Are you looking to make money blogging? First, you need to start with the basics of How to Start a Blog. Next, make sure all your behind the scenes blogging basics are up and ready to go. Then start with 8 Affiliates You Need to Join to Make the Most Money from Your Blog. Ok, all set? Now that we are caught up we can move forward. Once your blog is about 90 days old, and you have been posting regularly (at least once a week) and have started your social network channels the next resource to make some money is with sponsored content.
What is sponsored content? Sponsored content is content that a company pays you for. They pay for the spot on your blog or social media, for the links, etc. This generally happens in the form of a blog post or social media post but can happen via video, picture, house party or Twitter Party too.
The sites below work as a go-between. Basically, they bring in companies looking to advertise and connect them with bloggers looking to make money. They make a commission off the advertiser for each campaign, so they are free for you!
Few things to know. You should never HAVE to pay money to make money with a site like this. Yes, some offer an upgrade where you can get more exposure or a better profile if you buy a monthly account, but you can earn money with their free account too. If you have to pay money to make money, walk away, it's 99% likely it's a scam.
Related: 8 Affiliate You Need to Join to Make Money Blogging
Izea – If you don't join any other site I suggest you join this one. You can get sponsored posts for your blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. So sign up and fill out your profiles. You have to do a different profile for each blog, and social media channel. Then you will start to get offers on the site. Check which one of the connections it is for, what they want to be done and the info they provide, then you bid on it. You will not be approved for every offer, on a day I log in, and there are around 15 offers to bid on I find I will land 2-3 of those 15. You will be notified if you are selected for an offer, and everything is done on their system, they even post them for you! They do have a free account it gives you the ability to bid on a certain amount of offers per month and your cash out point is $100. For $1 a month you can bid on unlimited offers a month and can cash out at $50. I use the $5 a month plan I can bid on unlimited offers a month, and cash out at $25 and if I want to cash out before that, it only costs me $1. There are several other options with the account that I don't use. Izea pays via PayPal, and it is instant. I cash out on the website, and in less than an hour, the money is in my PayPal account.
*Note you can also sign up for IZEA as an advertiser to advertise your product or site.
Link Vehicle – I like this site for its convenience. I set up my profile, set my prices and they email me when a sponsored post has sold. I get on and accept or deny it. They will send over a copy or example, and you can use that to make it your own. Very easy. They pay via PayPal on the 1st of every month. They also have affiliate links you can use as well.
Tap Influence – I like this one for the same reasons as Link Vehicle. I fill out my profile and media kit and set my price, and it emails me when I have been approved for a campaign. Then I log in, read the terms and select my post date. I construct my post on their platform and submit for approval. Once approved I copy it from the site, and it has my disclosure it and their tracking code. I also submit all my social media posts right there. Very easy! They pay about 30 – 60 days after the close of the campaign via PayPal.
Mom Central – You sign up fill out your profile and wait for their emails. They email you when they have campaigns they are filling. You then log in and apply to the campaigns you are interested in. Each one will ask different questions so be you and thoughtful when answering them.
Clever Girls – Fill out your profile then log in, at least, weekly to check the campaigns page. They will send an email, but they add campaigns more frequent then they email. You have to apply for each campaign. They also do content seedings (where you only share on social media) and house parties. You will need to have about 10,000 page views a month and been blogging for at least six months.
Related Content: Social Media Marketing and Your Blog
SITs Girls/ Massive Sway – A lot like Clever Girls, you will need to fill out your profile and then you need to check back on a regular basis to apply for campaigns. This site I find a bit more time consuming to apply for campaigns than the others. They go via Bill.com and pay via direct deposit now.
Blog Her – Blog Her has a few ways to earn. Sign up for a free account on their site and fill out your profile. Then under opportunities, you can apply for their social media campaigns. Usually, it's 8 Facebook or Twitter Posts, and the pay is $50. They send emails out about the different campaigns, and you submit everything via their website. You can also syndicate your content. This is where they would share a post you have written on their site and social channels, and they pay you $50 for it. Your blog needs to be 90 days old and post at least once a week. They pay about 45 days after the close of the campaign via PayPal.
Blueprint Social – This is for bloggers in a ‘creative niche' such as DIY, crafts, recipes, etc. Your blog will need to be six months old, and you will need to post at least twice a week.
Collective Bias/ Social Fabric – For this one you need 25,000 page views a month and a combined 5,000 social media following. While payouts are bigger on campaigns here, it is much more tedious than any of the others to apply for them.
Markerly – Generally, you need 100,000 pageviews a month or at least ten comments on every post to join.
Mom It Forward – They send out an email with current opportunities. I find most pay $50, but some pay more.
Pollinate Media – They take in just about anything and have many times of sponsored post from recipes to craft and parties and more. Minimum 20,000 monthly page views.
Related: How to Build an Awesome Instagram Account & Make Money on It!
Weave Made Media – You need to have been blogging for 90 days and have at least 7,500 pageviews a month
Zycon Influencer Program – This is my biggest way to save money on meat, and I can earn money by promoting. You would be surprised how many of your readers would love it!
Respond to PR pitches. Have you started to get those PR pitches in your email? ‘Hey let me tell you about my product or site' there are millions of ways they pitch, but all you need is one way to pitch them back. Sent up a basic email response. ‘Hey, I'd love to work with you on your product or site. Here are my stats ( include page views and you best social media sites).' Then send them to a page on your blog where you list what ways you can work with companies and your prices. Include Sponsored posts, giveaways, product reviews, recipes creation (if you do recipes), DIY/ craft creation (if you do DIYs), sponsored Facebook, and Twitter Posts, Sponsored Pinterest Pins and Sponsored Instagram pictures. Those are the basics then move on from there what you want to ads, videos, Twitter parties, etc
Keeping track of due dates. As you start to get your sponsored posts and reviews keeping track of due dates is essential. One way to do so is with a calendar. Now you can use the basic Google Calander, or you can use one that helps plan your posts, gives you task reminders AND schedules your social media. One like CoSchedule. Try it out you get 14 days free. It will change your life like it did mine. I promise.
There is a whole art to pitching companies, writing a post, what you should charge, and more. To master this side of blogging I highly recommend Jenny Melrose's Working with Brands Course. She not only teaches you how to pitch, she gives you sample pitch letters, she help you figure out what to charge, show you how to find brands contact info and find the right person to pitch, and more!
Do you work with any sponsored post companies I didn't mention? Tell me about them in the comment below.
See all my posts on How to Make Money Blogging
Looking to take your blogging to the next level, whatever that might for you? See what you need to know to get started blogging and make money.
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