Hi love bugs!
I had another post scheduled for today, but I'm going to wait until tomorrow to post it. For some reason, I woke up today thinking about sponsorships for this so-called blog. BUT before I even go there...I wanted your advice.
When I had my blog redone I asked Kelly Ann to add a sponsorship link to the side with the intentions of having sponsors for my blog. It seems that once you hit a certain amount of hits to your blog a day, or a certain amount of followers, it only seems like it's the thing to do, right? I mean, most of my favorite blogs HAVE sponsors. I get it. I understand the concept. I'm not against it whatsoever. I was ALL for it but then I started thinking a little TOO much about it. I'm my own worst enemy sometimes, I swear.
However...I sit here and I am just unsure about it. First of all, I've honestly never sponsored a blog. EVER. AND it's not because I don't want to, but it's because I just don't really have the extra money to advertise my blog button on a popular blog. Trust me, there are TONS I'd sponsor (if it were free lol) and I'm still NOT opposed to doing it. I think I might still do it, eventually, but I'm just not sure about the whole process. I feel like I need opinions and suggestions.
Here's my thing: I never ever would want to turn my blog into a space that was just cluttered with people's buttons. I'm all about the white space haha, but then again, I sit here and I am torn because I love you guys and I have received a couple of e-mails asking if they could sponsor my blog. Part of me wants to say, HECK YEAH!!! AND then the other part of me wants to say no because to be honest, I wouldn't even know where to begin. I mean, HELLO, I'd be taking YOUR money (not a lot, but still, YOUR hard-earned money) and that alone just makes me feel guilty. Don't get me wrong, money rocks my socks off and I need more of it but don't we all?
Here's my dilemma.
I love blogging. I love bloggers. I love people. I love the idea of helping promote your blog. Sponsorship is a good thing...I truly believe this. I've found a lot of my favorite blogs thanks to those buttons on the side of blogs. THIS is a great thing!
BUT.
I despise sponsored posts.
There, I said it. NO offense y'all...but if I see a sponsored post full of blogger faces saying, "Come meet So and So" I never feel compelled to read it. EVER. They bug me and they just make me want to click the little "X" in the top right corner. I have NOTHING against people who do this, because trust me, all my good little blogger loves do it...and I am SURE people LOVE reading them and getting to know other bloggers. I SUPPORT IT and I GET IT. I just personally am not a fan of those posts.
SO. WHAT. SHOULD. I. DO.
Do I even begin to sponsor? Would you be interested in sponsoring? Have you ever had a good/bad sponsorship experience?
My first original thought would be to sponsor only 5 people a month. Just 5. Not charge a lot, just to feel it out. I wouldn't do a sponsored post. You would just simply get a button on the sidebar and that would be it.
Is this rude? Is this stupid? Should I just nix the whole sponsorship idea all together? I'm so torn.
I need your insight...PLEASE!? :)
I know what you mean about the sponsored posts. I think ads would be a great alternative. You could choose them selectively based on blogs that you support, and feel like would be a good match for your readers. That way, you're offering valuable content rather than just being spammy. Not that sponsored ads are spammy all the time!
ReplyDeleteMargaret, I really really like this idea a lot. Thank you! :)
DeleteI love your heart. And your honesty.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, you should do what YOU want :) What your heart tells ya to do!
<3 <3 <3
DeleteI think Raven from "Don't Quote The Raven" has sponsorship IN THE BAG. She doesn't do sponsorship posts and isn't afraid to tell you she hates them too. You can check out her sponsor page for more details. You have a huge, loyal following, so I don't think sponsor posts are necessary :) XO
ReplyDeletei love you and love your blog and i know that whatever you decide to do, you wont change! I completely agree with Kait about Raven!!! Shes got dat thannggg down pat!!
ReplyDeleteok now im off to read your boston recaps because I MISSED THEM LAST WEEK HOLY CRAP!!!
i love you lover and whatever decision you make is the right decision!
MUAH!
xoxox
You know how I feel... I've already sent you an email wanting to sponsor your blog :) <3
ReplyDeleteI love having buttons on the side, and it's a GREAT way to find new blogs! But I completely agree with you on the sponsored posts. I know whatever you decide to do, you'll do it well! :) And I'll love your blog no matter what!!
ReplyDeleteWill email you! :)
ReplyDeleteI NEVER read sponsored posts and I have only paid to sponsor a blog once. It's to the point now where I don't know if it's worth it to sponsor a blog, because they FORCE sponsor posts and lose the content of their blog. I would just do cheap button sponsors and maybe give them a shout-out or two each month (go check out my sponsors).
ReplyDeleteFor being a new blogger (new-ish, since March) I find the sponsorship thing reeaaallyyy weird. I mean, if you have an etsy store or your blog actually SELLS things, I can totally see why you'd want to drive traffic to your blog. I get it. But the idea of paying someone else to try to get people to read about your daily life? I just think it's super bizarre. haha. I mean, really, think about it. If you want to come by my blog, neat! But I don't want to pay people to read about my life.
ReplyDeleteI understand people have different motivations for doing it.. but for 98% of people, blogs are a hobby and not a legitimate revnue stream. I'm not paying anyone elses hobby so that I can get more people to read my hobby.
Also, I never read sponsored posts. The minute the blogger starts talking up the sponsored poster.. I just leave. I'm more inclined to read a random guest post when people are out of town/can't post/whatever it is, vs. a sponsored post. I don't find side bar buttons offensive, and have clicked around in those before, but I read most my blogs in google reader and never make it to the actual page. so, there's that.
thus concludes the longest post in history.
I personally don't read sponsored posts either. They just do not interest me at all, even though I know I could potentially find a new great blog to read. So do what YOU want to do, you will have loyal readers follow you not matter what! :)
ReplyDeleteI have sponsors on my blog and I use passionfruit to just have 10 buttons every month. I think they get a lot of clicks and I don't do a sponsor post at all. I do try to tweet a blog post or two of theirs throughout the month when I see a good one. I keep it simple and a low price and I think it works pretty well and I haven't had any complaints!
ReplyDeletei hate sponsored posts. to be honest, i hate the whole sponsoring for money thing, haha. but that's just me. it is obviously a very popular thing to do because i see so many people who do it. my whole thing about the sponsoring was that if you want to help a fellow blogger out, why charge them to do so? but yea, i need to get off that soap box and quickly.
ReplyDeleteat the end of the day, i think you should do what you feel you want to do. it is your blog after all and i'm sure you'll make the best decision for you and your blog. :)
so here is my two sense on sponsorship as someone who has it, and has done it.
ReplyDeleteWhether or not people say they hate sponsored posts..the sponsored posts work. they just do. I tried to get around this, and think maybe they dont work, because I (like you) dont always read them..but..i have seen WAY too many blogs grow SO quickly..im talking 5 followers to 1k in 6 months, and these are the blogs that sponsor all over the place. I have tracked them and watched it happen with my own two eyes. I have seen blogs grow 70 followers in a day after having a post another bloggers blog (again, i watched this go down and tracked through-out the day). This also depends on the blogger though hosting these sponsors..do they have a loyal following, people that come back time and time again to comment etc. Do they keep the amount of sponsors they have to a minimum (i think blogs who have like 70 sponsor buttons down the sidebar is not a blog i would want to be on) or sponsors who have group giveaways with like 5-10 shops in the giveaway...again, not something i would do or see as driving traffic. there is definitely a method, but i wouldnt say that not having sponsored posts is the solution..its how you do it, AND how the sponsor-er is handing their own blog and if they are putting in the effort as well.
and thats all i have to say about that.
oh and i love you
Deletei agree with this whole sponsored post, and when someone sponsors your blog i am sure they are expecting some sort of "rise" in their page views and such. and if you feel you can't promote them enough, than don't do it. you dont need that guilt to blog because you have sponsors, and if you aren't blogging then a ton of people aren't looking at your page, which means they arent seeing your sponsors?
ReplyDeletebut if you think you are back in the game of things and being able to blog an adequate amount (because you want too, not because you have too) then go for it girl!!
as someone who has sponsored a couple blogs, i have found the things i like and don't like about sponsoring. so im here to help girl.
GIRL JUST DO IT!! Count She Inspires in as a sponsor like today!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how I feel about sponsoring. First of all, I agree about the sponsor posts. I generally don't read them. I also get annoyed at the blogs that seem to be nothing but guest posters or sponsored posts. I've paid a few times to sponsor blogs, but I've never been too happy with the results because the only time I seem to get an increase in followers is when I participate in a giveaway. I don't see an increase in commenting, which is more important to me.
ReplyDeleteI just started doing the sponsor thing. I have yet to charge for ads! I feel bad for taking peoples money but yet then I think well that is what other "big" bloggers do. I to dislike sponsor post, I do click the "X" and won't read it. I have it where I won't write a sponsor post about whoever is on my side bar. If they want to right a guest post fine if not fine. I give them that option. I am also finding that the blogs that I follow and read on the daily that have tons of sponsor post I am stearing away from them and not reading them as much.
ReplyDeleteI just love you. I enjoy reading what you write and love the people I've met through your blog. You helped me out when you linked up with me.... 2-17 in just a few days. :) sorry y'all I just get excited about the little things....even simply 17 followers. I will read either way and hopefully learn more through your experience. Love love love you.
ReplyDeleteI dislike sponsored posts as well, like you and a few others I tend to not read them. To be honest I don't like the whole sponsoring for money thing as I think if people really like another blog why not just promote it for free but I guess some view blogging as a business. Who knows. lol Maybe like someone else suggested you could just do sponsored ads or something? Personally I think your blog is perfect right now! :)
ReplyDeleteI rarely read sponsor posts...
ReplyDeleteI never read sponsor posts. Not even gonna lie or sugar coat it. I ate them with a passion truthfully. I feel like a blog to me is a place of your life not someone else's per say if that makes since. I could sponsor if I wanted too but I don't because I do not ever want my blog to be like so many others who seem to care about how many then have following them verses why they originally started blogging. I do not ever want to loose why I started & the reason I started was to purely write about my life & things in it. I write when I want & how I want! Good, bad & ugly all because I do not even have good days every single day & such. I think to each is their own so do what you think is best for you.
ReplyDeleteI like what Raven does. I accept sponsors on my blog and do something similar. I don't have a shitload of sponsors so it's easy! I sometimes do a friday faves post and will link to a post of theirs that I truly like. For people who sponsor me a lot I offer a guest post. I probably only have like of those a month.
ReplyDeleteIf you spend time a lot of time blogging, why not get paid for it? I've found quite a few blogs that I love through sponsor posts. It's just kind of personal preferance.
I'd sponsor you...just sayin.
I would love to sponsor you! And just a button sounds perfect!
ReplyDeleteI feel ya on this girl. I say do what your big heart is telling you to do. If you feel a pressure at all or it changes how you feel about blogging I say don't do it. Otherwise...why not?
ReplyDeleteLove your honesty and THANK You for not selling out haha I have stopped reading numerous blogs because all it became was post after post of sponsors/giveaways/reviews! Boring boring boring! People are here to read YOU and I love what U bring to the bloggy world! I think you could just have a few sponsors on the side and not do posts so if people want to check out the sidebar they can :)
ReplyDeleteOK, so I've been reading your blog forever now and have only commented once or twice (not really sure why!) but this post totally struck a chord with me! I've always loved your blog and I actually love that you don't get caught up in the sponsor craziness. It's something that I struggle with myself as my blog starts to grow. It feels like something that I should be doing, but I can't help but feel like I would be selling out a little bit. I think you have a fantastic thing going here, not to mention an awesome business, so you are totally a breath of fresh air in the blogging world! In my opinion, featuring your favorite blogs is so much fun and is a great way to help each other grow, but it starts to feel forced when you're putting money into the picture. Anywayyyy..........in short, you rock. Don't change!
ReplyDeleteAmen! That's exactly how I feel about it too!
DeleteI totally agree with this as well! Don't change Shalyn!! She is so right...you're a breath of fresh air and we love your blog the way it is!
DeleteMy two cents... I hate blog posts with a ton of sponser crap... say you took like 3 or something, and then you add one picture and write 3 things about them. short and sweet. if people want to click then they can.
ReplyDelete