Creating A Media Kit That'll Seal the Deal
Media Kits - do you need one? How do you make one? What do you include in one?
Let's start at the beginning, what is a media kit?
A media kit is typically a PDF document containing information about you and your business/your blog. It is basically a promotional tool that provides all the logistics of your blog to the brand and/or PR company you are attempting to do business with.
Do you really need one?
In my opinion, and I believe most brands and PR companies will agree, that is better to have one. It cuts down on the back and forth emailing, as you can just send your kit over and it'll answer all their questions regarding statics and following. It also gives the brand an idea of the quality of work you do, the partnerships you've had, and what they can basically expect from you. Essentially, it is your resume.
OK, so what do you need to include?
There are varies things you can include, but the basics are:
About Me / About Your Blog
Social media following
Blog views (page and unique views)
Demographics (blog/social media audience)
Past collaborations, press, and/or partnerships
Note: put your best images in your media kit and make sure they are high quality.
Alright, now that we covered all the basics, let's talk about how you can use your media kit to get noticed.
I asked a few friends who work in PR and that work for brands, who consistently get media kits thrown at them, what truly catches their attention. This is their advice on sealing the deal.
"The busier the media kit, the faster I stop reading."
"Your media kit should be concise, simple, two to three pages, and curated to your aesthetic. I want to see accurate reach, stats, and examples of your collaborations. The busier the media kit, the faster I stop reading." - Phoenix Ha, Marketing Analyst | SUPRA
"Differences win deals."
"Keep your media kit simple in both the design and content. It is easy to want to put all your information on your media kit, but too much information can be overwhelming. Make sure to have concise wording that sells your brand best. And remember to include details that make you different from your competitors. Differences win deals." - Nichole Brandt, VP of Digital Influencer Marketing + Technology | XOMAD
"Provide proof."
"1. Make it as concise and informative as possible. No one has time to read through a 10 page presentation.
2. Use pictures that aren’t pixelated. Blurry photos make you look unprofessional so why would a client trust you to make their products look beautiful?
3. Provide proof. Include some snapshots of Instagram posts that got a ton of engagement or a blog post with a ton of comments. Clients want to know that your posts will get engagement." - Mary Vallarta, Brand Strategist | FAB Counsel
"Continually update your rates and social handles."
"I would definitely say the most important DO is to continually update your rates and social handles so that brands can accurately see information up to date!" - Becca Sigal, Account Executive | BWR
"I want no more than 3 custom written sentences."
"Most brands answer: We want a PR kit that includes high quality imagery, social media information including demographic and amount of traffic, collaboration costs, different collaboration options, and cost effective options. They want to see a general excitement about the brand and not just an interest in money. Excitement about the brand in many cases trumps your follower count.
My real answer: I want no more than 3 custom written sentences that explain why you like the brand, how you plan on turning my cost into ROI, and why I should choose you over the hundreds of other submissions I get.
I don’t need anything else. I can look at their social media presence to determine the rest." - Nathan Martell, E-Commerce Manager | BEDSTU
"Consistent, clean look."
"Your media kit should be a reflection of you and your brand, with a consistent, clean look. Avoid lengthy wording and keep info to the point. Brands want to be able to gather who you are and what you offer by quickly looking through your kit. Bullet points can be really helpful." - Darby Barton, Brand Manager | XOMAD
Hopefully all the above has helped and if you have any questions, feel free to comment below or send me an email: info@bylisalinh.com
Thank you to my friends for answering and providing great insight!
