On Sponsored Posts. The truth. And stuffs.

Hi! 

This is going to be a little bit different from what I usually write but I just wanted to bring something up with all of ya. Hope you don't mind. And I guess before I begin this whole spiel, I should tell you about the kinds of sponsored posts I've done in the past. 

($$$ = I get compensated for it)

1. Product Feature: I wear a gifted item on the blog.

2. Blogger Feature: blogger does a guest post on my blog. $$$

3. Company Feature: a full post solely about a company/shop. $$$

4. Product Feature: a full post solely about a gifted product. $$$

5. Giveaway: a company hosts a giveaway on my blog. $$$ 

6. Sidebar Ad: an ad is placed on my blog sidebar. $$$

What I'm mainly talking about today is option #3 and #4.

For a while I stopped doing sponsored posts like #3 and #4. But I've decided to become open to doing them again. But this time, it's going to be different. In the past when it came to sponsors, I used to think... "Free stuff?! More moneys?! Yes!" to almost anything that came along. Shaaaaaame! I know. But then when I found that the "free stuff" wasn't always so great, it felt awkward posting about them ya know? And I would try my best to blog nice things about them without compromising my integrity but sometimes, those lines started becoming blurred and I felt like I was being forced to say certain things. It wasn't very fun. Because as much as I wanted "all opinions to be my own," inside, I always had this small feeling of obligation to say certain things. And I didn't like doing that. So I stopped doing those kinds of sponsored posts completely. 

But then, that got me thinking. You know what one of the many beautiful things about blogging is?? The opportunity to work with different brands and share them with you guys. Because honestly, there are sooooo many little boutiques and companies that are worth blabbing about and I didn't want to cut out that part of the blogging world completely. Because it really is exciting when I find something awesome that I think you guys would enjoy too. So basically, I decided to start it up again but be more picky with it. But guys, lets be real. Even if I'm picky, sometimes things still turn out to be.... meh. And when those situations arise, I don't want to find myself stuck in that same place where I was before. Feeling all obligated and stuff.

So this is what I'm doing. I'm letting all potential sponsors know that if I receive a product that I don't like, I'm giving them two options. The first is to pretend like it never happened. Meaning, I won't blog about it at all. Cuz' you know, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. And the second option is to go with the post as planned anyway. This way the company might not get the most positive review, but at least they're still getting some kind of exposure. Because you know, exposure is everything nowadays. So this is how I plan on keeping myself in check. I know it's not the biggest epiphany or anything, and a lot of bloggers don't need to go through all of this because they're already awesome like that. But I do. And I just wanted to share this with you guys. Because you's are all the beeestest ;)

And so with all that said, Mindy Mae's Market sent me this necklace and people! Isn't it absolutely beauuuuutiful!?! Why yes it is! - see how smooth I was with that transition just there? ;) Hah. But seriously, I mean look at it. It's a stunnah f'sho. Check them out okay?

<3

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wearing:

tee: free people

sweater: 2020Ave- - similar (1, 2, 3)

hat: anthropologie- - similar (1, 2)

shoes: dsw- - also here

necklace: c/o mindy mae's market

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