In the previous post, Why I stopped blogging for free, I shared my personal experience and reason for deciding to monetize. It mainly deals with replenishing energy and recognizing that hard work deserves compensation. Today I figured we’d go over some ways that a blog can earn an income stream and address the concerns that usually go along with it.
I am really excited to blog about this topic because it is such a rich and layered subject—more than I realized until I started writing about it. So let’s dig in.
The post covers ways to monetize, the energy behind monetizing, concerns that people have about it and how to address them, as well as what’s changing on my blog (in short, not much).
Some ways that bloggers monetize
If turning your blog into a potential income stream interests you, keep expectations grounded and set realistic goals. There are few overnight successes. But consistency, persistence, and authenticity always prove worthwhile.
These are the ways that bloggers earn money that I know of:
- Sponsored posts: the brand pays the blogger to review their products in exchange for their endorsement and social media presence
- Affiliate links: links embedded in the post are tracked and if purchase is made, the blogger earns a commission
- Selling ads on the blog: prices range depending on numerous factors such as traffic to the site
- Collaborations: either creating products with a brand and earning a percentage of product sales, offering a unique discount code and earning a percentage of sales using the code, or other brand/blogger collab ideas
- Direct sales of products
- Offering a service: consultations, makeup application, events, nutrition/health coaching, counseling, promotions, or other
- Ghost writing or guest posts on green beauty websites
Once you reach the decision to monetize, there are ways to do it without compromising the integrity of the blog—or yourself.
Letting go of the outcome and setting clear intentions
One inner directive that comes up for me around the concept of money—or success—is to let go of any attachments to outcome, dollar amounts, and numbers.
Attachments, a.k.a. vested interests, come through even if the person thinks they’re hiding them. There’s an encroaching, oppressive energy that makes my insides shut down and turns me off to whatever they’re offering. So pay attention to your inner knowing.
Releasing an attachment to money or outcome allows me to keep doing what I’m doing without thinking about blog traffic or income. It really is not about that at all. This frees me up to take risks and to stay 100 percent authentic.
Here’s an example: I never post anything on Facebook and then wonder how many “Likes” I’ll get. Those numbers mean nothing about me or to me, other than a fun way to gauge if it resonated with people. That’s not even a reliable sign, as people tell me later how much they loved a post but never “liked” it or left a comment.
It is a conscious intention not to let numbers define who I am nor dictate my posts, nor do they prove how popular I am (or not). It’s the same with Twitter, Instagram or my blog or the income that I am earning. The moments I worry about numbers, I’m immobilized as though mired in quicksand. Nothing flows.
As soon as I get back on track and get really clear on my relationship with money, focus on mutual exchange, my ultimate purpose for blogging, and where my loyalty lies (my audience, my integrity), then I get back in touch with what really matters and crystallize a true intention that resonates with me deeply. The clearer it is, the more it will ring true for others. Period.
For many, the salary is a bonus for work that they’d be doing anyway. That is certainly how it is for me.
Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing bad about accepting money! Being able to show my family a check that’s a reward for dedicated work is very gratifying, even if it’s a small amount. The lesson is greater than the figure.
Concerns about blogs that monetize
When a blog accepts money or products as an exchange, some lines blur. It boils down to three main concerns in my opinion: bias, conflict of interest, and transparency.*See below (Maybe you have other concerns, so please share!)
The solution to these concerns: establishing authenticity early on, connecting in an honest and ethical way with your audience and with the brand, and maintaining that trust.
Nothing trumps the truth.
Most times, I find myself dismissing sponsored content on popular websites, because in a larger setting, there is no way for the reader to know if the product is a quality product or if the website is merely trying to earn a quick paycheck.
The exception to this rule is when I know the blogger. If there is trust between us, then I know that the post represents an avenue of compensation for an endorsement that they would give anyway. Generally, you can sense the blogger’s vibe in the tone throughout their blog and through their online interactions, if you do the research on them.
A trust-worthy blogger would not accept a product for endorsement without due diligence, as in researching ingredients, thoroughly testing the product, familiarizing themselves with the company, connecting with the founder via phone or email, etc.
Similarly, receiving a product for free should not influence the outcome of the review. Personally, I evaluate a product the same way whether I buy it or not and would not give it a glowing review because it was sent to me. Brands are very clear about the way I work from the outset.
After all, why would I or any ethical blogger risk credibility by adding affiliate links or endorsing a brand that he/she doesn’t believe in? There would be too heavy a price to pay for that. Honesty and credibility are not values that I take lightly, nor am I willing to compromise them. They are honed virtues that comprise who we are as human beings and are non-negotiable.
To uphold a level of transparency, I find it important for the reader to be able to distinguish between sponsored content and a regular review. Some posts do that by using the words “dedicated” or “sponsored” somewhere in the text or in a disclaimer on the blog. Many bloggers add whether or not they received the product for evaluation from the company too.
As for affiliate links, I can not find anything fundamentally wrong with getting paid for providing honest feedback about a product that worked—again, as long as it’s done with integrity and without hiding anything.
It’s not like the cost of the item changes at the point of purchase. However, if the sale helps a blogger earn a very small (I mean, folks, it’s meager) commission on it or gets paid to write a review, I’m happy. It satisfies my desire to give back to the blogger for their feedback and helps provide a sustainable platform, so that he/she can continue contributing worthwhile content.
What if the blogger is friends with the brand founder?
The Beauty Idealist wrote an interesting post covering the topic of objectivity in blogging and questioned bloggers who become friendly with brand founders and who receive free products from them in exchange for a review. Her probing article got me thinking, so do check it out.
I definitely have met and am impressed with many of the brand founders as human beings (an opportunity that does not avail itself with mass market brands). Of course that colors my view of the label—but not in the way you’d think.
These founders understand that I’d never write a gushing review because of our friendship. I let them know that from the outset. Regardless, they would never urge me to compromise my authenticity.
That said, I would most certainly prefer to support a brand when I know that the founder’s intentions are ethical and transparent and that the business is more than a business to them, but a commitment to making quality organic and ethically formulated products. Then, yes, I am guilty of being completely subjective when recommending brands whose founders display kindness, honesty, integrity, and solid intentions.
And I’m ok with that. Even if that product doesn’t suit my skin type, it certainly could be of value to share the brand for someone else. I would mention my own experience too or keep the review less personalized and more generic.
You may laugh at me—oh well! Gonna tell you anyway
OK. Some of you may roll your eyes at this but I really put this intention out into the Universe before deciding to monetize.
I asked that in all my work I would be able to be totally up front with any brand that approaches me that earning money is new to my blog, hence my inexperience may show up (lack of media kit or otherwise), but that I will work hard to make sure that they will be happy no matter what.
I asked that I could be guileless and straightforward and not have the feeling that I need to appear more confident than I actually feel at something that is still so new. I also asked that only honest brands and people with integrity and kindness approach me to work with me.
I don’t care if I’m crazy for asking. I do believe that it’s working and I will keep setting that simple, yet important intention.
What you will be seeing on this blog
Personally, it doesn’t really change much around here. As it stands now, there is not a single brand mentioned on this blog that I would hesitate to recommend to someone as an option—sponsored or not.
You may have noticed a few ways that I’ve been turning my blog into a potential income stream.
I added banners along the right margin to include carefully curated eco-beauty websites. These are stores where I shop and that I fully endorse. I chose them mainly because my friends often ask me where to buy certain products and these sites are among the most comprehensive ones out there—other than Oui Shave and Graydon which sell their own noteworthy products exclusively. (A more extensive list of clean living websites and brick and mortar resources is here.)
Some of my posts and tweets contain affiliate links as well, or I may work out an exchange with each brand. (Each post is singular and is determined privately with the individual brands in a way that is mutually beneficial and supportive).
As of now, The Blogger Bill of Rights and my other disclaimer page, The Truth about Product Reviews, will serve as an understanding between us that I will use affiliate links with discretion and honesty for products that I would be recommending anyway, but I may or may not mention it in every post. (Help me! Sometimes it is only because I forget and remember to add a disclaimer in the post later. Mom brain. Grrr…) However, if that is something that you’d like to know on individual posts, I will reconsider that position.
Aside from the links, I’ve also been offering very affordable stylized photos for use on Instagram or on their websites. (Pricing and referrals available upon request. My paid photos do not represent an endorsement of the brand, unless otherwise stated).
Occasionally, I coordinate small events like Embody Beauty Retreat or promote events and giveaways found under Happenings.
OK. Your turn. How do you feel about affiliate links, sponsored content, and, if you write a blog, have you thought about monetizing it? I look forward to reading your comments and insights below.
*Let me state for the record that I always encourage discernment when evaluating any information (including—or especially—medical advice!) and have found these six questions to be especially helpful. Blogs and popular websites like Chalkboard, Mind Body Green and Refinery29, to name but a few, contain personal impressions—including hidden agendas and even inaccurate editing—so it’s healthy to keep that in mind when scanning any material online.
From what I’ve experienced, no perspective is entirely objective—even among journalists who are supposed to present the facts without opinions. Every story has an angle that all too easily conforms to the author’s point of view or that supports an overall position.
Props in photos:
- Apple White Handmade on Etsy
- ‘Lip Service’ set (sold out); Similar to the ‘Pucker Up‘ set
edible facial 
Love this! Such great advice, Sarita! I was recently asked to publish guest posts that I would be paid a small amount for each one that I put up. At first, I was a bit worried about doing that, but then when I learned that I would have complete creative authority and could decline any posts that I felt were not a good fit for my blog, I decided to do it (first one is up now). The only thing I feel kind of concerned about is that they prefer I not use the term “guest post” anywhere, but rather “this post was contributed by…” Still trying to figure out how to not mislead my readers if I can’t put “guest post” in the title..Maybe put the contributing writer bit at the beginning of the post instead of at the end?
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I think that, before accepting guest posts, you should ask yourself why you are accepting them. Do your readers care about what someone else has to say … if they are following *your* blog? That’s why I don’t take guest posts.
I would also recommend that you set the expectations of how you handle guest posts before considering accepting them. That means *you* get to decide how you style the guest post language and other guidelines. If a potential client doesn’t like what you’ve set up as your standard, then it’s not the right fit. Done! Don’t let a potential client bully you into doing something you don’t like on *your* blog.
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I thing Kim has a point about if your readers want guest posts. I only accept guest posts from other bloggers who are either in my same niche or want to discuss topics within my niche for this exact reason. And since they’re blogger guest posts, we do a trade of posts rather than monetary compensation because it’s more about good information and having fun with bloggers I know/like. Also, I know what it’s like to feel pressured to not put certain language in a post, but in my experience, I’ve opted out of working with that company. If they are not comfortable with me saying the post is sponsored or disclosing with my audience in the way that I feel is right (aka being transparent as possible), then I don’t need to work with them. the right brands have a way of showing up to work with you in the way you that you work without telling you to sacrifice your integrity or reader’s trust. and in my opinion, that’s how it should be. hope this helps Sabrina! ♥ ♥ ♥
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Thanks Kim & Tianna! Honestly, the only thing I have to gauge if my readers enjoy guest posts on my blog is through my stats…which imply they do (certain ones anyways). 😦 Regarding these posts, I will have control over the content I choose to post, so if anything sent isn’t right for my niche or I don’t think anyone would like it, I don’t have to post it. The only thing they requested was that I don’t change the links they provide and to use “contributing author” rather than “guest post”. I certainly don’t want to appear to be selling out by accepting paid posts, and I won’t allow anything on my blog that isn’t conducive to what my blog is about. It’s a difficult decision I guess I need to make. I don’t have any other form of income due to health issues and I want to build my blog as a business..and I’m trying to learn how to do that without looking like I’m selling out. But at the same time, I don’t want to feel bad for getting paid for certain posts. I want to please my audience, but at the same time..when do I think of what is best for me too? I know I’m rambling..lol..just a lot to think about for the coming year…:-)
But thank you both, I truly appreciate your input! I need all the help I can get! lol xoxo
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Whoooops…I hit send before proof reading! I meant to say that I don’t have any source of reliable income right now (I was managing my esthetician’s social media sites, but she recently decided to go with a professional marketing firm, which I respect, though I was sad to lose the income. And I do a bit of admin work for my father in law, but he isn’t always reliable with paying me) due to health issues.
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Hi Sabrina! I totally respect your wanting to earn money off the blog, but make sure you’re being VERY careful about this kind of sponsored post. Even if the actual content is a good match, often the websites they want you to link to are rife with phishing scams or malware. Obviously the last thing you want is to destroy your credibility with readers for a single guest post 🙂
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Interesting, Sabrina. It didn’t even occur to me when I wrote “guest post on green beauty websites” that a blog would get paid to host another writer’s material. I was referencing bloggers guest posting for online retailers, like I’ve been seeing on Integrity Botanicals and Eco Diva Beauty. It looks like Kim, Tianna, and Caitie already weighed in on the topic so there really is not much for me to add. I love how candid you are, but I’d feel uneasy about a company that won’t let you write “guest post” on your own blog. I doubt that I’d ever recommend to someone to rely on blogging as a steady income. Since working from home is what you need to do now, I’d actually recommend looking into ghost writing or freelancing. It can be more lucrative and doesn’t require all the disclaimers. Have you considered that possibility? XO
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I honestly have thought about doing some freelancing, but really have no idea how to even go about it! I haven’t really looked in to ghostwriting, but I will definitely do so now! 🙂 As for the paid guest post thing – To be totally honest, since I have been getting so many requests from writers wanting to contribute to my blog (crazy, I know), I began toying with the idea of creating a weekly/monthly series of having a guest post appear – for various reasons: to discuss topics (related to my niche of course) that I may not have thought of or just haven’t gotten around to yet, to break up the monotony of having so many product reviews (another goal for 2016 – either learn how to say “no” or come up with a better testing schedule) and just to give myself a break for when I am just too exhausted or ill feeling to think of writing something. The fact that a publishing firm reached out and offered to pay me, not going to lie, it did appeal. That being said, I need to really think about a lot of things – and thank you to everyone who chimed in and gave me advice – before really committing. The last thing I want to do is look dishonest, inauthentic or shady! I just really need to figure things out in terms of the direction I want my blog to go, find my “voice”, grow, etc..I’m still learning and oftentimes it is a struggle. I tend to constantly second guess myself and lack confidence as well..more things to work on. Wow! My 2016 goals list just keeps growing! lol But thank you everyone so much for your input, I truly appreciate and respect every bit of advice you give! 🙂 xoxo
Sorry for the ramble! 😀
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I couldn’t agree more with you, Sarita! I definitely think that there are some steps to be taken to care for your own integrity and authenticity when it comes to monetization. The main way I’ve been able to do this is by only ever working with brands and companies that I truly love and would promote anyway, reserving the right to speak my mind (and communicating my need for truth with the people I collaborate with), and basically working with like-minded people. That makes all the difference in the world because it seems that people who have a similar mindset for really promoting and releasing good things into the world have no problem with my need to authenticity, compensation, and truly seem to appreciate my hard work. I feel like it’s so much more satisfying to work with people who are in line with this. Moreover, as you said in the post, the cost is too high to sacrifice your own integrity and readers for a quick buck. At the end of the day, writing good content and connecting with people is worth more to me than any money. I just wrote about this, ironically, here, if you’re interested! >> http://storybookapothecary.com/why-the-hell-arent-you-following-me/
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Thanks for sharing, Tianna, and I look forward to reading your post. Based on the responses here, it is clearly not simple for a blog to get paid yet maintain its integrity. It does seem that the bloggers who post the occasional less-than-stellar report do have an edge over people like me who feel bad about doing that. The truth is that Kim had a great point in her comment on the last post that her loyalty lies with her readers, not the brands, so her goal is to give them her impressions in order to help them make better choices. I love that. You have a good approach in being selective of the brands that you choose to work with and being up front with them as well. XO
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I definitely think it’s a tough thing and I would say that my loyalty will always be with the readers. I mean, unless you have no connection with readers, shouldn’t that be where it is always? I have a personal connection with so many of them and have created friendships with people all over the world through my blog. I would never treat my real life friends like that and I consider the same with friends I know online, if that makes sense. I definitely think Kim has a great way of going about giving impressions with regard to aiding people make better choices. I think that’s so wonderful and I think transparency, for me, is so important as well. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this ♥
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I’m a paid freelance performing art critic/writer and I understand the rationale on not working for free, I never do, it undercuts other writers. I do like to read blogs when researching products and I have a green beauty dedicated Instagram account myself, so I understand the fairness behind what de facto functions as marketing gets due credit, also by monetizing through the ways you describe. I’m personally much more comfortable with ads on blogs, than I am with sponsored posts and to some extent affiliate links. All bloggers will claim speaking with integrity, but we all know that this is not always the case, most noticeable when products are praised after just a short period of testing, at a very high rate. I am in no way accusing you of not having integrity, I follow your beautiful Instagram, but this is my first visit to your blog so how would I even know, and that’s a problem. Not all readers are as critical and discerning as I think you would have them, many are very young girls for instance.
The blogosphere is full of different ties between blogger and businesses, that is the norm today. It’s not unproblematic, and that’s why you are addressing it in the first place. As you say journalism is not free of ties either, beauty editors typically have lots of strings to the advertising section of the different media outlets. And this is why people prefer reading about products on blogs because we know it has been tried and tested. But where does that leave us when bloggers work as an extension of the marketing department? In reality we can actually never be sure, so it’s the job of the authentic and honest blogger to really back up the claims one is making through their writing. These are general critical points, and I hope you don’t feel I am attacking you. In the end I think your high level of professionalism in your writing, art direction and photography warrants getting paid. I do however think it’s not ok to forget to mention that a post is sponsored or contains affiliate links. To me that’s’ the antithesis of transparency. I wish you the best of luck and really hope you will feel less drained and more appreciated for the job you are doing of putting content that people can benefit from out in the world.
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Hi Ineb, thank you for sharing your point of view. It helps to know how readers approach a blog and what they are looking for. I’m not big on reviewing many products, actually, and would be lousy at getting excited about a product unless I really feel it. To be honest, and this is something that I’m grappling with, I find writing straight up reviews to be boring. I rather interview the brand (something I do more often than reviewing) and discover what makes it unique and stand out from some of the others. Also, I love to find out the reasons why a brand decides to create products–especially now that the market is so saturated. That story of “I decided to create something because I couldn’t find it” isn’t going to wash any more so I’m curious to know what raison d’etre people will have for doing what they do. When I do post reviews, it is after a LONG period of testing–so long that I’m surprised when a company wants to send me anything because my turn around time is awful. I have to really develop a connection with the product in order to review it. It sounds weird I know but the transition that my skin goes through when testing a new line (especially when it contains different essential oils and base oils) takes time. Then I look to see if I naturally gravitate to the product because it works/smells wonderful/appeals to my senses. It is not a guarantee that I will want to use it, so I wait and see if I choose it from among my other products. If I do, then I know I’m on to something special, and only then do I review it. The exception would be the Beauty Heroes boxes because there is a limit in the time to introduce it. However they send out the boxes with ample time for me to test it before sharing. So now you know my process. That’s the only way I work and don’t predict changing it any time due to monetizing. I’m not hyped up by much by nature so it would take too much effort to get excited by something that I don’t really believe in. To address your concerns about affiliate links and sponsorship: I am glad to read your thought on it. This is still so new to me that I’m evaluating what forms are the most authentic. By the way, affiliate links don’t pay that much, so I’m guessing that a site with a lot of traffic does better with them. They’re new to mine, so I’ll see if they’re worth it. Most of mine were added after posting the reviews so there was no “ulterior motive” in the posts at all. Generally, I share multiple websites that sell the product, some with affiliate links and some without to keep it real. Hope this helps.
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It’s so funny you said you share multiple links – some affiliate and some not – I do this exact same thing! so funny haha
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Oooh this is always such an interesting subject and very topical, as I’ve seen a few popular green beauty blogs I have followed for several years decide to recently monetize. I think that when you have been blogging for a period of years, you gain insight, knowledge and feel that perhaps the sharing you initially started with as a hobby has to some degree taken over your free time with its success and now it feels that this time needs to be compensated in some way. Many of us have domain names and hosting costs to cover too. I have no issue with blog adverts, perhaps charging to run competition giveaways to cover your time, and being gifted products for review (because here you are under no obligation to give a positive view), however I’ve always struggled with sponsored posts. When you get paid to write about a brand or a product, you do lose your voice and part of your honest opinion about it / them. No matter how hard you try, you have received money to write about them. And this changes the energy of that exchange. You can no longer be impartial. Even with product reviews there is to some degree a bias in what we personally like or do not like, however that preference is personal not paid for. I do believe that if you use affiliate links and you are writing a sponsored post that it should clearly state this at the beginning or end of the post. Then your readers are under no illusion where they stand. It’s the same with disclosing whether a product has been bought by you or gifted. It’s all about transparency. I have to say that I tend to switch off when I know it’s a sponsored post. For me it loses its authenticity. I think with magazines we all know that what they say or promote is largely driven by who pays for the privilege. With blogs we build trust and honesty and integrity comes into play far more. Once a blog becomes a business or income stream, it will ultimately change. There’s nothing wrong with that, however I think balancing your content will perhaps be more important now so you don’t become too monetized. Wishing you lots of luck with your new developments. It all sounds very exciting xx
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Thank you so much for your input, Charlie. I actually don’t think I write a lot of reviews for a variety of reasons (please see my response to Ineb above). It is not my style to get hyped up about a brand or product unless I really feel it. I totally hear what you’re saying about sponsored content. My example of knowing the tone of the blogger came from an actual experience when I was talking to the person who wrote a sponsored post and she said she normally doesn’t write reviews so she asked to get compensated for sharing this brand because they kept begging her to write it. Her voice was 100% authentic when discussing the products and she admitted to me which ones she liked and didn’t and that definitely came across in the post. So, I would love to find a way for bloggers who work so hard on a post, to get compensated for their time, like a real job. I hope that there is a good way to do it without losing authenticity. If there isn’t then it won’t be something that I do. This is like a social experiment for me. I’ll see how it goes and how the response is when I say there are affiliate links or that I got paid for my hard work. In all fairness, every post is a labor of love and I do work hard to put out worthy content. XO
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Sarita, I appreciate your transparency in writing these two posts. I definitely think bloggers deserve to be paid, but at the same time, I think it’s a tricky line to walk. I earn money from my blog – through affiliate links, sidebar ads, and freelancing – but sponsored reviews aren’t something I’m personally comfortable with. Whether or not someone would give the same glowing review paid or unpaid, both as a content creator and a reader, I just think they look, at best, inauthentic.
Also, I’d mention that FTC regulations REQUIRE you to disclose both affiliate links and sponsored content in each individual post. An overreaching disclaimer page is not enough to satisfy the newer laws. Technically the same applies to any paid content, even instagram photos, tweets, etc. although I don’t see many people being as diligent on those platforms. I definitely suggest taking a look at FTC regulations, if for no other reason than to make sure you’re covered 🙂
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Thanks for mentioning that Caitie, I had no idea at all that even affiliate links have to be disclosed explicitly! Will include that in all of my posts from now on. ❤
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That’s so helpful to know, Caitie! I don’t think most bloggers add the disclaimer at the bottom of the post or realize that it’s an FTC requirement. That’s valuable information. I do–even on IG (only posted links twice and it didn’t feel quite right), Facebook, and I add it to my posts when I legitimately forget to do it. I do think that readers have a right to know, but I also know that bloggers have a right to get compensated. By sponsored posts, I mean brands that pay a blogger to review their products, knowing that the review would be authentic. Is that what you mean too? Personally, I have only done this once because I already knew I felt 100% comfortable with the integrity of the company, met and was impressed with the founder, and had already tested some of the products and knew they’d be repurchases without a doubt. I am happy to hear you found a way to get compensated for your work, and I hope that there is a comfortable ground for bloggers who want to create a sustainable platform without losing authenticity.
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Hi Sarita! I’m loving reading all the comments and opinions on this subject. It was never my intention to call your integrity into question – I hope my earlier comment didn’t come across that way! I don’t doubt that your opinions and reviews will always be honest, I just have mixed feelings about certain kinds of paid content. I completely agree that bloggers have a right to be compensated!
I think monetizing a blog is perhaps easier in other niches that aren’t as product-based, where the impression of “selling” isn’t there to the same extent. Either way, I’m sure you’ll find a balance that works for you and I wish you all the best with this new blogging direction 🙂
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Hi Sarita,
Came across your blog because of an image on Instagram. I think you liked one of images and I check your feed. Then the content of that image peak my curiosity about your blog. You are so clear in your conversation I felt As you where in the room speaking to me. I am a song streser, composer who leads a quintet and I often do a lot of jazz fusion. This year I started a blog to connect with followers more personally. However it takes lots of time and effort. I love to write and I love to shoot images but it takes a lot of time and music is so time consuming that I get overwhelm. My why for my blog and my music to help people. What would you recommend for a newbie to monetize first even though I am starting.
With Love,
Lourdes Valentin
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Hi Lourdes! Thank you so much. It is lovely to meet you and connect. Since this is so new to me, I may not be the one to ask. One suggestion would be to build your audience first, then re-evaluate the situation. I do agree that it is harder to trust a blog that monetizes, which is why I want to start this conversation. It is something that needs to change but I want to figure out how. If you do decide to monetize, you could start with ads (though most brands won’t pay for ads unless the blogger has a significant amount of traffic to their site, which makes sense). Some web hosting sites provide ads (google’s Blogspot uses adsense). Or you could become an affiliate with a website and use the links. Unless you do have considerable traffic, those links won’t produce much, but other bloggers who have been using them for longer say that it grows. The main thing is for you to keep doing what you love and don’t quit. XO
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Great 2-part post you have on this tricky topic Sarita. I have been thinking a lot about this whole blogging thing for some time now, to the extent where I wonder if I want to continue doing it. When I decided to write again in the form of beauty reviews, it was solely a creative outlet for me and till today I still lean towards having a blog as a hobby, although I know — and my husband always say — there’s a whole lot of potential out there and I could/should make a small living out of it.
To backtrack a bit, it’s quite an irony that now I’m writing about beauty. Back in the day (like when I was 18) when blogging became popular and gave birth to a slew of beauty bloggers, I was adamant that I do not want to become a beauty blogger. Of course I loved (and still do) buying skin care, make-up, etc, but I just didn’t see the point of trying each and every new product that’s launched into the market. I remember thinking it seemed “shallow” to be talking about the latest lipstick or face cream.
Today, there are people and brand founders who tell me they love my writing/photos and I’m very appreciative of that. But at the end of the day I feel like I’m simply promoting consumerism. Which is also partly the reason why I took down most affiliate banners in my sidebar, though I still include affiliate links in my posts. Green beauty or not, blogging is essentially an extension of marketing/advertising, and at times I do feel a little guilty for “pushing products” with my reviews. Now having said this, I hope I don’t some across as a hypocrite coz I think one thing and yet I continue to blog? LOL hope I’m making sense here (probably went off topic already); I’m very sure as bloggers we all have our own issues but not sure who/where we can discuss openly about it.
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Hi Ru, I just wanted to say that I totally see your point. As mentioned I don’t have a blog, but just having an instagram account posting routine and product pics has made me feel like I was promoting consumerist behaviour, none the least in myself from being exposed to all those beautiful products. If you’re interested I recently did a post on this and why I need a break from instagram and it sparked a rather long discussion with lot’s of IG’ers and bloggers taking part, my account is “cleanshelf”.
I do think there are ways to blog about health and green beauty in a sustainable way, and I’m sure Sarita is the woman to do just that
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Oh wow, Ru! I’m so happy you brought that up because I’ve recently been questioning the whole concept of continuing to entice people with products when I don’t believe anyone should keep plunking down their dollars on the next “latest” serum or balm or whatever! I think it’s always important to go back to our original intentions when starting a blog. For me: it was an outlet to share the holistic clean living lifestyle that I had been living for about 20 years. I was actually more interested in writing about holistic health and alternative practices than beauty, but the greatest responses came from my beauty posts. Surprise, surprise. Every one does want to know what’s the latest product and how it works, but they want to read an honest review of it, not some fluff to merely sell it to them. They can get that from the ads. What’s funny is that the people who quietly read my blog without commenting sometimes contact me and say they’d love more personal stuff or more posts about raising the kids. Sometimes it’s hard to gauge what everyone wants, so I stopped trying and simply write according to what I feel compelled to share that may benefit someone. In the process, blogging helped develop my writing and creative skills immensely, it helped me connect with sooo many incredible people many of whom are now friends, and it continues to grow my courage to speak about topics that are difficult to tackle but need to be discussed openly. Thank you for sharing, Ru. You do have such a wonderful blog. I hope that you find a way to continue and to make it meaningful to you in the process…(more posts about knitting, perhaps? Did you know I love knitting too?!) XOXO
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As a reader, I don’t have any problems with bloggers monetizing their blogs– it’s none of my business and I simply don’t wish to make it my business– but what I’m finding myself increasingly annoyed with is the shilling that most bloggers are involved with today. If I’m going to be completely honest, there are very few blogs these days that I trust. I can count the number with one hand. I won’t name anyone by name but too often do I see bloggers gushing about the next hot thing (mahalo’s indigo balm, anyone?). One blogger in particular went “omg this is the ONE product I leave on my bedside table, i can’t live without this.” Cue to 2 weeks later, there’s a new balm that she can’t live without, and I guess has just replaced the once irreplaceable mahalo balm. Sorry to be snarky, but I simply don’t have any confidence in bloggers who do this. As someone who has dabbled in so many different skin care brands, I know my skin can discern which ones are my holy grail products, and which ones, while certainly nice (and could well be other people’s HG products), are products that I wouldn’t go out of my way to purchase, let alone shill to say that it’s yet another one I can’t do without. I don’t know what bloggers are getting out of this promotion game, but even if you weren’t getting free stuff, asking your followers on social media to go out and buy any and everything (because i guess everything is ahmazzzzing?) is dishonest. To me, saying something like “while I do quite like this, I think I would still prefer this other thing” doesn’t mean I’m ‘dissing’ a brand. We’re all intelligent women who know that everyone’s skin is different. A brand that works for one person may not necessarily work for someone else.
Long story short, I guess I’m saying I prefer bloggers like greenderm, thebeautyidealist and ruhimaach who post much more infrequently, but are honest. Their low post count is realistic, considering how one person only has ONE FACE and can only use a limited number of products. Bloggers who shill for 10, 000 different products are, in my opinion, promoting waste. A bit of a pity considering how green beauty is also supposed to be about the environment.
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Thanks, L. I hear you loud and clear. It is an issue and one that I’d like to find a happy resolution to so that it is a mutually supportive industry. I like the bloggers you mention too and believe they all have day jobs, so blogging is truly a part time commitment on their end.
I don’t know how familiar you are with my blog, but I do not review that often at all for the reasons that you mention and because my skin tends to react with blemishes whenever I try something new and demands a transition period before I can see actual results (I mention that in just about all my posts about serums). Sometimes it is hard to determine what the trigger was too (could be hormonal, diet, stress), so I need months (yes, MONTHS!) with a new serum or facial product before I can tell if it does anything. My turnaround time is just awful and I keep telling brands to wait because I’m so backed up! Yet, when a brand doesn’t care about waiting and they truly want my authentic voice, then they don’t mind and will either send their products later or send occasional check in reminders to see if I started using the products. As I mentioned in a comment above, I’m not naturally hyped up about products. It’s hard to get really excited about something unless I really feel enthusiastic about it. I’ve been evaluating an offer from another subscription box and I’m still on the fence about working with them unless I can get 100% behind them. If I don’t feel great about something, I won’t share it. Period. I’ve got nothing to gain by doing that. Also, there are very, very few products that show outstanding results right away. My one HG serum that I wrote about is still my Holy Grail (post is here: http://ediblefacial.com/2015/03/13/favorite-serum/, in case you’re wondering) and I don’t use that term lightly. It’s still my consistent favorite.
Any way, I’d love to find an honest way to get compensated for my work, because this is clearly no longer a hobby but a beloved and wonderful job that I love. Yes, I’d love to continue doing what I’m doing but I’d also love to get paid for it to balance the energy and financial output. (I spend a lot of money on my blog and on products, actually!)
As for continuing to spread economic and environmental waste, I quite agree. My goal is to share products that are eco-friendly, clean, and that work better than their toxic counterparts in the hope that more and more people will be selective in their choices and use their purchasing power to support brands and products that are less harmful to the earth, pay fair wages, and are ethical and authentic at the heart. XO
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I agree you with L, and I am a beauty blogger! I use skincare for 4-6 weeks (at least) before reviewing and I always wondered how beauty bloggers could write about a skin moisturizer or serum every week because that means they would have only been able to use it a few times.
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Thanks so much for posting this Sarita! I have been wanting to talk about different ways that bloggers can monetize their blog, and as always you have done a beautiful job! I used to be against affiliate links, but then I had a personal experience that totally changed my mind. My cousin was buying a new car and went to the same dealership I did when I bought my car (proud Prius owner!) and gave them my name as a reference so I would get a referral bonus. It was so thoughtful, and it hit me that we are willing to do this for friends and family, why not bloggers? They put in the time and effort of reviewing, if I buy something based off of their work – why shouldn’t they get a small portion (and I agree with you – it’s usually pretty meager!).
I personally only do affiliate links and side ads. I decided to not do guest or sponsored posts. Even if I knew in my heart that everything would be unbiased, I was worried that I would lose credibility among my readers and it wasn’t worth the money I would make.
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Sarita, I fully enjoyed reading this as I always do with your writing, but also because I have been struggling with these issues recently too. I’m so glad you posted about this because it is something that is hardly discussed.
I’ve never been one to care about the stats on my blog either but lately it’s been a struggle to find that balance of continuing to produce high-quality content, staying relevant with my readers, connecting with brands, but also feeling like I am being fairly compensated for all my hard work and efforts. I don’t like to focus on stats because I find it cramps my creative abilities and makes me worry more about how I stack up to others. When I feel pressured by brands or by other bloggers, I have to remind myself that I need to just keep doing what I do best at my own pace and being around supportive, inspiring people like yourself also helps. I need to keep writing honestly and from the heart but also to make sure to stand up for myself. I’ve had this conversation with many blogger friends (including you) and I think for the good of the blogosphere, it is important that we all continue to be honest and straightforward while setting up ground rules with readers and with brands so that we can stand apart from all the junk and unauthentic content out there.
While I started my blog as a hobby and continue to write as my passion, I do understand the opinion that affiliate links and sponsored content can seem unauthentic. However, readers and brands need to understand that we as bloggers, writers, and artists volunteer our skills freely on top of other commitments. In reality, blogging does become a business of some sort when you reach a certain point, but it’s all whether you decide it to be a main avenue for profit, for publicity, or for good. Hopefully readers can discern a writer’s main objective by the content and voice. This is why I’ve chosen to include affiliate links and advertise stores or brands I personally use. I don’t think there is anything wrong with monetizing my blog in this small way especially as I am open and honest about it, because of the nature of my content and purpose, and because I receive no other compensation for my passion. I think it is easy to tell the difference between bloggers who are writing or sponsoring products just for publicity or money and those who are not.
I still struggle with asking brands to pay me for my services and I wish there was a clearcut way to go about it but these posts have really helped me feel better about the whole situation.
Sarita, I applaud you for being open and honest about this issue and your experience. I hope the discussion will continue!
xo,
Kasey
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Hi Sarita, this subject is a tricky one to tackle because we all have our own approaches and thoughts on the best way to navigate our blogs and websites. I am glad your post got lots of comments and believe that the best way to approach the subject of monetising blogging is to be honest about it.
Personally I don’t advertise on my website and never do sponsored posts, even though I am often approached about it. I only write about products or brands that I have tried myself or that one some occasions have been tested by people for me – for example I am not a teenager, so when I was asked to write about teen skincare I did vast amount of research, talking to teenagers and their mothers but I didn’t test products – young gentlemen and ladies did and the feedback was theirs, not mine.
I do put links within the body of my text that will either lead to a brand’s page or a retailer that sells them but again, I don’t earn money from it – that is a personal and logical choice – I provide my readers with food for thought and information and then, hopefully, they will explore the subject further, draw their own conclusions and make decisions.
To be honest when I read posts of fellow bloggers I can spot a ‘sponsored’ post pretty quickly and most often than not I don’t read them or don’t follow them, as this is not something that is of interest to me – I prefer to read things that enhance my life and help me learn. I don’t judge others for doing it but it is definitely not my cup of tea. A slightly different angle on this is when a blogger works with a brand and then writes about them – often that gives a much deeper insight and ultimately benefits the knowledge that consumer may receive. An example: I work with Nourish Skincare, as part of the team that is their exclusive distributor in Russia and I have full disclosure on this from the beginning. I use their products, often test them in ‘early’ stages of development, which gives me a deeper understanding of the brand, products and founders insights. When I review their products I do so as a journalist, not their distributor. I have never posted a review on a product that I haven’t tried – that is not my USP.
I know many bloggers and some of them are incredibly knowledgable on the subjects that they write about and I wish that more people followed them, rather than celebrities who are paid to endorse something and might not even use the product that they are paid to advertise – we really don’t know if they do, do we? We all have different skin types, ages etc we like different types of products and ultimately consumer benefits from finding the sources of information they trust and follow. I have a background in finance and have a degree in journalism, so I don’t claim to be a facialist or dermatologist or nutritionist but I share my own experiences, as I have been interested in the subjects of skincare, nutrition, wellbeing, fashion etc for a long-time and think that a knowledgable blogger deserves to be paid and appreciated for their work, as long as there is integrity & honesty about how they operate. Truth be told, the same should be applied to beauty journalists, who often are affiliated with brands, write about the brands products but consumer doesn’t know about those two sides that blur together. From that point of view, there should be at least a ‘skeleton’ of the code of conduct, to which consumer will have access – we can’t and shouldn’t put our trust blindingly into people when it comes to our wellbeing and beauty. Giving advice to someone is about doing it responsibly first and foremost -again, that is the way I approach my work. I value my followers and subscribers and try to be responsible when it comes to choosing subjects I cover, brands I work with or write about or subjects I tackle.
I do work as beauty brand consultant and again, am completely honest about the work that I do and get paid for – that is a ‘separate’ professional hat that I wear. I have no problem about being honest that often products are sent to me for testing but every brand that does it knows from me that I will be honest and won’t write about products if I didn’t like them – neither to I ‘submit copy ‘ to them prior to publication. I also buy many products myself and review them, at times not even getting an acknowledgement from the brand – my choice to follow something that makes me curious and makes me want to learn more and share it with friends, colleagues and followers. I would rather have a small group of followers with whom I have a dialogue and who, for example, might tell me if I made a grammatical mistake or add their own experience to my post, rather than have a huge following which follow me ‘blindingly’ and with whom we don’t get ‘engaged’ in a dialogue.
Sarita, you are brave to tackle this subject with honesty, humour and integrity and that is one of the reasons why I love reading your blog and exchanging opinions with you. We have similar mindsets when it comes to what we do and I am happy to learn from bloggers like you and share blogs that I find interesting and educational. At times a product review might be done by someone so well, I share it and don’t write one myself – after all, there are so many interesting things going on, one can’t cover everything and be everywhere, without eventually compromising on the quality. Better be part of a community that is driven by knowledge, curiosity and genuine sense of unity. We are all unique, we can all offer something that others might not – that way we are stronger and wiser together. Everyone has their own path and their own audience, I think any blogger should start this journey by knowing what makes them unique and sharing it with the world.
Phew, better stop here, otherwise my comment will turn into a post of its own .)
I wish you every success in what you do and remain a fan of your enthusiasm for your work and the way you engage with people. Those qualities are priceless and can’t really be bought.
Galina ( Curious Russian in London )
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What Galina said. *thumbs up*
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Sarita, you sure have put and poured a lot of thinking and one helluva heart into this decision, and rightly so. I think your readers will appreciate. But also, as Galina states above, and as I myself have written in the comment to your first post on monetisiation, too often readers will avoid posts they perceive are sponsored. That’s true. But there are differences, sometimes subtle sometimes huge, depending on the blog industry we talk about. Fashion blogs vs. parenting blogs, conventional beauty vs. green beauty blogs etc.
And in my experience – correct me if you see it differently – , green beauty blog readers are often experts in their own right, entrepreneurs or very conscious, often critical consumers with high standards in regards of the information they are offered. Now wouldn’t it be most exciting and relevant to start a worldwide survey among our readers in order to find out what they find acceptable and what not? What’s the content they are sick of seeing? What do they desire? Do they want to be co-creating content? Do they prefer remaining “silent”? Let’s do that, Sarita 🙂
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Really great article! Thank you! To be honest, You are absolutely right, that the trust comes from the feeling when you read certain blogs and it isnt very hard to choose what makes sense to one and gives trust that the blogger is the best insider for the products of intrest. I always want to support true experts and skincare makers – whos work is more than just a job. I am very happy for you that your fantastic work is become more and more giving. And I believe it is because you love it too and those who give– must receive 🙂 x
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Thank you so much for getting this discussion going Sarita! It’s very thoughtful and thorough. And yes, Catie is correct regarding the FTC guidelines. This is from their website:
“As for where to place a disclosure, the guiding principle is that it has to be clear and conspicuous. The closer it is to your recommendation, the better. Putting disclosures in obscure places – for example, buried on an ABOUT US or GENERAL INFO page, behind a poorly labeled hyperlink or in a “terms of service” agreement – isn’t good enough. Neither is placing it below your review or below the link to the online retailer so readers would have to keep scrolling after they finish reading. Consumers should be able to notice the disclosure easily. They shouldn’t have to hunt for it.”
I’ve been blogging since 2009, and I think it was around 2011 when the blogging community was buzzing about these new guidelines. Ever since then I have always been very clear within my post if I bought something or was sent a product by the company or a PR person and then I also do a disclosure at the end of every post. I think readers deserve to know, and the more clear you are about it, the more they can trust your opinion. My site is not monetized, and I still do this.
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