BLOG TIPS: CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE A COLLABORATION

So now that you have a blog, what do you want to achieve? I started blogging for fun, but as the opportunities came by, I started to see a future for myself in making this more than a hobby. At the beginning it was hard to start collaborations, but before I knew it the invitations and inquiries kept coming. The more I do it, the more I learn about it. And today I am sharing with you, 5 things to consider before starting a collaboration…

1. What do you think of it?
The first question I ask myself before I start a collaboration is very simple: Do I like the brand and do I like the collaboration they’ve suggested? The answer to this question should always be a full on YES! Cause if I don’t like it, my readers won’t like it either. And then what am I doing it for besides the wrong reasons?
2. What’s your value/worth?
First things first… Before you even think of collaborations, I think it is very important to completely know your blog and it’s worth. Important questions here are:
– What is your blog content about?
– How does your content relate to the brand you are opted to work with?
– What is your reach on your blog and social media?
– What type of collaborations have you done before? I.e. How experienced are you in the field?
Think of this as a business more than a hobby, cause you are in fact working with companies and thus doing business. I think that it is very important for us as bloggers to understand the value of our work. Ofcourse it’s amazing and fun to do all this and to get free stuff for example, but as with love: you will be treated by the way you respect yourself (*your business). If you don’t know what you’re worth, how is some one else suppose to give you what you deserve?
3. Win-win
In line with the former point I discussed: Knowing what you are worth will bring you to the point at which you and the brand are to discuss the details of reciprocity. What are you giving and what are you getting? These things should always be balanced. Based on the questions I stated under 2 you and the brand will come to a price in either goods, services or money, that both parties should be fine with.
4. Status & future opportunities
Something else to think about in advance (the sooner, the better) is how you want to position yourself. Are you the girl in designer clothes? Are you the girl in eco friendly clothes? Are you the girl in black? It’s not necessary to have a niche like this, but no matter what, you should always stay true to who you are. Status, here, sounds a bit negative, but since I am in fact talking about values again (different values than noted under 2 though), I thought status would cover it. What I mean is that it could be helpful to think of what a collaboration could yield for you. This doesn’t always have to be a load of clothes or money, I am talking about long term opportunities.
5. Readers
Last, but definitely not the least: You might wanna think of your readers when considering a collaboration. Like I said under 1, of course, if you like it, it’s good. And there will always be readers who will not like it, but in the end it is good to think of what extra’s you can add to make it mean something to your followers. For example: not just an outfit, but style tips as in “three ways to wear it”, or not just your experience with a product, but also giving it away and giving instructions on how to use etc.

In my next post I will tell you all about how collaborations usually work and what the do’s and don’ts would be when you are starting a collaboration. Stay tuned!