WordPress Sponsored Content: Setup and Pricing

Introduction

Sponsored content involves brands paying you to create content featuring their products or services. For WordPress sites with engaged audiences, sponsored posts can provide substantial revenue while offering value to readers.

Types of Sponsored Content

Sponsored Posts

Full articles about a brand/product

• Typically $100-5,000+
• Your voice and style
• Editorial control varies

Product Reviews

In-depth review of provided product

• $50-500+
• Honest assessment expected
• Keep the product often

Brand Mentions

Including brand in existing content

• $25-200
• Subtle integration
• Quick execution

Dedicated Emails

Email to your list about sponsor

• $100-1,000+
• Based on list size
• Clear sponsorship disclosure

Social Promotion

Social posts accompanying content

• Often bundled with post
• Platform-specific pricing
• Engagement metrics matter

Pricing Sponsored Content

Factors Affecting Price

Pricing Guidelines

By Traffic:

• 10K-50K pageviews: $100-300
• 50K-100K pageviews: $300-750
• 100K-500K pageviews: $750-2,000
• 500K+ pageviews: $2,000-10,000+

By Niche:

• Finance: Premium pricing
• Tech/B2B: Higher rates
• Lifestyle: Standard rates
• General: Lower rates

Creating Rate Card

Document your offerings:

• Sponsored post: $X
• Product review: $X
• Social bundle: $X
• Email blast: $X
• Custom packages: Contact

Finding Sponsors

Direct Outreach

• Identify brands in your niche
• Find marketing contacts
• Send personalized pitch
• Show your value

Sponsor Platforms

• Cooperatize: Content sponsorships
• IZEA: Influencer marketplace
• TapInfluence: Brand connections
• AspireIQ: Creator campaigns

Media Kit

Essential elements:

• Site statistics
• Audience demographics
• Previous brand work
• Testimonials
• Pricing overview
• Contact information

Creating Sponsored Content

Maintaining Quality

Do:

• Match your regular quality
• Provide genuine value
• Be authentic
• Disclose clearly

Don't:

• Compromise editorial standards
• Accept irrelevant sponsors
• Overpromise results
• Hide sponsorship

Content Guidelines

1. Agree on topic/angle
2. Maintain your voice
3. Include required elements
4. Meet deadlines
5. Allow reasonable revisions

Legal Requirements

FTC Disclosure:

• Must disclose sponsorship
• "Sponsored" or "Ad" labels
• Clear and conspicuous
• Near the top of content

Example:

"This post is sponsored by [Brand]. All opinions are my own."

Managing Sponsor Relationships

Process

1. Inquiry received
2. Review brand fit
3. Share rates/media kit
4. Negotiate terms
5. Create content brief
6. Draft and approval
7. Publish and promote
8. Send analytics report
9. Invoice and payment

Contract Elements

• Deliverables
• Timeline
• Payment terms
• Usage rights
• Revision limits
• Disclosure requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

How much traffic do I need?

Sponsors start showing interest around 10K-25K monthly pageviews, though niche relevance matters more than raw numbers.

Will sponsored content hurt SEO?

Use nofollow links as required. Google understands sponsored content when properly marked.

How often should I publish sponsored content?

Keep ratio healthy—no more than 20-30% of content. Maintain reader trust.

Should I accept products as payment?

Depends on product value and your needs. Cash is generally better. Combine product + fee when possible.

Key Takeaways

• Sponsored content can be lucrative with engaged audience
• Price based on traffic, niche, and engagement
• Always disclose sponsorships (legal requirement)
• Maintain quality and authenticity
• Create professional media kit
• Build ongoing brand relationships
• Balance sponsored and organic content

Next Steps

Create your media kit. Define your pricing. List yourself on sponsor platforms. Reach out to relevant brands. Start building sponsor relationships.

Meta Description: Learn to monetize your WordPress site with sponsored content. Covers pricing, finding sponsors, creating content, and FTC compliance.

Keywords: sponsored content, wordpress monetization, brand partnerships, sponsored posts, influencer marketing