We’ve talked Branding, Instagramming, and What We Do in past “How To Be A Better Blogger” posts, and today I’m sharing something that I put off doing for the longest time; making a blogger media kit. It’s the one thing that all bloggers are told to add to their arsenal as soon as we start up our blog, but from what I’ve heard and seen very few of us actually follow through with. When I decided to treat my blog as a business in 2015 I knew building a media kit was step one in that process, and boy do I wish I had done in sooner.
The main reason I put it off so long was honestly because I had NO idea where to begin; by that I mean I had zero idea what is should look like. I’m an incredibly visual person – which I think most creative folk can relate to, and that makes it a little hard for me to set out to complete a project if I don’t have any idea what said project should look like in the end. If you’re like me in that aspect and have been putting off building a media kit, then today you’re in luck. After a several hours spent searching google, a few brain storming sessions with my friend Andrew Dangler (he designed the above kit), and a handful of tweaks later I’m the proud parent of my very own media kit. Now that you’ve gotten a visual aide on one way to lay it out, allow me to break down what you should include.
Basic Info
This should include your name, blog name, and a brief site description + tagline. If this is the first time you’re reaching out to a new brand remember that this will be their first impression of you, make it count.
Your Stats
This should include social media stats + blog traffic, and it should go without saying that the biggest key here is to be honest. It’s hard to fluff your social media followers whenever your accounts are just a click away, but you should know it’s also incredibly easy for brands to check into your blog stats via Google Analytics and other tracking tools.
As far as social media stats go, keep it clean by rounding down to the nearest whole number ie. 8,400 instead of 8,423 (those 23 extra followers don’t really matter that much.) In terms of your blog traffic you’ll want an average of your last three months traffic. Secrets out – I don’t get a ton of traffic on my site, but it’s consistently been on the up and up for the past 2 months. Again, always be honest. There are countless bloggers out there like me busting our asses, and that shows through more than inflated stats.
Keep It Consistent
I talked over this point in my post about branding, and it rings true here as well. Your media kit should be an extension of your site. By that I mean the colors, fonts, and layout of the two should be cohesive. Keep it clean, keep it simple, and keep it real.
Leave Your Mark
This is your chance to let yourself shine on through. Round up some of the best images from some of your favorite posts, and add them to your kit. This will give brands that you’re reaching out to an idea of what some of your past posts have looked like, and what they could expect from you in regards to a post with them.
Brag A Little
Here’s your chance to let your light shine. Talk up your past collaborations with brands, press coverage, or anything else you think may be relevant. I made sure to include brand collaborations across all areas of my site from fashion to fitness, this way I was able to cast my net a bit further.
Press Kit vs. Media Kit
In full discretion the image above is actually my press kit, which is the copy I send out when requesting access to concerts, fashion shows, or an event. I’d definitely recommend having a press kit for those types of e-mails, and then a media kit with your prices to send to prospective brands or clients; the only thing different with my media kit is that my “Affiliation Networks” section is replaced with my prices. While I may be completely transparent with y’all some things are meant to be kept private, my price tag is one of those things.
Freshen It Up
I update my social media stats on my press and media kits once a week, and blog stats once a month. Find a schedule that works for you, and stick with it. Just like we update our profile photos on social media be sure to swap out old photos on your kits for newer ones as they become available as well.
What It Do
Now that you’ve got this fancy new kit at your disposable, you may be wondering what to do with it. Essentially what we just put together outlines everything your blog has to offer + your total reach. Media kits should be sent to brands that want to work with you on sponsored content. Press kits should be used to request access to events, fashion shows, or the like. I guarantee that if you go in with a media/press kit whomever you’re contacting will take you all that much more seriously. This was my first NYFW season sending out my press kit with invite requests, and I’m happy to say that I’ve RSVP’d to close to 30 shows, which is double from what I attended last season.
Questions?
If you have a question about something that I covered, or didn’t cover, leave me a comment below or shoot me an e-mail.