This week’s professional blogger spotlight just happens to be on one of this season’s IFBcon speakers! Kat Griffin of Corporette has found a niche that few other publications address with any real, tangible advice. She gives tips, shopping and style advice for real women working in corporate professional environments. IFB caught up with Kat recently to learn more about her experiences and how she transitioned from being a lawyer for ten years to being a full-time blogger.Tell us a little about Corporette?
Corporette is a fashion and lifestyle blog for women lawyers, bankers, MBAs, consultants, and “otherwise overachieving chicks.” I started it when I was a fifth year litigator at a Wall Street “BigLaw” firm and noticed that I (and lots of my female cohorts) were shopping a lot — getting packages delivered to the office, spending hours (and multiple emails) to pick out the “perfect nude pump,” etc. (So: May 2008.)
How do you monetize Corporette?
I haven’t done the numbers yet for 2011, but in 2010 we were 55% affiliate advertising, 23% banner ads, 14% brand partnerships, and about 9% speaking. I expect 2011 to be much higher in the banner ads category now that I’m affiliated with Style Coalition, but I don’t know the exact percentage yet. As of May 2011, Corporette is my full-time job.
Bonus tip for monetizing? Study your numbers. I didn’t study my numbers until Corporette was a year old — what was getting clicks, how many clicks, what was bringing traffic, etc — and once I did, it was a revelation. For example, shoes: when I first started posting shoes I felt very discouraged because I got a lot of negative feedback from readers — how anyone could hate a simple black pump is beyond me. But when I studied the data, shoes were some of my best numbers — best click-throughs, best purchases, best affiliate commissions. So, onward with the shoes. I actually created a third post of the day just for that (well, both to encourage accessory purchases as well as to encourage conversation). In general I find that numbers are a great counterweight to the negative voices you may hear on your blog. I.e., if vocal readers say you stink, but traffic is climbing, you know you’re doing something right.
What role does social media play in your blogging life?
Probably not enough — while I have over 3000 Twitter and Facebook followers (each), my gut feeling is that my readership doesn’t really live on social media — so I don’t spend a lot of time there. Weeks go by when I don’t log in to Tweetdeck! Very bad.
Can you tell us about any exciting upcoming projects?
I’m really excited about a few projects that I have brewing, but none are off the ground yet so I don’t want to spill too many beans.
How has blogging affected your career?
Ha – It changed it entirely. Like I said, I was a lawyer for 10 years before I left to focus on my blog — that was a huge, huge decision. I have a mortgage, a husband, (and now, a kid), and I knew that a job as a lawyer would likely be a much, much easier way to support all of that — but the fact remains, the blog traffic was growing, my time invested in it was growing, and I felt like my blog was a better investment than my legal career. So I left! Gulp. So far my blog has not disappointed.
Do you have a blogging resolution for 2012?
I have like 10 resolutions – and apparently “more social media” should be one of them!
Thank you!
You may have given up a job that would of financially supported you better, but you gave it up for something you love. What’s the point in spending life doing something which isn’t completely and utterly dear to your heart, when the oppotunity to do what you want is there?
I hope it continues to go well for you! I also hope to see more well dressed women who aren’t mirror images of men…but actually show their femininity and style!