Resources for Tax Time

By Helena Swyter. Photography by Johnny Miller.

Tax season is upon us again! Next week we will be sharing tips and best practices for getting your blogging taxes done on-time and correctly. Here are a few favorite resources to get you started.

You can prepare your taxes online (and even efile your return) using software from the TurboTax and H&R Block.

The IRS provides up-to-date information about personal tax returns – Forms 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ on 1040 Central. This site lists several IRS-approved resources and online tools to help you complete your taxes.

If you have a smartphone, the following apps may help with your ongoing bookkeeping to make next April 15th less stressful:

• MileBug 
• Expensify 
• Bloomberg BNA Quick Tax Reference App

For Sponsors: Blogger Compensation

By Sara Urquhart. Photography for Lonny Magazine.

This post is a part of our blogging series for sponsors. See the rest of the series right here.

Remember that bloggers are small business owners. Approach them as partners that can offer you great value, and with whom you can build long-lasting relationships that are good for both of you.

Expect different levels of compensation for different bloggers. Someone who is just starting out may be happy to do some work for trade, but keep in mind that for most bloggers, this is their job. Typically, employees don’t work for gift cards or product. Although blogging is a relatively new and non-traditional form of advertising, it’s hard work and if you want a blogger to work for you, you must be prepared to offer financial compensation.

It’s appropriate for either the sponsor or the blogger to start the compensation conversation. If you have a set budget for your project, you can include that in your original pitch to the blogger. Or you can ask to view the blogger’s media kit or request for an estimate for the kind of campaign you have in mind. Remember, it’s important to communicate the end result you’re seeking and craft your agreement around that specific goal.

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Selling By Storytelling

This post is sponsored by Squarespace.

By Seine Kim.

Though mass-manufactured products sold in big-box retailers are still as prevalent as ever, an interesting parallel has begun to take shape. More and more people are starting to question where their purchases are coming from and how they’re made. Simply look at the emergence of local farmers’ markets in major cities, or the continuous popularity of Etsy. There is a real desire to seek out small-batch, hand-crafted, artistic products. Some of us prefer products lovingly created by dedicated craftspeople, as opposed to those that appear at the end of a factory conveyor belt.

If you’re a small business, or a creative shop trying to market your wares online, this can often work to your advantage. Selling online is now easier than ever, with a myriad of services offering the means to do so. There are certain advantages to working with an established marketplace - you can get set up easily and quickly, and belonging to such networks can help you and your products get noticed. However, having your very own online store gives you far more control over the look, feel, and the overall shopping experience you provide to your visitors.

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For Sponsors: How to Approach a Blogger

By Sara Urquhart. Photography by Barena Venezia.

This post is a part of our blogging series for sponsors. See the rest of the series right here.

Partnering with bloggers is a great way to build exposure for your brand, and since the blogging space is fairly new and many companies will be approaching bloggers for the first time this year, we’ve created a series of posts for sponsors about how to create effective and mutually beneficial relationships with bloggers.

First, research. You must know the type of blogger you’re approaching and be familiar with the type of content she writes about. All bloggers who are mothers are not necessarily mommy bloggers. If you pitch mommy products to a design blogger, the pitch falls on deaf ears and wastes the blogger’s time and your own. When you carefully research the right bloggers for your brand, you’re building long term relationships that make your current and future campaigns more successful.

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Friday Links - Video Bloggers

By Jenner Brown. Photography by Furbish.

These days, more and more bloggers are using fun and creative videos to grow their brand and reach out to viewers in unique ways. Here are a handful of bloggers we can all learn from - who are consistently creating amazing videos:

Joy Cho

The Girls With Glasses

The Alison Show

Rubi Jones

Small Fry

Design Mom

Say Yes To Hoboken

Naomi Davis