You may also notice that I have not had as many sponsor ads on my sidebar. That is on purpose. For months I have been thinking about my sponsor options and at times having them on my sidebar stressed me out. Here's why. First of all, I would struggle with having all of my sponsor's information in one place (email addresses, blog addresses, etc.). Don't get me wrong, I love Passionfruit ads, but it would be difficult at times to schedule guest posts or giveaways because sponsors could sign up at any time. Second, I would find it impossible to focus on all of my sponsors because I would allow up to 15 or 20 on my sidebar at one time. So, I have updated my sponsor options and simplified them to create a group that is more manageable. I have also eliminated Passionfruit for the time being. I want to feel more connected to my sponsors and I hardly ever connected with them because all they had to do was push a button, and bam, there they were on my sidebar! I want to now limit my sponsors to signing up once per month. Sponsors can sign up until the first of each month, then anyone who emails after will be moved to the next month. For example, people can email me and sign up to sponsor until February 1 for the month of February, but if you email me after the first, then you will be moved to March. I also want to hear from my sponsors beforehand and talk with them about their sponsor option and what is needed from them. Make sense?
I understand that I said I would have always have swaps, but I feel that these options are good for any blogger, especially those just starting out. There are ways to be featured that fit any blogger's needs. Let's say you're a brand new blogger and you love to share your recipes. Well, if you sign up for the Guest Post option, then each week you can share a new recipe and get your blog linked to mine within each post. Win-win! Or let's say you're a veteran blogger with quite a few followers, but you want to expand your social media presence. Then, the Group option is best for you! Your blog will be a weekly part of my social media shout outs via Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Win-win, again! Or, let's say you want to participate in a giveaway to gain some new and fresh readers. You can sign up to be a part of the giveaway and gain new readers that may not have visited your blog before. Can you guess? Yep, Win-win! I think sidebar buttons are important, especially for those who still find that option useful, but for me, I found that my sponsors weren't getting the attention they deserved.
My content may differ as well. I want to focus more on real life, people, love, heartache, things that resonate with all kinds of readers. Trust me, I love a good product review, or outfit post, but I also want to have content that matters and posts readers can relate to. I definitely don't want to be so out of touch with what's happening in the world that I lose touch with those that commit to read daily. I think that blogs are meant to be read, but I also want to enjoy writing and not feel like I have to compete with the other bloggers out there. I have a unique voice and a purpose that is only mine. So, will you join me on this new journey? Do you see how the blogosphere is changing?
If you want know more about my updated Sponsor options, be sure to visit my Sponsor page!
