You may notice some eye candy associated with certain members. We call them stars and badges, and they are like badges of honor—one way we can reward the hard work that some members do.

Here’s what they mean:

• Helium Stars
  • Writing Stars
  • Rating Stars
• Helium Badges
  • Writing Badges
  • Steward Badges
  • Professional Badges

Helium Stars

Every day, writers share their passion for topics from pet care to personal finance in articles they publish on Helium. In turn, this same writing community uses a simple yet effective rating process to determine the best content, whether there are 5 or 500 articles on a topic.

Throughout Helium, excellence counts and quality rises to the top!

At the center of Helium is its community of members. And now, in addition to writing and rating, the community recognizes its most active and talented members.

When you see stars next to a writer’s name anywhere on Helium, you’ll know that the member has achieved special recognition from his or her peers.

Star status is awarded for writing and for rating. Here’s how stars work:

Writing Stars

	In the stratosphere. These writers have written a total of 500 or more Helium articles, which rank on average in the top quarter.
	Above the clouds. These writers have written a total of 300 to 499 Helium articles, which rank on average in the top quarter.
	Above the treetops. These writers have written a total of 100 to 299 articles, which rank on average in the top quarter.
	Rising nicely. These writers have written a total of 30 to 99 Helium articles, which rank on average in the top quarter.
	Achieving lift-off. These writers have written a total of 4 to 29 Helium articles, which rank on average in the top quarter.

Important Notes on Earning Writing Stars

At Helium, there are some important benchmarks that must be met before you can start earning writing stars.

1. For writing stars, a minimum of 4 articles must be in “competitive titles” (a title becomes competitive when it has three or more articles written to it) if you have 16 articles or less. Once you reach 17 articles, 10% or more of your articles must be in competitive titles.

Example: If you wrote 100 articles and 90 were in titles that had fewer than three articles written to them, you wouldn’t qualify for three writing stars. If one of those 90 titles becomes competitive so that 10 (10%) of your articles are in competitive titles, all your articles would qualify for writing stars.

2. For writing stars, we don’t count the lowest-ranked 10% of your articles. So to receive a star, the top-ranked 90% of your articles must have an average rank that is at or above the 75th percentile. Even better, when your average rank is at or above the 85th percentile and you've earned 1 to 4 stars already, you will receive a bonus star. That means that you can earn up to five stars by meeting only the four-star article number requirement (you can’t earn more than five stars, though).

3. Creative Writing articles are NOT counted toward Helium writing stars. Creative Writing articles are counted toward the Creative Writing badge. (Read more about the Creative Writing badge here.)

4. If you have achieved four or five writing stars, your stars may be "tenured" in to stay at that level. If you're at four stars, you can increase to five stars, but, in most instances you will not dip below four stars.

A Look at Writing Percentages

The chart below shows the number of stars you'll earn when you've written x-number of articles and have a writing percentile at or above the number listed. (See note 2 above)

Articles
4-29	75	85
30-99	73	75	85
100-299	71	73	75	85
300-499	69	71	73	75	85
500 +	67	69	71	73	75

How can I get more writing stars?

It doesn’t take much to get into the game. You need a minimum of only four of your best-quality articles. If you’re trying and still not rising high enough, here are some suggestions:

• Leapfrog. You can post an improved version of your article. For details, consult “How to edit your articles using Leapfrog” in Help.
• Typo fix. Maybe a couple of teensy flaws are holding you back. Drop a note to content@Helium.com with the subject line “Typo Fix.” Include the URL of your article and specifics about what you’d like fixed (limit of three typo fixes per article, please!).
• Members’ Feedback Forum. Ask your fellow writers on the Community boards. Fun and supportive.
• Writer’s Workshop. Also on our Community boards, here you’ll find lots of resources and helpful answers.
• Mentor@Helium.com. Need one-on-one advice? We can set you up with a Helium Star Member who can work with you privately. Just drop a note to Mentor@Helium.com with specifics such as URLs and what’s troubling you.

Rating Stars

Rating is a private affair on Helium, but we can track members’ voting profiles in relation to the rest of the community. Scoring for recognition stars for rating is determined by the quality of rating.

	Awesome. These members have consistently high rating quality, and they have completed more than 500 rates in the last 90 days.
	Fabulous. These members have consistently high rating quality, and they have completed from 300 to 499 rates in the last 90 days.
	Superb. These members have consistently high rating quality, and they have completed from 200 to 299 rates in the last 90 days.
	Really good. These members have consistently high rating quality, and they have completed from 100 to 199 rates in the  last 90 days.
	Admirable. These members have consistently high rating quality, and they have completed from 10 to 99 rates in the last 90 days.

Important notes on earning rating stars

There are two ways to earn rating stars on Helium:

1. Complete at least 10 rates in the last 30 days and maintain a 75% score or better to get 1 star.

2. Complete at least 30 rates in the last 90 days and maintain at least a 75% score to qualify for up to 5 stars (check out the chart below).

Basically, the 10-rates-in-30-days system allows you to start earning as soon as possible on Helium.

The 90-day and 30-day periods are evaluated daily for the prior 30 and 90-day periods. The evaluation that results in the most stars will determine how many rating stars you have earned. Example: If you qualify for 1 rating star in the last 30 days but no rating stars in the last 90 days, we’ll base your stars on the 30-day numbers. If you qualify for 2 or more rating stars in the 90-day period and only 1 in the 30-day period, your stars will be based on the 90-day period.

Please note that the first row for 10-20 rates in the chart below, reflects the 30-day rating period only.

Rates
10-29	75
30-99	75	85
100-199	73	75	85
200-299	71	73	75	85
300-499	69	71	73	75	85
500 +	67	69	71	73	75

Still confused? Read more on the difference between the 30-day and 90-day rating score on the Helium blog.

Losing stars

Be careful – you can also lose stars! If your writing or rating percentile drops, you won’t lose all your stars at once. That’s harsh! Based on a statistical (bell) curve, your stars will decrease as your ranking percentile declines. So if the number of your articles rated above the 75th percentile goes down, your stars will gradually wink out as that percentile declines.

Helium Badges

Writing Badges

• The Marketplace badge shows up with a number in it for each article the member has sold to a Helium Marketplace publisher. Find out more about Marketplace.

• The Marketplace Approved Writer badge. Members with this designation can access and write to Marketplace Approved titles for publishers who are looking for our more accomplished writers.

To become a Marketplace Approved Writer:

• You must have at least one writing star and not had a Marketplace article deleted.

• The Marketplace Premier Writer badge. Members with this designation can access and write to Marketplace Premier titles for publishers who are looking for our top-notch writers.

To become a Marketplace Premier Writer:

• You must have at least three writing stars and not had a Marketplace article deleted.

• Creative Writing badges go to our talented creative writers. We love our poets and story writers and want to recognize them in a special way. Depending on how many highly rated pieces a writer has, you will see Creative Writing Bronze, Creative Writing Silver or Creative Writing Gold.

A look at Creative Writing badge percentages

The chart below shows the level of creative writing star you'll earn when you've written x-number of articles and have a creative writing percentile at or above the number listed. 

Important notes on Creative Writing badges

At Helium, there are some important benchmarks that must be met before you can start earning a Creative Writing badge.

1. At least 25% percent of your pieces must be in “competitive titles.” A title becomes competitive when it has three or more articles written to it.

Example: If you wrote 100 pieces and 76 were in titles that had fewer than three pieces written to them, you wouldn’t qualify for a badge. If one of those 76 titles becomes competitive so that 25 of your pieces are in competitive titles, all your pieces would qualify for a Creative Writing badge.

2. We don’t count the lowest-ranked 10% of your creative writing pieces. So to receive a badge, the top-ranked 90% of your pieces must have an average rank that is at or above the 75th percentile. Even better, when your average rank is at or above the 85th percentile, you will receive a boost in badge level. That means that you can earn the Creative Writing Gold badge by meeting the Creative Writing Silver badge article number requirement with a rank at or above the 85th percentile (you can’t earn more than the Creative Writing Gold badge, though).

• Contest Won badges go to members who have come in first place in the Writing Contests that appear on the main contests page.

• Journalism Awards badges go to members who have won a Citizen Journalism Award contest. Members who receive this badge were chosen by one of our non-profit partners as having the best article or essay for a particular contest. Take a peek at our past winners on the Citizen Journalism Award Winner page.

Want to more about Helium’s Citizen Journalism Awards? Check out the main CitJo Awards page.

Steward Badges

• The Channel Steward badge is for Stewards who go above and beyond what typical Helium members do, by providing help, advice and almost anything else that folks ask for. The Channel or Site Steward badge shows up for Senior Stewards, Channel Stewards or Site Stewards

Professional Badges

Professional badges are another way to tell the world that you are a seasoned professional with unique expertise to share. Members who have these badges are considered subject-matter experts and have increased access to restricted titles and certain Marketplace opportunities.

• Professional Journalist badges go to members who have a proven record as a professional journalist and who have allowed Helium to approve their credentials. Professional journalists are, or were, newspaper reporters, magazine writers, previously published freelance writers or editors with a reputable print or online publication. (Any current or past professionals who are interested in attaining this badge are invited to email experts@helium.com with “Professional Journalist badge inquiry” as the subject line.)

• Medical Professional badges belong to members with medical training and expertise and who have allowed Helium to approve their credentials. Helium offers the following badges to members with approved current or past credentials: Medical Doctor, Physician Assistant, Registered Nurse, Licensed Nurse Practitioner, Medical Paraprofessional, Specialized Nurse, Psychiatrist, Pharmacist, Medical Researcher and Dentist. Members with these approved backgrounds will have the name of their expertise listed under the badge. (Any current or past licensed medical professionals who are interested in attaining this badge are invited to email experts@helium.com with “Certified Medical Professional badge inquiry” as the subject line. You will need to provide your license or registration information that can be verified in the state or region you are working in.)

• Certified Legal Professional badges belong to members who are certified and licensed judges, lawyers and paralegal professionals around the globe and who have allowed Helium to approve their credentials. You may be practicing, non-practicing or retired. (Any current or past judges, paralegals or lawyers who are interested in attaining this badge are invited to email experts@helium.com with “Certified Legal Professional badge inquiry” as the subject line. You will need to provide license or registration information that can be verified in the state or region you are working in.)

• Certified Design Professional badges belong to members who are certified and licensed architects and who have allowed Helium to approve their credentials. You may be practicing, non-practicing or retired. (Any current or past architects who are interested in attaining this badge are invited to email experts@helium.com with “Certified Design Professional badge inquiry” as the subject line. You will need to provide license or registration information that can be verified in the state or region you are working in.) (More design badges coming soon!)

• Certified Finance and Investment Professional badges belong to members who are certified and licensed public accountants or financial planners/advisors and who have allowed Helium to approve their credentials. You may be practicing, non-practicing or retired. (Any current or past certified public accountants or certified financial planners/advisors who are interested in attaining this badge are invited to email experts@helium.com with “Certified Finance and Investment Professional badge inquiry” as the subject line. You will need to provide license or registration information that can be verified in the state or region you are working in.) (More finance and investment badges coming soon!)

• Certified Psychology Professional badges belong to members who are certified and licensed psychology professionals and who have allowed Helium to approve their credentials. You may be practicing, non-practicing or retired. (Any current or past psychologists, social workers, mental health specialists, therapists or counselors who are interested in attaining this badge are invited to email experts@helium.com with “Certified Psychology Professional badge inquiry” as the subject line. You will need to provide license or registration information that can be verified in the state or region you are working in.)

• Certified Education Professional badges belong to members who are certified and licensed teachers, school administrators and educators and who have allowed Helium to approve their credentials. You may be practicing, non-practicing or retired. (Any current or past teachers, school administrators, school counselors, university professors or school instructors who are interested in attaining this badge are invited to email experts@helium.com with “Certified Education Professional badge inquiry” as the subject line. You will need to provide license or registration information that can be verified in the state or region you are working in.)

For more information on professional badges and becoming a credentialed professional, read more in the Helium's Credentialed Professional Zone.