BloggingCareer Advice

Blogging 101: How to Create a Media Kit for Your Blog

posted on February 16, 2016 | by Amanda Holstein

Have you ever been asked for a media kit by a brand, PR agency, blog network, or ad agency? Have you wondered what exactly they want from you? Don’t worry, you’re so not alone! The term “media kit” is common in traditional publishing, so it’s no surprise that the concept has evolved into the blogging world. It’s also no surprise that the majority of us bloggers may not fully understand exactly what a media kit is. So I’ve put together everything you need to know, from how necessary they really are to what exact information needs to be included.

What is a media kit?

My personal take on a media kit may differ from the traditional one. But as someone who has worked on both the brand and blogger side, I’ve seen what brands are looking for when they ask for one. I’d define it as a one-pager that presents a brief overview of your blog and explains through relevant information why brands would want to work with you.

Do I really need one?

In most cases, you may not be asked for a media kit, but I think being able to give someone a quick snapshot of your blog in a beautiful format is a great way to stand out. I typically don’t use mine when working via blog networks, but I find myself sharing it often with brands I want to work with directly or sites I want to contribute to. Writing a long paragraph in an email doesn’t give your clients a true sense of your brand, so having something visual with relevant stats is super helpful.

What information does a media kit need to include?

The purpose of your media kit is to give prospective clients a sense of your brand and what you have to offer. Someone should be able to look at your media kit and instantly understand your brand, your style, your audience and why they would benefit from working with you. Take a look at this template below for a basic layout of what to include (click on it to download), and read on for more detailed information.

• ABOUT: I recommend including a brief description of you, your background, and your blog.
• CONTACT INFO: Don’t forget to say where you are located and how to get in touch with you!
• CONTENT: Include what categories you cover and even highlight some of your best content. This is a great section to use visuals and show off your great photography.
• STATS: Personally, I include monthly pageviews and unique visitors to my blog, as well as a quick list of my individual social followings. If these numbers aren’t looking very impressive, there are some ways to work around this. Just try to find a story in there somewhere and use what you can. I do recommend including numbers in some way — people like to see specific data.
  • You can group your entire social following and present it as one number.
  • You can calculate your audience engagement and highlight your loyal following in that way.
  • If you’ve experienced an impressive amount of growth, present that in percentages.
• AUDIENCE OVERVIEW: Grab some stats from Google Analytics about your audience, like their sex, age, interests, etc.
• PRODUCT OFFERINGS: List the ways in which you work with brands (i.e. sponsored posts, giveaways, etc.). This is a great place to include your rates as well, although I like to put a note to inquire about rates since they can change depending on the project.
• PARTNERSHIPS: Listing a few of the larger brands you’ve worked with in the past shows your relevant experience. If you have any stats from past partnerships, like engagement rates or number of views, this is a great place to include that as well.
• FEATURES: If you have any noteworthy features in other publications, or even awards, definitely include those as well!

How should it look?

Think of your media kit as an extension of your brand (in this case, your blog). You want to create a similar look & feel in order to maintain consistency across your brand and give your client a clear sense of your brand right off the bat. It’s also important that the information is delivered in a clear way that’s easy to read.

• Use the same colors, fonts, and graphics featured on your blog for consistent branding.
• Incorporate images from your blog, highlighting your beautiful content.
• If your blog features you in it, include a photo of yourself in your media kit.
• Keep it clean and easy to read. Avoid large paragraphs of text and break things up with imagery and graphics (sort of like an infographic).
• Try your best to keep it at one page. Like a resume, your media kit should be able to deliver all of the important information efficiently, keeping your client’s busy schedule in mind.

What other questions do you have about media kits??