• Home
  • About
  • Shop
  • Sign Up For My Newsletter
  • Contact

Parenting From The Heart

a place for parents who aren't perfect but are trying their best

  • Pregnancy & Babies
  • Parenting Toddlers
  • Young Children
  • Tweens and Beyond
  • Education
You are here: Home / Reviews & Sponsored Posts / 10 Considerations When Accepting Sponsored Blog Posts
10 Considerations When Accepting Sponsored Blog Posts

October 11, 2015 By Alana Pace 22 Comments

10 Considerations When Accepting Sponsored Blog Posts

Are you charging for all of your sponsored posts and social media mentions? Please consider these 10 points on blog sponsored posts

 

Bloggers, this one is for you. While I am typically late to arrive when the latest social media platform is getting traction, Periscope seems to be the exception. When I first saw Jillian Harris scope in a very raw and real way, I saw merit. It seemed like a wonderful compliment to any brand and a fun way to connect in a more interactive and immediate way with one’s existing audience as well as new people. The only problem? I have performance anxiety in a bad way. The idea of going live, being in front of a camera, or public speaking is enough to send my heart rate through the stratosphere. Since embarking on #SeptemberScopers and #OctoberScopers put on by Working Mom Magic and Girl on the Move Blog, I have slowly and shakily started to find my voice. Aside from becoming more comfortable speaking and the incredible community of “Scopers”, an aspect I love of scoping are the tips and positive reinforcement I have gotten by both listening and sharing information.

Two of my most popular scopes to date have been on sponsored posts. So, I felt inspired to write all of my points down. Here are over 10 considerations when doing sponsored blog posts.

 

10+ Considerations When Doing Sponsored Blog Posts

  • Blogging is your business: Your blog is your business in two senses. Firstly, what you choose to do and not do is your call because it is uniquely yours. Secondly, it has the potential (if it isn’t already) to be a hobby business or more. Learning more about and actualizing its income potential is something well worth your time.
  • Be open to doing reviews: My scopes about sponsored posts, I have seen in the comments that some are reluctant to do reviews for fear of sounding fake. Setting up some basic ground rules can be helpful. Some of mine include:
  • – Only accept reviews I have good writing ideas for.
  • – Only accept reviews that likely will appeal to the demographic that reads my blog.
  • – Only accept a maximum of one review per week and ensuring to write an additional post that week as to not dilute my content too much.
  • Set your rates and always charge for your work: Your blog is your business, so making an exception to this is your call. As my own rule of thumb, I charge for anything unless it is something I have really wanted, was already going to buy, or when the review has been for an event or activity I’ve really wanted to do. When I do offer a free review or a review at a discounted price, I let the company know what deal they’re getting. Other than that, I send my prices and I invoice my clients.
  • Brands that expect or ask for reviews or advertising for free are showing a disregard for your time, effort, and network. Until I changed the information on my contact page, I was receiving anywhere from one to ten emails each day asking me to advertise product for free. After receiving several, such requests start to feel rude. The reason? My blog is a lot of work. While I love writing, reading readers’ comments, and interacting with the amazing mommy bloggers of the world, each post I write, each follow I receive, and each form of interaction I get is the product of time and effort. Asking to tap into my network for nothing or simply the offer of a product I had never heard of show a total disregard to me and my time.
  • The reason companies are contacting you is because they want access to your network and for that network to buy their product.
  •  

Are you charging for all of your sponsored posts and social media mentions? Please consider these 10 points on blog sponsored posts

  • Even if your specific post doesn’t result in direct purchase(s), it most certainly creates brand recognition and positive word of mouth that may lead to purchases of that product from stores or a later as a result of going directly to the company’s page. Therefore, they are likely profiting off of your work.
  • If you’re concerned about low numbers (low unique monthly views, low social media following) understand that, in general, the higher a blog’s following, the more they charge. Price yourself based on the best of your knowledge and provide evidence to back up that number. What do you bring to the table that others may not?
  • If you still think your numbers are too low to charge, consider these two points. One: Many brands are looking to do work with multiple bloggers to gain access to the widest range of people. As a result, your numbers don’t matter as much as everyone’s numbers they are working with combined. Two: Many brands are just starting up or simply are a smaller company. You may be a better fit for them than some of the bigger blogs.
  • By not charging (or not indicating you’ve made an exception by doing a review for free), you are doing a disservice to yourself. Try and mentally tally how much time you’ve spent on writing, perfecting, and promoting your blog? Can’t even kind of come up with a number? Make one up. Now divide that by how much you’ve made in that time. The hourly wage that your math works out to is likely one that makes McDonald’s employees look like they’re ballin’. Now think about a company asking to add to your time spent simply for a fancy water bottle or cool looking doll? It doesn’t really seem right.
  • By not charging (or not indicating you’ve made an exception by doing a review for free), you are doing a disservice to other bloggers. Now I know you would never intentionally do this and neither would I. But in doing reviews for free, we are greatly undercutting our fellow blogger. Unlike the capitalist world, the blogging community is not a dog eat dog world. By giving your work away for free, you inspire companies to simply keep looking until they find enough small bloggers to make up the stats of one big blogger and then get their advertisements for free.

 

    In closing and to be really clear, social media mentions, suggested tweets, reviews, and all other brand mentions or endorsements are ads, ads that they ultimately make money off of. While your blog (again) is your business, know you’re worth more than working for free.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, and commentary. Please enter into the discussion below.

 

Filed Under: Reviews & Sponsored Posts

Subscribe to get the latest

free goodies straight to your inbox

Previous Post: « Fall Toddler Activities that you can enjoy too!
Next Post: Thanksgiving Hacks, Tips, Tricks, and Recipes »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. kimberlycox2014 says

    October 11, 2015 at 10:39 am

    Loved this post. So many great points. I think for myself, making sure I am ONLY taking sponsored posts for brands my community would like to know more about it HUGE. It gets rough, as other bloggers are posting about some really awesome companies (ones that I’d LOVE free stuff from in exchange for my opinions and ideas) I really have to keep in mind what I want from my blog, how the post will shape the community, and what will happen as a result. Thank you for posting this, and reminding us all we are worth it, and we DO have the power to choose. <3

    Reply
    • Alana says

      October 11, 2015 at 12:15 pm

      I really appreciate your comment and emphasis on doing what’s right for your community!

      Reply
  2. Twitchetts.com says

    October 11, 2015 at 12:53 pm

    Thank you so much for this. As a new and still small blog we have be doubting Our worth to companies. We have turned down some free sponsored posts because they didn’t feel right. Now I’m just glad we didn’t on principle alone!

    Reply
    • Alana says

      October 11, 2015 at 1:37 pm

      Thanks so much. And you guys are big time compared to the majority of us so you should be proud!!! ❤️

      Reply
  3. LadyNicci says

    October 11, 2015 at 8:58 am

    Nice piece. Have come to understand the power of sponsored posts by reading so many other blogs. All the products reviewed stick in my head. If they’re sticking in mine, they’re sticking in others and even if you only have a few thousand readers, that’s thousands reached each time.

    Reply
    • Alana says

      October 11, 2015 at 12:16 pm

      Exactly. And a few thousand readers is something to really be proud of ❤️

      Reply
  4. EINz says

    October 11, 2015 at 3:08 pm

    I agree! We put time and effort in our blog, so they must understand that we deserve to be paid as we pleased.

    Reply
  5. Jenn says

    October 11, 2015 at 1:58 pm

    All terrific points. I have been working on a review deal with a lovely watch company and after they sent me their schematics for the post, I sent them my media kit, including sponsored review post pricing as the next logical step. Guess who hasn’t heard back from them in four days? Ugh. Sorry peeps, I do not work for free, even for a $150 watch.

    Reply
    • Alana says

      October 11, 2015 at 2:05 pm

      That’s exactly it. Asking to advertise for free is inconsiderate. Thank you so much for reading & commenting. Really appreciate your perspective!

      Reply
  6. Annie says

    October 11, 2015 at 11:04 pm

    Alana! Thank you for this post! I haven’t done any sponsored posts yet and I have no idea where to start. This helps a lot! Any way I can connect with you for more tips?? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Alana says

      October 11, 2015 at 11:50 pm

      Annie, I would love to help you out in any way I can. Also I help run a mommy blogger group (that’s invite-only) on Facebook. Please email me at [email protected] with the email associated with your personal Facebook account and I can add you!

      Reply
  7. shelahmoss says

    October 12, 2015 at 3:05 pm

    This is such a helpful article. Anyone thinking about sponsored posts should read your advice.

    Reply
  8. goodenufmommy says

    October 12, 2015 at 2:30 pm

    Such a fantastic post!! Great reminders that others should value the time and effort we put into building our brands. It doesn’t feel good to be taken for granted. Our time is worth something!

    Reply
    • Alana says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:38 pm

      As you can tell, I couldn’t agree with you more! Thanks so much for reading xo

      Reply
  9. Melissa (Wading Through Motherhood) says

    October 12, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    Great tips! I need a media kit and contact page on my blog. One blog post takes so much time, I don’t feel bad at all for charging.

    Reply
  10. workingmommagic says

    October 12, 2015 at 5:35 pm

    great post!! I esp agree about not taking on any sponsored posts unless you already have a great idea on how you will showcase it.

    Reply
  11. mommyinsports says

    October 12, 2015 at 7:11 pm

    I loved this post, so accurate and so helpful! I usually only write about products I LOVE anyways and rarely do them because of the time!

    Reply
  12. kchiavarone says

    October 12, 2015 at 7:16 pm

    I have learned so much about sponsored posts from you, and am now charging for reviews and feeling wonderful about it 🙂

    Reply
  13. Rachel says

    October 13, 2015 at 12:19 am

    As an advertorial writer by day, I couldn’t agree more with your recommendations for charging. When I first started writing advertisements, it felt weird to charge. But I realized they are paying for my words. And I am not building my reputation nor theirs by giving it away. This was so insightful, and worded PERFECTLY!

    Reply
  14. CourtneyLynne says

    October 13, 2015 at 5:04 pm

    You would be surprised! When I first started blogging I thought I needed like 100,000 page views to make real money since that’s what you read a lot of places. So false! I started to see alittle cash at only 5000! It wasn’t much, but it gave me the motivation to not be scared to ask for money for my post! Our social networks big or small are with so much!

    Reply
  15. Tessa says

    October 13, 2015 at 5:31 pm

    Absolutely loved this and shared it! Thanks, Alana 🙂

    Reply
    • Alana says

      October 13, 2015 at 6:59 pm

      Thank you for reading and sharing, Tessa <3

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar


Hi! I'm Alana. When I'm not nursing cold, stale coffee, I usually can be found with the baby on my hip, barefoot, and racing after my two older kids. Thanks to a degree in psychology and a free-range childhood backing onto an expansive evergreen forest, positive parenting and play-based learning are my passions. Read more here.

Stay up to date

Join me on Instagram

parentfromheart

Alana-Parenting From The Heart
Every. Day. Via Matt Beaudreau Every. Day.

Via Matt Beaudreau
I remember in my earlier days of parenting when I I remember in my earlier days of parenting when I had two under two so much of my life was spent thinking I’ll be happy when…

I’ll be happy when they sleep through the night.

I’ll be happy when my husband doesn’t have to work such late hours.

I’ll be happy when I look and feel like myself again and not a feeding troth 😬😬😬

As it turns out this struggle with finding happiness isn’t unique to me or parenting. 

Collectively our mental health is suffering, but there are many research backed ways to improve happiness. (Link in bio to read more).
♥️♥️ via Heather Shumaker ♥️♥️

via Heather Shumaker
THIS. 🙌🙌 (Follow Maryfairy Boberry) THIS. 🙌🙌 (Follow Maryfairy Boberry)
👣 via @creativechildmag 👣

via @creativechildmag
via Happy as a Mother 🙂❤ via Happy as a Mother 🙂❤
Though there are countless people who understand t Though there are countless people who understand the importance of positive, responsive parenting, the idea that young children should self-soothe remains a prevalent belief.

Though this ideology is well-intentioned, it actually goes against what we know about human development.

Babies come into the world highly dependent on responsive caregiving not only for nurturance and protection but also to foster social and emotional development.

While it may seem that leaving a child to cry will help her learn to cope, it actually floods her brain with cortisol. She doesn’t learn to self-soothe but instead to shut down.

Though it may seem counterintuitive to some, independence is fostered through responsive care. The less stressed a child feels, the safer he feels to explore his world. The less stressed he feels, the more appropriate his emotional responses become.

This is first seen in late infancy but pervades through childhood and adulthood.

Have any questions about these findings? Feel free to comment below or send me a message!
❤️❤️❤️❤️ Teach Through Love ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Teach Through Love
via @unconditional_parenting. via @unconditional_parenting.
via The Outnumbered Mother via The Outnumbered Mother
❤❤❤ ❤❤❤
😂 😂
So often independence and attachment are thought t So often independence and attachment are thought to be mutually exclusive.
However, research shows that in order for children (and adults) to be independent, they need to feel safe and secure within their closest relationships. In childhood, this means having caregivers who respond to distress and both emotional and physical needs.
In adulthood, people who have responsive and caring partners feel more stable and comfortable being independent.
So hold and comfort those babies.
Hug and respond to your kids.
Love and hold space for the adults you are closest to.
Attachment fosters independence.
Absolutely this. Via Living FULL Absolutely this. Via Living FULL
🙏🙏🙏 (Couldn't help but laugh at that last 🙏🙏🙏
(Couldn't help but laugh at that last one)
via Scary Mommy
Love this so much! via Nourishing Our Children Love this so much! via Nourishing Our Children
Yes 👏👏👏 via @DissociativeDiaries Yes 👏👏👏
via @DissociativeDiaries
via Domari Dickinson via Domari Dickinson
🙏🙏🙏 (Couldn't help but laugh at that last 🙏🙏🙏
(Couldn't help but laugh at that last one)
via @scary mommy
"This year, I changed my assessments by adding a p "This year, I changed my assessments by adding a piece of paper at the end, asking, 'What else do you know about the topic, that I didn’t ask you about?'

Another teacher suggested this idea online about a year ago – I wish I could remember who it was! – and I thought, 'BOOM. I want to do this.'

Answering the question is completely optional, and when students do show more understanding on the sheet than they did on their assessment, I’ll point it out to them. Sometimes I’ll write, 'The learning wasn’t shown in your assessment, but I can see you do know this from what you wrote at the end.'

Afterward, I’ll follow up with them about how to recognize and answer test questions asked in different ways. Clearly, in cases like this, they understand the material but aren’t able to formulate an answer in response to the way I posed the question. I’ll point out to them that while it’s great that they’ve shown me their learning, they won’t always have a chance to answer assessment questions in an open-ended way, and I want them to succeed when they encounter assessment-style questions in the future.

I love what this change has done. This strategy has made my assessments more inclusive. It helps me communicate to my students: When I assess your understanding, I’m looking for what you DO know."
—Teacher Julie Arsenault via @teacher2teacher
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Footer

Privacy policy

Terms | Conditions | Privacy Policy

Let’s Connect

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Looking for something?

Copyright © 2022 · Market Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Infinus

1 shares