Lady Melbourne is one of Australia’s leading fashion blogs. Here, the lady behind it all, Phoebe Montague, talks with SMK about her relationship with brands.

What is the best way for a brand or advertiser to approach a blogger?

It’s important for the brand to know why they want to advertise on the blog in the first place, and then we talk about the best way to do it – be it through banners, give-aways, or sponsored posts. It has to be strategic and thought out from both sides to get the best cut through and [identify] where the benefit will be for the readers.

The best thing a potential advertiser can do is get to take the time to actually read the blog every day for a week and get to know the tone, the style, the attitude, quality of the photos, the twitter following – so you know if they’ll share on further social media avenues. Soon enough you’ll know if it’s the right blog for you.

Have you refused any sponsors/advertisers and why?

I’ve said no to ones that are not the correct fit, or the ones who have no budget. I say no more than I say yes, because you have to stick to your guns on the parameters around what you accept for free or what you accept for money.

Fact is, I delete between ten and twenty emails a days from marketers and PRs because they are simply not relevant to me. I live and breathe my blog so it’s really obvious when someone approaches me who hasn’t read it and is just trying to push a product in the hope I’ll post about it.

Do you think brands have a realistic view of the value of online advertising?

The attitude is starting to shift. People think that because anyone can start one [a blog] and it doesn’t cost any money to do so, it should all be free.

But if you are approaching a blogger with 80,000 page views a month, clearly they’ve managed to harness an audience with their content and you have to respect that. For me, I have fashion experience, two degrees, and I’ve had my own business, so I know what I’m worth. Brands have to do their homework, but the investment is worth it.

How did you first approach companies for advertising/sponsorship?

I was courted to join NuffNang (agency) in 2009 and I started to host a couple of ads and do a few sponsored posts. It was pocket money in those days, but saw the potential.

I think 2011 has been a big year for brands wanting to get a piece of advertising in blogs. With print continuing to suffer in the Australian marketplace, there’s been a real switch by traditional print advertisers to spending money online.

Have your rates increased with your readership?

Rates moved with traffic, and have been steady for about a year. When I hit one million page-views, they’ll go up again. I started with baby rates, but they were reflective of audience at the time.

Do you feel pressure to provide returns to advertisers?

I don’t promise anything that I can’t guarantee. I don’t promise click throughs or ‘likes’ or anything like that. What I’m doing is opening brands to my audience – they’re buying time with my readers, just like with an ad in a magazine.

What I promise, and show them through analytics, is the size of the readership. The deliverables from my end are the content, because this is what keeps my readers coming back, and the admin to keep it all going.

You can watch Phoebe discuss this topic on her YouTube channel in the post, Lady Melbourne TV:  Happy Friday chat about engaging bloggers

Facts and stats

Established: 2007
Views: Approximately 80,000 page views per month
Brand associations: Westfields, htc, Chambord, Miss  Fox Melbourne, Samantha Wills, Oroton, Mimco, Sunglass Hut, Oscar Oscar Salons, Loreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, MOR
Ad placement: Through NuffNang agency and direct through blogger
Rates: See rate card