Three Things You Need to Know About Finding Advertisers

Cheeky Secret #14

Three Tricks to Make Private Blog Advertising Work

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So you've seen the notes on other blogsites, "Interested in Advertising? Email me for rates" and you're wondering what the secret is? How do you get people to email you, ask for rates, and start raking in an advertising profit for your blog? If only it was as easy as posting a note. The secret is, finding private advertisers usally isn't so simple. But, it's not neccessarily hard, either. Keep in mind these three simple tips, and you'll be on your way to making cash through private ads in no time at all!

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(1)Remember, this is business. Appear professional.

Never, never, never post a note on your sidebar inviting readers...

"Want to Advertise? Email me at InMyPajamas@Home.com"

Yeeps! The very thought makes my spine cringe.

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If you were looking to hire a realtor and could choose between one who arrived at appointments in old-school basketball skiviies and a sweat band, or one in a slick grey suit with sassy red heels, I'll bet you twenty bucks I know who you'd choose.

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Likewise, if you want to earn advertising money through your blog, you've got to get your professional game on. You've got to look the part of a serious business gal. Since you'll rarely meet advertisers in person, this means need to get a simple, professional looking ad site which details your ad rates, ad dates, and contact information. I've done this by linking readers and potential advertisers from my site to a totally different blogsite. (CLICK HERE to see it.)

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Don't hesitate to post your actual ad prices on your ad site. If I'm an advertiser looking to spend my money, I want to see the prices. If the prices are within my ad budget, I'm significantly more likely to contact you than if I hop on your blog and see a note that says "Doing laundry and wiping kids noses. Call me when you're ready to advertise." Uh, no thanks.
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(2) For the most part, you'll find your advertisers. They won't find you.
The sooner you see yourself as a salesperson, the sooner you'll start making bucks from your blog.

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Business owners are busy people. They are managing money, books, products, customers, websites. Very few of them have time to troll the web, find your blogsite, figure out if your writing style and theme compliments their company, contact you about advertising, negotiate a price, and maintain an account with you. Which means that YOU get to be the one to find your advertisers. Search them out, hunt them down, email or call them, tell them why they need to advertise on your site to your specific audience. Sell yourself to them and they might just buy.

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One "secret" I've used to hook potential advertisers is to contact them and let them know how genuinely I enjoy their products. I tell them about my blog, let them know my site stats, and then ask them if they'd be interested in sponsoring a giveaway in exchange for a month of free sidebar advertising. Sometimes they are not interested, and that's okay. But, sometimes they are actually VERY interested and wiling. These are the companies worth building and maintaining relationships with.

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Because they've shown an initial interest in your blogging endeavors, you can feel assured that they are a company interested in (1) advertising, (2) joining forces with you, (3) testing the success rate of your readership with their company. Keep in touch with them! Email them, send them special ad offers, let them know when you have a post of particular interest to their cause then invite them to be an advertiser for that post, send your gratitude, check in with a hello or note of appreciation. Thoughtfulness and professionalism can will take you far in business.
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(3) Larger advertisers are attracted to larger audiences.

If you have to start small, don't be discouraged.
As you look for advertisers, look for companies that are equal in size to your reader following. If your blog is seeing two hundred hits per day, a major corporation is highly unlikely to be interested in sponsoring you. However, that doesn't mean other, smaller companies aren't looking to increase their audience and profits.

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The real key to success here is to seek out privately owned websites who ship their products. These companies are constantly looking for online saavy consumers because online is how they hock their products. So, a small bakery, clothing store, antique shop, or craft venture is significantly more likely to join you as an advertiser than a toy shop with a storefront in your hometown.

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The best news? There are so many online companies! Get googling! Start Emailing! Pick up the phone and call some contact numbers! The sooner you start selling yourself as a professional, legitimate, success-driven blogger, the sooner you'll start being that very thing.

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Which Cheeky Secrets are working for you?

Have you been putting the Cheeky Secrets into play on your blog?

Has one of them proven successful for your site? If so, I'd love to hear!

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Email your successful blogging stories to becheeky@q.com

and you might be featured in an upcoming post.

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Blog Advertising

Hi Brooke,

I am currently using Google Ads. I have signed up to use BlogHER ads but have never heard back from them. There is not a clear person to contact..and i am not certain if I will ever hear back. Google Ads scare me a bit--sometimes my earnings amount is there--sometimes not.

I am not sure of the best resource for ads, and that's why I'm asking you. I know I'm still a new blogger, but I have installed a stat counter (invisible) and the data shows me I have a consistent and loyal following of repeat visitors that return on a daily (sometimes more than that) basis. A large percentage of "first-time-visitors" stay a long period of time. This data gives me confidence I'm doing something right, and I know that developing a following with a certain niche of people just takes time---BUT, in the meantime, I want to be on the right track with ads.

Any suggestions?

Warmest regards,
Caroline Urdaneta
salsapie.blogspot.com

Cheeky Secret #13
Blog Advertising Options that Work!

Oh, darling Caroline. I feel your pain! In the early days of blogging, I was so incessantly baffled by blog advertising. I simply couldn't figure out how to get advertisers, keep advertisers, and make money off of blog advertising. Well, good news! I've since gotten a lot of experience, and learned a LOT of secrets that will get your blog profitable in no time at all. And, I promise to spill every last one of them in the coming weeks. For now, here is a brief advertising overview (aka. a few of the biggest options, and a few of the easiest ones).

NOTE TO READERS: If you've discovered a secret to advertising success, please feel free to email it to me, or leave it in the comments section. The more input we get on this subject, the more we all benefit!

(1) Google Adsense. Money is made through Google Adsense everyday based on your site traffic, the types of ads placed, and how many of your viewers click on the ads themselves. It's possible to make a small amount of money (as in pennies), if none of your viewers actually click on the ads, but you really have to see more than 1,000 site hits a day for pay-per-view pennies to register. That said, the secret to truly successful Google Adsensing is to get your Google ads placed in very strategic (read: sneaky) locations. If you're really interested in making money through AdSense, be sure to place your ads in extremely noticeable locations: above or below your banner, as close to the top of your sidebar as possible, or between your ad posts. Until you get a steady flow of traffic through your site, you'll likely notice your Google ad account numbers rising steadily--but very slowly. Which, of course, means that you'll simply have to work overtime to get your blog noticed (more on this later). Of course, I happen to think that if I can make nothing a day for doing a hobby, or ten cents a day, I'd definitely take the ten cents. Yes?

(2) BlogHer. If you are a woman blogger this is a well-established organizations that can bring in some extra spending money. Acceptance into BlogHer seems to be increasingly elusive, not to mention the vast number of rules and stipulations you agree to follow as a BlogHer gal. I know several bloggers who make a couple hundred dollars a month through the BlogHer ad system, however most of them created a firm following for themselves before getting the BlogHer network interested enough to accept them into the network. My advice on this one? Keep applying and be patient. You never know when they might accept you. In the meantime, just like Adsense, these ad networks are all business. They pay you for YOUR hard work. If you're serious about making money through your blog, then you've got to be all business, too. Keep your blogsite well updated, well edited, and work constantly to establish your identity and audience. As you continue to create your own empire, you are certain to attract companies willing to support you in your endeavors.

(3) Foodbuzz. If you are a regular recipe poster, and accepted as a FoodBuzz publisher, you may just be able to pocket a few extra pennies each month through their ad program (you make $2/day per 1000 impressions on your page). Interested parties have to create an account, and apply for the FoodBuzz Featured Publisher program. Just like blogger, there are specific regulations to heed if accepted (including restrictions from selling private advertising on your site.) Be sure you read through and understand the contract fully before signing on the dotted line.

(4) Affiliate programs. Many companies are picking up on the trend of blog advertising, creating "affiliate programs" for interested bloggers. The idea for companies is to access loyal readers who have shown a proven interest in your theme/style of blogging. The idea for you is to connect these readers to a company whose products complement your particular blogging flavor. This is usually done through a widget on your sidebar. When your readers click on the link, sign up for an account, and make a purchase on the company site, you get a small commission off of any purchases your reader's make. Amazon offers several slick, quick options for affiliate marketing. My favorite is their "Amazon Store" option, which allows you to piece together your favorite Amazon products, create a customized widget for your sidebar, and start making a percentage of money for each store sale. Of course, monster-sized websites aren't the only ones offering affiliate marketing to bloggers so don't be shy about buzzing an email to your favorite tiny company, asking about any affiliate options they offer. You might just be pleasantly surprised at what a gift your blog advertising can be to business owners, as well as to your pocketbook.

(5) Private Ads. In my opinion, the best and most consistent way to make money through blog advertising (without having some middleman take a huge cut from your earnings) is to offer private advertising to your readers. Be warned. This is NOT the easiest road. It takes a lot of effort and salesmanship on your part, but it does allow you full and complete control over your blog advertising.

Want to get your private ad campaign work?
Be sure to stop by next week for details!