My name is Casey Wiegand, I am a freelance artist, wife and mama. I love painting and sharing our life through my blog...where you can expect pieces of my perspective on life, faith, kids, marriage, with touches of art, creative inspiration, projects and things I love along the way. I have two little ones with one on the way and hopes of lots more and am married to the love of my life!
1. Stepping on Toes//Blogger ETIQUETTE. ---> Be careful asking other bloggers to give you a "plug", or to post something on their blog, etc. etc. etc. There are a lot of ways//things you can ask that will put the person you are emailing in a tough spot. If you catch their attention, they will ask. If they want you to guest post for them, they will ask. If anything, you can ask them to guest post on your own blog for a start! Or be a sponsor on their blog. I don't have extra money, but I decided from the beginning of blogging that a portion of what I made from sponsors would go back in to sponsoring other blogs... I value people's time and the hard work they have put into their spaces!!!
2. Sponsorships. ---> Sponsorships are huge. But you also have to use them to your full advantage. You have to be active...Do a giveaway! I know some people say, "I don't want to do a giveaway and have someone just following me for a pair of shoes!" Well, I don't look at it that way. I have never, ever followed a blog because I want to enter a giveaway. In my opinion, it gives you that solo attention to give people the option to see what you have to offer and they will either like it or not. So, maybe you specialize in recipes and someone who loves to cook sees your giveaway. They wouldn't have found you otherwise and now are going to become a loyal followers! I personally think that SOLO//paired giveaways are what bring the traffic! Choose a blog that is somewhat similar to yours. If people are following that blog and yours is similar, they will most likely enjoy yours as well. Choose blogs that you think will best represent you! Also, I look for blogs that are growing. If they are growing readers monthly, then if you sponsor them monthly, that is constant new exposure!
Starting sponsorships on your own blog. This is what I did: I emailed like 10 blogs that had the same followers as me and asked them if they would be willing to trade for a few months while I "figured the whole sponsor thing out." Then, I found 5-6 bigger blogs and emailed them and asked permission to put them listed as a sponsor for free for a few months. This does a few things. One is, people think, "Wow she has Gussy, Litttle Miss Momma, Just lovely things, etc. all sponsoring her blog!" It makes you look good to have big names on there. And you haven't rubbed them the wrong way in the process. THEN, you will start getting emails from new bloggers who see all your sponsors and want to start paying. My whole trade//free process lasted about 4 months, then I got more and more emails and I started slowly dropping off my free ads and my trades. I started accepting paying sponsors around 600 followers.
3.Twitter. ---> Twitter is a FABULOUS network to meet other bloggers. Promote your shop & blog. I have met so, so, so, so many people through Twitter! Get on the bandwagon; it's worth it. Such a fast, easy way to instantly connect.
4. Be a space worth following. ---> Maybe it is just the artist in me, but I am very drawn to blogs with big, beautiful pictures. Wide blogs with big pictures are fabulous in my opinion! If you aren't using Photobucket or Picnik, check them out; they are AMAZING. Also, I think it's worth it to have a blog design that you love and that feels like "you"! If your look and whole feel//vibe is warm and inviting, people will want to come back!
5. Blog about what you know. ---> It would be silly for me to blog about things I don't know. It wouldn't be real and people see through that. If fashion isn't your thing, don't focus on that. Focus on what you love, what you are passionate about.
Thank you, Casey, for contributing your thoughts on blogging!! I loved your thoughts on blogging about what you know. We are all so unique and have something great to offer. It's important to harness the "you" and let that shine in your blog!! (Or really with anything you do!)
Interested in being a 5 THINGS contributor? Email me at Savannah@Maiedae.com!
This is a wonderfully helpful post! Thanks so much to you and sweet Casey!
ReplyDeletevery interesting approach to advertising... never really considered it. hmm..
ReplyDeleteYou know, I have never hear of these ideas about sponsoring before; thank you (and your guest blogger) for that tip!
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