One of the hardest shifts for a blogger to make when they monetize their site is to figure out what their blogger products are. Understand WHAT you sell is as important as WHO you are selling to. (the HOW and the WHY and the WHEN are also in there as well). Blogger products are varied based on their personal experience and skills, but can be “summed up” as follows.
Blogger products: What products do you have, and how can you increase their value?
Social Products:
Influencers can build a strong enough following on their social accounts that there is direct value to brands to partner with them on this single platform. As a blogger product, these are easy to manage and improve.
Facebook: Brands will purchase broadcasting on facebook pages to promote events and special announcements. These are usually specific content, with links at a specific date/time to be shared. You should have a facebook page with a strong following and excellent engagement.
Twitter: The opportunities for brand sponsorship on twitter can be broader than facebook since it is one of the more easily measured platforms. Brands will invest in twitter campaigns for broadcasting messages, OR in purchasing influencers to SUPPORT a campaign to expand engagement of blogger content. Twitter parties, and having influencers act as participants or co-hosts can also be a highly compensated opportunity. Numbers matter in twitter, so if you want to pick up more and higher compensated twitter opportunities, you need to grow you numbers.
Instagram: We have all probably heard of the AWESOME opportunities instagram influencers are getting for a single post. Consider this the 1%. Most brands are still unsure of how to use mainstream influencer on instagram, so the bulk of opportunities are usually tagged onto larger campaigns. BUT, to build your strength, build your following and ensure you have engagement.
Pinterest: Aside from being an amazing pinterest influencer like Paula, most of us just use our pinterest as a support to campaigns. There is opportunity for influencers to sell pinterest as a specific product, especially if it includes custom images that highlight and promote the brand.
Of course, your opportunities for thinking OUTSIDE the box in how to use these platforms is limitless. Figure out where your strength lies, and how you can best use that in a way to engage and connect with your audience.
CONTENT PRODUCTS:
One of the most common blogger products in the blogging world, and basically the foundation it is built on, your content is probably the reason brands are connecting with you.
You do have “layers” to your content though, so be sure to define the minimum you can offer, as well as more extensive articles.
Blog Post: Personally I try to never write a product review as I find it does not resonate with my readers. Even the most simple posts need to have some format of narrative content involved. But, the base line blog post for purchase would be 350 words, including images, and brand mentions.
Extended narrative: The more involved the story gets, the better able we are to wrap in product placement. This is a 400-800 word story, that includes product, with links and custom images.
Product Creation: Want a recipe, or a DIY, we are talking a lot more than WRITING. Any post that has you purchasing supplies, or writing custom instructions has more to it than a narrative and should be compensated differently.
Giveaways: I have heard of influencers charging extra for giveaways, but personally I don’t I would rather add them in, if available, as a perk to my readers. They can also drive awesome traffic if you do them well, and since I have digital ads, that is a win-win!
VIDEO:
Ahh video. It is hot, it is sexy, it is VIDEO. Everyone loves video. It is still somewhat new, and pretty exciting, and to be able to add video to a campaign as a blogger product, even if you don’t have the youtube following to actually SELL AS the campaign, is a boost for both you and the brand.
Facebook File Video: this is a video uploaded directly TO facebook. These can get great traction, but be sure to keep them short. For brand work, this is an investment piece, and can be added on as an additional perk to a brand willing to invest into a newer you tuber.
YouTube Video: Youtube gives you all the SEO of a blog post, PLUS that visual. It can be sold on its own, OR as a package to be embedded into a blog post.
Livestreaming: People haven’t mastered the art of selling on livestream platforms, but it will come. Figure out how to make it work, and perhaps you will have a new product on your hands! Livestreaming to upload to youtube or facebook is just selling a spontaneous VLOG as far as I am concerned and should be done at a lower price as it won’t include the editing or end cards that can be so valuable to a brand.
Integrated Products:
Think of integrated as “more than one” What blogger products can you bundle together to make them better? Blog posts and youtube? Multiple posts that track a journey? Combining facebook videos with blog posts with, with, with… the opportunities are endless.
Also, what can you sell OFF your website? What can you do that ISN’T a blog post or a video? Can you guest write for a brand on their website? Run a product launch event? Host and manage a twitter party? Create a multi blogger influencer campaign?
Our industry is being created because of CREATIVE individuals. Find the opportunity to continue LEARNING how to do MORE and BIGGER things. Offer yourself as a free intern to support and help others who are already DOING these bigger things. If there is learning going on, immerse yourself. There is room to create NEW things all the time. There is room for you to TRY something new… even if someone is already doing it.
So, think outside that silly box, get creative and grow a pair. Submit ideas, offer suggestions and create products that YOU LOVE to deliver. That, in the end, is what will end up working for you AND your reader, and deliver the results your brand partner needs.
This is by no means a definitive list of blogger products… there isn’t one. This is a general starting point of things you COULD sell to brands… but truth be told, its only limit is your imagination and a brands willingness to invest in you!
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