The blogging world has some major issues with authenticity right now. All too often, I read some of my favorite blogs only to be turned off by reading a sponsored post that is just completely forced. I am a big fan of making money via blogging, but I am also a fan of using some discretion when choosing which opportunities to take.
Sponsored post opportunities come very often once you’re an established blogger, and you have to be selective. It’s painful to read a sponsored post that seems like a bad infomercial. If the content/product does not relate to your blog in any way, it’s probably not a post you should be writing.
Turning down a few bucks now can lead to a lot more down the road.
Losing readers and credibility is not worth the $100 to post about the latest brand of men’s deodorant on your food blog.
Before taking a sponsored post or any promotional opportunity, ask yourself if it’s going to sound natural and if it’s something that relates to your blog’s content. That being said, creative writing can make a lot of random things sound interesting, but there is a line somewhere.
An example of spinning content into something relatable is something I did recently on my blog. We received a new mattress from a company in exchange for a post. At the time, we had a toddler and a baby due in 2 months. I talked about sleep a lot on my blog and how we weren’t getting much of it after we had one baby. It was easy to create a post around the idea that our sleep is becoming so precious that we want to make the most of it when we actually do get to catch zome zzzzs. I took some nice pictures of our new bed to go with the post and it fit seamlessly into my blog.
Deciding which sponsored post opportunities to take and which ones to turn down is an integral part of your growth as a blogger. You don’t want to be known as the blogger who has a blog that reads like a commercial.
When presented with an opportunity, ask yourself how well that will fit on your blog. Picture the completed post on your blog and imagine you are one of your readers reading that post.
I hope this has inspired some of you to take a second look at certain opportunities that come your way. The most important thing you can do as a blogger is to look forward and act in a way that represents what you want your blog to be known for.
I’m going to end this by going on a little tangent. If you’re going to do a sponsored post, you must disclose the fact that it is sponsored, or compensated. And yes, compensation includes receiving free products in return for a post. I see so many bloggers who either don’t know, or forget, or worse – try to hide the fact that a post is sponsored. I don’t get it. I want my readers to know a post is sponsored. I like to think they are happy for me that I am making a living doing what I love. Also, the Federal Trade Commission wants them to know – and I don’t like to break their rules. 🙂