Working with a partner is not only helpful for your blog and those of others but can be fun and easier than doing everything by yourself. Working with another blogger can make things interesting, spice up the process and give you another perspective and ideas regarding your website. A collaborator can give you good feedback and advice on what you have to change to optimize your blog. Have a look at our list of things to do and not do when it comes to blogging collaboration below.
Why do brands even choose bloggers in order to advance in the website business? A brand must make sure that a high profile blogger can really contribute to a brand. How?
1. Firstly, the reviews from these bloggers get more easily targeted in terms of advertising when collaborating with you, compared to those expensive ads that they must otherwise put on Google or Facebook.
2. Secondly, a quality blogger can be a brand’s best shot at good advertisement since the blog’s audience can easily become their repeat customers.
This is why you must never assume that you are receiving a freebie from a brand with no reason! Entering collaboration with a brand must not be easily conducted. What you should do is:
• Try to research the brand prior to making a connection. For example, if the brand does not ship to your country, you will have to make a special request in order to fix this issue.
• There are blogs and brands that have nothing to do with the idea of your blog. Try to choose those blogs and brands that best suit your area of expertise. There is a slight chance that you will attract more audience with the help of the blog that has nothing to do with what you offer. People tend to click on things of their interest and if your main idea is not similar, there is a big chance that they will not show interest in what you offer.
• When cold-calling a brand or blog for collaboration, try not to ask for freebies or do this by sending them a generic e-mail. Your offer should point out why you would be the right choice for their advancing on the market.
• Always ask what the brand needs in return when they offer you freebies.
• Keep your statistics reliable if you want your collaboration to last. Making a media kit can help you point out the idea of your blog and what you can offer if someone connects with you. Sending useful and clear information about the nature of your blog can make the entire process much easier.
• Take the time to write a review. A good collaboration includes more than 5 minutes spent on swatching and reviewing and your new collaborator would really appreciate your efforts if you do.
• Try to plan your time and do not take more time than you have to spare. This may harm your relationships with other blogs and brands in the long run and leave you with a bad reputation.
• Keep in touch with your new colleague! Do not forget to reply to their e-mails and remember – no one likes to be ignored!
• Keep the communication clear. Before you send any products or make a deal on anything, make sure that every detail is clear and on point. Make sure that the timeframe is clear between both parties and there are no misunderstandings about the deadline or the process.
• Learn to say no! There is no need to accept every offer from another blog or brand or every freebie you have been offered. In this business, you may expect many opportunities in the future so make sure you choose collaboration with serious and committed people only. After all, if you make a bad choice and connect with someone unsuccessful or serious, this can only harm your blog instead of helping it.
• Always be honest. This does not mean that you should trash a brand or their product, but try to avoid saying the product is great if it really isn’t. There are good and bad things about every product out there, but lying or overreacting can only harm your blog in the long run. Try to keep your criticism on a constructive level. After all, there is someone out there that liked the product and its appearance and this is why it looks that way.
Blog and website optimization is the key to having a successful online platform. It does not really matter what you offer if there is no audience that can find your blog when searching on the net. If you get in touch and collaborate with similar blogs or brand, the chances of attracting serious, regular customers will be greatly increased. Just make sure to follow the guidelines above and remember – choosing the right blog to collaborate with is not a simple task!
