Beyond an affiliate statement, here we provide more context regarding our stance on affiliate marketing, as we want to encourage and contribute to greater transparency in the publishing and editorial space. From our initial plans, affiliate marketing was the primary revenue stream that we would pursue. We would have no advertisements on our website and no advertorial.
As such, we may earn a small commission from content published on this website. Not all links are affiliate links but where we can we utilise affiliate platforms such as Amazon Associates — while aware of the associated controversies, and other programs to progress our publishing efforts, we do. Where anyone purchases through our affiliate links, we consider this support of our work — that there was a transaction that involved value exchange.
And rather than an endless growth model, we look to achieving lifestyle revenues that would support our living costs, while funding our ability to produce and publish more content. That said, content creation, web design, development, all require effort and are costly. Each one of us currently maintains a job(s) outside of this venture. And at the moment this platform is very much a work in progress, to earn a living through online publishing, blogging requires a long-term, scalable approach, it is a numbers game, and as such, we did not start this venture for this not to make money.
Currently, we cover our production costs, basic running costs and have been fortunate enough to do so through brand partnerships. This revenue stream was more an agency approach, creating commissioned work for brands. At first, we envisioned that much of our operating costs would be covered through collaborations, creating curated bespoke branded content with innovative brands who share our values. And we contacted a fair number of brands initially, including several who had stolen our work proposing partnerships or image licensing opportunities — with very few replies. However, this may look different in the future.
Any product we are linking to will always be to brands who share our values and produce with integrity and care. To achieve this, we inform ourselves about how and where they manufacture, considering materials used, their sustainability commitments, and other commitments, labour practices, high-quality ingredients and local manufacturing, and so on. And if they sell on Amazon, we share the link. This consideration extends to brand partnerships or other work produced in collaboration with another individual or brand.
Whenever we make a purchase, there is going to be some impact. For us, being informed with regards to our purchases is vital to reducing that impact. We highly encourage purchasing secondhand, though this is not always viable. We consider our content a discovery platform for making more informed decisions around consumption — research takes time and effort. So if we can make it easier for people to support companies who have respect for our home planet mother Earth and her resources, then we consider that a win.
If anyone is interested in partnering with us, whether through affiliate partnerships or branded content collaborations, please reach out here.