Today I realised my blog was three years old but instead of hosting a giveaway to celebrate (as there’s already a cracking one here), I thought I’d write about something that all bloggers are interested in. Media kits. As a new blogger, I truly had no idea what a media kit even was, never mind what I should put in it but once I had created mine, I didn’t know why I’d put it off for so long. When you are just starting out as a blogger, reaching out to brands or sponsors can be intimidating but having a media pack or kit makes it simple. And it’s not all about stats. As a new blogger it is easy to take yourself out of the running and assume that your blog isn’t ‘big’ enough to need a media pack. Whether you have 10 readers or 10,000 readers, a media pack can give brands an insight into your blog that a simple email can’t and when opportunities do start to come your way, you are prepared with a professional response. Here are my tips to help you create a professional, polished media kit.
One of the main areas of confusion when it comes to creating a media kit is exactly what information to include. The purpose of a media pack isn’t simply to tell a brand all there is to know about your blog. No one will think your blog is more desirable because you have sent them a big boring block of text. Be selective and tell them what makes you different and why they should work with your blog over the thousands of others in your niche. For me, my blog stands out because it focuses on luxury brands. The key is to focus on your USP. If your blog stands out because you take captivating photos, make sure you include some of your best shots. Yes, of course you should include your Google Analytics stats but they’re not the be all and all all. If your blog boasts a high level of engagement, make this your main focus. Above all, make sure that your own blogging personality shines through, after all this is what sets you apart from the rest of the blogging community.
To create a professional media kit, you will need to include your blog’s logo as well as picture of yourself. If you are particularly interested in advertising opportunities, include a screenshot of your blog’s homepage with the ad spaces showing. Include prices for each advertising option as this allows brands to visualise potential advertising opportunities with you. Your current monthly page views, page rank (you can find yours here), domain authority, unique visitors, reader demographic and social media stats are all essential. Be honest. If a brand wants to find out your stats, they can. Working in SEO for six years taught me a number of things including how to determine a blog’s page rank and domain authority so even if your blog doesn’t bring all the boys to the yard, be proud of your readership and your media pack is guaranteed to impress. Don’t forget to include links to your social media channels and any press coverage your blog has received.
Brands love bloggers that think outside of the box. Make it easy for a brand to work with you by highlighting potential collaboration opportunites. This could be anything from sponsored posts to reviews, giveaways, interviews or perhaps a regular feature that is unique to your blog.
Your media pack needs to look polished. Nothing says newbie blogger like a word document. If you are planning to create your own, convert your shiny new media kit into a PDF. If you still aren’t happy with the finished look, get a media kit designed by a professional. I’m currently doing this and in part two of this series I’m going to reveal the media kit I put together in my first year of blogging and the professional one I intend to use so you can compare the two. I think it’s important to share this with you as actual examples of media kits are like gold dust. I did find a couple of pretty media packs including this one from The Busy Budgeting Mama if you want an idea of how other bloggers are presenting their information. One of my favorite things about this media kit is not just the clean layout but the fact that the design reflects the signature colours and fonts of the blog itself.
Making your media kit look pretty is all well and fine but it has to be practical too. Include any information that brands/sponsors may find useful. A media kit is supposed to provide them with all of the essential information so make sure you include not only your rates but what they can expect from working with you. If you offer a range of advertising options, give details of the exact placement of these ads and the sizes on offer and what kind of files you accept.
Sending a standard media pack to everyone you wish to collaborate with is lazy. Take a few minutes to tailor it to the brand before you press send.You’ve shown the benefits of collaborating with your blog but now it’s time to explain why you want to work with the brand in question. Highlight the theme of your blog and why you think their brand is a good fit. This is a great way to actually make sure the brand you are approaching is a good fit for your blog. As a new blogger, I found it tempting to jump on every opportunity that came my way but I soon learned that as a luxury lifestyle blogger, certain brands and opportunities were not going to benefit my readers.
The whole point of your media kit is to show off your blog’s best bits so don’t be afraid to do so. If you’ve been shortlisted for a Cosmopolitan Blog Award, say it, or if you are particularly proud of a previous collaboration don’t be afraid to include it. Your media kit is the perfect place to present any press coverage you have received. A media kit is like a CV and it is a reflection of your blogging achievements so don’t forget to update it. If your blog design changes, make sure you take the time to update your media kit to reflect this. Your stats will be growing month by month so don’t sell yourself short with old data.
Do you have a media pack? Would you display it on your blog? Did you create it yourself? Please leave a comment with any tips for creating a kick ass media kit, I’d love to hear them.
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