We’re about to kick off a blog marketing campaign for Sprint and are in need of bloggers in the technology, lifestyle, and family categories. This means your blog is dedicated to featuring technology (gadgets phones, computers, etc.), lifestyle (everyday life bloggers), or talking about family life. Please only respond if this describes your blog. If this is you then please fill out the Casting Call form below. We’ll contact you if you’re a fit.

Full details of the Opp will be included in the requirements if an offer is extended to you, but the basic requirements will be the following:

• Promote Sprint’s cool, new app and talk about how it would help you out when misplacing or losing your phone.

• Encourage your readers to check out the app and to download it before August 30th.

Thanks and we look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you for your interest, this Casting Call is closed.

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

Nutrish Premium Dog Food is looking for some very specific types of bloggers to participate in an upcoming SocialSpark campaign for their all natural dog food. Here’s your mission should you choose to accept it: Have your dog try out the supplied free sample of Nutrish dog food, afterwards write a review about it on your post! Share the experience via word and photo (photo is optional, only if ya feel like it!)

Full details about the Opportunity will be available should you be selected. So if you’re a dog owner please fill-out the form below. We’ll be sure to contact you if you’re a fit!

Thank you for your interest, this Casting Call is closed.

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

So what, you may ask, would we consider “quality” content? This Blog, who actually recently participated in our campaign for Tabasco, is a perfect example. I was in love with her site the moment I read my first post. I enjoy the telling of stories through so many photos (and good ones at that!), and she speaks to her readers in a language that’s relatable. I also really like that her entire site–not just the blog–is a resource for those who enjoy cooking.

With regard to IZEA, bloggers with fantastic content are eligible for more Opportunities in our blog marketing platform, and tend to earn more money. Advertisers benefit because they get better results on their campaigns.

Let’s take a look at the post she did for Tabasco, which is the perfect compliment to her non-sponsored content:

The title of the post is upfront and to the point. The reader knows what they’re going to get out of the next few minutes.

There’s then a breakdown of how to create the recipe, with rich, clear photos to accompany each step. The time and effort spent putting these photos together and sharing them on the site really shows the Blogger cares about what she’s giving her audience.

The remainder of the post can be found here.

I personally like this little feature where a variety of recipes are offered up.

Of course, the disclosure is included, which is required for any of our sponsored posts. The one thing that would take this post from great to outstanding, in my opinion, would be a video. A “how to” that accompanies the instructions. But I’m a fan of video, so that’s just me….

Now, while I do really like this blog I think there are a few things that could be done to make it exceptional!

• Remove the Twitter and Facebook ads and replace with the familiar icons. These two are just taking up space, and visitors recognize the Twitter and Facebook logos.
• Condense the ads to one column. While I think two colums is fine and they don’t overwhelm or clutter-up the site (like many do), one sleek column would look much better. Plus that would allow for more room for the great content!
• Throw an image or two on all the tabs. It would break-up the text (particularly on the ”Recipes” page), plus it’s another opportunity to see these amazing photos!

So what can YOU do to help improve the quality of your blog? Any ideas you’d like to try?

Awesome job, Recipe Girl! Keep up the good work. And now I’m sufficiently hungry from looking at your site I’m off to find a snack….

Other blogs we <3:

• What’s Cooking With Kids
• Mod Podge
• The Art of Manliness
• StephModo
• Nancy’s Baby Names

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

Seriously, we do! In fact, we’ve got your faces plastered all over our office walls! But it’s been quite some time since we’ve updated our “Great Wall of Posties” so we’re in need of some new pics. Oh, and a new name. Let’s go with “Great Wall of Publishers” so as to include Bloggers, Tweeters and Mobilers! So this is where you come in.

Now through the end of February, if you send us a framed photo of yourself (the goofier the better), we’ll give you a $10 iTunes gift card. Sweet, huh? Well, the pot gets even sweeter: we’ll select our four favorites at the end of the month, and each of those will receive a $100 gift card. So the more “out of the box” or creative the photo, the better the chance your photo will be chosen. Feel free to bling it out like this blogger did a few years ago:

Don’t forget, too, these photos will live on the walls of IZEA, for all to look at.

Remember these?

Please send photos to:

IZEA
ATTN: Great Wall of Publishers
150 North Orange Avenue, Suite 412
Orlando, FL 32801

Be sure to include somewhere your name, blog url, and any other social media sites you’re active on (e.g., Twitter handle, Facebook url, etc.). We’ll be sure to give you some love by way of a shout-out!

Can’t wait to see what you guys send our way!

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

Many are awesome blogs. Some are mediocre. Lots are…well, not so great (☹). But that’s ok because there’s always room for improvement!

As a blogger hopefully it is your goal to improve your craft, skills, and site over time…making it an all-around better quality experience for your audience. If you’re part of the IZEA Community and take part in sponsored conversations, obviously improved quality means better Opportunities for you as a Publisher, and better results for Advertisers. Quality, quality, quality: it’s a word we’ve been emphasizing for years.

A few days ago I ran across this blog (see below) I’m now in love with (ok, not really in love because…that would be weird – it’s a blog!), for many reasons. In my humble opinion, I think a site like this is an excellent example of rich quality, and an overall pleasurable experience for the visitor.

In thinking about your blog, are there ideas you can come up with to improve the quality?

Let’s break this down a bit, and I’ll tell you why I love this blog so much:

1 :: The Header (Branding)
I’m a branding nut. I think branding is one of the core components of developing a relationship with your audience. It’s creating an emotional connection with the product itself, and in some cases the product innovator (in this case, the blogger); think of some of the world’s strongest brands (Disney, Nike, Apple, etc.) This blogger does a great job of branding her blog in creative alone, with a simple header and logo that’s identifiable, and conveys to the visitor exactly what to expect from a site like this. (Does a good job of extending brand through to the Facebook Page, too, but I wish it also continued through to the Twitter profile.)

2 :: Social Networks
How cute are these icons? Seriously, “Feed Me” for the RSS? Fun! The icons directly relate to what the site is about, and are “outside of the box.” Just an extra touch that puts this particular blog outside of the norm.

3 :: Biography
A short, quick synopsis about the author, along with a photo (associating the brand with a person). If the reader wants to learn more about the site owner they can simply “read more.”

4 :: Newsletter (Relationship-Building with Audience)
Great promotion of the newsletter. Newsletters are a excellent way to push content to audience members who’ve said “I like what you have to offer, and I want to receive future information from you.” Plus, it’s another way to continue expanding the brand.

5 :: Content Consistency
I’m not personally a fan of truncated posts. It’s just a preference. But I certainly understand their purpose. If you’re going to truncate posts, this is a great way to do it. The content looks uniform, consistent, and clean.

Take a second and visit the site, and experience what it has to offer. What do you think? Agree with my thoughts? What are some things you like about this blog? Are there any missed opportunities?

P.S. Dear Michelle of What’s Cooking With Kids, we’d love to have you as part of our Community! By the way, after looking at your site for so long I’m now STARVING!

Other blogs we <3:

• Mod Podge
• The Art of Manliness
• StephModo
• Nancy’s Baby Names

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

If you are a male blogger who covers male interests (lifestyle, food, fun, creativity, technology…to name several) on your site, then you and your blog might be a fit for a Campaign with ampm gas stations/convenience stores. Did you know ampm has a “secret menu”? They sure do, and if selected for this Opp you’ll have the chance to gain access to the secret menu. Won’t that make you feel special?!

NOTE: ampm only has locations in the United States. Therefore, this Opp is open to US residents only (who qualify).

If you think an ampm sponsored post would be a relevant fit for your audience then please fill-out the form below and we’ll let you know if you’re chosen!
[contact-form]

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

So…think you’re a fit? If so, please fill-out the form below, and we’ll contact you if selected to participate in the Campaign.

[contact-form]

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

Advertiser of the Month

Our “Advertiser of the Month” is one who remains active in our sponsored conversation platforms. Charter has run programs in both SocialSpark and Sponsored Tweets over the past year, primarily to generate buzz and awareness about their cable & Internet services. We thank them for their continued business, and realizing the power of social media!

If you are one of the blogger’s who took part in any of Charter’s campaigns we’d love get your feedback. Just drop a comment in this post.

You can connect with Charter and their Community on SocialSpark by clicking here.

Postie of the Month

Congrats to this month’s featured Blogger, Tara. Tara is part of our Premium Blogger program, and she is amazing! Clients love working with her because she provides fun, informative and, most importantly, honest opinions. Tara is careful about the products with which she aligns herself and therefore reflects the perfect SocialSpark blogger: one who weighs content, relevance to readers, and personal quality over payment and props.

(Image courtesy of DealSeekingMom.com.)

Get to know Tara a little more:

• Tara’s online brand is “Deal Seeking Mom.”
• Join her nearly 9,000 Followers by Tweeting with Tara at @dealseekingmom.
• You can find her on SocialSpark here.
• She is one of the Walmart Elevenmoms.
• Tara has five children!

IZEA RockStar of the Month

This month’s IZEA “RockStar of the Month” is Jenni. Jenni is IZEA’s Office Manager and makes sure everything stays in line and runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis (and she’ll let us know when things aren’t). She is so much more than an Office Manager, too, and we appreciate everything she does for the entire IZEA Team!

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

Here’s what Heather wrote to me:

“…I just can’t thank you, Ted and IZEA enough for helping me on my way. Being chosen as an IZEA Insider has had benefits beyond belief for me…and makes me feel so honored and appreciated.”

Thanks, Heather! It’s been a pleasure working with you, and watching you grow. Your continued encouragement gives the IZEA Team that much more motivation to do a great job!

You can keep-up with Heather on:

• Facebook
• SocialSpark
• Twitter

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

Everyone knows how much we love our bloggers here at IZEA, and Tuesday that sentiment was validated yet again!

When the mail came Tuesday afternoon our Office Manager handed me a package (just so you know, I never get mail here at work) and needless to say, I was pumped! I opened up the package and it was full of awesome treats from one of our IZEA Insiders, Laurie!


Here’s a little back-story as to why she sent us this great surprise (stay with me here):

A few months ago we ran a blog marketing Opportunity with a few of our Insiders – the bloggers were a given a check from the Advertiser and were asked to put on an event to help raise money and awareness for a cause close to their heart. Drew, Corrin, Steven and Laurie all accepted this task wholeheartedly and, to be honest with you, it was awesome to see what they did.

We saw 2 bloggers raise money for Breast Cancer walk teams, one raise for the Northwest Indiana Humane Society and one for the Hope Unlimited Pregnancy Crisis Center (a group that helps expecting mothers facing tough decisions). We saw the bloggers put on Tweet-Ups, dinners, raffles, comedy events, (awesome) give-aways and they also took generous donations in the name of their charity. It was incredible how 4 people, pursuing 4 very different ventures, could make such an impact – it was very inspirational to say the least.

In addition to the events the bloggers put on, we ran a side contest and the blogger that generated the most buzz around their event would win an additional donation to their charity, as well as win a prize for themselves. The race was a tight one and went down to the wire, but Laurie was the one that came out victorious in the end by the slimmest of margins. We were able to donate additional funds to her team that is participating in the 2009 Race for the Cure that benefits Susan G. Komen this month.

As a thank-you Laurie sent us a bunch of goodies from her event – they include pencils, stickers, mints, pins, a keychain, a scarf (which I have already put on and modeled for everyone on this side of the office) all Breast Cancer awareness themed. Ashley has already claimed some of the stickers because he loves the slogan – “Save the Ta-Tas”.

This campaign was an awesome one to be a part of and I have to thank all the bloggers involved for their hard work, kinda hearts and overall awesomeness in everything they did. Special shout-out to Laurie for sending us souvenirs! To everyone at IZEA, if you’re nice to me, maybe I’ll share with you!

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing