Forbes is a bi-weekly magazine that publishes information and advice on finance and business.
It also has a popular website that covers general topics.
Throughout its history, Forbes can claim 40 global editions and six million print subscriptions.
On its website, Forbes sees 142 million visitors every month.
These kinds of numbers suggest that a source like Forbes has a lot of credibility.
Some worry that since Forbes opened its doors to guest contributors, its credibility has decreased.
That isn’t the case.
Here are 10 reasons Forbes can be considered a credible source.
Is Forbes a Credible Source? (10 Reasons It Is)
1. Established Name In The Industry
When you read about a topic from a source you’re not familiar with, you should immediately take it with a grain of salt.
New or unfamiliar sources are still establishing themselves as credible sources.
They may be credible in that their authors are experts in their respective industries.
Until they prove they have a history of credibility, however, you should always be wary of the author’s intention and bias.
That’s the opposite of Forbes.
In particular, Forbes magazine has a long history of credible information.
It’s been in print since 1917 and has been giving readers consistent and fact-checked information since its inception.
Because of this, business leaders and entrepreneurs rely on it for trusted information.
Since it’s been in print for so long, its sheer experience of providing information earns it a high credibility score.
With a new publication or platform, you can never be sure what the author’s bias is or what their viewpoint is.
You only need to look at Forbes’s history to understand its leanings.
Traditionally, it’s a right-leaning magazine and platform that produces content around finance and business.
When you read this magazine, you know what kind of mindset you need to adopt to filter through the bias.
On its website, it requires a bit more work to figure out if the author is using a bias or producing facts, but you still have certain expectations.
A proven and established name is more credible than an unknown one.
2. It Offers Different Perspectives
A sure sign that a platform or publication is credible is if it includes various perspectives on a topic.
While Forbes has a history of right-leaning stances, it also has authors and topics that include left-leaning perspectives.
The magazine often shares articles from journalists that can offer various perspectives in a single article.
Those are the types of articles that are credible.
A single perspective, without sharing its source of facts, has a bias.
An article that includes various perspectives to explain the topic as a whole is stronger and can be considered more credible.
This type of writing style is something that Forbes magazine does well.
The online platform struggles a bit more, but you can still find credible authors on it.
One method to use is to read an article about a topic from one particular author, then read an article on the same topic from another author who uses a different perspective.
The truth of the information is likely somewhere in the middle.
Instead, you could stick with reading authors on the Forbes website.
These articles receive editing and go through a strict revision process.
Part of that process is fact-checking.
You’ll notice within the article that these authors use different perspectives and sources.
Any platform that includes different perspectives on a topic is more credible than one that does not.
3. Scholarly Forbes Articles Are Citable
An easy way to tell if an article is credible or not is if it’s citable.
This means that you want to share the information found in the article because it uses facts to prove a point.
You may want to create an article yourself that expounds on one of its points.
To do so, you cite the information found in the Forbes article.
Many in-house journalists on the website and in the magazine use statistics, facts, and figures to write their articles.
Any time those facts are present, you can cite them.
The ability to cite the article means that the article is credible.
It’s information that you can pass on to your manager without feeling like it’s biased or false.
This is also information that you can share on your own website because you believe it proves your point.
If you can’t cite the information because facts aren’t presented, then that article isn’t credible.
Forbes does have a few of these, too.
They’re often in the Opinion section on their platform.
These are articles that you don’t cite because it’s rare that an author shares their sources.
Instead, their information is hearsay or based on false information.
If you want to cite articles found in the Opinion section on Forbes, then you’ll want to research the topic further.
Find actual sources that either dispute or support the author’s claims.
You’ll want to cite those sources rather than the Forbes article.
Otherwise, if you stick with articles written by experts in the industry, they’re citable.
Citing information on an article gives them credibility.
4. Other Reputable Sources Use Forbes
A big indicator about whether a site is credible or not is if other reputable sources cite them.
You may notice that your local news does a piece on a Forbes article.
Other established names may cite a Forbes article to explain their own findings.
The fact that these reliable sources also use and cite Forbes for their information proves that the platform and magazine are credible.
This wouldn’t be the case if the platform didn’t have credibility.
You’ll notice that these reputable sources cite information from Forbes magazine or its in-house authors on their websites.
They do not cite information from their Opinion pieces unless it’s to dispute it.
That’s because these reputable sources understand that opinion pieces rarely include facts about their beliefs.
You can always tell if a platform is credible if other reputable sources also use it as a source of information.
5. Forbes Publishes Primary Perspectives
One of the reasons Forbes is credible is that many of its authors use a primary perspective when writing their articles.
A primary perspective is that of someone who has actual experience on the topic.
It’s a business owner of an electric car company writing about lobbying the government for more electric chargers in the country.
That’s a primary perspective because the business owner has actual experience on the topic.
A secondary perspective is someone without direct experience with a topic who then writes about it.
An example is an author who reads the article about lobbying, and then writes an article about infrastructure and the inclusion of electric cars.
Unless they work in the infrastructure industry or electric car business, then they don’t have any direct experience from which to draw.
They pull various facts from primary sources to create their article and prove their point.
This can become a problem when the secondary perspective twists the facts presented by a primary source to suit their own beliefs and opinions.
That’s why using Forbes’s primary perspective authors is important.
These are industry leaders or men and women with actual experience in the field.
No one knows the topic better than them.
Since Forbes allows these authors to write articles about topics they’re experts in, those articles are credible.
Forbes does have a large number of articles from secondary perspectives, too.
These can be credible to a point, but you need to do the work to separate bias from fact.
Otherwise, read the articles from verified primary perspectives on Forbes to receive credible information.
6. Forbes Labels Non-Official Journalists
Many readers believe that Forbes’s website lost credibility when it became a platform instead of a publication.
As a platform, they allow almost anyone to publish on their website.
A publication is different in that each article goes through a review process before it’s published.
That isn’t the case with a platform.
There’s little editor oversight.
Because of that, you have authors publishing sensationalistic topics to earn views and readers.
The goal is to earn money.
The more readers and views that your article has, the more money that you receive.
That also encourages some authors to write on divisive topics.
They can present false information to stir up emotions.
They don’t care if their information is false.
It earns them money.
The good news is that Forbes maintains its credibility by labeling its authors.
Those who are in-house journalists often come with the tag “Forbes Staff” or something similar.
Those who are only guest contributors have the “Guest Contributor” or “Contributor” label next to their names.
This indicates that they are not in-house journalists.
Their articles do not go through a review or editing process.
As a result, it tells readers that the author may not be credible.
Anytime you see the contributor tag next to someone’s name, then you should take their words with a grain of salt.
Be aware that they may include a bias in their writing.
Be aware that the facts that they’re presenting may be false.
Thanks to their labeling system, Forbes lends itself some credibility.
It’s aware that not all its authors are credible and helps its visitors find credible information through its labeling system.
A non-credible platform might not make this distinction.
They might suggest that all their articles are credible.
Since Forbes takes the time to make this distinction, it makes itself credible.
7. They Released Forbes Councils
If you want to avoid reading biased information, then you need to look into Forbes’s newly released Forbes Councils.
This is a members-only publication.
Only those who receive an invitation can join a Council and write on certain topics.
It also costs $2,000 to be part of the Council.
You can still read articles from Forbes Councils with your standard Forbes subscription.
However, you can’t write under that umbrella unless you’re a member.
This makes Forbes credible because it bars entry by those who might want to use the publication to only earn money.
The kind of sensationalistic and divisive authors who write pieces for money only are less willing to fork over $2,000 every month to be part of it.
They also need to first receive an invitation to do so, and if their articles aren’t based on facts, then they likely won’t receive that invitation in the first place.
Forbes Councils focuses on experts and leaders in business and industry.
It invites those individuals to network with one another, share stories, and share advice.
As a member, you’re able to write 10–12 articles every year.
Those articles go through a review process to ensure they’re to the standard and quality of the Council.
If they are, then they’re published.
Forbes Councils gives Forbes back its credibility in the eyes of those who thought it lost it.
It’s clearly a move on Forbes’s part to distinguish its experts from its guest contributors.
If you want to read something that you know is credible, then you’ll want to look into reading topics from the Forbes Councils.
8. Expert Panels Only Use Experts
Finding experts is easier than ever on Forbes thanks to their labeling system.
When scrolling through Forbes’s website, you may notice that some authors have the label “Expert” or “Expert Panel” by their name.
This means that the individual is an expert in their field.
If you see “Expert Panel,” then it means that the author is part of a panel of experts.
There are several Expert Panels in Forbes.
A few of them include:
- Forbes Business Council
- Forbes Technology Council
- Forbes Business Development Council
All these panels bring together various perspectives of different experts on a particular topic.
Each expert gives information that’s based on their own experience.
When you read the article, you’re able to receive a well-rounded article from the various perspectives of experts on the topic.
These pieces are credible.
They rely on different viewpoints which helps break down an overall bias.
The information comes from people who have a primary perspective on the topic.
They have direct experiences that relate to the topic that they can share.
Expert Panels are the go-to read for anyone looking for credible information from Forbes.
You only need to look for the “Expert Panel” tag next to an author’s name or the topic title to find it.
9. Hired Journalists Write Forbes Magazine
There’s a reason many still consider Forbes magazine credible.
It uses hired journalists to write their articles.
This is a distinction from authors who are not hired by Forbes’s website.
Those who aren’t hired by Forbes’s website need to increase readership to earn money.
That often forces authors to write sensational or politically charged articles.
It’s a guaranteed way to get people reading their pieces.
The problem is that it can also spread bias and misinformation.
Hired journalists don’t have to worry about earning money through readership and views.
They’re able to focus on interviews and discovering facts to use in their articles instead.
They already receive a salary or a set payment from their publications through Forbes.
Forbes magazine uses hired journalists instead of guest contributors to write their articles.
It continues to be a credible source of information because the journalists share facts from industry leaders.
They’re seasoned journalists who know how to interview important business leaders and finance experts.
They can glean the information and facts that they need to create an information-rich and unbiased piece.
They’re not interested in using sensational language to gain views.
They’re interested in spreading the truth.
Subscribing to Forbes magazine is a guaranteed way to receive credible information every other week.
Using their website requires a bit more work if you want to find credible articles.
As a whole, the Forbes brand continues to be a credible source of information.
10. Journalist Entrepreneurs Focuses On Quality Writing And Expert Information
Forbes is releasing a new subscription-based newsletter publication called Journalist Entrepreneurs.
This subscription publication focuses on authors who have proven themselves as quality writers.
Forbes is actually taking the time to invite only 20–30 authors for its new subscription platform initially.
These authors have a strong following and history of providing credible information.
The idea behind the platform is to give readers concise and intimate information from the authors that they trust the most.
This makes Forbes credible because it’s allowing them to put a spotlight on the authors who do the hard work of fact-checking themselves.
Another reason Journalist Entrepreneurs is going to be a credible source of information is its structure.
Authors must have their articles pass through an editorial review before they’re published.
Forbes will be behind the editorial review.
This ensures that the facts presented in each piece are checked for accuracy.
It will eliminate bias and force authors to prove their claims.
The reason Forbes is taking a stronger editorial point on Journalist Entrepreneurs is that they’re sharing the revenue of the subscriptions 50/50.
They know that readers want credible information.
They know that journalists need to earn money.
They’re willing to do a lot of the hard work to bridge the two.
Part of Forbes’s investment is in ads.
They intend to pay for advertising to bring attention to the newsletters written by their invited journalists.
Since they’re taking on this investment themselves, Forbes is more likely to take the editorial review process seriously.
They want to polish each piece.
This kind of editorial review excludes many guest contributors that rely on sensationalistic articles for money.
Unless those guest contributors can provide actual facts to back up their claims, then they’re unlikely to receive an invitation to join Journalist Entrepreneurs.
This makes the pool of articles from the newsletters credible.
They’re untainted by biased information based on unproven data.
This is just one more step that Forbes is taking to produce credible information.
Are Forbes’s Articles Peer-Reviewed?
No, Forbes articles are not peer-reviewed.
Hired journalists from Forbes undergo an editorial review instead.
The editor looks for facts and ensures that authors cite the information they’re basing their arguments on.
They also analyze whether the author’s stance on the issue makes logical sense.
An editor must also consider whether the piece will push advertisers away or attract them.
A peer-reviewed article, like one that might be in an academic journal, is stricter.
It involves several people reading over the article and checking whether the facts add up or not.
They’ll also analyze whether the author is making logical sense in their argument or not.
Peer reviews are rigorous.
They’re also less focused on advertisers and readers and more focused on the truth of the facts.
They want to ensure that the author is analyzing the facts that they’re using the correct way.
Forbes’s articles do not undergo this rigorous review process.
Conclusion
Forbes is a credible source of information.
Both its magazine and website use experts to give primary accounts on topics.
Understanding Forbes uses its labeling and tagging system can help you avoid biased information.
Their investment and interest in providing readers with panels of experts and reviewed information demonstrate their push to remain a credible source of information.
When you’re wondering if you should cite information from Forbes, consider the reasons above to do so.
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