On Sponsored Posts – Finding Them, Selecting Them, and My Reason for Doing Them

I started blogging consistently just over two years ago as a hobby while I adjusted to being a stay-at-home mom, and it only took me a hot minute to realize that bloggers all around the world are boosting their bank accounts by building their blogs. The idea of financially contributing to our family simply by doing something I am passionate about (writing, documenting, sharing, and connecting) was thrilling to me, so I began reading every resource I could get my hands on about how to make this happen.

Writing sponsored posts is one of the most popular avenues that bloggers use to earn an income. Now that commercial-free entertainment – such as Netflix and XM radio – reign supreme, brands are looking online more than ever before for opportunities to advertise to consumers.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’ve written several sponsored posts for this site (I shoot for approximately two per month), and I’m always so appreciative of your clicks and support for the brands and for me.

I’d love to give you a little insight into why I write sponsored posts, how I select which ones to work with, and how the partnerships typically begin.

How I select which brands to work with

I’m incredibly selective and particular when it comes to partnering with brands. In a nutshell, if the brand agrees to my rate and is asking me to write about a company or product that I’m naturally excited about, then we have a deal. For example, I was thrilled to work with David’s Bridal recently simply because their dresses and new designer lines are incredibly stunning; I was genuinely excited to share this with my readers. I wrote about my Shark vacuum last year, and many of my close friends and family members know how truly obsessed I am with this vacuum! I’ve written about my favorite laundry detergent, my favorite children’s moccasins, a wonderful skincare line that’s done wonders for my complexion, and my beautiful diaper bag.

Quite frankly, selecting the campaigns to say yes or no to is easy. As long as one is offering a fair trade in product or compensation and I genuinely love the product, writing the sponsored post will be a breeze simply because it’s such an organic fit for me and for my Whimsical September readers.

Mark my words – I have no interest in writing sponsored posts that seem to be a “stretch” simply to make money. I recognize that my loyal readers are the ones who give me enough page views each month to receive these sponsored opportunities at all, so I never want to fill my site with meaningless posts just for the sake of padding our bank account. Just want you to know. 🙂

How the partnership typically begins

My favorite and most common way of establishing a partnership is when a brand reaches out to me via email (I have also reached out to a few via email). Though I turn down 90% of the offers that come through my inbox, many of them have turned out beautifully for both parties involved. I prefer to work with brands directly because I have more freedom with the flow of my post.  Payment is also typically much faster.

Another popular way of securing sponsored posts is via third-party sites such as Social Fabric or Influence Central. I’ve done several posts for both sites.

FYI: I take every sponsored post very serious because I view it as a form of a “job interview” for brands that may be eyeing my site and considering me for a partnership without me even realizing it.

Financial Goals

I have a financial goal each month to cover my blogging expenses plus cover the fees for Hadley’s preschool and dance class. I try to plan out how I will attempt to earn this amount of money per month and then set out to do just that. This often includes applying to sponsored campaigns if I don’t already have them lined up from one-on-one communication.

Let’s chat!

1. If you’re a blogger, what set of criteria do you follow when selecting sponsored posts?
2. If you’re interested in increasing your income via your blog, what questions do you have about sponsored posts?