How to make a media kit and the three elements you need to stand out from the crowd.

If you are just jumping into the sponsored post series, you have some catching up to do! Be sure you read the post on how to prepare your blog and profile for sponsored post pitches and how to write a pitch (the post has my exact email I use!) 

In just a few weeks time, my husband and I are taking of for Vegas (kid-free!) for the ABC Expo. This convention is an opportunity for all the big name brands to show off their up and coming products for 2019. A small group of “media” is allowed to attend in order to help promote the products. I am so honored and excited to be able to attend!

I have already received a few emails from some big name companies who will be there asking for a copy of my media kit. Luckily, I spent some time updating it before I registered for the convention and was able to quickly send it over. Let’s chat through what a media kit is and why it is important for every blogger to have one.

Why do you need a Media Kit?

Your media kit is your resume of all things blog. It outlines who you are, who your audience is and what you can do to help brands spread their message.

I know as a new blogger, creating a media kit was this big fat task that I avoided due to lack of knowledge. Now that I’ve seen how beneficial a media kit has been to securing partnerships, I am constantly encouraging other bloggers to make one. Even if you spend a whole day working on it, it will be time well spent!

And I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that the way I made my media kit is also free. Like 100% free. How?

CANVA!

Yep! Canva has a ton of free templates strictly for media kits! Seriously! You can find all of the templates here. But don’t get carried away with creating yours until you read the rest of this post!

You will quickly see that most of these templates come with great bones. Not only do they have great design, but they also include a few key “sections” every media kit should have. Now, not all templates are equal, so regardless of which design you choose to start with, make sure your kit has the following:

  1. Your Contact Info.  Make it easy for brands who want to work with you to reach you! Email and phone are suggested.
  2. A statement about you and your blog. What is your blog about? Is there an interesting back story? What are your goals as a blogger and who are you aiming to reach?
  3. Your stats. Pageviews, unique visitors, email subscribers, Instagram followers, Facebook followers and Pinterest monthly views are just a few of the stats I list on my media kit. I also include demographic breakdowns (age, gender, location).
  4. What partnership opportunities are available. Sponsored posts. Social media posts. Brand reviews. Whatever you have to offer, be sure it is clearly stated.

Now, a few tips and tricks. Even though these templates are beautiful and perfect as they are, please make it unique. If you have branded your website with certain colors, use them. If you have specific fonts you use on your website, use them on your media kit as well. Don’t take the template and simply paste your information in. Make it one of a kind!

I would also highly discourage use of stock photos. Use your media kit to highlight your absolute best work photograph wise.

I also like to advise others to ALWAYS have a head shot on their media kit. In the case that you are meeting a brand representative in person, it will be a great way to remember your face!

These are a three BIG things that I believe can make a media kit stand out in the stack. I have seen a BIG increase in the amount of “YES” response I receive since adding these:

1.Testimonials. While you may not be able to add a testimonial in the beginning, keep an eye out for an opportunity to grab one in the future. These could be from previous partnerships or readers/followers.

I personally have both on my resume. Any time an Instagram or blog follower tells me how much they enjoy my blog and depend on it for solid advice, I add it to my media kit.

Any time that a contact with a brand is vocal about how pleased they are with my results, I them if that could send over a short 2-3 sentence blurb about the quality of my work and the results I provided. Adding these things to my media kit has made such differences in the responses I receive from pitches.

2.”Brands We Have Worked With”. As you begin to land more and more sponsored posts, create a small section on your media kit that highlights those past partnerships.

This brings me to a little soap box moment. As hard is it may be, don’t take every partnership opportunity that comes your way. Try to stay within your niche. If you are a gardening blogger and a dog food company contacts you, it might be best to turn it down. I know it will be hard in the beginning because you will be SO excited for a partnership but as your media kit begins to grow and you see more and more big name companies on your “brands we’ve worked with” section that are all relevant to your target market, you will be happy you stayed the course!

3. Awards and Features. Highlight your successes! Have you been featured as an up and coming blogger? Has your blog received any sort of awards? If so, don’t be afraid to list it!

A few last little things that I have briefly touched on but want to mention again… make your media kit an extension on your blog branding wise. Furthermore, make your business cards coincide with all of these things too. I make my business cards in Canva as well then upload them to Vista Print to be printed.

To list your pricing or not to list your pricing

This is a big question for bloggers. Some say you should list your rates. X amount per blog post, X amount per Instagram post and so on… But to be honest, I can’t name two partnership opportunities I have had that have been the same. In some situations, we agree to do three Instagram posts and a blog post. Others want 20 pins over the course of a month and a spot in the newsletter. Others strictly want a blog post with a product review. All of those were priced differently.

My suggestion is not to list prices. Instead, find out what the goals of the brand are and determine how you can help reach them. Early on in the conversation, be sure to mention that compensation will be discussed once we have a full plan of action. Once it’s time to iron out the details, let them know what your typical rates are. Don’t be too set in stone with this. I always let there be a little bit of wiggle room when it comes to negotiating, but I also don’t give away the farm.

Alright my fellow blogger, there you have it! Go forth and create your all-star media kit! As always, email me with questions! Caroline at swaddlesnbottles dot com!

 

 

 

 

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