Blogging Tips: Part 1 - How To Get Noticed By Brands

Inspiration is a tricky (and amazing!) thing. You get your posts scheduled (just like I showed you in my post on BLOGGING: HOW TO BE ORGANISED AND PLAN YOUR POSTS), and then it (aka the "muse") knocks on your mind's door and you know exactly that this material needs to see the world ASAP. This time it came from quite an unusual source - an email from a brand. It was one of those great emails where they use your actual name (major bonus if it doesn't start with "Dear Miel" - it happened). They also listed posts they loved and explained why they were interested in me. I was very thankful for such a professional approach. I was also happy to find out that my blog was valued, and what's more important - for what it is, not in a material way. I decided to share with you TWO posts: Part 1 - How To Get Noticed By Brands and Part 2 - How To Work With The Brands. This topic is all the rage among bloggers (especially new ones), yet it can be pretty sensitive. About sensitivity - this post is NOT going to include: a) tips on how to get attention of the brands (for quick cash/freebies) or b) ways to promote yourself (for quick cash/freebies). I do not support that kind of way of running your blog. Instead I'd like to share my genuine and no nonsense advice on how to get noticed by brands in order to motivate yourself to grow and take your blog to a more professional, fulfilling and happier place. Let's face it, you work hard enough to deserve to be noticed.

I'm about to hit you with some shocking stats. Just the other day I read somewhere that a new blog is created every half a second. Let's do the math - that's 172,800 new blogs are being created DAILY. This number is pretty overwhelming to process but don't let it scare you. One blogger once said to me: "I'm so overwhelmed - there are just too many bloggers. I'm never going to be noticed the way "big" bloggers are". I did comfort her making sure to lift her spirits up a bit and encouraged her to keep doing "her thing". At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter how many of "us" are out there already nor how well or badly others get on. All existing bloggers shouldn't throw in the towel and give up. It actually means the opposite - keep doing your thing. That sweet place in the sun has to be earned and not given as a freebie. So how can you get noticed by brand and why should you?

When I first went to the United States as a teenage exchange student, I lived in a dorm. Our dorm manager often used to say when she wasn't happy with us: "Check yourself before you wreck yourself". As annoying as it sounded back then, it just kind of stuck with me. Giving yourself a little reality check from time to time is a pretty healthy thing. What were your motives when you started your blog? Have they changed as you went on? Person's motives are more evident and transparent than anyone might think. While the desire to work with brands might be strong, you first need to work hard on your blog and grow along with it. Making money from your blog is not a bad thing (kudos if you're doing that!) but in order to stay true to yourself, your readers and potential business partners, know your real "value". Not only your audience will know if you're "real", but brands and businesses will get a good feel what kind of person is behind a blog. 

We all have heard this quote. It doesn't mean that a person isn't capable of producing a masterpiece of a blog post every day. It all depends on the time we have, determination and the content we put out there. Each of us can also make a mistake and it's OK (it's actually even great because we learn from them!). Once my hubby, who reads my blog and always encourages me, asked me: "That was a quickly-written post, right?" His bold question and sincerity hit me and I knew exactly which post he was talking about. We were in a massive rush before our summer holiday. I was a big-time blogging noob but I didn't want to leave my blog behind without a single update. So I decided I could just easily produce 3 posts on the day before the trip. While some can do it easily, I know we all have different lifestyles and writing / editing style. You love your blog, right? Take time to write, edit and proofread. Great brands will notice your potential by the posts you write and share.

Who can represent your blog more than you? The answer is obvious. Every blogger searches for inspiration everywhere and, sadly, some can get carried away. Without trying or even wanting to be a copycat, there's a possibility to become one. That's why it's great to filter all the ideas you might get from others. Ask yourself if it's a real you writing it and also be aware of copyright and the legal side of the blogging world. Another part of being honest on your blog is by writing genuine posts giving your sincere opinion. Either it's a review, a haul, a how-to post or your OOTD, keep it 100 + 1% you. Not only this way of running your blog will give you the voice others will be able to recognize among thousands, but also brands will know that they are dealing with a creative, trust-worthy and authentic individual. 

No idea why it's taken me ages to create a "contact" tab (I might still tweak it a few times). At the same time, my email has been displayed on my Twitter and Instagram from the get-go. Make sure you have some sort of social media presence (whatever channel you're comfortable with) and get your email address out there. Also, create a blog-related one (for example, mine is mielandmint<at>gmail.com - you get an idea). If your email is quiet or you get offers that are not up your street, there's no shame in contacting brands or businesses you're passionate to work with. They might be small or big - it's your choice. Be professional, polite and clear. Explain who you are and what your blog stands for + why you are interested in working with them. 

Last week in one Twitter chat there was a question asked: "What would you like brands to change about their approach to you?" Probably 95% of all the bloggers replied - "I want them to give me a chance not depending on the number of followers". It is true, that number does matter. Yet we shouldn't be after it simply because then "we will be given a chance". Go back and apply tip #1, 2 & 3, and eventually you will see that number go up bit by bit. Yes, it isn't easy to be heard and acknowledged when you are still growing but the main thing is you ARE growing. Not just the number of like-minded amazing people who are there to support you, YOU are growing as a blogger, as a writer, as an expert, as a brand. Keep growing but don't obsess (nor get upset) over the stats. Quality content, social media presence and engagement with readers will do the job for you. Great (small or big) businesses and brands out there will recognize that and will provide you with an opportunity to show yourself. 

I hope you enjoyed this post, either you are a blogger who's been around for a while or a new kid on the block learning your way around the blogosphere. At the end of the day, we are all "newbies" and learning constantly because blogging is the ever-changing world on its own. 
P.S. 
This post, like I mentioned in my little intro, is not written to promote the behaviour by which some consider bloggers rude, money-hungry or fake. Neither yours truly nor you would ever want to be associated with those words, right? This post was written to help to understand what businesses are looking for and get the main point across - 
work hard, stay positive and grow along with your blog :)
Part 2 - How To Work With Brands in coming next week. 

Related posts:

BLOGGING ADVICE: HOW TO RUN YOUR BLOG & KEEP UP THE PACE

BLOGGING: HOW TO BE ORGANISED AND PLAN YOUR POSTS

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Leave a comment and let me know what you think about this kind of advice.
Do you think it's important to try and get noticed? 
What do you think of the number of followers and stats?
How do you go about your social media presence?
Would love to hear about your experience, babes.