How to Get Sponsored Blog Posts

If you know what sponsored blog posts are, you know that it’s a golden opportunity.

(Not sure what they are? Check it out here before you read on!)

If you’re already:

An authority in your field
Publishing posts often
Have a sizeable, engaged audience

Then you’re in a great position to start taking on sponsored posts.

But it’s not just a breeze to start getting them.

You need to set aside time, put together resources, and pitch, pitch, pitch.

Today I’m sharing some of my best advice on how to get sponsored blog posts.

I’ve been earning money and building solid relationships through sponsored blog posts for years.

You can do it too!

Follow this advice and you should have your first post in the next few weeks!

Why Get Sponsored Blog Posts

Sponsored blog posts are basically a form of advertising.

Bloggers are happy to pay you to write a post about their product/service…

So they can reach your audience and possibly get new leads.

It’s cheaper for them than traditional ads.

But a bonus for you!

You’re already writing blog posts for your site.

This just means you’re adding to your stash…

But getting paid for it.

That sounds great, but generally sponsored post opportunities don’t just fall into your lap.

(unless you’re extremely well-known in your niche).

You have to go out and find them.

This may sound like a lot of extra work, but if you lay good foundations it won’t be as long as you may expect.

Here’s what you should consider doing to get sponsored blog posts.

Create a Media Kit

This is a prepared pack of information about you, your blog, and anything else relevant.

It should include info like:

Who you are and some of your experience
What your blog is all about
Relevant blog statistics (number of views, traffic, etc)
Who your audience is
Social media links & followings
Testimonials if you’ve done sponsored posts before
How to get in touch with you
The kind of sponsorship opportunities you offer

There’s no need to add pricing here, as it’s likely you’ll negotiate on a client by client basis.

You can make your media kit public or keep it private and only send it when asked.

Either way, make sure it’s easy for people to find on your site.

It’s up to you!

Put a Sponsorship Page On Your Website

This is handy, because those who are interested in the opportunity immediately know you are too.

You’ll want to put some info on this page that explains how working together works.

You can add some data on this page (similar to your media kit).

This will give them a good indication of what sort of audience they can expect to reach.

If you don’t have fancy stats, that’s okay!

Some people prefer smaller blogs, as long as your audience is engaged.

This is where you want to list things like:

What kind of content you create / can create
The kinds of content you don’t / won’t create
Links to other sponsored posts you’ve written
The best way to get in touch with you for business

Make sure this page is easy to navigate to.

If it’s hidden away and hard to find on your website…

You’ll either get frustrated replying to people with the info you’ve already specified,

Or you won’t get as many opportunities as you could.

Put Together a Contract

I’m a fan of contracts.

This ensures that you both have an understanding of what will be delivered and on what terms.

It should include:

The service you’ll be providing
The deliverables
What you’ll be getting in return
Dates & deadlines
Payment terms
Signatures

You can easily find a contract template online if you’ve never used one before!

Get Pitching!

Once you’ve got those in place, you have a good foundation.

But you can’t just sit back and wait for people to come to you.

You have to be proactive.

At least in the beginning!

Here’s how to get sponsored blog posts by reaching out.

It’s intimidating in the beginning, but it’s worthwhile.

Where to Find People To Pitch

There are many ways to find people to reach out to.

What works best for you will most likely depend on your own preferences.

Here are some of the ways in which I’ve found people to pitch to.

Influencer Networks

There are platforms that specifically connect bloggers & brands.

Brands often post sponsored blog post opportunities here.

Which means you can almost pick and choose which ones you like!

This can be tedious long-term, though.

It’s great to pop on and check every now and then in case something interesting comes up.

But this may not be the way to go long-term.

I advise finding just a few that align with your blog and focusing on them.

Some popular influencer networking platforms include:

Research & Cold Email

If there are brands you love and want to work with, find their contact details and pitch them!

You’ll need to make sure they’re in line with your audience first.

Come up with a few interesting ideas for blog posts about their product or service.

Shoot them an email and ask how they feel about you doing a sponsored post for them.

Here are some tips for cold pitching:

Find a personal mail address if possible (instead of info@, or hello@, etc)
Start with a compliment (about their blog, a new venture, etc)
Outline who you are, what you do, and your audience
Present your offer (here you can offer a few topic ideas)
Don’t talk price
Include a link to your media kit

If you can’t think of any specific brands you want to work with, do some research.

Find (or create) a list of brands, companies, or bloggers that work for your niche.

You can pitch every one of them or be selective.

Social Media

If you’ve got a strong social media presence, you can find potential clients there.

A quick DM here and there can be as good as an email pitch.

Keep in mind that although most brands read their social media messages…

It’s often a PR person behind the screen.

You may need to be patient here…

But in some cases you may never get a response at all.

Simply due to the message never being passed on.

When People Reach Out To You

Once your blog begins to take off, you’ll most likely get an email here or there asking to work with you.

As nice as it is to have people reaching out to you…

Don’t just say yes to everyone.

Remember, everything you post needs to be of value to your audience.

If you go ahead and post a sponsored blog post that isn’t in line with your theme…

Or doesn’t speak to your audience…

You risk losing their attention, trust, and your own credibility.

If It’s a No

If you’ve decided not to work with a particular company, that’s totally okay.

But be sure to decline their invitation respectfully.

Just because you won’t be working with them, doesn’t mean you should burn bridges!

Be kind & respectful
Explain why you’re declining (won’t fit my audience, etc)
Suggest another blogger (if you know someone more suitable)
Keep their details (building a database can be great for the future)

If the email you receive is obviously spammy, then there’s no need to reply.

If It’s a Yes

If you’ve checked out the brand and like the idea of working with them, great!

This is the perfect time to direct them to your sponsorship page and media kit for more information.

Be complimentary about their brand / company / blog
Ask about what kind of content they’d like / any relevant topics
Hop on a quick call if things need to be clarified
Once things have been discussed, send the contract

Final Thoughts on How to Get Sponsored Blog Posts

Getting sponsored blog posts isn’t hard if you have a popular blog and an engaged audience.

But it’s getting started that can be tricky.

It takes time, energy, and effort to find the right people to pitch…

And waiting to hear back can be frustrating!

But if you’re looking for a way to make extra money through your blog…

Sponsored blog posts can be one of the best ways to do that.

Plus, you build great relationships with brands & bloggers…

And it’s fun!

There’s not much downside to it, unless you choose the wrong posts to write.

Stick to what you know your audience will find value in…

And you’ll be good to go!