Though a small paper, it provided him with an opportunity to demonstrate his skills, and he was hired by the Press Association in 1881 to serve as their Dublin correspondent in 1882.
In 1909, Higginbottom was named editor of the Pall Mall Gazette by its owner, William Waldorf Astor.
[2] He did little to change the paper's position on the issues of the day, nor did he succeed in restoring the Gazette to profitability.
After three years as editor, Astor replaced him with J. L. Garvin and Higginbottom returned to his position as parliamentary correspondent.
He continued with the Pall Mall Gazette (apart from a brief period as director of press intelligence for the Ministry of National Service in 1917–18) until 1919, when he moved to the Daily Chronicle.