This document summarizes data from a 2011 survey of over 3,800 respondents regarding social media sponsorships. Some key findings: - 51.5% of marketers have compensated social media publishers for sponsored content. - Marketers value a sponsored blog post at $114 on average and a sponsored tweet at $63. - 51.5% of social media publishers have accepted compensation for sponsored content, though 77.1% dislike offers with no compensation. - Publishers value a sponsored blog post at $190 on average, feeling their personal blogs are worth more than marketers calculate.

1. the state of
social media sponsorships
2011

2. about the report
➡ Information gathered from 3849 respondents during
the month of June, 2011
➡ Report spread to participants via email, Twitter,
Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media channels
➡ Does not include IZEA marketplace data
Click to here join the discussion on Twitter
#stateofsms

3. WHAT IS SMS?
Social Media Sponsorship or “SMS” is the practice
of providing compensation to a social media
publisher in exchange for mention, promotion or
review through that publisher’s social media
channels. Compensation can be in the form of cash,
free product or service, experiences, discounts,
coupons or other special incentives.

4. marketers

5. marketers
➡ The following information was collected from those
respondents that indicated they made their living as
a social media consultant, public relations
professional or marketer

6. sms participation
Q : Have you ever
compensated a social media
publisher with cash, trips,
gift cards, free product,
coupons, discounts or other
type of incentive with the
51.5% expectation that there
would be some mention
48.5% through their social stream?
Yes
No
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2011 SMS Survey

7. direct sponsorship
Marketer Use and Acceptance Among Different Forms of SMS
100%
Have Done Would Do
90%
80%
32.5%
70%
35.6% 50.2%
42.8%
60%
50% 39.3%
48.8%
40%
39.4%
30%
20% 23.2% 23.2%
10%
15.0%
0%
Sponsored Blog Posts Sponsored Tweets Sponsored Videos Sponsored Photos Sponsored Checkins
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2011 SMS Survey

8. what is it worth?
Marketer Response
Sponsored Blog Post $114.71
Sponsored Tweet $63.64
Sponsored Facebook Update $55.16
Sponsored Video $112.46
Sponsored Photo $54.58
Sponsored Checkin $40.15
Twitter Follower $46.53
Facebook Like $45.63
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2011 SMS Survey

9. advertiser compensation types
Cash Free Product Discounts/Coupons No Compensation
50%
46.1%
45% 44.2%
41.8%
40% 39.2%
37.2%
35%
32.9%
30% 29.5%
26.5%
25%
20.9%
19.7%
20%
15% 13.4% 12.9%
10.6% 10.3%
10% 9.1%
5.6%
5%
0%
Prefer Willing to Provide
Dislike Will not Provide SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2011 SMS Survey

10. advertiser values
Most Important Factor in Considering an SMS Offer
Least Most
Overall Rank
Important Important
Quality of Content 5.2% 12.5% 31.8% 50.5% 1
Relevance to Industry 11.1% 16.9% 23.9% 48.0% 2
Comments and Engagement 5.3% 22.0% 38.1% 34.7% 3
Raw Traffic or Followers 9.3% 22.7% 38.1% 29.9% 4
Personality of Publisher 8.4% 27.7% 33.3% 30.6% 5
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2011 SMS Survey

11. measuring sms success
Not Important Somewhat Important
Q: How do you measure success? Important Very Important
26.1% 25.6%
14.1% 37.9% 20.9%
39.8%
5.9% 5.9% 41.0% 4.3% 5.8% 38.1%
27.0% 35.1% 30.5%
42.1%
Quality of Content Sentiment of Content Click Through Rate Cost Per Click
SOURCE : IZEA Q2 2011 SMS Survey
23.9% 28.6% 26.5% 22.5%
34.5% 35.8%
6.5% 9.2% 5.6% 6.1%
39.5%
37.8%
24.3% 28.5%
35.0% 35.6%
Cost Per Acquisition Cost Per Impression Comments Shares

12. ftc guidelines
Awareness Among PR, Social Media and Marketing Professionals
50%
2010 2011
45% Q: Are you aware of the FTC
40% guidelines for endorsements
35%
35.0% 35.8% in social media?
29.2% 29.9%
30%
26.1%
25% 24.4%
20%
15%
10.6%
10% 9.0%
5%
0%
No Have Heard of Them Have Read Them Read & Understand
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

13. publishers

14. publishers
➡ The following information was collected from those
respondents that indicated they are an active
blogger, Twitter user or other type of social media
publisher.

15. monetizing social media
100%
88.4%
91.1% Q: Do you directly monetize
90%
your social media activities
80% through advertisement,
sponsorship or affiliate
70%
programs?
60%
50%
I Do or Would Do
I Would Not Do
40%
30%
Y/Y Increase in
20%
+2.7% those in favor of
direct monetization
11.6% of social media
10% 8.9%
0%
2010 2011 SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

16. 51.5%
of social media publishers have
accepted compensation
for sponsored content
39.2% would SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2011 SMS Survey

17. 60% of those who said they
would not accept compensation
said they would accept a free car for a year
in exchange for blog posts and tweets
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2011 SMS Survey

18. advertisers are reaching out
Q: Have you ever been
approached by someone
60.8% offering cash, free products,
discounts or other
compensation in exchange
for a blog post, tweet or
other social media
promotion?
Yes
39.2% No
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2011 SMS Survey

19. what have you engaged in?
2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1
direct sponsorship
57.6% 62.8% +5.2%
compensation for a specific post or series
of posts.
indirect sponsorship
49.3% 51.4% +2.1%
free product was provided, the post was
expected but not required by advertiser.
material relationship
27.2% 29.4% +2.2%
posts to promote a client, your employer or
other party with whom you have a
financial connection.
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

20. direct sponsorship
Publisher Use Among Different Forms of SMS
SPONSORED SPONSORED SPONSORED SPONSORED SPONSORED
BLOG POSTS TWEETS & UPDATES VIDEOS PHOTOS CHECKINS
100%
90% 30.4%
39.9%
43.2%
80% 40.5%
64.6% 64.7%
70% 56.1% 57.9%
64.3% 54.7%
60%
50% 52.2%
44.5% 46.5%
40%
30%
20%
17.6% 15.7% 16.3%
10% 14.4%
11.6%
NA
0%
2010 2011 2010 2011 2010 2011 2010 2011 2010 2011
Have Done Would Do SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

21. blogging for a living
Q: If you could quit your day
50.8% job to become a full time
blogger would you?
14.3%
I already have
I would
10.3% Maybe
No Way
24.6%
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2011 SMS Survey

22. time investment
Hours Per Month Invested in Social Media
25%
2010 2011
23%
21.1%
20.2%
19.3% 19.7%
20% 19.2%
18.6% 18.1%
18% 16.9%
15%
12.4%
13% 11.6% 11.4% 11.6%
10%
8%
5%
3%
0%
1-10 11-20 21-40 41-80 81-160 160+
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

23. publisher compensation
Cash Free Product Discounts/Coupons
100%
2010 2011 2010 2011 2010 2011
90%
80%
75.4%
71.0% 69.3%
70%
64.8%
60%
53.2%
50%
49.2%
41.8%
40% 35.6%
31.0%
30% 26.9% 25.4%
22.8%
20%
11.3%
10%
9.0%
5.3% 4.2%
2.1% 2.6%
0%
Prefer Accept Dislike SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010 , 2011 SMS Survey

24. 77.1% of social media publishers
dislike
when no compensation is offered from an advertiser or brand
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2011 SMS Survey

25. publisher values
Most Important Factor in Considering an SMS Offer
Least Most Overall Rank
Important Important
Quality of Advertiser 3.70% 8.10% 27.20% 60.90% 1
Value of Compensation 3.90% 11.10% 37.10% 47.90% 2
Form of Compensation 3.80% 11.40% 37.70% 47.10% 3
Clear Disclosure 4.70% 13.20% 33.70% 48.40% 4
Ease of Transaction 3.80% 11.70% 41.30% 43.20% 5
Giveaways for My Readers 9.2% 19.00% 43.70% 28.10% 6
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2011 SMS Survey

26. ftc guidelines
Awareness Among Social Media Publishers
50%
2010 2011
45%
42.8% Q: Are you aware of the FTC
40% 37.9% guidelines for endorsements
35%
in social media?
30%
29.5%
25.0% 25.5% 24.7%
25%
20%
15%
10%
7.6% 6.9%
5%
0%
No Have Heard of Them Have Read Them Read & Understand
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

27. twitter followers
Total Followers on Personal Account
35%
33.1%
31.4%
2010 2011
32%
28% 27.1%
24.7%
25%
21%
18% 16.4%
14.3%
14% 13.4%
11%
8.2% 7.8%
6.9%
7%
5.0%
4.2% 4.3%
4% 2.6% 2.0%
0.6%
0%
Don’t Use 1-100 101-1k 1k-2.5k 2.5k-5k 5k-10k 10k-100k 100k+
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

28. tweeter expectation
a sponsored tweet
from my account is worth
$134
Q: How much do you
think a tweet from your
personal twitter
account is worth?
Y/Y Increase in
+8.0% perceived value by
Tweeters Advertisers value at $63
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

29. twitter usage
Twitter Frequency Among Social Media Publishers
50%
47.8%
45%
Bloggers
Non Bloggers
40% 39.3%
35%
30%
25.0%
25%
20%
17.4% 17.4%
14.3% 15.2%
15%
10% 8.7% 8.7%
6.3%
5%
0%
A Few Times a Month Once a Week Once a Day Many Times a Day I am an Addict
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

30. blog traffic
Monthly Page Views Received on Blog
30%
2010 2011
27% 25.9%26.0%
24% 23.2%
21% 20.3%19.7% 20.0%
18.5%
18% 16.8%
15%
12%
9.9%
9% 8.4%
6%
4.2% 4.5%
3%
1.0% 1.1%
0.3% 0.4%
0%
I Don’t Know 0-1k 1k-5k 5k-25k 25k-100k 100k-1m 1m-5m 5m+
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

31. blogger expectation
a sponsored post
on my blog is worth
$190
Q: How much do you
think a blog post on
your personal blog is
worth?
Y/Y Increase in
+6.1% perceived value by
Bloggers Advertisers value at $147
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

32. ANNUAL DOLLARS invested by publishers per year
60% 58.9%
2010
$984
54% 52.8%
2011
+38%
48%
average
42%
36%
Q: How much do
you spend each
30% year on hosting,
26.3%
24%
education,
21.6% 22.0%
conferences, and
18%
other social media
12%
expenses? 10.9%
6%
2.1% 2.1% 1.9% 1.7%
0%
$10k+ $5-10k $1-5k $1.00-1k $0
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

33. sms income by category
Average Annual Income from SMS by Blog Category
$1,669
Men’s Lifestyle $4,551
$3,256
Family & Parenting $3,201
$1,698
Marketing $3,101
$1,333
Technology $2,725
$1,319
Social Media $2,698
Includes cash
$1,060
Beauty & Style $2,631 and non-cash
$771 compensation
Life In General $2,438
$1,339 2010 2011
Entertainment $2,057
$0 $500 $1,000 $1,500 $2,000 $2,500 $3,000 $3,500 $4,000 $4,500 $5,000
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010, 2011 SMS Survey

34. ethical sponsorships
2010 2011
24.0% 26.2% 25.7%
21.9%
20.5%
17.6%
30.5%
33.6%
Q: What form of disclosure What Do You Mean Disclosure
In-Post
do you use when working Disclosure Policy
with advertisers? In-Post + Disclosure Policy
SOURCE : IZEA Q2, 2010 SMS Survey

35. you
thank
To learn more about SMS please contact
Jerry Biuso, VP of Sales • 407.674.6916
jerry@izea.com