An overwhelming amount of you (thanks Kachee, Stella, Josephine, Sasha, Jasmine - just to name a few) wanted to know more about media kits so here we are.
Media kits are something every blogger should have no matter how big or small you are because they condense a 10-step negotiation process into 1, plus they prepare you for when you get big.
Before media kits became a must-have for bloggers/influencers, they served as icing on top for the over-achieving bloggers. They were super intricate and lengthy, describing everything from who you are, what you do, and what you offer in extreme detail.
I’ve talked about the benefits of having a media kit before, but as a reminder, media kits keep you organized, keep negotiation to a minimum, and give the illusion that you have your crap together (even if you don’t).
What they are
Media kits give brands or anybody who wants to work with you an idea of what you’re all about. Media kits are usually clean, simple, and to the point. They share your social followings, blog traffic, services, past collaborations, pricing, and a short bio. That’s it.
Once your brand gets bigger, so can your media kit. Our media kit for Zanita is around 8 pages, but for a micro or mid-level bloggers you can stick to one page like in the example below.
How to make them
Since you already know what brands want, so all you have to do is plug it in! There really is no right or wrong media kit. Some media kits will include more than others for the sake of the blog or brand being bigger. However, even micro-bloggers can have longer media kits if they’ve done a lot of noteworthy projects and/or have a lot of social media channels.
But beware that just because you’re on every platform, doesn’t mean you should include those stats. A brand is going to be turned off if they see you’re on Periscope and only have 12 followers. You could include a footer at the bottom of your media kit saying how you also have a growing Periscope and Pinterest account. Growing is a great word to use because it’s positive and shows you’re working towards something.
A typical media kit includes:
- Short bio
- Blog traffic/monthly views
- Unique monthly visitors
- Facebook/Instagram/YouTube/Pinterest/Periscope/Snapchat/Twitter/Bloglovin’ followers (I don’t include Twitter or Pinterest because these accounts are “growing”)
- Noteworthy brand collaborations (just the name of the brands you’ve worked with)
- Services + price list (full blog post on pricing HERE)
- Snapchat mention ($ - because it only lasts 24 hours)
- Sponsored blog post ($$ - this could be more or less than Instagram depending on the time and effort you put into a blog post and your traffic)
- Instagram post ($$$ - macro-bloggers get anywhere from $3,000-$15,000 per Insta post)
- Sponsored blog post + social media posts across all platforms ($$$ - this is the full package that gives brands the most bang for their buck; it’s also the most time-consuming on your part and time is money)
- Optional: “credibility quote”/testimonial from a brand or well-known fellow blogger
Where to get them
You can totally make your own media kit using PicMonkey. But if you want to come off as professional as possible, I recommend buying a pre-made template or having a graphic designer make you one.
I got mine on Etsy for $15 - they have a wide selection from 1-page to 5-page media kits in different colors, and I’m sure some shops could even make you a custom template that matches your aesthetic. The prices also range from $7-25. Etsy is the bomb.com for anything that you want to be uniquely yours.
Your questions answered
Maria asks… Could we have actual rates depending on the service and followers?
Yes! That’s exactly how you price out your media kit. Some of the bigger bloggers even get as specific as charging extra per #hashtag.
You want to estimate the cost of how long it takes you to do anything plus any fees associated with the final product. For example, if you hire a photographer for a collaboration, you want to factor that cost into the total price you’re charging. Photoshoots, editing, and a write-up take a lot of time so you want to make sure you’re not downplaying your time or skills.
Valezrina asks… Can media kits be tailored only to social media if blog traffic is still low?
Absolutely. Like I said before, there is no right or wrong media kit. You just don’t want to overwhelm whoever is reading it, and in most cases, less is more when it comes to media kits, especially as a new or micro-blogger.
Passant asks… What do I include if my number of followers is still growing? Can I add a percentage instead?
Yes, you can add the growth rate as a percentage for sure!
In fact, that’s what I did for quite some time. If you want to take it a step further, you can include your largest followings, average engagement per post (use Instagram insights to help you), and the growth rate percentage (because most brands will want to know your actual numbers).
Liyana asks… Should I show my personality and what are the most important things to include?
Media kits are so simple and straight forward that if a brand is interested in you, they should have a general idea of your personality from your blog/social media channels. Brands aren’t interested in becoming friends, they’re interested in growing their business. As long as you’re not a downright brat or totally irresponsible, you’ll be fine.
The most important things to include in your media kit is a short bio (what your brand is about - lifestyle, fashion, health, home decor, travel, etc.), contact info (name, email, blog/website), social media following/blog traffic, and 1-2 original pictures (not stock photography) that capture the essence of your blog.
Still have questions or need clarification? Ask in the comments below!
xx Britt
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You Should Also Read:
How to Raise Your Rates as a Blogger
What to Charge for Collaborations as a Blogger
3 Steps to Handling Collaborations Like a Pro Blogger
