How to monetise a blog with sponsored posts is a question many bloggers ask when they have readers and want paid brand work. A sponsored post is a post a brand pays you to publish, and it can pay far more than ads or affiliate links for the same traffic. But it only works when you find the right sponsors, charge a fair rate, and keep your readers' trust.
In this guide
- What is a sponsored post, and how is it different from an ad and an affiliate link?
- Are you ready for sponsored posts?
- Step 1: Build a simple media kit
- Step 2: Decide what to charge
- Step 3: Find sponsors
- Step 4: Pitch a brand
- Step 5: Agree terms before you write
- Step 6: Write a sponsored post readers still trust
- Step 7: Disclose clearly
- Step 8: Measure results and report back to the sponsor
- How many sponsored posts is too many?
- What it costs and what to expect
- Common mistakes
- Risks and scams to watch for
- Frequently asked questions
What is a sponsored post, and how is it different from an ad and an affiliate link?
A sponsored post is a blog post a brand pays you to write and publish. The brand pays a flat fee, and the post usually mentions the brand's product or service, with a link to the brand's site. You disclose at the top that the brand paid for it.
It is different from a display ad, which is a banner placed on your site by an ad network. It is also different from an affiliate link, which earns you a commission only when a reader buys. A sponsored post pays a flat fee whether or not anyone buys. That is why sponsored posts can pay well, and why they need care: a reader must be able to tell that the post was paid for.
Sponsored content is sometimes called native advertising, because it looks like the blog's normal content. A post that hides the payment is misleading, and it can break trust and break the law in many countries. Always label it clearly.
Are you ready for sponsored posts?
You do not need a huge blog to get sponsored posts, but you do need four things. First, steady traffic, even if it is modest. A few thousand visits a month is enough for some brands. Second, a clear audience fit. Third, the essential pages: an About page, a Contact page, a Privacy Policy, and a Disclosure page. Fourth, a media kit, which you will build in the next step.
Check your blog against this short list before you pitch anyone. If you have 10 or more useful posts, a clear topic, a contact page, and a way to show your traffic, you are ready to start. If you have fewer than 10 posts, publish more first. If your traffic is still small, work on growing it first; our guide on how to grow blog traffic explains the steps.
If your blog is new, read our guide on how to start a blog first, and build the foundation before you chase sponsors.
Step 1: Build a simple media kit
A media kit is a short document that tells a brand who reads your blog, how many readers you have, and what a sponsored post costs. Build it before you pitch anyone.
Media kit contents checklist
Include these items, and nothing you cannot prove:
- A one sentence description of your blog and its audience.
- Your monthly page views and visitors.
- Your email list size, if you have one.
- Your main traffic sources.
- A short list of your best posts, with links.
- Brands you have worked with, if any.
- Your sponsored post rate.
- Your contact email.
Use honest figures from your own analytics. Do not inflate them, because brands can check. Update the media kit every month or two, so the figures stay current.
Step 2: Decide what to charge
Pricing is the hardest part of sponsored posts, because there is no fixed rate. The price depends on your traffic, your audience, and the brand's budget. Use a simple method, and be ready to negotiate.
Pricing table
| Pricing model | How it works | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Flat fee | One fixed price for the post | Most common, simple to agree |
| Flat fee plus CPM add on | A base fee, plus extra per 1,000 views | Good for high traffic posts |
| Bundle | One price for several posts or posts plus social shares | Good for longer campaigns |
| Performance hybrid | A lower flat fee, plus a bonus if the post hits a target | Good when a brand wants proof |
CPM means cost per 1,000 views. A CPM add on means the brand pays extra for each 1,000 views the post gets, on top of the base fee. A bundle means you sell two or three posts together at a discount per post.
Set a floor, which is the lowest price you will accept. A common floor for a small blog is 250 US dollars per post, but your floor depends on your traffic and your time. Do not accept a post for less than your floor, because a cheap post costs you the same time as a well paid one. Ask about the brand's budget first, before you name your price. If it is lower than your floor, you can say no politely, or offer a smaller package.
Worked example
Example only: these numbers are not typical results. Imagine a blog with 20,000 monthly page views. You set a base fee of 150 US dollars for a sponsored post, plus a CPM add on of 10 US dollars per 1,000 views. The maths is: 20,000 divided by 1,000, which equals 20, then 20 times 10 US dollars, which equals 200 US dollars. Add the base fee: 150 US dollars plus 200 US dollars, which equals 350 US dollars for the post. Check the maths: 20,000 divided by 1,000 is 20, 20 times 10 is 200, and 150 plus 200 is 350. That figure is only an example. Your rate depends on your traffic, your audience, and the brand's budget.
Step 3: Find sponsors
Sponsors come from three places: networks, competitor sponsors, and direct outreach. Use all three.
Sponsored post networks to check
Sponsored post networks, also called marketplaces, connect bloggers with brands that want sponsored posts. You create a profile, list your blog and your rates, and brands can find you or invite you to a campaign. IZEA is one such platform. Other networks exist too, and their names and terms change over time, so check the current list and read recent reviews before you join one. Networks take a share of the fee, but they save you the work of finding brands yourself.
Look at your competitors' sponsors next. Read blogs in your niche and note which brands sponsor their posts. Those brands already pay bloggers in your niche, so they are more likely to pay you too.
Direct outreach means emailing a brand yourself. Pick brands whose products fit your readers and that you would honestly recommend. Find the right contact, usually on the brand's press or partnerships page, and send a short pitch.
Step 4: Pitch a brand
A good pitch is short, specific, and about the brand's readers, not about you. Include these points:
- Who you are, in one sentence.
- Who reads your blog, in one sentence.
- Why the brand fits your readers, in one sentence.
- What you offer: one sponsored post.
- Your rate.
- A clear next step, such as a short call.
Here is a short outline you can adapt. Subject: a sponsored post idea for your blog name. Opening: one sentence about your blog and its readers. Middle: one sentence about the product and why it fits those readers. Offer: one sponsored post, with a link to your media kit. Close: ask if the brand would like to see the kit or book a short call. Keep it under 200 words, because brands get many pitches and a short one gets read.
Follow up once, after a week, with a short reply to the same email. If there is no reply after that, move on. A polite no, or no reply, is a normal part of pitching.
Step 5: Agree terms before you write
Never write a sponsored post before you agree the terms in writing, by email at least. Terms protect you and the brand. Agree these six points:
- Payment: the fee, when it is paid, and how. Ask for payment within 30 days of publication, or half before you start and half on publication.
- Revisions: how many rounds of changes the brand can ask for. Two rounds is a fair limit.
- Links: how many links to the brand, where they go, and whether they are marked as sponsored.
- Disclosure: confirm that the post will say clearly at the top that it is sponsored. If a brand asks you to hide it, say no.
- Exclusivity: whether you agree not to work with a competing brand for a set time. If the brand wants it, charge more and keep the period short.
- Late payment: agree that you can remove the post if payment is late by more than an agreed number of days.
Write the terms in a short email and ask the brand to confirm by reply. That email is your agreement. For larger deals, a simple written contract is worth the effort.
Step 6: Write a sponsored post readers still trust
A sponsored post must be useful first and promotional second. Readers can tell when a post exists only to sell, and they leave. Write it as you would write a normal post on the same topic, with the brand's product fitting naturally into the answer.
Start with the reader's problem, not the product. Explain the problem, show the options, and explain where the brand's product fits. List both strengths and weaknesses, and say who the product suits and who should skip it.
Keep editorial control. You decide the words, the structure, and the verdict. If a sponsor asks you to make a claim you cannot verify, or to hide a downside, say no. A brand that wants a dishonest post is not worth the fee.
Step 7: Disclose clearly
Disclosure is not optional. It is a legal duty in many countries, and it is a trust duty everywhere. A disclosure tells the reader that a brand paid for the post. It must be clear, early, and easy to see.
Place a short disclosure at the very top of the post, in plain words, such as: "This post is sponsored by Brand Name. Brand Name paid for this post, but the views in it are my own." Place a second short note near any link to the brand.
The US Federal Trade Commission explains when paid endorsements must be disclosed in its guide to the FTC Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking. If you were paid, say so, clearly, where readers will see it.
Mark sponsored links so search engines can tell they are paid placements. Use the rel="sponsored" attribute on links to the brand. Do not hide the disclosure in small text, and do not bury it at the bottom of the post.
Step 8: Measure results and report back to the sponsor
A sponsor who sees results will work with you again. Measure the post's results, then send a short report after two to four weeks, with these figures from your own analytics:
- Page views for the post since publication.
- Time on page, if your analytics shows it.
- Clicks on the brand's links, if you track them with UTM parameters, which are short tags added to a link so analytics can show which clicks came from the post.
Keep the report to one page. Add one sentence about what worked and one idea for a follow up post. A short, honest report builds a long term relationship, and those pay better than one off posts. If the results are low, say so honestly.
How many sponsored posts is too many?
There is no fixed number, but a simple rule works well: one sponsored post for every four or five normal posts.
If sponsored posts become most of your content, readers will treat every post as an advert. A blog that earns from sponsored posts, affiliate links, and ads together is safer than one that depends on sponsored posts alone. Our guides on how to monetise a blog with display ads and how to monetise a blog with affiliate marketing explain those layers.
What it costs and what to expect
Sponsored posts cost little to start. The main costs are the blog itself and your time. Writing one good sponsored post can take 5 to 10 hours, including research, writing, revisions, and reporting back to the sponsor.
Be honest with yourself about the timeline. The stages below are typical, not promised. Your results will vary with your niche, your traffic, and how many brands you pitch.
| Stage | Time | What usually happens |
|---|---|---|
| Getting ready | Months 1 to 3 | Media kit built, first pitches sent, mostly no replies |
| First sponsor | Months 4 to 9 | First one or two sponsored posts, modest fees |
| Steady flow | Months 10 to 18 | More replies, repeat brands, fees rise with traffic |
| Established | After 18 months | Regular sponsors, bundles, and long term partnerships |
Example only: these numbers are not typical results. Imagine a blog that publishes one sponsored post a month at 350 US dollars. In a year, that is 12 times 350 US dollars, which equals 4,200 US dollars. Check the maths: 12 times 350 is 4,200. Most new blogs take a year or more to reach regular sponsored work.
Common mistakes
- Pitching brands before the blog has 10 useful posts and a media kit.
- Accepting a fee below your floor, then being stuck with a low rate.
- Writing the post before agreeing terms in writing.
- Hiding the disclosure, or leaving it out entirely.
- Letting a sponsor control the words and the verdict.
- Publishing too many sponsored posts, so readers stop trusting the blog.
- Sending long, generic pitches.
- Forgetting to report results back to the sponsor.
Risks and scams to watch for
Sponsored posts attract scams, so stay alert. Be wary of any brand that offers only free products and no fee, and calls it a sponsorship. Free products can be part of a deal, but a real sponsorship pays a fee for your time and your audience. If a brand offers only a free product, you can say no.
Be wary of brands that ask for links to low quality sites, or that ask you to hide the sponsored nature of the post. Those links can harm your search rankings. That is why you agree payment terms in writing before you write, and keep the right to remove the post if payment is late.
Also check the brand before you accept. Search for honest reviews and read its terms. If a brand has many complaints, or its product looks misleading, say no. One bad sponsor can cost you your readers' trust.
Tax rules differ by country. Sponsored post income is usually taxable, so keep records of every payment from the start, and check your local tax authority or a qualified accountant for the rules where you live.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sponsored post?
A sponsored post is a blog post a brand pays you to write and publish. The brand pays a flat fee, and the post mentions the brand's product or service, with a link to the brand's site. You must disclose at the top that the brand paid for it.
How do I get sponsors for my blog?
Start with a media kit that shows your audience and traffic. Then try three routes: join a sponsored post network, look at which brands sponsor blogs in your niche, and email brands directly with a short pitch.
How much should I charge for a sponsored post?
There is no fixed rate. It depends on your traffic, your audience, and the brand's budget. A common floor for a small blog is 250 US dollars per post. Ask about the brand's budget first, then name a price.
Do I need a lot of traffic to get sponsored posts?
No, you do not need huge traffic. Some brands pay small blogs with a few thousand visits a month, when the readers match the brand's customers. A focused audience that trusts you can matter more than raw traffic.
How do I disclose a sponsored post?
Place a short disclosure at the very top of the post, in plain words, such as "This post is sponsored by Brand Name. Brand Name paid for this post, but the views in it are my own." Add a second note near any link to the brand.
What should a media kit include?
A media kit should include a one sentence description of your blog and audience, your monthly page views and visitors, your email list size, your main traffic sources, a short list of your best posts, and your rate. Use honest figures, and update the kit every month or two.
Conclusion: how to monetise a blog with sponsored posts in 2026
That is how to monetise a blog with sponsored posts in 2026: build a simple media kit with honest figures, set a floor price, find sponsors through networks and direct outreach, pitch with a short email about the brand's readers, agree terms in writing before you write, keep editorial control, disclose clearly at the top, and report results back to the sponsor. Start with your media kit this week.
Next, read how to make money blogging, how to monetise a blog with affiliate marketing, and how to build an email list for a blog. Browse all our guides in Blogging guides.
Reader note: rates and network details were checked against official pages on 2026-11-13, and they change, so check the live page before you join or pitch. The 250 US dollars floor and the worked example figures are examples only, not typical results. Tax and legal rules differ by country, so check your local rules and a qualified accountant. Earning results vary; nothing on this site is financial advice.
