A Blogger’s Guide to Creating a Media Kit [Blogger Broadcast]

What was once an extra within the blogging community is now a necessity and something you need to focus on to stand out from the crowd.
This post is about highlighting the importance of having a media kit and treating it like a resume. We’re going to talk about how your media kit functions as a portfolio that companies will use to decide if they want to work with you or not. I run through the importance of a media kit, how to create one and some exclusive and essential tips on what to include.

What is a media kit?
So if you are sitting there frantically wondering ‘what’s a media kit’ then you are pondering the same question I did the first time a company asked me to send them mine. I went into a spin of Googling frantically and thinking to myself ‘I thought I was a real blogger – how do I not know what this means?’

Simply put – a media kit is similar to a resume but for your blog. It is the document you send over to companies when they express interest in working with you. I have provided you a copy of my actual media kit that I use in the resources pack at the end of this book. 

What to put in your media kit
Your media kit checklist of things to include are:

-          A small biography about yourself and how established your blog is.

-          Details of which platforms your brand expands across.

-          Your stats (Facebook followers, blog readers, YouTube subscribers etc.)

-          What kinds of services you offer (blog features, Instagram pictures).

-          Who your audience is (age, location, gender).

-          Your contact details (phone, email, postal address).

-          Optionally some examples of previous work or big clients you have collaborated with in the past.

The importance of a media kit

Your media kit is quite a significant part of the business behind blogging because it showcases what your blog is all about and experience you have in creating tailored content compared to your competitors. This is where niche content and aligning your core message with that of the company makes all the difference. 

Your media kit should effectively align your blogs’ core messages and aims to the company who is reaching out for a hand-in-glove fit. This ensures that both parties create content they are proud of and align themselves with someone with shared values. An example of this might involve a natural skincare company that creates beautiful makeup aiming to enhance beauty, rather than cover up and create an entirely different face. This aligns with my blog mission statement to help girls feel more confident and embrace their beauty in a healthy way. So now, that company is able to reach an audience who subscribe to the values of my blog and that also align with those of their products. This win-win scenario is what makes or breaks collaboration with a company. It has to be seamless, natural and make sense to both parties otherwise it will simply not work. This might mean that you have to say no to business propositions on a regular basis, as you shall see when we will delve deeper into the third and final section of this book: ‘Start Making Money'. We will specifically discuss integrity and how to craft seamless collaborations in chapter fifteen on securing brand deals and chapter seventeen on the business of working with brands. 

It is important to include the demographics and statistics of your blog for the same reasons discussed in chapter six ‘Decoding demographics and understanding statistics’. This is a particularly important concept for a company because it gives them an idea of the return they will receive on their investment. Knowing where your audience is located and their age range is important when it comes to brand deals because a small Brisbane-based salon won’t experience much benefit if your audience is primarily in Melbourne. For the same reason, a skincare line for aging skin won’t see a great deal back from their campaign if your audience is mainly between the ages of thirteen and twenty-five. It’s all about finding the perfect synergy between brand and blog to create a mutually beneficial campaign.

It is also important to discuss your entire list of services and the individual ways you can incorporate their products or services into your content. You might have a weekly series they would be perfect for or offer an exclusive video feature with a corresponding blog post for additional information or backlinks. Also, thinking of ways you can add extra value for the brand is important. Are you able to put together a package deal that also throws in social media promotion across your Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts? Sometimes a brand won’t know exactly how they want to work with you, so it’s your job to explore the options and find the most suitable possibilities.

Creating your media kit
As for actually creating your media kit you have a few options:

-You can design one yourself in a program like Photoshop or Illustrator.

-You can use a platform like Canva to provide you with a model to start off. Simply search for a ‘media kit' template for inspiration and then fill in the blanks with your details/pictures.

Media kits have become a crucial aspect of being a full-time blogger and are a way of showcasing your amazing platform and abilities to a company. When done well, you will see yourself securing a lot of brand deals. When done poorly, you are likely underselling yourself and your incredible skills.

Blogger Broadcast is a blog series dedicated to helping build and grow your blog, YouTube channel and social media influence. Each instalment of this series will bring a new topic, dishing the dirt on everything you have always wanted to know about becoming a successful social media influencer and addressing pain points aspiring bloggers may be experiencing. 

This series is based on my book ‘A 3 Step Guide to Turn Your Blog into a Career’ where each chapter addresses a small yet critical portion about being a blogger and when combined puts together a full picture of the industry as well as a clear path to follow for success. The included resource pack allows you to work through activities that equip you with the skills required to prepare you for your career.

You can visit Pro Blogger Career HERE, join the FB Community HERE or purchase the book HERE.