Being a blogger for 3 and a half years has been an absolute dream. Although I don't blog as a full time job, I adore putting in the hard work and dedicating a lot of my time to my online presence. Everywhere I go I'm eyeing up locations for outfit photos, becoming inspired by someone's makeup that I see in the street or simply snapping a photo of my lunch. I am constantly finding ideas and working on SO much content. From building up an online audience, alongside followers on social media channels, this little space of my own on the internet has become something slightly more than a hobby. I am still creating content that I love, whilst also getting to work with some incredible brands and companies. I honestly feel so privileged when I get to work with someone who genuinely complements my blog and has taken the time out of their day to contact little ol' me! It's just crazy.
Anyway, over these past two years I have built up some great, and some not so great, connections with brands that enjoy my work. A little disclaimer - I only work with brands that I genuinely love or am interested in the products they offer. I would never, and HAVE NEVER, worked with a brand that I didn't initially believe were going to fit my blog. All of my reviews are completely honest and are 100% written by me, unless stated otherwise. I thought I would share my top tips on how to create the best blogger-brand relationships whilst staying true to yourself and your readers.
Anyway, over these past two years I have built up some great, and some not so great, connections with brands that enjoy my work. A little disclaimer - I only work with brands that I genuinely love or am interested in the products they offer. I would never, and HAVE NEVER, worked with a brand that I didn't initially believe were going to fit my blog. All of my reviews are completely honest and are 100% written by me, unless stated otherwise. I thought I would share my top tips on how to create the best blogger-brand relationships whilst staying true to yourself and your readers.
COMMUNICATION
Communication is always key when working with brands - without a constant reach between the brand and influencer, it is difficult to manage the collaboration. Whenever you are working with a blogger or brand, make sure you are consistently emailing to ensure the post will be up by the designated deadline or that the product is suitable for the blogger/vlogger. I'm not exactly saying you have to email the brand every hour; I would just personally advise to send messages within 48 hours of the first email (even if you are not interested, there is nothing wrong with being honest), notifying the brand if a product has been receiving safely, clarifying when you intend to publish the post and finally once the post has gone live.
GO THE EXTRA MILE
One thing that I've learnt recently, and works well in both favours, is going the extra mile. You will be granted in return, for sure! For instance, I've taken the time out of my day to post an Instagram story using the product or mentioning the item in my daily vlogs if I've been loving it! Stay honest but expose the brand in places you don't have to...especially if you're genuinely enjoying the collaboration. I've also realised something great to do is to check the social platforms of the brand you're collaborating with. Analyse their themes and their general aesthetic - I tend to find if I spend slightly longer on my photos or adapt my style to suit the brand's look then you're more likely to receive recognition. If you're lucky enough, you might even get a feature on the brand's social accounts as a thank you!
One thing that I've learnt recently, and works well in both favours, is going the extra mile. You will be granted in return, for sure! For instance, I've taken the time out of my day to post an Instagram story using the product or mentioning the item in my daily vlogs if I've been loving it! Stay honest but expose the brand in places you don't have to...especially if you're genuinely enjoying the collaboration. I've also realised something great to do is to check the social platforms of the brand you're collaborating with. Analyse their themes and their general aesthetic - I tend to find if I spend slightly longer on my photos or adapt my style to suit the brand's look then you're more likely to receive recognition. If you're lucky enough, you might even get a feature on the brand's social accounts as a thank you!
REQUEST PATIENCE
A lot of people succumb to strict deadlines, which could potentially lead to a rushed post and something you aren't exactly proud of posting. I absolutely hate rushing things, especially my written content, and want to product the best content I possibly can (hence my 40934892 planners and journals). Thus, whenever I come face-to-face with a brand, I will always ask them whether they have any deadlines they want the post to be published for. I will never work with a brand that only allows a few days or a single week for the post to be published. In my opinion, a short time frame is definitely not enough to gather your honest thoughts on a product and whether you're genuinely promoting something useful to your loyal readers. The typical time frame I usually abide by is between 2-3 weeks, anything more is a complete bonus! This way you are being honest to yourself, your readers and are able to acknowledge real/genuine experiences to share.
Shoes - Vans
Bag - Missy Empire
What are your top tips for working with brands? Have you had any bad experiences?!
Lots of love
You have to give every individual a great guide on working with brands and how to carry them, good to see your real hard work. Great work!
ReplyDelete