If you’re reading this then you’re probably a blogger interested in getting a trip sponsored. I sometimes get messages from bloggers asking questions about sponsored trips so I want to share what I know with you here. I love helping other bloggers because I feel like if we are all open books, the market for influencers will only expand and get better for all of us. I even have an entire how-to blogging category on the blog. Let me start off by saying though that I don’t have details on how to pitch brands for trips. Actually, the trips we have had sponsored have been all by chance and direct contacts from the brands themselves.
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So here is what I know about the feedback I received from working with companies on sponsored trips. Here is the biggest misconception. You don’t have to be a travel blogger! You just don’t! I didn’t have any travel blog posts on my blog until our sponsored trips.
Photography is important. It’s important that you capture real, raw and candidness of your family that do not appear to be staged. Most sponsored trips will occur only when the brand has planned an “influencer trip”, so you will be invited with a group of other influencers and it will NOT be a one off trip. So do not be discouraged if you do not get a reply from a brand right away. It’s good to contact companies to get your name out there but unless they have a media trip coming up soon you may not get a reply right away.
Keep in mind influencers might be hired for different reasons. While you might be hired for your realness, your candidness, another influencer might be hired for their specific skills. Here is a video from Dimitry who was another influencer on our Royal Caribbean trip – his talent was that he’s an amazing astro photographer + cinematographer. The experience was amazing as you can clearly see some of what we witnessed from the boat during our cruise with Royal Caribbean.
So based on all this, here are my thoughts…
Just keep on doing your own thing. Don’t compare and don’t copy anyone else. If you are contacted by brands it’s because they see something in YOU they want.
If you look at my Instagram feed you’ll see that I don’t have the perfect photos. I don’t plan or style every photo that I post. Most of the time you can see toys on the floor that didn’t get picked up or pillows that have been thrown about. I don’t always have the best engagement because I am not on Instagram every day trying to pick the perfect photo or come up with the perfect caption or the perfect time to post. I don’t plan out my feed. I post when I want to and if I see a photo opp, I take it and don’t waste time trying to perfect it. Most of my Instagram photos are iPhone captures unless they’re taken from a blog post. I don’t have white walls or the popular farmhouse decor or pay to have professional photos taken. This reminded me of an article that I read not too long ago – Has Instagram Come Full Circle about the perfect Instagram feed and how that may be changing. Food for thought….
If I had to choose whether to spend hours of the day writing blog posts or sending newsletters to my email subscribers or spend hours on social media, I will 110% tell you to always spend your time writing for your blog. Always give 110% on your blog posts and treat your blog as if it’s the main entree and your social channels are the side dishes. Your social channels should be there to support your blog but your blog should be your priority. Your blog link backs are important. Brands want that. Instagram posts go by so fast and people will forget that awesome photo you posted a week ago, but your blog will always be there, your blog is searchable and makes you easier to find.
One last piece of advice when seeking sponsored trips. BE FLEXIBLE. The invite might not come when you have two-weeks off of work, sometimes you have to be ready to make schedule changes and adjust in order to make that trip two weeks later.
Blogging has taken my family and I places that we would have never ever expected and has given our family so many blessings year in and year out. So keep with it, keep working hard, don’t give up and I promise you, all the hard work will pay off! Get my E-Course – Start a Blog & Make Money from It
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