Blogging Better: How To Create a Media Kit
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
You asked and I listened! Welcome to my Blogging Better series! Each week I hope to come up with relevant and fun topics to help you become a better blogger.
Today's topic is going to be really fun and majorly important to your blog: How to Create a Media Kit! I've been through all stages and types of media kits so I can help tell you what's needed (and what's not) and help you create the best one possible. I hope you enjoy!!
I'm going to break it down by how I have my media kit set up, which also reflects the general consensus. It's five easy steps and you're done! Let's get started:1. Introduction: This is the easy part -- talk about yourself. Tell whoever is reading who you are, what your blog is about, what drives you, who your target readers are, when you started, anything you think is relevant and easy to digest for those reading it. Mine starts like this:
"Founded in August of 2013, Covering the Bases is a fashion and travel blog based in New York City. While fashion and travel are the main focus of the blog, it also covers lifestyle, videos and blogging.
Krista works at Major League Baseball by day and Covering the Bases by night; hence where the blog name comes from. With a mix of classic and a dash of preppy, Krista always stays true to her sense of style.
Trying to appeal to the everyday girl who enjoys the nicer things in life, Covering the Bases is a place for readers to come to get fashion inspiration, travel tips and so much more."
"Founded in August of 2013, Covering the Bases is a fashion and travel blog based in New York City. While fashion and travel are the main focus of the blog, it also covers lifestyle, videos and blogging.
Krista works at Major League Baseball by day and Covering the Bases by night; hence where the blog name comes from. With a mix of classic and a dash of preppy, Krista always stays true to her sense of style.
Trying to appeal to the everyday girl who enjoys the nicer things in life, Covering the Bases is a place for readers to come to get fashion inspiration, travel tips and so much more."
It's also helpful to include relevant blog features or series, your blog logo and a nice photo of yourself (one that is not taken on a cell phone). This is the first thing brands are going to read so make sure it's catchy, true to your brand and quick!
2. Hit ‘em with the Numbers: Duh! Next is one of the most important things in a media kit: your blogging numbers. This is the make-or-break time with brands to see if you have the reach and influence they want to work with. Here you want to provide blog numbers like monthly page views, monthly uniques (I take the average of the last three months) and your blog demographic. Just a simple "girls, age X-X" will work for this.
Next, list out your social following. Here it's nice to hyperlink or add your username so brands can easily check it out when they want to. I have my Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat all listed here.
Next, list out your social following. Here it's nice to hyperlink or add your username so brands can easily check it out when they want to. I have my Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat all listed here.
3. Sponsored Rates: While follower numbers are most important to the brand, the sponsored rates are most important to the blogger. This is where you get to clearly lay out sponsored opportunities for brands to work with you. I personally have this broken into three categories: sponsored blog content (on coveringbases.com), sponsored video content (on my YouTube channel) and sponsored social content.
I think that the more opportunities for different price points and different features is helpful to a brand. Under the blog sponsored content, brands have an option from a full dedicated blog post + social to just a product inclusion on a collage.
Under these options I also lay out top level things they'll be getting when they pick that package. Maybe things like "brand can suggest talking points" or where promotion will happen. I also have photos and links to what each sponsorship looks like in real life. That way they can get a better understanding of what they're buying. It's important to show your previous work!
Video content is also broken into two options with links and previous work included. Then we get to social. Since this is where a lot of brands have their focus, you want to be clear and concise and really lay out all their options. For example, under Snapchat there is different pricing for "video + sponsor mention" than their is for "photo + sponsor name." Instagram is similar: giveaway, video, boomerang, photo with brand tagged in caption, photo with brand tagged in photo are all priced differently and so on.
Just like the above, I also include past work hyperlinked and shown next to these rates so brands can get a better understanding of what they're going to get. One thing there is to note with sponsored rates is that you should really be showing baseline numbers with a little * and note at the bottom of the page. This saves you from a sponsor buying one thing and then turning it into this huge project that actually costs a lot more.
I think that the more opportunities for different price points and different features is helpful to a brand. Under the blog sponsored content, brands have an option from a full dedicated blog post + social to just a product inclusion on a collage.
Under these options I also lay out top level things they'll be getting when they pick that package. Maybe things like "brand can suggest talking points" or where promotion will happen. I also have photos and links to what each sponsorship looks like in real life. That way they can get a better understanding of what they're buying. It's important to show your previous work!
Video content is also broken into two options with links and previous work included. Then we get to social. Since this is where a lot of brands have their focus, you want to be clear and concise and really lay out all their options. For example, under Snapchat there is different pricing for "video + sponsor mention" than their is for "photo + sponsor name." Instagram is similar: giveaway, video, boomerang, photo with brand tagged in caption, photo with brand tagged in photo are all priced differently and so on.
Just like the above, I also include past work hyperlinked and shown next to these rates so brands can get a better understanding of what they're going to get. One thing there is to note with sponsored rates is that you should really be showing baseline numbers with a little * and note at the bottom of the page. This saves you from a sponsor buying one thing and then turning it into this huge project that actually costs a lot more.
4. Extras: My extras page just shows more opportunities for us to work together like giveaways, hosting, product collaborations, speaking and consulting. These are on there this way because they are priced completely on time commitment and length of project. You can really put anything in here that you think is important for a brand to know before working with you or anything that is offered through your services that didn't fit in any of the above.
5. Fine Print: This is where I kind of just lay out some parameters of working together: everything will be subject to contract, payments must be made in X number of days, how I accept payments, affiliate policy (for the blog and Instagram) and free products do not guarantee promotion. I also put in my contact information (how to reach me) on this page as well. Hopefully by this time, they're ready to contact you and set something up!
And that's about it! For formatting, most people say to keep your media kit to one or two pages but I personally have it on a PDF presentation and have eight pages for people to look through. I liked this better because it's easier to lay out the information I want, it's simple and it's not cluttered. I've had no complaints!
It's also important to have an easily editable media kit -- numbers change month to month and it's good to update these often so brands know your most recent numbers. I usually edit mine at the first of every month.
Is there anything I forgot to mention that you have in your media kit that you think is important? I would love to hear below!!
And that's about it! For formatting, most people say to keep your media kit to one or two pages but I personally have it on a PDF presentation and have eight pages for people to look through. I liked this better because it's easier to lay out the information I want, it's simple and it's not cluttered. I've had no complaints!
It's also important to have an easily editable media kit -- numbers change month to month and it's good to update these often so brands know your most recent numbers. I usually edit mine at the first of every month.
Is there anything I forgot to mention that you have in your media kit that you think is important? I would love to hear below!!
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