Have you ever wanted to be an influencer?
If you've established your knowledge and authority on a specific topic, this may be you already.
Likewise, if you're a blogger or instagrammer, and have spent years nurturing a relationship with your audience.
The great thing about being an influencer is you're creating the type of content you love.
And by joining a blogging network - you can turn your passion into an income stream.
What is a Blogger Network?
Blogging networks (also known as blogger influencer networks or social media opportunities) are websites or apps, which act as a "middleman", connecting bloggers and social media influencers with brands who want to promote their products.
These online marketplaces help bloggers and influencers find relevant opportunities, i.e., a product or service from the brand that is related to their niche and readers and can be promoted on their blog or social media platforms.
You're not paid a commission for each sale (like affiliate marketing). But you're paid to create a social media or a sponsored blog post that talks about the brand's product or services. So, you can't just promote any product - it must be tailored to the brand's audience.
How Much Can You Make from Blogging Networks?
This rate depends on a lot of factors like your niche, experience, audience size, and general networking skills. An average rate is $10 per 1,000 followers. And if your blog has a good following or has excellent content, then chances are they'll even pay you more for joining. So, it's an easy decision to sign up. Remember if you're asking for a higher price, you need to come across as professional and trustworthy. This is where having a portfolio of previous jobs comes in handy.
Many blogging networks are looking for bloggers with a small or medium following. So, don't worry if you've not got a large following yet, you could begin by working only with smaller brands. This way, you can work your way up and gain valuable experience promoting growing brands.
How to Find Social Media Sponsorships/Blog Review Opportunities
Demographics and Deals
If you can't find relevant deals to promote, it could be down to demographics. Gender, age and location matter. A young American woman will find more offers to promote than a retired man from the Ukraine.
Most of these offers will usually be for female care and lifestyle products for residents in the USA. So, if your audience fits into this category, you will find more opportunities.
But don't worry, if you can't find enough deals, you could try one of the approaches below:
1) Cold Email
Find a company you would like to promote (that has a relevant audience to yours) and simply send an email. Or contact them via social media networks (Instagram or Facebook messenger). Write a personalized email to the person in charge of promotions, usually the marketing manager or similar. Don't send a template. Explain the benefits of the collaboration and mention your previous jobs.
2) Warm Approach
This strategy works better with small brands than the large or more popular ones.
a) Engagement
Find a brand you want to work with and tag them on your posts or photos. For example, tag a swimwear brand when you post a great shot of a woman in a bikini on the beach. You can multiply this by engaging more. When the brand publishes a new social media post, like, comment and share.
b) Open to Collaborations
- On your social media bios, include a business email for inquiries
- Create a dedicated page (e.g., "Work with Me"), that clearly says what your rates are, the terms and your portfolio. Again, link to this in your bios.
How to Use Blogging Networks
1) Browse through the list of the best blogger and influencer network opportunities below.
2) After signing up to a few, start browsing for relevant products and opportunities to promote.
3) When you find a good deal, check out their requirements (for example, the number of followers or a specific niche). Brands usually provide basic guidelines for you to follow to promote their products.
4) Create a post on either your blog or social media channels.
5) Let them know you published the post.
6) Get paid.
Tip: Don't just publish one sponsored post after another. Nobody wants to wade through a sea of promotional content.
Keep your audience engaged with normal posts jam packed with value. A good ratio is to publish 4-5 normal posts for every 1 sponsored post.
9 Blogging Networks for Sponsored Content Opportunities
1. Activate
Activate by Bloglovin’ offers a variety of paid partnership opportunities for bloggers, such as ad campaigns and sponsored post opportunities.
It's important to assess each opportunity, as some are non-cash or “goodwill” charity or product-only partnerships.
The Activate network has some particularly high paying opportunities. Their platform is easy to navigate through, and they offer an online dashboard to track accepted and declined opportunities.
2. Social Fabric (or Collective Bias)
One of the biggest blogger networks on the market today, Social Fabric by Collective Bias offers everything from branded content and sponsored blog campaigns with companies to event management and analytics.
Social Fabric works rather differently than the rest of the blogging industry. As well as connecting bloggers with brands, they have their own network of bloggers, allowing you to connect with other bloggers too.
Membership requirements include having at least 1000 followers on a social platform, you must post original quality content and be resident in the US or Canada.
The more detailed the application, the higher your chances of receiving a paid partnership. Once approved, there are a variety of perks for members, including training on the types of campaigns they are looking for. It also has an active community who help one another to take their blogging skills to the next level, from writing more compelling stories to taking better pictures.
Their easy-to-use interface displays all available programs for bloggers, like lifestyle, fashion, food, and bloggers/influencers to apply to.
3. Linqia
Most of Linqia's campaigns for bloggers are pay per click. This means your rate for active campaign's is determined by the number of people who click on your link.
Despite the fact that it's one of the most popular networks, the minimum requirement is 2,500 followers on a social platform or 2,500 visitors to your blog and be located in North America. It can work out well if you have a large Instagram following in the US.
Some of the major brands include McDonald’s and Knex.
4. Sway
This is another influencer marketing platform that’s been around for quite a while.
Sway offers a broad range of brand opportunities to bloggers, mainly in categories like health, food and parenting. Each opportunity includes specific blogging campaign requirements.
Bear in mind that Sway sometimes has an "in perpetuity" licensing agreement in their brand applications, i.e., the brand has a license to use your content on their website or social platforms, i.e., forever.
5. AspireIQ
AspireIQ's (Formerly known as Revfluence) is one of the most popular platforms for bloggers. The platform allows you to apply directly for campaigns with the brand's managers. Once you receive your media kit, you can personalize your pitch. New users only have 5 pitching opportunities per month. But, once you complete your first brand job and get a review, you will have access to more blogger opportunities.
Small as well as major brands are open to trade opportunities. Past brand campaigns include Dyson, Hello Fresh and more.
6. Clever
Clever, formerly known as The Clever Girls Collective, regularly features blog and social media campaigns. They track your blog visitors by installing a code on your website.
You can apply to campaigns with fixed rates. they have some of the higher rates compared to other networks. You'll need to be patient, as it can take up to 3 weeks for application approval.
Some of the many varied blogging opportunities include paid gigs, sweepstakes, etc. Past campaigns have included big brands like Motorola and Krispy Kreme.
7. Acorn Influence
Acorn is one of the better networks. It's those little things which count, from having an easy to navigate site to handwritten notes and gift cards.
Acorn has good campaigns, but they tend to be fairly sporadic. They periodically email their members opportunities that are a good fit. Acorn's campaign rates are fairly decent too.
This blogging network works with all levels of influencers, from those with hundreds of thousands of followers to those with only a few thousand.
Many of the standard blog opportunities tend to focus on mom bloggers, from large household brands to kid-focused ones. Some of the biggest brands include Cheerios, Dr. Pepper, Bounty Kimberly Clark and Crest
8. Tap Influence
Tapinfluence is a fairly popular influencer and blog network that partners with many bloggers. Signing up with TapInfluence is pretty simple. Once onboard, TapInfluence’s software matches you with the most suitable brands to work with.
On the platform, you can see opportunities for sponsored posts or social posts or both.
The pay is based (as expected) on your page views per month and follower count. Obviously, you'll need to connect your social media feeds and blog. The platform allows you to view your estimated earnings right away.
9. Influence Central
When signing up to this blogging network, it's important to complete your profile fully, as well as connecting all your social media properties. They can then show you opportunities which are a good fit to your profile.
Even if opportunities are displayed, it doesn’t mean you'll be automatically approved for them. You will need to apply for each. The network and brands still have the final say on which influencers they want to work with.
Influence Central has a diverse range of U.S. brands from fashion, beauty, travel, to food and entertainment. Here are a few of the major brands you could work with: Reebok, Revlon, Expedia, McCain, Hulu.
Bonus Tip: Remember, you will need an attractive blog that looks and reads as if it’s been created by an individual, not a corporate brand.
The sooner you sign up for one of the above networks, the quicker you can start earning money from your blog.
Just keep it real and have fun!