Do you belong to any affiliate programs? If so, recommendations? Have you worked with brands (free products, sponsorship, paid posts)? What tips do you have? Have you personally reached out to any brands? How/Who do you reach out to? Tips for being successful in reaching out?
In the beginning of our blogging journey, we created a media kit and sent it via e-mail to every little boutique and brand we could think of. However, in those early years, we didn’t have a lot to offer, so we didn’t get a lot of attention that way. So, we stopped sending out our media kit and instead, we focused on growing not only our following, but the value we offered our readers. Better value for our readers = a more valuable sponsored post for a brand.
Eventually, that started to pay off. The first few brands we worked with were small boutiques mostly, we did a blog post in exchange for an item, which is pretty typical. In those early days, we were lucky to be found of Instagram by these brands! (So, that’s one way Instagram has paid off!)
Then we started to join influencer networks like:
SheKnows
Popsugar
Fitfluential
Tapinfluence
Social Fabric
Then working with brands became a lot easier. Every network is different, some you have the opportunity to apply for open campaigns and some match you with a brand that is looking for a blogger like you! Once we started to be selected for campaigns through these networks we started to receive more opportunities after brands could see what we had to offer. Some brands found us through the networks and some brands found us through our social media.
Our tips for working with brands is to be flexible, accommodating and professional. Always be available via e-mail and be ready to make a change at the drop of a dime. Don’t get your feelings hurt if they want you to change something in your post, you are working for them after all. Always stay genuine and don’t accept campaigns from brands that you don’t personally support or wouldn’t be a good fit for your readers. Find your niche, stick to it and continually create the best content possible, whether it’s sponsored or not. 🙂
We also belong to Reward Style and Shopstyle Collective for affiliate marketing of our outfit posts. If you’re a fashion blogger, you’re probably very familiar with both of these! We tend to focus more on adding links through Shopstyle, because you receive compensation per click!
We’re still continually learning and growing through this whole blogging journey, but for now, that’s what we know!
What about you, do you belong to any blogger networks?
-Brooke & Erica
Check out Whitney and Blaire’s strategy on Peaches In A Pod
Great tips ladies! I just recently signed up for SocialFabric and I want to go check out the other ones you shared too.
Marta
http://www.sweatersstripesandsweets.com
Love your tips! I’ve had a few brands contact me through IG but they were not the right fit for my blog. I just received my first Social Fabric campaign and need to check out the others you mentioned!
Jill
Doused In Pink
I love posts like these, I always find new ways to reach out to and connect with companies! I just started receiving sponsored posts through Social Fabric, and I’m excited to see how that helps my blog grow:)!
Emily
Darling, Dearest
Very interesting post! It’s fun to read about how you’ve gone about connecting with brands and which networks work for you.
Gina || On the Daily Express
Thank you for sharing your links above of the companies you have worked with as I may need to check into them. Lately I have just been trying to grow my engagement and think on my content more whereas a few months ago I was trying to contact brands but not getting much response, so for now I am just going to kick back and create. Thanks for sharing this you girls do an awesome job with your content.
Rachel xo
http://garaytreasures.com
Thanks for sharing, those are actually networks that I haven’t really heard of…must go check it out. thanks!
I really like the influencer networks! I’ve gotten some great campaigns through Social Fabric and Clever Girls. The more you work with them, the more you have to show when you pitch to other brands!
Influencer networks are something fairly new to me – that I need to learn more about. Such a great post! I love reading everyone’s different perspective and journey they have taken.
Lisa
Daily Style Finds
These are great tips! I would like to join more affiliate/influencer networks. I belong to Weave Made Media, but there don’t seem to be a lot of campaigns going lately–I’d like to try some more. I also like ShopStyle Collective and like that they pay per click.
Great advice. We really like Shopstyle too.
Traci
waltzmetoheaven.com
Still haven’t made my first sponsored post but I am also waiting for it to fit my brand. I think it’s also important to stay true to your brand for your readers and believe in the product you’re talking about 🙂
Meghan | BeyondBasicBlog.com
I haven’t heard of any of those affiliates so I will definitely be checking them out tonight!
Great tips! This is an area I’m hoping to focus on more in the fall.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing!
I also had a few brands contact me via IG. They didn’t turn out to be a good fit, but I think there is a lot of potential there…
Andrea
Andrea’s Wellness Notes
There def is a lot of potential on IG!
Best of luck to you!
Awesome!
Absolutely!! So important!
Yay!
We don’t get a lot from Weave either!
We’re still learning a lot as we go along, there are so many out there!
Yeah!!
Hope you get some good campaigns!!
Sounds like a great plan Rachel!
Thanks Gina!
Yay!!! Go girl!
Yay!! We really like Social Fabric, it’s nice to be able to apply to campaigns.
Hope you get some great opportunities!
great advice! I get a ton of emails about collaborations but so many aren’t a good fit, you’re so right that we need to make sure they’re right for us (and our readers)
Great tips, and I agree with them. For me growing my blog & social over the three yrs I’ve been blogging have been a better use of my time than reaching out to brands myself Totally agree it’s all about the overall value you provide & how helpful your sponsored posts are to your readers. I belong to and love most of the networks you mentioned. XOXO, Elif
These are really great and helpful tips. I’m just starting to get my feet wet with working with brands / influencer networks. I think joining additional ones would be great, but it’s always the best when they find you!
— Dara // http://www.peoniesandhoneybees.com