Monica Pruett, owner of HappyandBlessedHome.com, VisualMontessori.com, and The6FigureBlog.com knows a few things about creating content that delivers value to her readers. Her Easy Recipe: Shredded Chicken Tamales for Herdez has delivered over 745 click-throughs, 18,200+ page views and nearly 12,000 pins on Pinterest. As the mother of a premie at 30 weeks, Monica explains how blogging has made a world of difference for her family. Read on for some of Monica’s tips on creating content that drives traffic and social shares.
3 Tips to Creating Awesome Sponsored Content
I never intended to leave my corporate job. But, a little over six years ago, I gave birth to a preemie at 30 weeks. Six and half weeks in the NICU and years of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and many visits to pediatric specialists have necessitated that I find a career where I can work from home. Blogging is an answer to a prayer. Creating a website where I can serve an audience of over 20,000 subscribers and 50,000 fans has led to an income that has filled the gap where medical insurance coverage was absent, and has afforded me the ability to be a stay-at-home mom for my two young boys at a time when my preemie son has truly needed me.
The secret to creating awesome sponsored content? Under-promise and over-deliver. How do you do that? I’ll give you my top 3 tips.
Tip #1: Create Value
Take a step back and look at your blog from an objective point of view. How does your site create “value” for the reader? Is the value obvious from first glance? In your sponsored posts, how are you creating value for the reader? Are you sharing a secret to some cooking mystery, a free printable with an adorable design, helpful tips, or a tutorial? If a reader is visiting your blog, what helpful tips or freebie will make them want to bookmark your page, pin your content, or share their e-mail address with you (so you can build a relationship with them)?
The beauty of blogging is that bloggers are not limited by a certain amount of editorial space as one might be in print media. Influencers can use as many photos as needed to explain a process or develop a tutorial. I advocate making sponsored content your best work, because you always want your readers and sponsors to come back for more — recipes, tutorials, videos, articles, and printables.
Tip #2: Tell a Story with Pictures and Words
In a noisy world, we live in a visual age. Influencers only have a few seconds to capture the attention of their audience. Brilliant visuals are a critical component to creating awesome content. How does your photography stand out in comparison to other bloggers in your niche? Do your graphics and text cause readers to “click-through”? Are you telling the story in three seconds or less?
Make a point to tell the reader “what’s in it for them” in the very first sentence of your sponsored post. Better yet, tell them in the headline. Match your images to your message. Photos and graphics need to communicate a clear message in as few words as possible. Don’t just deliver a sales pitch, tell your story. Once you’ve captivated your audience, create an emotional tie between what you are writing about and the reader. Human beings make buying decisions based more upon emotion than logic.
Tip #3: Create a Compelling Call to Action
Once you’ve created value for your audience, and connected via a story that evokes emotion, give the reader a call to action. You want the reader to visit the sponsor’s web site, take advantage of a special offer, enter a giveaway, or sign up for your e-mail list. Pick one call to action and make it the focus. At the very least, you want to encourage them to share your content on social media. Reach out and ask your reader to take action. When it comes to creating successful sponsored posts, engagement is the key to success.
If you would like to know how Monica pitched and created 100 sponsored posts in 12 months, please join her in Salt Lake City, Utah where she will be speaking on “How to ROCK Sponsored Posts” (and keep sponsors coming back for more) at the Build Your Blog Conference on February 3-4, 2017. You can purchase tickets to BYBC here (enter the discount code “HappyBlessed50” to receive $50 off your ticket). If you can’t make the conference, sign up at The6FigureBlog.com and receive helpful blogging tips for pitching and creating awesome sponsored content.
For more information about Monica, check out her Influencer Spotlight.
