Sponsored posts are one form of income that I love making on my blog. Although it’s not passive, it’s one of the easier ways to earn income from blogging.
A sponsored blog post is when a company pays for you to write a post on your website. It’s usually an opportunity for them to promote a product or service on your platform. The promotion isn’t limited to your blog, sometimes sponsored campaigns are a combination of blog posts, social media shares, and email newsletters.
You can make several hundred dollars from each sponsored posts or even more depending on your following and how niche specific your brand is. A small niche brand with highly engaged followers can still get sponsored posts so don’t be too concerned if you’re not yet an internet celebrity.
Here’s my process for getting sponsored posts:
Important note: When doing sponsored posts, the FTC requires that you properly disclose relationships that you have with brands and companies that pay you. Always put a proper disclaimer on your posts. Learn more about the FTC rules here.
Create a Media Kit
Companies are usually interested in seeing your media kit before working with you so it’s good to have one on hand. A media kit is where you put your social media stats and a blurb about you and your blog. My media kit also has the demographic of people who read my blog and the different prices for the various sponsorship packages I offer.
If you’re not sure what to charge, Social Bluebook is a cool site that helps you estimate your sponsorship fees based on your pageviews and social stats.
Put an Advertise Page On Your Blog
People need to know that you offer sponsorship packages on your blog. Add a page to your website that includes different ways that companies can work with you.
Keep a Running List of Companies You Like
Getting sponsored posts is a two way street. I’ve had opportunities come to me and I’ve also pitched ideas to businesses. Keep a list of companies that you want to work with.
The best way to approach this is to promote products and services that you already use. These partnerships build organically because you’re already a raving fan and it’s something you would promote anyway. Doing sponsored posts that have nothing to do with your blog seems inauthentic and that could be a turn off for your audience.
Another option is signing up for influencer sites that specialize in connecting influencers with brands. Here are a few you can sign up for:
- IZEA
- SocialFabric
- TapInfuence
I personally haven’t had much luck pitching for work through influencer communities such as the ones above, but have seen other bloggers have success here. I have trouble finding campaigns that are relevant to my business.
Enlist Help from Your Blogging Friends
By far my favorite way to get sponsored posts is by getting referrals from blogging friends within my niche. The benefit of this is you already know what the company pays and you can get a direct contact from your peers.
If you have blogging friends, ask if they have had any sponsored posts that may fit your blog. The other good thing is once you work with a public relations professional who connects companies with bloggers, they often recommend you for other campaigns.
Start Small
At first, I didn’t think I was good enough or had a large enough following to get sponsorships. Don’t be shy. If you get a decent amount of traffic on a blog that’s helping a certain community, companies are paying to have access to an audience who trusts your opinion. This is why it’s also important to be selective with your sponsored posts and endorsements. Things you endorse are a reflection of you.
