I also decided it was time for a a couple of other changes while I reworked things. First, I bought my own domain; starting July 1, you'll find me at www.betsytransatlantically.com. (Don't worry, the old address will automatically redirect you if you forget!) And second, also launching next Monday, will be paid partnership options on my blog. I've been waffling for quite some time about whether or not to start accepting sponsorships, you know. Over the past year and a half, I've bought ads on a handful of blogs - some of which provided amazing experiences and others... well, others were learning experiences - and I never thought it was the sort of thing I wanted to jump into.
But over the last month or so, I started realizing that sponsoring Betsy Transatlantically could mean whatever I wanted it to mean. I could make it a program that stayed true to the kind of blogging I enjoy and that respected the kind of blogging that you expect to see on this blog. (I am not disparaging other blogs' sponsorship options, only admitting that they wouldn't work here.) So I took time to think about you, dear readers, and the posts that attract the most exciting comments from you and the posts that you share the most on social media and the posts that inspire you to interact with each other both on my blog and on Twitter, and I designed a bespoke style of sponsorship that I think reflects who you are and what you want from this blog. Here's what I came up with:
FREQUENT FLIER
guest post (choose from Sunday Currently, Wedding Wednesday, or Frock Fridays themes)
option to co-host monthly link-up (topic to be decided by all the sponsors that month)
tons o' social media love on Twitter and Instagram as well as here on the blog
tons o' social media love on Twitter and Instagram as well as here on the blog
200 x 100 blog button for my sidebar at the top of the sponsorship section
CASUAL TRAVELER
option to co-host monthly link-up (topic to be decided by all the sponsors that month)
social media love on Twitter and Instagram as well as here on the blog
social media love on Twitter and Instagram as well as here on the blog
200 x 100 blog button for my sidebar in the sponsorship section
I think there are enough big blogger giveaways out there that you don't need one more, though of course I will continue to bring you special offerings from companies like TripCommon, so I decided that the way I wanted my readers to discover my sponsors was to give you something more substantial to connect with. That's why all the sponsors for the month will join me in co-hosting a link-up, where you'll be encouraged to share your own post and to check out the other blogs who are participating. I think it'll be easier to get an idea of who my sponsors really are (and, of course, to get hooked on their blogs!) from personal posts on topics like Advice From My Dog (am I the only one wanting to write a post on that?) than from following for a free Starbucks giftcard, don't you?
In addition, I would love for my Frequent Flier sponsors to guest post here. From my own experience as a guest poster, it makes life a lot easier to have a sort of template for guest posts, so I'll work with these sponsors to create their own Sunday Currently, Wedding Wednesday, or Frock Fridays spot as best suits their interests.
The social media love aspect of being a sponsor is pretty self-explanatory, but I know I'm shaking things up a bit with how I'll be hosting ads on my sidebar. Buttons seem the most effective when they remind a reader of a sponsor she's seen elsewhere - in a guest post, say, or from a shared link - but I don't think it matters how big a blog button is as long as it doesn't get lost in everything else happening on the sidebar.
So all sponsors will get to share their 200x100 button on my sidebar with the Frequent Flier buttons placed on top. And - here's the kicker - there will never be more than five buttons up at any given time. I will be accepting two Frequent Flier and three Casual Traveler sponsors per month. Any more than that and I'm afraid the sponsors would not get the attention they deserve!
Let me know what you think about all of this, dear readers. And email me at betsytransatlantically@gmail.com if you're interested in sponsoring - the idea is to start with buttons and love on July 1! We can discuss stats and rates and schedules and things. I'm going to be doing all of this myself - no Passionfruit or anything - because I really want to know my sponsors and I really want to be able to share them with you. After all, the whole point of this is to build relationships!
In addition, I would love for my Frequent Flier sponsors to guest post here. From my own experience as a guest poster, it makes life a lot easier to have a sort of template for guest posts, so I'll work with these sponsors to create their own Sunday Currently, Wedding Wednesday, or Frock Fridays spot as best suits their interests.
The social media love aspect of being a sponsor is pretty self-explanatory, but I know I'm shaking things up a bit with how I'll be hosting ads on my sidebar. Buttons seem the most effective when they remind a reader of a sponsor she's seen elsewhere - in a guest post, say, or from a shared link - but I don't think it matters how big a blog button is as long as it doesn't get lost in everything else happening on the sidebar.
So all sponsors will get to share their 200x100 button on my sidebar with the Frequent Flier buttons placed on top. And - here's the kicker - there will never be more than five buttons up at any given time. I will be accepting two Frequent Flier and three Casual Traveler sponsors per month. Any more than that and I'm afraid the sponsors would not get the attention they deserve!
Let me know what you think about all of this, dear readers. And email me at betsytransatlantically@gmail.com if you're interested in sponsoring - the idea is to start with buttons and love on July 1! We can discuss stats and rates and schedules and things. I'm going to be doing all of this myself - no Passionfruit or anything - because I really want to know my sponsors and I really want to be able to share them with you. After all, the whole point of this is to build relationships!
