SmartNews for Publishers in 2026: How to Apply, What the Current Feed Format Changed, and Who It Fits

SmartNews is the aggregator US publishers most often skip without knowing whether they should. This week gave a reason to look at it again. On October 15, 2026, Bloomberg reported that SmartNews is planning an initial public offering in Tokyo in December "at a fraction of its previous valuation," describing the news aggregator's business as "decimated by artificial intelligence." That tells you about the company's finances. It does not tell you whether the channel is worth your time, so this guide answers that separately.

Below is the definitive answer as of October 16, 2026: how a publisher applies, what SmartNews's current feed format allows, and which publishers get something from it.

Is SmartNews accepting publishers?

Yes. SmartNews's partner page has an "Apply Now" button that leads to its publisher partner portal, and the requirement it states is technical rather than editorial: "Applications must include a feed that validates using our feed validator in accordance with the SmartFormat Specification." SmartNews says it partners with "more than 300 media companies with over 3,000 unique brands representing a wide variety of topics and a diversity of viewpoints." It does not publish a review time, so plan for an application rather than an instant listing.

The planned IPO is worth keeping in view as context, not as a reason to stay away. A company reorganizing its finances can change its partner programs, which is one more reason to treat SmartNews as one channel in a spread rather than a dependency.

What SmartFormat is, and what version 2.2 changed

SmartNews shows articles in its own reader view, SmartView, and SmartView is fed by SmartFormat, which SmartNews describes as "an enhanced version of RSS." Two requirements matter most. The feed must carry the full text of each article in the content:encoded element, with "no partial text or paginations," and it must pass SmartNews's validator before you apply.

The change publishers need to know about is in how ads work. The older SmartFormat version 2.1, now marked outdated, let publishers place their own ad tag in each article through an ad content element, in 300 by 250 and 320 by 50 sizes. The current version 2.2 removes that ad content element. What remains is a container for sponsored links: up to two per article, which can be house ads, with the link limited to your own domain. Version 2.2 also keeps support for a third-party analytics script, so you can count SmartView pageviews in your own analytics.

In plain terms, under the current specification you cannot run your own display ads inside SmartView. You can use up to two links per article to send readers to your site, and you can measure what happens. SmartNews does not publish a revenue share on its partner page, so any figure you hear secondhand should be confirmed with SmartNews directly before you build a plan on it.

Under SmartFormat 2.2 you cannot run your own ad tags inside SmartView. Your levers are two links per article back to your site, and the analytics to see whether readers follow them.

The market SmartNews serves

SmartNews started in Japan and launched a US edition promising, in its own words, "speed, utility and serendipity to finding news for users in the United States." Its business is built on a large catalog of news and information brands, which is why a feed of full-text, clearly written stories fits better than thin or teaser content. Because SmartView keeps reading inside the app, the publishers who get the most from it are the ones who know what they want readers to do next.

The fit test

SmartNews suits a publisher that already produces a steady volume of full-text news or utility content, can build and validate a SmartFormat feed, and has a clear next step to offer readers, such as a newsletter, a deeper evergreen guide or a product, so the two sponsored links per article do real work. It also suits publishers who want brand reach and are comfortable measuring it inside SmartView rather than on their own site.

It suits less well a publisher whose revenue depends on display ads on its own pages. Under the current specification those ads do not travel with the article into SmartView, and the channel's value then rests on how many readers follow the links back. If that number stays small in your analytics after a fair test, SmartNews is a brand channel for you, not a revenue one.

Measuring it is part of the decision. Add the third-party analytics script SmartFormat supports, tag your two sponsored links, and set the results next to your other channels in one weekly view, whether you wire it in n8n with an HTTP node per source, run a Make scenario, or schedule a small script against each export.

Where to go from here

If you want SmartNews handled as part of a wider syndication footprint, PIB's Content Syndication Turnkey Management builds and operates distribution across MSN, Yahoo, Apple News, NewsBreak, SmartNews and Flipboard on a revenue share, and you keep owning the asset. Compare SmartNews with Apple News, NewsBreak and the rest of our syndication map before you decide where to spend effort.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get my content on SmartNews?

Apply through the "Apply Now" link on SmartNews's partner page, which leads to its publisher partner portal. Your application must include a feed that validates against the SmartFormat Specification using SmartNews's feed validator.

What is SmartFormat?

SmartFormat is SmartNews's enhanced version of RSS that feeds its SmartView reading experience. It requires the full text of each article, with no partial text or pagination, and the current version is 2.2.

Can I run my own ads on SmartNews?

Not under the current SmartFormat version 2.2, which removed the ad content element that version 2.1 allowed. Version 2.2 supports up to two sponsored links per article, house ads included, limited to your own domain, plus a third-party analytics script.

Is SmartNews still worth it after the IPO news?

The IPO news, reported by Bloomberg on October 15, 2026, concerns the company's valuation and business model. Whether the channel is worth it for you depends on your content and whether readers follow your links back, which you can measure with SmartView analytics.

Key takeaways

• SmartNews is accepting publisher applications through its partner portal, with a validated SmartFormat feed as the stated requirement.
• SmartNews says it partners with more than 300 media companies and over 3,000 brands.
• SmartFormat 2.2 removed the publisher ad tag element. You get up to two sponsored links per article and an analytics script.
• SmartNews publishes no revenue share on its partner page, so confirm terms directly.
• Bloomberg reported on October 15, 2026 that SmartNews plans a December Tokyo IPO at a fraction of its previous valuation.
• It fits publishers with full-text volume and a clear next step for readers, and fits less well a site living on its own display ads.

Sources

• Bloomberg, SmartNews Said to Plan December Tokyo IPO as Valuation Craters, October 15, 2026: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-10-15/smartnews-said-to-plan-december-tokyo-ipo-as-valuation-craters
• The Japan Times, SmartNews said to plan December Tokyo IPO as valuation craters, October 15, 2026: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/10/15/smartnews-ipo-valuation-craters/
• SmartNews, Partner with SmartNews: https://about.smartnews.com/en/press/publishers.html
• SmartNews Help Center for Publishers, SmartFormat Specification (Version 2.2): https://publishers.smartnews.com/hc/en-us/articles/56500436151065-SmartFormat-Specification-Version-2-2
• SmartNews Help Center for Publishers, SmartFormat Specification (Version 2.1, outdated): https://publishers.smartnews.com/hc/en-us/articles/360036526213
• SmartNews, SmartNews Offers Innovative News-Discovery App to Help Users in the United States: https://about.smartnews.com/en/news/2441.html