I was thinking about writing, link ups and this very link up – Laugh Link.
Then I started thinking about blogging.
Then I started thinking about how people make money from blogging.
Then my nose was itchy.
Then I thought about how one of the main ways bloggers make money is from sponsored posts. So I decided to take a look at a few recent sponsored posts by bloggers and see if I could ever write one (on the rare chance my stats are ever high enough for a brand to want to pay me – ha!).
Here are some of the most commonly sponsored-blogged about product categories and what I would say about them:
Something Related To Clothes Washing
If y0u’re anything like me (I hope not, for your sake), my washing piles in a basket until it either overflows or this happens: I’m wandering aimlessly around the house, thinking it’s time to go to bed…I see that it’s 10pm and I think, “Oh, what am I doing tomorrow?” I realise that I’m working tomorrow and all of my work clothes are hidden in the basket, still dirty. At which point words slip out, I throw the clothes in the wash, go to bed and tell Ben that since he doesn’t have to leave home early like I do, he gets to stay up for an hour and put the clothes in the dryer.
If this was a sponsored post, Brand XYZ would leave my clothes smelling so lemoney fresh that I would actually be inspired to do my own laundry ahead of time, just so I get to sniff it. So really, Brand XYZ is just like crack*!
(*I don’t actually know what crack is, I’ve never been cool enough to understand slang, drug related or otherwise.)
Something Related to Makeup
You deserve love. You deserve to be pimple-free. You deserve to smear me on you! Smearful, the new concealer by Brand ABC, is the revolutionary new make up that will solve your concealing fears forever.
Something Related to Children
Children are messy/picky.
Wait, a product doesn’t change that? Never mind. No brand can wrangle children.
Something Related to Cleaning
Cleaning is the chore that never ends. Thankfully, Brand LMNOPQ has invented the SUPERWipes, which mean that all of your wiping and cleaning problems are gone. Forever. SUPERWipes can be used on literally any surface and come in a handy package of five, because it will take at least that many to wipe up each spill.
Note: SUPERWipes by Brand LMNOPQ is a partnership with Brand ABC, who are the creators of Smearful.
Something Related to Grocery Shopping
Shopping used to be be a pain, but Shop HIP has changed all that! They have stores in every suburb! You can shop online and they deliver! This is revolutionary stuff and I’m so happy to be a part of this life changing brand.
Wait, most grocery stores are everywhere and offer online shopping? Shit.
The Anatomy of a Sponsored Post:
- Disclosure
- Anecdote
- Rambling story of how BRAND makes my life better
- Anecdote
- Competition/Discount (or, worst, just a link to the brand’s website)
Now, this is all tongue in cheek. I actually think it takes a lot of writing skill to make a sponsored post interesting, and many bloggers do it well!
So…now that this post has put off any brands that may ever want to pay me… What do you think would be the hardest product to write about?
(Keep it nice – I don’t want to hear any bitching about people making money off blogging: a) freedom baby, b) they’re probably not a slave to their day job like you and me, c) you aren’t forced to read sponsored posts if you don’t like them.)
And don’t forget to join in with Laugh Link! You can link up below and the links will show up across all Laugh Link host blogs. Any kind of humour, old or new, everything is welcome. If the link below doesn’t work, go to Redcliffe Style.
Oh I lived this. I’ve done 2 sponsored posts and they felt horrible. You’re too funny lol
I haven’t even done one…I just don’t know how I would write them & not sound stupid. I just don’t think I have that skill!
I got offered a sponsored post and I even got a great idea and started working on it, and then 2 weeks of hearing nothing they emailed me to say that my google ranking had dropped and they were rescinding the offer…let me tell you, it’s taking me a lot of effort not to slag off that brand! I did tick off the PR company for their poor time management in informing me. So I guess I may’ve killed that bird…
Oh no, that’s crappy of them 🙁 You’d think they would take it on average or something, I mean ratings change all the time.
I lol’ed at these! I think the hardest would be a product you weren’t really into or passionate about. Like if it wasn’t cool or life-changing, you might find it hard to write something engaging! Cleaning products got to be up there…
Cleaning products would probably only be life changing if it was a house I stayed one night in once where a resident advised me to never take off my shoes. I’m guessing the word mop was foreign there.
I’ve done a few sponsored posts and really just wrote what I’d usually do and drop in a few keywords and bob’s your uncle, then again I write for living and usually do about 15 advertorials a week for a newspaper so I suppose I’ve got a competitive advantage there! Love your ideas and how you’d write them x
Ah, so you have the benefit of skill…lucky!
I was hoping you were going to do a tongue in cheek sponsored vibrator post. They seem to be popular for sponsored posts. Or, you know, just popular generally. Or whatever. I think I had better shut up now except to say I would definitely buy brand ABC and XYZ and all the others in between after reading that.
Haha well I know which one I would rather test…
The sponsored posts I’ve done are for brands that really align with what I write about and I actually love the challenge of writing a post for them.
I’ve seen over the past year a few posts sponsored by a sexual pleasure device. I wouldn’t be able to write about that but some bloggers have been quite creative in putting that product forward.
It really is a skill…I sat down to write this for fun and then realised how much I would really struggle to write a sponsored post. So kudos to those who can (whatever the topic).
I’ve been known to do faux sponsored posts for Golden Crumpets. I believe I have done more for that particular brand than anyone on the blogosphere (or the traditional media for that matter). Not a word of gratitude have I received.
We need a crumpet recognition program!
I have done a few sponsored posts and since I have a humor blog, I try to give it little twist of fun. 🙂
It must make it so much easier than trying to do it in a serious manner 🙂
I think there would be a ton of things that would be hard for me to write about, but the worst? ummmmmmm… oh I know! I refused a sponsored post about bug spray. I wouldn’t even know where to start. And who would want to read it?! I don’t have nearly enough anecdotes as it is, it’d be struggle city with bug spray haha.
Bug spray would be a hard one! The only people who like seeing pictures of bugs are usually entomologists…and they probably wouldn’t like a post on bug spray! 🙂
I’m thinking most sexual toys. They’d make for an interesting post but the disclosure bits might be awkward. Mind you the success of the post is pretty much guaranteed.