Buzz Marketing with Blogs: $25K Monthly Blog Sponsorship Deal

$25K Monthly Blog Sponsorship Deal

This from AdAge (registration required) today:

Sony Consumer Electronics e-Solutions Group is the exclusive sponsor for the launch of LifeHacker, a blog that goes live today about the software of personal gadgetry by Gawker Media, according to the online company. The deal, which also includes placements on Gizmodo, Gawker’s earlier gadget title, will cost Sony in the range of $25,000 a month, according to a source close to the deal. The sponsorship runs for about three months.

Sponsorships are a promising model for blog revenue-building, especially for those who reach a specialized niche audience, but don’t have the traffic numbers of some of the big name bloggers. It bodes well that this sponsorship is for a blog that is just launching, rather than one that has a proven track record—Sony is obviously willing to take the chance and ensure that the blog has the best chance possible to be a success.

This is by no means an unobtrusive sponsorship. A cursory reader could be excused for simply thinking LifeHacker is Sony product. I counted six Sony logos on the main page. There are four Sony ads—leaderboard, wide skyscrapers, and a medium rectangle. There are also several text ad spots. Though there is a disclaimer on the site, there is no discussion of how the Sony sponsorship might influence (or not) the editorial. After some digging, I did find one possible indication to how this might work buried in the FAQ:

Do you get freebie software licenses by companies who expect you to post glowing reviews of their applications?

No. Only ads can be purchased, not posts. Lifehacker will post weekly thank-you’s to advertisers which will be clearly marked. Lifehacker’s recommendations are whole-hearted and objective…

How about it, Gina? Can the sponsor buy posts?

Interested in just how this blog is doing? The Gawker blogs typically make their stats visible, and LifeHacker is no exception.

Source: Saw this from Dan Gillmor first.

Posted by Susannah Gardner on 02/01 at 10:49 PM • Blogs and Business

Comments

Like the FAQ says, sponsors cannot buy posts.

Sony has no say in editorial decisions. If they did, I wouldn’t have taken the job. I’m not a salesperson, I’m a software nerd.

Posted by Gina Trapani on 02/02 at 12:09 PM
My site BloggingSponsorships.com is helping lead the way with private blog sponsorships. Check us out! Its like a phone book for bloggers and advertisers.

Posted by Blogging Sponsorships on 04/26 at 10:48 PM