or docker) — commands & expected result. :contentReference[oaicite:25]{index=25}
- Instrumenting code — show span creation, attributes, error handling
- Generate synthetic load & reproduce bottleneck
- Use SigNoz trace view to identify p99 latency and problematic services
- Fix & verify — show before/after traces
- Conclusion & extra resources (docs, GitHub repo) — link to SigNoz docs. :contentReference[oaicite:26]{index=26}
Section 7 · How to earn money from SigNoz writing
Monetization routes: direct & indirect
Writing for SigNoz can directly pay (if the program or editorial team pays per article) or indirectly help you earn via consulting, course sales, freelance gigs, sponsorship, or job offers. Even if the official program doesn’t pay for every post, the byline and GitHub repos are your portfolio. Use them to pitch paid outlets and clients.
- Paid posts through SigNoz (if available — check program terms). :contentReference[oaicite:27]{index=27}
- Sponsored posts or vendor columns (less common for open-source projects, but possible).
- Freelance consulting: offer observability audits based on your SigNoz demos.
- Create a paid course or workshop teaching SigNoz + OpenTelemetry basics.
- Use the article to land speaking gigs or paid technical reviews.
- Republish or syndicate the article to paid outlets (with permission).
Simple earning plan for beginners:
- Write 3 practical SigNoz tutorials on your blog/Dev.to with repo links.
- Use those articles as samples to apply to SigNoz program and to pitch paid outlets (e.g., Medium partner publications, company blogs).
- Offer a short paid consult: “I’ll audit your app instrumentation and generate an actionable checklist” — price it by value, not hours.
Section 8 · Ethics & AI
Honest writing: test everything, label AI help, and credit sources
Open-source communities value honesty. If you use AI to draft, rewrite and verify everything. If you use community-supplied numbers (like GitHub star counts), re-check and cite the source or use a “as of [date]” note.
- Don’t paste AI-generated code without testing it.
- Don’t invent production case studies or numbers.
- Don’t copy docs verbatim — summarize and link to the official docs.
- Run code & screenshots yourself; include exact commands.
- Attribute screenshots, links, and upstream docs.
- Mark AI-assisted text if your publisher asks or policy requires it.
Section 9 · Final checklist & resources
Your publishing checklist (tick each before submitting)
- SigNoz Technical Writer Program (apply / contribution info). :contentReference[oaicite:29]{index=29}
- SigNoz Technical Writing Guidelines. :contentReference[oaicite:30]{index=30}
- SigNoz Docs / Docs Home. :contentReference[oaicite:31]{index=31}
- Instrumentation & APM docs. :contentReference[oaicite:32]{index=32}
- SigNoz GitHub (core repo). :contentReference[oaicite:33]{index=33}
- Community chat (forum & Slack). :contentReference[oaicite:34]{index=34}
- Announcement: Technical Writer Program (Dev.to). :contentReference[oaicite:35]{index=35}
- Google Technical Writing Resources — useful for clarity & style. :contentReference[oaicite:36]{index=36}
- Open-source documentation tips (Opensource.com). :contentReference[oaicite:37]{index=37}