Episode three of Influenced The Podcast was a continuation of our Blogging episode. We went over how we started our blogs, how we chose our name, things we dislike about social media and more. We had so much to say that we had to split the episode up into two episodes.
Episode 3 Show Notes
Our Weekly Love and Hate
Each week on Influenced The Podcast we talk about something we love and also, something we hate. You guys keep telling me that you love this part of the episode and I’m so glad to hear it because we have fun coming up with them weekly!
(Affiliate Links Included)
Weekly Love:
Lindsay: RHNY
Yes, Lindsay is still in love with Real Housewives of New York. We even joke around about how much we love each of the cast members, BUT especially Dorinda and Bethany. If you haven’t watched the franchise before, this is a great cast to watch.
Christine: Flip Brew
I have a major addiction to Cold Brew and my budget is screaming at me to stop going to Starbuck’s. So I purchased this Flip Brew for Rob, but he doesn’t use it often. One day I decided to give it a try and I’ve been hooked since. You can choose your own coffee grounds, and you insert them into this built-in “basket” and you flip it over to brew for at least 12 hours. It’s so easy to use and I swear by it for my Cold Brew.
Weekly Hate:
Lindsay and I both brought up our dislike and HATE for allergies. We both live in the South and the allergies can be quite extreme. We both make sure to drink hot water before the episode and Lindsay even goes as far as to have broth! Do you have any suggestions for allergies? Lindsay has even tried acupuncture before!
On a side note, we both bring up how we have cut out dairy out of our diets. At least TRY TO I should say. I love cheese and so does Lindsay, BUT she did suggest a Protein Powder that I wanted to mention in the post. It is a plant-based Protein instead of including dairy. For those of you trying to quit dairy or limit it, like we are, this might be a good product for you to look into!
Topics Discussed On Episode 3
Can You Make Money As A Blogger?
This is a question we answer during this episode of the podcast. We go into specific detail about how you can make money as a blogger and the tools that bloggers utilize to work on making income on their site. Curious? Be sure to listen!
What Are Affiliate Links?
We discuss what affiliate links are and why bloggers use an affiliate link. The truth is, they help us support our blog. A lot of us (including me) do this full-time and not every post is paid. When you click on a link, I get a portion of the sale from the items that you purchase. One thing to note, we don’t make a lot of money! Lindsay talks about how she made .70 from a patio set she linked to, lol!
When a blogger uses an affiliate link, it should be noted so you are aware that when you click the link, it’s a link that we are affiliated with. I always try to be open with you and will clearly state them on the post when I share them. I always appreciate it when you guys use my links as it helps support Simply Stine!
What Affiliate Programs Bloggers Use
I can’t speak for everyone, but most Bloggers will use either RewardStyle, ShopStyle, LIKEtoKNOW.it, and even Amazon. The truth is, there are hundreds of affiliate programs available. Sometimes brands will reach out and offer an affiliate code to an individual to use for their audience. We go into much more detail about this on the podcast if you are interested!
Sponsored Blog Post Opportunities
One thing that Lindsay and I wanted to bring up during the podcast was information on sponsored blog post opportunities. A lot of you aren’t bloggers, so you might not really understand what a sponsored blog post is.
Brands will sometimes present opportunities to work one on one with them. You enter a contract (the blogger) with a brand and agree to specific terms. These aren’t always going to happen to a blogger/influencer right away, so be patient. We talk more in detail about how to land sponsored opportunities and share some tips that you can try if you’re a blogger.
Listener Questions
We actually had some of our audience members for Influenced The Podcast reach out to us with questions so we wanted to answer them for you on the podcast! We bring up topics like:
- Bloggers who push out affiliate links constantly (Faster way to fat loss, Tula, Nordstrom Sale)
- Do you lose trust in bloggers who only pump out affiliate links and sponsored content only?
- All products aren’t just given to us for free (This is assumed a lot!)
- Copycatting in the blogging world and what we do to avoid it on our own blogs
- When can you ask for money? When is it acceptable to take products as payment?
- Should you ever refuse to write a blog post for free?
- Struggling with people who buy followers and likes? (We went into detail about this in the previous episode)
- Bloggers/Influencers who work with brands they’d never personally use or stores they’d never shop at in real life
- Social Media can disappear overnight, you still have a blog. Focus on that!
- How did we start our blogs and come up with our name?
Know Your Worth
The most important thing to remember about blogging is to know your worth. A lot of the topics we discuss are very important if you’re a blogger and you’re going to have to make a lot of personal decisions. Just remember to know your worth and be to sure find joy in what you are doing!
If you aren’t a blogger, consider clicking on the links to the blogs that you are reading. Like their work, comment on their posts and share them! That’s the best way that you can help a blogger/influencer!
We hope you enjoy this latest episode of Influenced The Podcast! We’ll see you next Wednesday for our first Book Club episode! Don’t forget to read The Idea of You for June and Columbine for July! We’ll be announcing the August book pick soon!
