We sat down with Portia Smith of Obsessed by Portia this week to discuss the changing media landscape, the tight-knit Seattle blogger community and her favorite ways to partner with brands. Through her consistent hard work, high-quality content and her self-described “year of yes,” she’s seen her audience grow significantly in the past 12 months.

We’ve been fortunate to work with Portia quite a bit on various campaigns and projects. As an example, Portia is one of the blogger ambassadors for our client, Simon Malls. Because Portia and her family regularly spend time at the Seattle-area Northgate Mall, it was a natural fit to collaborate on ways to raise awareness for the mall’s great family, dining and entertainment options throughout the year.

Here are a few key takeaways from our conversation with Portia.

· Portia asks herself two questions when invited to partner with a brand:

1. Do I love and use this product/service?
2. What budget is available?

These questions are equally important for potential brand partners. People recognize when a blogger or social influencer shares content that isn’t authentic to who they are and the personal brand they’ve cultivated. And the second question helps make sure everyone is on the same page when considering what’s possible in the depth and scope of the partnership.

· Photography is everything – especially for brands looking to connect with audiences on Instagram. When a social influencer invests in professional photography, the brand partners benefit as they’re able to repurpose these images for their own social media channels.

· Based on Portia’s experience, there isn’t a set-in-stone rate card for engaging in blogger/influencer relations. Budget negotiations vary greatly based on the blogger’s interest in the brand, the scope of work and other value adds being offered.

Next up, we’ll be talking with Avi Soor and Antonio Smith of the #SeattleGents!

* This is the second blog post in our series on people who are on the front lines of the changing media landscape. If you missed the introduction to this series, check it out here to get caught up!