One of the main ways influencers make money is through sponsored social media content. But did you know that bloggers can charge more for a single blog post than a series of posts on Instagram? However, knowing how to price a blog post can be tricky. In fact, the question most amateur or seasoned bloggers still ask is: how much should I be charging for a sponsored blog post?
Although you could monetize your blog through running ads and affiliate marketing, sponsored blog posts can bring in more value to both you and the brand you’re working with. The affiliate marketing model means you get paid on the basis of clicks and reach. Whereas a sponsored blog post means a brand pays you in exchange for writing a great article.
In this post, I’ll be walking you through everything you need to know about how much to charge as a blogger and how to set a sponsored post rate.
How Much to Charge for a Sponsored Blog Post
So you have an established blog and are posting consistently, you may even be using ads and affiliate marketing. If you’d like to take your blog to the next level, charging for sponsored posts is a great way to boost revenue. Here’s how they work: you negotiate a deal with a brand in exchange for an article, or maybe a promotion to your email list. The brand may send over specific talking points and a guideline for formatting.
Brands will gladly pay to work with bloggers who have a loyal readership to promote their product or service. In fact, influencers who have a blog they consistently post on, an engaged following on social media, and an email list make it easier for brands to agree to a higher rate.
Things to Consider When Setting Your Rates
There are several factors to consider when it comes to charging for a sponsored blog post, such as:
- Traffic or monthly page views
- Newsletter open rate (if promoting to your email list)
- Engagement
- Social media following and your profile’s engagement
Calculating Your Sponsored Post Rate
These numbers will add more value when it comes to negotiating a brand deal and post pricing. First, you should start by calculating your average monthly page views. To do this, look at your overall traffic from the last 3 months on Google Analytics, since traffic always fluctuates. Add all those numbers together and divide it by 3 to get your average monthly page view.
Once you know that number, divide it by 1000 to find out your reach per 1000 impressions (or CPM). Round your CPM up and multiply that by the rate you set per 1000 impressions. This could be anywhere from $3.00 or more, depending on what you’re comfortable with.
For example, say you get around 100,000 monthly average page views. Divide that number by 1000, and you find out that your CPM is 100. If your rate per 1000 impressions is $3.00, you’ll be charging $300 for a single blog post.
Keep in mind, this is just a guideline for how to calculate how much to charge based on your page views alone. Once you factor in any additional promotion on social media, or to your email list, you can definitely charge more or set your rate per 1000 impressions higher.
How Much to Charge if You’re an Amateur Blogger
If you don’t have that many page views, don’t worry! There are other ways you can charge for a sponsored blog post that you might consider. You can always charge…
- Per word – Anywhere from 10 cents or more per word.
- An hourly rate – Make sure to track your time carefully. You can use a free time tracker like Toggl.
- A flat fee – Be sure to set a word count limit if you’re charging a flat fee. For instance, you could charge $250 for a blog post with 800 words.
Tips For Working With Brands On Sponsored Blog Posts
If you’re ready to take on sponsored blog posts, there are several ways you can go about landing brand collaborations.
Create a Media Kit
Every influencer needs a media kit if they want to work with brands. A media kit is a document with your accounts’ and platforms’ information, such as demographics, engagement rate, and examples of past work. When creating a media kit for your blog, be sure to add information like your average monthly views and the number of subscribers on your email list.
Set a Rate According to Your Experience
Pricing your blog posts can be daunting especially if you aren’t an experienced blogger. You can set your rate using any of the listed methods above, but always do what you’re comfortable with. If you’re uncomfortable with naming an amount, you can start by asking the brand what their budget is for a sponsored blog post. You can always negotiate from there. However, it is also perfectly fine to start small and accept what you’re comfortable with when you’re first starting out. The more sponsored blog posts you do, the more confidence you’ll gain and the more comfortable you’ll feel about raising your rates once you have more experience under your belt.
Join Sponsored Post Networks
Similar to Influencer Marketing Platforms for paid social media content, you can join a sponsored post network to help you land great collaborations. Here are a few of the best platforms to join:
Measure ROI
The brands you’re working with will want to know what their return on investment (ROI) is through your sponsored blog post. When it comes to measuring your ROI, here are a few things to keep track of:
- Link clicks – The number of people clicking on the links within the sponsored post
- Pageviews – How many people are seeing the sponsored post and over what amount of time?
- Engagement and interest – Are your audiences interested in the post? Are they engaging via comments or shares?
Sweeten the Deal
When it comes to negotiating brand collaborations, it’s always a great idea to offer more deliverables than the brand initially asks for. In this episode of Her Life, By Design, Josh Watson — founder of the influencer management agency, Boost Society — explains that doing so will set you up for success. Not only will you be able to bring in more revenue for more deliverables, but brands will be thoroughly impressed because you show enthusiasm about working with them through creative ways.
Remember, the more reach you have, the more you can charge. This also works if a brand initially approaches you for a post on Instagram. Let them know that you can write a blog post promoting their product or service, which will provide more longevity and return for their brand.
Similarly, you can always charge more if you have an email list that you can promote to as well. The point being, do no be afraid to ask for more when negotiating with a brand if you have a wider reach and valuable deliverables to offer.
Always Be Professional
Even if you’re an amateur blogger, being professional is a must. This means crafting a friendly and professional pitch email when reaching out to brands. It also includes responding to all negotiation emails in a timely manner and getting your bases covered with a contract.
Uphold Google’s Guidelines for Sponsored Post
This is an incredibly important step that all bloggers cannot miss. In fact, sponsored blog posts that don’t uphold Google’s guidelines can be penalized. To avoid this, follow these 3 simple steps:
- Disclose all sponsored content – Let your readers know that the post they’re reading is sponsored.
- Make sure outbound links are “nofollow” – This helps Google ensure that the brand isn’t gaining any natural link and domain authority through paid partnerships. To do this, add this HTML code to bookmark each end of the hyperlinked text. For example: <a href=”https://ahrefs.com” rel=”nofollow”>HYPERLINKED TEXT</a>
- Do not produce low-quality content – This goes without saying. If the post isn’t providing value, the brand isn’t getting your best work. Additionally, Google will consider it unimportant which will hurt your search traffic.
Leverage Your Influence
Having a blog will definitely build your authority and expertise within your niche. And while sponsored social media content is effective and great, sponsored blog posts allow creators to dive a little deeper into a brand’s products and services. Not only will you be giving your readers an in-depth look into why this product works, but you’ll also be raising incredible awareness for the brands you’re collaborating with. Although taking on sponsored blog posts can feel a little daunting, the tips and steps listed above will ensure that you’ll “wow” any brand you collaborate with.
So much value in 1 blog post. Thanks for sharing & Recommending networks for influencers & bloggers.
Hi Christina,
This is what I was looking for. When asked how much I charge for sponsored posts, I was at a loss for words. Your article has given me more confidence, so thanks for that. Thanks!
[…] Sponsored posts are a way for brands to connect with bloggers and their readers. The brand pays the blogger to review or promote its product in exchange for access to their audience.Because these posts are paid, it is required that they must be marked as sponsored posts by the blogger.When it comes to how much bloggers can charge for each sponsored post, the amount of traffic to the post and to the site itself will determine what their audience is worth. This combined with how much the advertiser is willing to pay will have to be negotiated.It may also depend on which platform the blogger is using and whether the post includes an image or video component. In general, however, sponsored posts average anywhere from $25 to $750 per post. […]