BloggerConf – How bloggers can work with brands

At last Sundays BloggerConf, Rachel Dalton from Rachel Dalton Communications gave a masterclass on how bloggers can work with brands. Working with brands can get your blog more followers and also earn you some money. Rachel gave the following ten tips that every blogger should follow:

1 – Find your niche as this will help you stand out. When you are blogging, brands like to deal with blogs that cover a topic that very few brands cover. A good example of this is my Tec Dr Blog which is a tech security blog.

2 – Create a media kit that tells PR companies who you are and what you do. This will give you an advantage over other bloggers.

3 – Make sure you know your audience and target market. If you don’t know this brands won’t work with you.

4 – Keep up with trends is a great way to get current expertise. Subscribe to trade mags and email newsletter. Engage with like minded people on online forums and look at trend spotting websites.

5 – Connect with other bloggers, they can be useful friends and use them as guest bloggers

6 – Don’t wait for brands to pitch to you. You are the ones in control and pitch to them all they can do is say no.

7 – Be flexible and be willing to adapt for a particular brand i.e. you could do a guest blog for them and don’t be afraid to tell them your views and consider them for the longer term

8 – Package your deals so that you know how to work with a brand i.e. sponsored blog posts or competitions where your followers can win prizes.

9 – Think longer term and put the relationship before the sale. Make sure that you don’t go for the quick hit i.e. blog post with lots of views. Plan out the posts you want to do with the brand and each post should gain you more followers.

10 – Stay true to yourself and don’t promote products that will make you a quick buck. Your followers will notice if you suddenly decide to sell your soul and promote products just to get some easy money.