Am I Ready to Blog for Business?

I truly enjoy sharing my stories and experiences, but I also think about the potential financial gain from blogging. There are times, I ask myself, “Should I blog for business or for the love of it?” To help me answer this question, I attended the Blogging For Real: Realistic Insight Behind The Business of Content Creation sponsored by Verizon in New York City.

When I found out that Tania Cacilla, @Darling_Tee was going to be a presenter at this event I was elated! Her Instagram feed is impeccable and her blog www.darlingtee.com is always flawless. I’ve been following her for a few years and I finally had a chance to meet her in person.  Before the event started, I approached her and introduced myself as one of her biggest fans. She was so nice and even gave me a slight bear hug! Soon after the meet and greet, we took our seats and class began.

Established fashion and mix media bloggers, Tania and Denisse Benitez @ChasingDenisse, hosted the workshop at the WeWork space in Manhattan NY. They provided insight on how to increase your blogging presence and how to facilitate the process of personal branding, pitching techniques, media kit development, and much more.

Below are a few key areas on how to improve your blogging skills from beginner to advanced

Invest in yourself and create a strong Brand: If you are going to be in the blogging business, creating a brand that stands out is crucial. By having great photos and a professional website will let companies know you’re serious about blogging.

• Start by hiring a photographer or “Photo Bae” to capture great photos for the blog. Eye-catching photos will get the attention of brands and encourage others to follow your post.
• If you are not great at creating your own graphics or website, it’s best to hire a professional to help build an impressive site. As a newbie, I’m doing everything on my own, but I will be hiring a professional soon to take it up a notch.
• Another key factor in brand identity is name recognition. Pick a name and stick to it! Your name should be the same on all channels and try not to switch it up a lot. It will make it difficult for others to find you.
• Choose a preset/ filter for your brand. This will create an overall look that is unique to you. Your Instagram feed is your online resume and it will help someone determine if they want to follow you or not. In sum, great pictures will create more followers.

Media Kit: Before you pitch to a brand, create a Media Kit to highlight key facts and statistics about your blog. This will help Brands understand everything there is to know about you. It should include items as such as your bio, social media channels, services, contact info, and partnerships with other brands.

Perfect Pitch: No matter how big or small your blog is, pitch like you have a million subscribers! In today’s industry, Mico-influencers are becoming more appealing to companies because their engagement with followers which can ultimately lead to sales.

• Never underestimate your own potential when negotiating with companies and only pitch to companies you would like to work with and let them know what you can offer them. It only makes sense to work with brands that you truly believe in and have a real connection with. If not, your followers will be able to see the fraud factor in your posts. Please don’t think you need to have thousands of subscribers or followers to collaborate with a brand or even ask for money upfront. When pitching always mention how much it would cost to create the content.

Last thing! One of the best things you can do for yourself is to create a network of bloggers to connect with to share information. If you’re not already a part of the network, start reaching out to local bloggers in your area to start that dialogue. Other bloggers can provide guidance, tips, and even make sure that you’re negotiating the proper rates with companies.

After the event was over, Tania and Denisse, encouraged everyone to connect with one another and exchange information to help create our network of blogger friends. Everyone who attended seemed to learn something they didn’t know before and establish new connections as well. I learned a few things about myself and how I can improve my overall blog. I really believe that blogging should be fun and an enjoyable process, but why not make a little money as well?! I’m still in the early stages, but now I feel like I have a good understanding of what companies are looking for. I feel more knowledgeable and ready to start blogging for business.

Posing with Denisse after the workshop. Her personality lit up the entire room

Left (Tania, @Darling_Tee), Right (Chace, @forkking868)

Class is in session. Take Note!