Getting Sponsors for Your Blog

I often get emails asking for advice on how to get sponsorships for your blog. I remember that this was one of my biggest questions when I started blogging. One very experienced--and successful--blogger once told me that if you're just going to blog for the money, then you shouldn't blog at all. I do agree with that--to a point. I'm in no danger of becoming a millionaire from blogging, but if I can make a little extra money (and find some great companies with products I really like in the process), then I think it's really a win-win for everyone.

    

When I first started searching for advice on how to obtain sponsorships, I came across an excellent post written by my friend, Rhoda at Southern Hospitality.  She sheds alot of light on when to start accepting sponsors, how to charge and what to expect.  You can read it in its entirety here. 


I think the best thing I took from her post was to be patient.  My blog wasn't as ready as I was when I first started seeking advertisers.  Sponsors are ultimately looking for numbers.  The more your readership grows, the more interest you'll have from sponsors.  They're also looking for a specific audience.  There's no better way to do this than to be true to yourself in your writing and to provide really great content.  (You can find more of my thoughts on building your blog here.)

 

That being said, you can't just blog to build numbers or gain sponsorships.  I started blogging on a whim, having no idea the time commitment it involved.  Fortunately for me, I love it, and I think that's really the bottom line.  If it felt like a burden to me, I wouldn't do it.  When I get overwhelmed, I've had some people suggest I give up the blog and just concentrate on client work.  Honestly, the blog is like my baby.  I love writing it, I love reading your comments, and it's almost like a stress reliever from some of the other headaches that come along with the design process.


So, that being said, thanks for reading.  And, a big thanks to my sponsors who believe my blog is worth associating their products with it.  Hope you'll take the time to visit some of them, and if you want to buy something from them, that would be pretty cool, too. . . .  You can find links to all of their shops under the "Sponsor" tab on my sidebar.

Have a great weekend,