Hey friends! It’s just me, your mom friend who has decided to tell you a little bit about this world of blogging. You get my emails, you see my posts, but what goes on behind the scenes? Here is a glimpse of a day in the life of a mom blogger.

I started this blog (with my sister if you remember), after Charli was born, as a way to write about things that I was passionate about. The blog gave me an outlet to talk to other parents while I was a stay-at-home mom. I chose to be labeled as a mom blogger versus a fashion blogger or food blogger, obviously!

I don’t know about most other bloggers, but when I started out, I did not know all of the ins and outs of using a website host, coding, plugins, or photo editing. Everything up to this day that I have learned has been pure trial and error on my blog.

After 4 years of running my blog, I am still writing the same amount of content-which is about 4 times a month. A lot of bloggers publish multiple posts weekly, and get a lot of sponsored content to write about. I tend to write about 50/50 sponsored over non-sponsored.

What is sponsored content?

A sponsored blog post is when a blogger gets paid to talk about and write about a certain brand on their site. The blogger writes about the main points of the product and what they love about it. It is usually helpful information for the reader and includes photos of the product being used.

How do we get sponsored content? 

Believe it or not, bloggers have to pitch to companies just like any salesman would. I belong to many different influencer platforms that we first had to apply to be a part of. These companies email us when opportunities come up that they need bloggers for.

Some of the platforms that we get opportunities through have us apply within their systems with how we would represent the product and why we would be a good fit with the product. If they like our pitch, then we get hired for the job.

There are also instances where companies seek us out. I can get a direct email from a PR rep from a company who is looking to work with me. Maybe they know that I’m a mom blogger, maybe they know that I am in the Chicagoland area and want to work with me for that specific reason.

There are tons of ways that bloggers get found. A company may have found me from my instagram page, for instance. They can see where I’m located and need product advertised for them that is only available in my area.

I have many companies that I would LOVE to work with, but when I have emailed them, I get denied, or told that they aren’t working with any influencers at the moment. I might also get denied if my “reach” isn’t high enough to be considered. I might also never get contacted back from them even after numerous attempts.

How much work goes into completing one blog post? 

Once I receive confirmation that I am accepted for a campaign, there is almost always a contract to sign. I am responsible for reading about the legalities of my commitment with the company and how I represent them. I won’t go into all of the specifics, but I do read through all of the important parts to make sure I follow all FTC rules, and hit the main points that the brand is trying to get out there.

The next step is getting the product in hand. I either get something mailed to me from the company, or I have to go out and find it on my own. Sometimes the cost of the product is tied into my rate, and sometimes it’s not.

I can tell you that I have had to make multiple trips to the grocery store or retail store to find the exact item that they want me to write about. Some stores may not carry the one item you need, so then I have to go find it at another one.

Lugging 3 kids around while looking for that specific item, and taking in-store photos can be a mess sometimes. Plus- trying to be conspicuous in the store while taking a photo of your product in the cart or with your kids is a real art form!

Once you have the product in-hand, it’s your job to use your imagination and creativity to show the item in a realistic and relatable way. There is value in showing your readers how you would really use the product, versus a staged photo of it on the countertop.

The world loves a beautiful photo right? I mean, I’m all for real-life shots, but I do love seeing a well thought out photo that is also edited nicely. A blogger gets paid to take great photos and enhance the appearance of their product.

I probably spend as much time working on photos for a post, as I do the post itself. It’s easy to put into words what the product is about, but it’s much harder to capture the moment on camera. I take 99% of my own photos, using a tripod (like this one)* and a camera timer (like this one)*.

(*Affiliate links: please read my disclosure for more information)

Once my blog post or social media post is complete, sometimes it needs to be reviewed by the company first before I can post it, just to make sure my wording looks right and I haven’t made any spelling or grammatical errors.

Approvals can take up to a week sometimes, so I just sit back and patiently wait for them to give me the “go” to post. Some contracts require multiple posts, so it could be that I shoot one day and then post over the course of a couple weeks or months before getting paid.

How do I get paid in blogging? 

 Like working at any job, I get paid for my work! It’s great and all when companies send me free product in exchange for an honest review on my blog or social media, but I am trying to also make extra income for my family at the same time. I very rarely anymore take on campaigns for free. I get paid in all sorts of ways: gift cards, paychecks, and direct deposit.

Who will see my work? 

Not only do you need to have great photos or a catchy headline, but how else will people notice your work? If your content isn’t relevant or useful, then chances are, your work won’t be seen by very many people. Being a blogger takes as much effort to make sure your words get out there, even if it means joining support groups online, or advertising on social media.

Using search engines like Pinterest are amazing in getting your work re-shared by other like minded individuals or the general population. You need to find the key words and searchable terms to make sure people are looking for your post to be read! This means doing research on your end to see what words people are searching for the most on the internet.

Going viral with a post once doesn’t guarantee that you’ll always have success. What does well once may not do well another time. Being a blogger entails competition and also finding your OWN voice and perspective.

Once people start to trust your work and your advice, they will come back for more and follow you on your journey. This is the tried and true method to keeping your audience!

Is it worth it to be a mom blogger?

In my opinion is has been worth it to me to be a mom blogger. I get to be creative and work with a lot of great brands. Like a lot of people, I am influenced by what I see on social media. I would not be exposed to many brands that I use now if it wasn’t for what I see get advertised on blogs, Facebook and Instagram.

I have gotten to branch out and be more than a mom in my everyday life. I love being creative and sharing new things with my readers. I feel a great connection when someone shares their feelings or thoughts through my posts.

As for the money, if you can really be invested in it, then go for it. It is as much of a commitment as you make of it. The more you can relate to people, or offer them a service, the better you’ll do for yourself!

Plus- if you keep in contact and in good standing with companies you’ve worked for, you can really gain a trust and relationship with them, and continue to work with them for years ahead.

Are you looking to start a blog, or are you a mom blogger? Leave your blog in the comments below so I can follow along with your adventures. You can find out more about me here or subscribe to my blog to stay up to date on all of our adventures!