Blogger Tips for Working with Brands

BLOGGER TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BRANDS

 

 

As we head into the new year there may be a few changes that you are looking to make with your blog, perhaps it’s using a new theme or logo or even creating or updating your Media Kit, which I started working on last week.

 

 

You may have even decided that it’s time to starting earning a little income with your blog but are not sure how or even where to start.  Well I hope these blogger tips for working with brands will give you a head start.

 

 

When I first started blogging I had no intentions of earning money with my blog, truth be told, I didn’t even know that you could earn money using a blog, let alone get free products from companies.  I still remember how excited I was to get my first paid sponsored post, I was so excited that I actually lost the $50 check!

 

Hey, Tasti-Lee Tomatoes, sorry I lost the check!!

 

 

Anywho, I have definitely come a long way since that first sponsored post back in 2013, however, I am still buying those tomatoes because they really are tasty, which leads me to the first blogger tip for working with brands.

• Be honest in your review.  Don’t “sell your soul” for a few free products or a small check, remember your reputation is at stake and nine times out of ten, it will come back to haunt you. For example, my family and I don’t eat pork and I have mentioned that fact many times in my YouTube videos. Therefore, I will not apply to write a sponsored post featuring pork products.  My loyal readers know that I don’t eat pork and no amount of money is worth a damaged reputation…unless of course it’s large enough to take me through my retirement years… just kidding!

 

• AGAIN Be honest in your review.  Don’t try to convince your readers that a product works if it didn’t!  If after accepting a campaign for a review you find the product didn’t work or there was an adverse reaction, immediately contact the Campaign Leader or the company to let them know. Remember, your reputation means more than the money or free product so don’t write a positive review if it was a negative experience.

 

• Write your own review.  Sharing is Caring but don’t use another blogger’s post or copy another published product review and try to pass it off as your own!  

 

• Write in your own voice.  Do the best that only you can do and don’t try to imitate other bloggers.  Remember it’s your blog and your readers are looking for your voice.  You may not have a fancy DSLR camera or even the best photography/video skills, but it’s you that your followers like and they are looking for your voice so use it.

 

• Be upfront and honest. Make sure to include an initial Disclosure Statement so that your readers know that you were compensated for the review and this also meets FTC regulations. 

 

• Reach out to brands directly.  Is there a product or service that you use and simply love? Perhaps you long to become a Brand Ambassador or attend a major event, well don’t sit back and dream about it, take the initiative and contact them.  In today’s world, most brands and companies understand the power of blog posts and written reviews.  It cost them less to pay a blogger to write a review than it does to post an ad in the local paper so put together a Media Kit and contact the brands directly.  You can make the initial contact via Twitter or Facebook because they probably receive hundreds of pitch emails daily and yours may never get read.  Hey, the worst thing they can say is, “no”, but wonder if they say, “yes”.

 

• Connect and work with an agency such as Behrman Communications.  Nancy Behrman is one of the founding pioneers in the world of lifestyle brand publicity. Nancy began Behrman Communications in 1985, and has become synonymous with creative and strategic thinkers, with beauty brands that are now titans of success. 

Partnership marketing can work for all businesses and often times bloggers just need a little help to connect them with these brands.  As a beginning blogger, this can be scary, which is why working with Nancy Behrman who has experience can be a great way to assist you with earning an income with your blog.

 

What are your some of your blogging goals for the new year?

 

To learn more about my blogging services, please head over to ABlakeEnterprises.