More so nowadays, it certainly has become more difficult to collaborate, however, there are blogger outreach services for paid blogging opportunities as well as free product collaborations. You just have to put yourself out there and look for them.
There are certain things that you should always remember though, being a blogger does not entitle you to always expect to get paid, sometimes just receiving a free product for review should be enough. Especially for a growing blogger. Never the less, it is important to understand that the time you put into your writing and work is worth something too. It's all about balancing expectation with you and the PR representatives.
In order to actually get noticed and be eligible for work, you need to be an active and attractive blogger. By that I do not mean physically attractive, that would just be subjective and plain discrimination in my opinion, but your actual blogs set up and look. I will run through a few things you can do to get the right kind of attention.
Own Your Name
Most PR companies and brands these days, prefer to work with bloggers that actually own their own domain. Take mine for instance, when I first started out my URL was www.romanovsviews.blogspot.com but now I have bought the right's to my domain name so even if you type in that address it takes you to my current blog address www.romanovsviews.com It just looks more professional and shows them how serious you are about your blog.
Be Clear
Either have a clear Homepage or an About Me page which clearly identifies who you are and what your blog is all about. It will give brands a sense of who you are and why they should work with you. Just having a blog with posts and no structure or biography is confusing to the everyday reader let alone a potential collaborator.
You should also always be clear that certain posts are ads or collaborations, I use an asterisk and refer to my disclaimer. Readers do not want to be constantly guessing whether or not you have bought something or promoting it because you have been paid or gifted it. Take this post, for example, I have clearly stated it is sponsored and titled the post with an asterisk, as indicated in my disclaimer.
Templates are Everything
Choose or create a template/ layout that works for you but can also be read and navigated easily by your readers. It should be clear, crisp and appealing to the eye. There are a lot of templates on Etsy etc. that you can purchase already made, ready for you to modify to your liking.
Even getting your blog's name made into a logo and putting that in the layout can really make it all stand out.
Links
Link your social media accounts. Not only should you link your accounts with little icons, but get sliders and windows where your readers can see what you have been posting. It may even generate new traffic to those accounts.
Commenting on other blogs and leaving your blog address is a great way to get your name out there, not only that but it's a great way to actually interact with other bloggers.
Post Often
Finally, you need to stay in contact with your readers. Post regularly, with captivating content. Use your own images, get creative, get personal and ask questions for your readers to answer. Showing that you are a regular active blogger is a very positive sign to brands, you wouldn't want to work with someone that posted once in a blue moon, would you?
* This is a sponsored post. Please see my Disclaimer for more information.
Always be kind, you never know what personal battle people are fighting.
No comments
Post a Comment